Southeast Regional

Agree with this comment.

Headfirst, I posted earlier that back in my day, it seems as though players got beaned all the time. Heck I can remember when batters leaned INTO pitches to get hit, to get 1B,,,,,, players don't do that nowadays, times have just changed, for the better I suppose. But your comparison of beaning batters or taking out middle infielders (TO ME) is just different. Those issues are (as Braves said) part of the game. Whats more, those issues the other guy can see what is coming. This legion incident involved a player deliberately throwing a baseball at another player's BACK, this was clearly a cheapshot that the Cherryville player did not and could not see coming. This is the biggest difference what (to me) makes it so dirty.

And Anonymous, we're cool, you make good points, as long as you can admit the sportsmanship can be a problem in every sport at every age level, not just legion baseball.

 

I read an account of the incident (in the paper I believe) and it said three Cherryville players stayed in the dugout. In his day, Babe Ruth never joined the fray. He famously said "Mr. Ruppert (Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert) don't pay me to fight".

I understand hot-blooded competitive reactions.....it just seems like such a tragedy to waste everything in the process.

 

I do agree that many times the person who reacts is the one who gets caught because someone usually provokes the issue. The Cherryville runner may or may not have said something to provoke this (I don't know), but Georgia could've beaned that particular kid during his next at-bat and nobody would've said nothing, and I would be willing to bet no benches would've cleared either.

In my opinion, no provocation justifies throwing a baseball at someone's back at point blank range.

 

Personally, I think umpires can police this. It's their field and their game. Should they be responsible for this behavior? No, of course not. You would hope the coach would, but if he isn't taking control, and I was the umpire, then I would.

This behavior is found at all levels of baseball...just some more than others.

Dang, A non E Mous, I just saw a LL kid showboat after a HR on ESPN.....what the heck is being taught? Coach should have benched his butt...oh yeah, the coach is his father. It's sad what's being allowed.

First, let me say there are many great players and coaches playing Legion baseball. Some of the best coaches, Greg Clewis, at Queen City is as good as it gets. But you will find more of this boorish behavior in Legion baseball than HS or Showcase. Why?

HS coaches have the player's destiny in his control. They wouldn't dare upset him and find their butt suspended and virtually end any chance of moving to the next level. They respect and fear a HS coach

You don't see bench clearing brawls in Showcase. Why?
Because they are playing in front of college coaches. They wouldn't dare embarrass themselves in front of them. So it's the respect and fear factor again.

Legion? The one's that have this boorish behavior have no fear. If they get kicked off the team...so what? Means nothing to them. Again, it's no condemnation about American Legion. It is what it is. The coaches have very little control other than kicking a player off the team. What's the repercussions of that? Nothing really.

But it can be changed and it would take a total effort by the Legion Post to ensure it's changed at the Posts that have this problem. I can say this, talking to the players for Queen City they all said it was the most fun they had since LL days.

 

Sure it is...it's a terrible tragedy. There is no reasonable justification how it got started.

I know you don't agree with me and I respect that. I think you are the most knowledgeable poster on the board. We just disagree in this topic.

By the way, a red flag was thrown for mentioning Babe Ruth as a source for this incident? The only thing that could get The Babe running out of the dugout is if someone dropped a hot dog onto the field!!!!!

 

I hate this happened, but it has been fun to have a lively discussion. It's been a long time coming on TBR. I'm tired of reading tryouts.....

 

TJ...that's the beauty of this forum..we can disagree and life still goes on. As an umpire I agree that sportsmanship in general is a problem. My only point is that Legion put a Code of Conduct in and basically put themselves in a glass house to throw stones at. If you put a Code of Conduct in, the expectations are higher. I would love to get back into working Legion but some things would have to change to do that....$ would be one of the places to start.

Braves makes a good point about the fact that if a kid gets kicked off a Legion team there is no consequence. It's a grueling season and if I get kicked off I can go to the beach earlier. That's a very good point.

That being said, how much do any of you think can be done to clean it up?

 

Braves, thanks for the compliment (however undeserved!). I enjoy the give & take on this board...if we all agreed on everything it would cease to be of any value.

BTW, I picked up the nugget about Babe Ruth in Bill Werber's book "Memories of a Ballplayer". Werber was Ruth's teammate in 1927 (for three weeks) after his freshman year at Duke and then off and on during the early thirties before being traded to the Red Sox where he led the American League in steals in '34, '35 and '37 and subsequently led the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series title in 1940 batting .370. Werber wrote three books in his lifetime and a paperback version of the book mentioned can be had on eBay for $1 to $2 plus shipping.

 

I think some of the coaches are well respected in certain legion programs. In those legion programs those kids listen to those coaches and respect what they have to say and understand that even the legion coach can have some say so in where that kid can continue his career if he so chooses. I know in Kernersville a lot of the kids can thank Mr. Loflin for helping them get to where they have gotten and they also would have done anything for him on the field. I know first hand that he can help you any way he can as long as you respect him and do what he's asked you to do...just my opinion

 

Btw and its CHURAVIL.