Nine year old banned from baseball because he's too good
By cripfemme
@cripfemme (7698)
United States
August 28, 2008 12:53pm CST
Nine-year-old Jericho Scott was banned from pitching in his little league because was too good at pitching. He throws a 40 miles per hour fastball and other teams are intimidated by it. His parents say and I agree that it's wrong to punish someone for being good at something. ""Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?" the lawyer his parents hired said. I agree. This seems unAmerican in a way. It's like banning Micheal Phelps from swimming because he's so good. Who knows who this kid could be? An Olympian or a Major League ballplayer? Who are we to take that away from him. The only solution I can think of is to move him to different, more advanced, league where he can play with people at his level. I would agree to that if I were his parents. However, I wouldn't want him playing with older kids as they might be a bad influence.
5 responses
@prinzess1515 (1341)
• United States
28 Aug 08
He wasn't really banned. They told him he could play on a more advanced team but he/his parents said no. They told him he could play a different position on the team he is already on and he/his parents said no.
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
28 Aug 08
I'm inclined to agree with the parents. If he plays on a more advanced team, the kids might be too old for him to have fun with (which isn't the the point of playing baseball). Why should he not play the position he's best at?
@prinzess1515 (1341)
• United States
28 Aug 08
They aren't always older in more advanced leagues. He is playing in a group of newbies. They would just put him on a team with kids that have played before.
@theprogamer (10532)
• United States
30 Aug 08
They could have done something different like put him in a different league... or maybe the other teams could have done something else... like encourage the kids to adapt and get better... but the latter item, nah that's becoming a thing of the past -_-. You don't see this much in the adult world (cept of course if something illegal is going down). But really, the society encourages winning, becoming better and not just in sports but in many facets of life. It does seem like punishment for being too good, and unfortunately this also happens in life from time to time. People want handicaps for others and bonuses/perks for themselves because they believe that without them, things would be hopeless. Its sad this is appearing more and more in society.
@niklophiliac (90)
• India
28 Aug 08
I agree with your suggestion that he should at least be introduced to a more advanced league.
Barring him from the sport completely might leave out precious time of enjoyment and learning for him. If he enjoys pitching he should definitely have a good outlet and practice time.
Although he would have to be nurtured with care as even with the most meticulous of efforts the people he plays with will end up influencing him for good or bad - that remains to be seen.
@txcheerleadr90 (293)
• United States
28 Aug 08
Thats not fair. When my husband was nine he was 5ft. 10in. He was a big boy. He played baseball and basketball and parents would get so upset and raise hell over him getting to play because they thought it was unfair matching. Children however are not affected by this. It is strickly parents.. secretly wanting their child to be the best. I say let him play!
