An ethics problem?

[Rich]

Originally posted by GarthB
I like coaches. If it weren't for them — even the bad ones — a lot of kids would sit around doing nothing constructive.


Or, having the times of their lives playing on the corner sandlot across from the P&C with no b!tchy parents living through their kids and no coaches yelling at them "get your head out, what are you, retarded?"

Just them, Jimmy "mouse" Knauss, Gary, Jay, Alan, Denny, Johnnie, Larry, Donnie, Lann, Billy, Greg and Artie... playing ball until the street lights come on and then hightailing it for home on their bikes with the glove dangling from one handle bar, a bat held by index fingers as it lays across both handle bars and a ball in a pocket.

Man, I'm old.

When I was 9 years old, back in 1978, I played in a league in my hometown during the summer. There were 10 teams in this league played on a small diamond that seemed big at the time.

The teams were run by 12 year old captains, chosen by the two adults that ran and umpired the league. By the time I was 13 they stopped umpiring and had, you guessed it, 13 year olds like me umpiring. They'd be there to supervise only. So my first umpiring experience was in 1983 as a 13-year-old calling balls and strikes on my schoolmates. Even then I had a generous strike zone.

The captains made all the decisions for the teams -- who played, pitched, batting orders, pitching changes, etc.

It was the most fun I ever had. I will admit, we didn't learn much those years about the fundamentals of baseball, but who cares?