When is enough enough?
My son recently had a Little League baseball game that was to start at 8:30 p.m. The game before it started and ran late so his game started shortly after 10 p.m. Prior to the start of the game, I was told that league rules state that you cannot start an inning after 11 p.m.
Well, 11 p.m. rolls along, and another inning is started. At midnight, I finally had enough. What are we thinking when we continue games until after midnight?
These are 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 year olds!
Are we keeping the players' best interest at heart? Are the games continued for the coaches/parents convenience? Are we really thinking about the players' health, safety and well-being?
I don't think so.
When I went to get my son, I was then told that league rule states that an inning cannot start after midnight. Which is it, 11 p.m. or 12 a.m.? It was already 12:10 a.m., and they were starting another inning.
What exactly are the rules and why aren't they followed?
Nancy Price
Altoona
Reward all teams
It is with great disappointment that I am writing this letter, but I feel as though someone needs to.
What has happened to Little League sports?
We try to teach our children to get involved in sports, yet we fail them by not recognizing their accomplishments and achievements.
My son has played in Pee Wee Baseball for Claysburg for the past two years, and I hate to admit the fact that I am completely disappointed and hurt that the league has upset children and parents.
Last year, every team (there are only four) received trophies in the Pee Wee League; however, after being voted on, the league decided not to do that but to only award trophies to those in first and second place, leaving the other children with hung heads and not even a pat on the back for a job well done.
There is no reason why they could not even give these children medals for participation and for their efforts. After all, they did play as hard as everyone else.
What I don't understand is that the sponsors supply the uniforms, parents buy the pants, socks and cleats, the league sells 50/50 tickets, and we have to pay for the child to play.
My question is: Where does all of the money go?
I understand that there is upkeep for the field, but would it completely break them to put out $75 to say ''good job?''
These children will be recognized as I have taken the liberty to make sure they feel the way that I think they should - like good little ballplayers that all deserve recognition whether in first place or last.
Mandy Pinkerton
Claysburg
Tri-County unfairness
I am writing due to some issues with the Tri-County Youth Baseball League in Bedford County.
There was a meeting June 15 in regards to bad umpire calls during a game. They were supposed to have a neutral umpire there for the game on June 17, but instead they had one of their teams' own coaches umpiring the game. They had some really bad calls. They were all against our team. Clear plays that were safe against our players were called out. Some of the other team's players were able to have four strikes.
My son had to jump over a pitch, and they called it a strike. It was not a fair couple games for our team, and I would like everyone to know how some teams will go the distance to win even though they break the rules and people get hurt in the meantime.
This is not the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth time we have gone up against a team that will do anything to win. It is unfair to all the kids that follow the rules and play their best, and the other team cheats to win.
Lori Taylor
Six Mile Run
Interesting time at PSU
Cory Giger gives his readers plenty to discuss over family picnics this summer regarding whether Joe Paterno's age of 81 is being played as a card in recruiting or not.
The company line is ''a successor is already on the current coaching staff'' when Coach leaves on his own or is forced out after this year. There are three very good coaches who could take over if school president Graham Spanier stays in-house. They are coaches Tom Bradley, Larry Johnson and Ron Vanderlinden.
My guess is that whoever becomes head coach from among these three coaches would want to retain the other two.
Les Hart
Duncansville
