Nine-year-old Jericho Scott of New Haven, CT can throw 40 mph. For this, he is labeled a monster and liability by parents of opposing players.
As Scott took the mound to pitch last week, the opposing team refused to play, packed up their gear, and forfeited.
No joke...well, kind of.
Per the Associated Press, "There are about 100 players for the three-year-old league on eight different teams. Officials have said they plan on disbanding Jericho's team, putting the players on other teams. Anyone not on board with that is free to be refunded their $50 sign-up fees. Wilfred Vidro, Jericho's coach has resigned..."
- B/R Ticket Guide
Message to this nation: If your kids are actually active enough to get outside and away from their Xbox 360 for long enough to feel natural sunlight on their pasty flesh, make sure that no one they play sports with is better than them.
Please bare in mind that it isn't just that parents don't want Scott to pitch, they don't want him to play at all.
Here are some more recommendations that local parents have submitted to the athletic board:
- Kids that can hit home runs have to bunt to make the kids that can't hit home runs feel better.
- Kids that are slow get a three-second head start out of the batter's box before infielders can attempt to throw them out.
- Kids whose parents aren't the coach don't get to play, ever.
- Kids that don't have trust funds can't have ice cream afterwards.
- All players must wear helmets all the time: at bat, in the field, at school, and most importantly, when the reality that life isn't fair crashes on their still soft heads.
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2 months ago
This is sad to me for many reasons. First off, if the kid is bringing his heat honestly, then he deserves the right to pitch like any other 9-year old; second, by removing him from the league, they are depriving batters in that league to hone their skills and strategy against a bona fide heater; third, they are depriving the kids of one of sports' biggest lessons- how to cope with being outmatched or defeated.
Personally, I think it's a little hazardous on a child's arm to be throwing that hard so young; but if that is what he wants to do and his parents approve of it, then he is allowed.
If Jericho Scott's heater is too fast to be hit by his fellow leaguers, then bump him up a notch and let him pitch in a league of older boys where his fastball will be challenged. When Babe Ruth was just a kid at St. Mary's, he constantly played with older boys because of his devastating fastball. The rest is history!
I would like to see this kid pitch, and develop some good off-speed pitches to compliment that heater. He'll need to do that if he wants to keep pitching. Many managers know that any fastball can be eventually timed. And Jericho can read up on why Sandy Koufax retired so young- because he threw too hard to early in his career.
2 months ago
I heard about this on the radio. Disgusting. Yet another example of our society striving for mediocrity ala Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
I'm so happy I was born when sports and competition meant something because it shaped me into the person I am today. These kids are all in for a rude awakening when they grow up and their boss rips them because the best they did wasn't good enough. Hey kid, heres a pink slip to go with that participation ribbon.
Oh and this kid throws 40mph with control. He hasn't hit an opposing batter all season.
from 2 months ago
I give the kid all the credit in the world, I probably still can't throw 40 mph.
2 months ago
I saw this story last night, and again this morning on Mike & Mike. Absolutely disgraceful. No wonder kids are so soft these days, they're too scared to face 40 mph pitching. How will they ever learn?
from 2 months ago
Dad used to say the same thing to me about pennies and light sockets
2 months ago
happens
2 months ago
40-50 mph is average speed for 9-10 year olds.
See http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/average-pitching-speed-by-age-group/
Some can pitch 55 or so.
Better dig deeper on this story. This kid is slow at 40mph.
from 2 months ago
hey, it's not my story. Maybe you got this page confused with:
http://stories.that.should.be.heavily.researched/before.writing/a/satirical.article.about.them.org
2 months ago
This is ridiculous. This whole world is turning upside down, with it's whole "let's make kids feel good!" crap.
from 2 months ago
Dennis Leary said it best, "Life sucks, buy a f***ing helmet."
2 months ago
I really don't see the prommbphthh... wait a second, I forgot to take off my protective writing gloves and put on my full-focus goggles.
Oh, crap. I think they're in my other suit of body armor in the survival bunker's panic room.
2 months ago
I love the satire but have to ask, why in G-d's name did you include a picture of Sidney Ponson (or as a friend of mine calls him, Sir Felon)? He's not exactly the Jericho Scott of the majors...
2 months ago
I love the satire but have to ask, why in G-d's name did you include a picture of Sidney Ponson (or as a friend of mine calls him, Sir Felon)? He's not exactly the Jericho Scott of the majors...
2 months ago
why a picture of ponson?
2 months ago
Bumping the kid up to another, higher league isn't the answer either because that isn't fair to Jericho who is competing against people outside of his age bracket. You play by how the rules are setup, PERIOD. The rules state that in his age, he plays in his age bracket. Now, if kids can't hit off of him, you teach them there is lessons in losing. That's the lesson here. Or here's an even better concept...get better coaches who can teach these kids HOW TO HIT 40 MPH FAST BALLS! Wow, now THERE'S A CONCEPT FOR YOU! I love it how when people aren't good at something themselves, it must be someone elses fault. If they can't hit the ball, it's the pitcher's fault for throwing too fast. Well guess what folks, then YOU LOSE THE GAME! If you want to beat this kid, you just have to be better. The funniest thing is they want to break up his entire team! How insane is that?! This entire thing just wreaks of political correctness run amok to the point of making me want to vomit. These parents need a swift kick in the head and a dose of reality. They are probably the same morons that petitioned to have swings and money bars banned from the nearby park because "Little Johnny might fall and bump his head." Beh, it makes me literally sick to my stomach just thinking about how insane this actually is. This kid should be rewarded for actually excelling at something, not punished for being great. I'm sure he's probably going to quit sports now and maybe if we're lucky, he'll devote his time to academics. Oh, but wait, he'll only have the same door slammed in his face when he graduates high-school and is told by the same idiot parents that he's not allowed to be the Valedictorian of his school because it will hurt the feelings of the C- students!
2 months ago
Stupid Little League. I heard this story from my brother yesterday, and we all had one heck of a dinnertime talk! This goes hand in hand with the "No All-Star Game" story for little league. You get my POD for this one Jon, and the Little Leaguers get my STFU award...sorry for those who don't know that acronym...you'll find out eventually.
2 months ago
Did they give everyone a trophy?:)
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