CNNSI.com - SI Online - Phil Taylor - The Hot Button - SI's Phil Taylor: Little Leaguers should have their demands heard, too

A play stoppage

Little Leaguers should have their demands heard, too

Posted: Monday August 05, 2002 12:01 PM

It's time for the players to go on strike. We all know how damaging it could be to the game, especially coming so close to the World Series, but a strike is the only way for the players to get what they want, what they need, what they deserve. When it comes to baseball, I'm on their side all the way, because, let's face it, the players are the game.

Not major league players. Who cares about them? I'm talking about Little Leaguers.

The Little League World Series will be nationally televised later this month, which means the youngsters have leverage right now. Listen carefully, kids: Walk out. Take a hike. Tell your parents and coaches that until they give in to your demands, you'll be spending your free time skateboarding without a helmet, zoning out on your PlayStation 2 and sitting really close to the TV so you strain your eyes. (Parents hate that.)

You kids should form a union and get yourselves a smart, charismatic leader, not like that sourpuss, Donald Fehr, who's the head of the big leaguers' union. Bill Cosby would be a wise choice because he's good with kids. He'll make sure the public stays on your side, and for long negotiating meetings he'd probably have those Jell-O Pudding Pops for everybody. Here's the list of demands he should present on your behalf:

Less television exposure: There's no reason for ABC and ESPN to televise the LLWS, as they will again this year. Eleven- and 12-year-olds don't need the pressure of performing in front of national television audiences. They run the risk of developing swelled heads if they succeed, or suffering lasting embarrassment if they fail. My son's team won the city Little League championship last month -- Yeah, I'm bragging. It's one of the perks of having a column -- and it got a nice write-up in the local weekly paper. That's all the recognition a kid that age needs.

More parental self-control: In youth sports, it's the parents who should be seen and not heard. At least, they shouldn't be heard disputing umpires' calls, arguing with parents from the other team or yelling at their kid to change his batting stance while the pitch is on its way to the plate. According to the New York Post, three New Jersey fields no longer have bleachers along the first- and third-base lines or behind the backstop. All the seats are beyond the outfield fence. Great idea. If parents and other spectators can't just cheer positively for the kids, they should be kept as far away as possible.

Lessons in sportsmanship for every adult: Last year it was the Danny Almonte fiasco. This year, coaches of one Little League team that had no chance of advancing in a tournament allegedly told their players to intentionally lose a game in order help another team from the same town that did have a chance to advance. If the grownups don't understand the concept of playing hard and playing fair, how are the kids supposed to?

Obviously there are an overwhelming number of mature, responsible adults involved with Little League who set nothing but the best example for young players. But maybe the only way to get the message across to the minority who suck the fun out of the game is to have a work -- or, rather, a play -- stoppage. The fear for the major leaguers is that another strike or lockout will drive more fans away from the sport, that eventually, aside from the players, there will hardly be anybody at the games. For Little Leaguers, that might be the best thing that could happen.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Phil Taylor writes about a Hot Button issue every Monday on CNNSI.com.

Related information

Stories

Phil Taylor's Insider archive

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video

The Web

SI.com

SI.com GROUP: Sports Illustrated | Life of Reilly | SI for Kids | TBS/TNT Sports