Re: “Chicago’s Little League team stripped of national title over cheating” (Feb. 11):
On the issue of Little League Baseball stripping the U.S. championship from Jackie Robinson West, I think it’s a pretty clear situation: The team would not have won the U.S. championship if not for being a “super team,” using players from outside their district. It’s not as if one unused bench warmer being too old or ineligible led to this decision.
Feel free to blame the adults for setting this situation up, but the kids got that experience of winning by being dishonest. I don’t understand how people can argue that “they are still our champions,” when “they” is a collection of players from multiple areas outside of a certain Little League.
I’m sure it’s not the first time this has happened, but that doesn’t make it OK. If Little League lets it go, why not allow all cities to make “super teams”?
This is supposed to be a pure game. ESPN is the main culprit for making Little League more than it is, making these 12-year-old kids TV superstars and enticing parents to be dishonest to get their 15 minutes of fame. There’s too much money involved now, and too much to gain from breaking the rules.
Jeff Christenbury
Saco
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