Posted on 07/17/2005 10:38:39 AM PDT by Born Conservative
A Fayette County tee-ball coach was arraigned on felony charges yesterday that he bribed a 7-year-old player to throw a baseball at a mentally disabled teammate's face to keep the boy out of a game.
State police said Mark Downs Jr., 27, of Dunbar, offered his star player $25 on June 27 to hit an 8-year-old autistic child with a baseball because he wanted to win the game.
"Just when you thought you had seen everything," said state Trooper Thomas B. Broadwater.
Downs' lawyer, Thomas Shaffer, said his client denies the charges.
"He has two children of his own," said Shaffer. "He could never do this."
Police said Downs asked player Keith Reese to hurt Harry Bowers, who is autistic. Reese threw a ball that hit Bowers in the left ear while they were warming up before a game. After Bowers didn't go down, Reese hit the child in the groin with the ball, police said.
When Bowers ran to tell the coach about the attack, Downs suggested that he sit out the game, police said.
When Jennifer Bowers, the boy's mother, confronted Reese about the deliberate throws, Reese told her the coach had asked him to hurt Bowers, police said. The boy was taken to an emergency room, where he was treated for swollen red marks on his ear and groin.
Bowers could not be reached for comment. State police said she signed up her son for tee ball hoping it would help him overcome some of the social stigma he might face in the future.
Downs was charged with criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, corruption of minors, conspiracy to commit simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
WTF
Is this guy a parent of any kids?
If so, this is ANOTHER example of Little League Dad. win at all costs even if it means hurting the kids.
This is part of the reason I refuse to umpire in Little League anymore.
"Blue" state ping!
Good! Throw the book at him (in the face and groin)!
(Akin to "But he was always such a nice, quiet boy!")
I don't know what to say....
Although I'm not a big fan of the civil lawsuits just on a whim...this is one time that I would tell this boy's mother to go for it!!!
yep....
another scumbag living vicariously through his kids...
kids that age need to be taught the game. Not necessarily winning, but the basics and fundamentals that will let them play well and have fun WHILE playing the game...
Also, his son was on the team, I am sure, so the father was trying to help his son's team win AT ALL COSTS!!!
Sick b@stard.
This is tee-ball, for crying out loud! In our town, they don't even keep score in tee-ball.
Smells fishy to me....
NOBODY tries to bribe seven-year-old kids with $25...
not when they can be bought off a lot cheaper than that.
Besides, if this kid was truly an accomplice, whatever happened to the newspapers' policy of keeping the names of minors private?
That's too bad because you sound like the type of person they need to bring civility back into the childhood game. However, I DO understand your reluctance. Everyone is out of control anymore. Sad state of affairs isn't it?
I know what you mean...
my 4 year old granddaughter played T-ball, and they had to stop each inning when the 15 runs count was met!!!! LOL
I never, ever heard her or any of the other boys and girls ask who won or what the score was....
They just wanted to know what snacks were brought for after the game!!!! LOL
well when you have parents and coaches waiting for you in the parking lot, its overboard. That happened to me but nothing came of it as I didn't react to them, but it has turned out much worse for others which has been publicized.
If the game has turned into something, especially considering the age of the children, where the coaches are making moves to win and not teach, they might as well not even play at all.
Perhaps Harry's family could have a person of their choosing, throw a couple of balls at the coach's ear and groin........... I'm sure some nice professional ball player would volunteer.
I'll volunteer!
Before we hang this guy, why don't we consider the fact that the boy (who threw the balls at the other boy) may have been acting on his own and just made up the story about the coach paying him to get himself off the hook. It is always wise to get all the facts before rendering judgment.
You aint from 'round heyar are ya boy? Let me tell you sumthin Virgil, we don't like shiny pants interlopers coming down here trying to shove things like common sense down our throats. We got a way we do things round here, an that don't include throwing reason in front of a lynch mob; ya heyar! Why don you just go back where you came from boy and leave us alone. We got a lynchin ta get to. Yeehaaaaaa!
I'd need to practice a bit too, but I used to be able to sling sidearm and cause a little bit of a pop in someone's glove - I'm not all that accurate though, so it might take me more than two throws to hit the exact spots.
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