June 14, 2006

PNLL Board of Directors,

Thank you and congratulations on a fine season and for the quality of your organization. My wife and I have two second year players in “A” (Dodgers) and “AA” (Pirates), and both enjoyed their respective seasons. They anxiously await next season. The compliments don’t stop there; however, the primary purpose for writing you is to offer a suggestion as the result of a concern. It is important to me that you not misconstrue this letter as in any way critical of PNLL or as “sour grapes” from a disgruntled parent. We had a wonderful time this season (quality games, excellent umpires, great hotdogs) and we thank you!

The AA Pirates had a terrific season, not just in terms of W-L record, but they had a great deal of fun and were coached by two very fine people (Don Sabatini & Cliff Simms). As you can imagine, having the Pirate moniker lends plenty of opportunity to rally team spirit and add to the fun with cries of “AAARRRGGHH”, Pirate hats, Jolly Roger flags, Pirate songs and so on. My wife and I subsequently took on the cheerleading role to the great delight of our young players, coaches and parents. Eventually, we attended games with bright red Pirate hats, eye patches, raised Jolly Roger near the dugout before each game and developed a Pirate songbook for between inning fun and spirit. All of our “antics” were in good taste, were never aimed at our opponent in a derogatory manner, and were in no way inflammatory.

I attended my first MLB game the year the SF Giants moved west and began play in Seal’s Stadium, and currently hold season tickets to the Oakland A’s. During that near 50-year period, there has always been pre-game entertainment and music piped through the stadium. Today, between innings you will hear music, dot racing, big screen highlights and all manner of spirited noise. It’s part of the game, and has been since Abner Doubleday invented the game.

The issue of concern lies with certain opposing coaches that object to this type of fanfare. As indicated above, the “fun” was not at anyone’s expense. The sole intent was to add fun for our players. Opposing teams were always welcome to join in. Certain coaches apparently lost perspective of what AA level baseball is, and determined that we were somehow obnoxious, overly competitive (?) or antagonistic. What they fail to realize is that in such a small community, all parents know and are friends and neighbors of parents on opposing teams. Most of the players attend school together. What would be gained from inciting friends, neighbors and classmates?

This is “Little League”, not MLB. Winning is fun, but not at the expense of smothering everyone else’s fun. By example; the Pirates played three games against the same opponent over the season. The Pirates happened to win the first game. In a subsequent game the opponent’s coach stepped beyond the bounds of youth sports’ condoned behavior by intentionally intimidating Pirate players, and using the same tactic to challenge an umpire’s call. The young umpire conceded and reversed the call. The call itself is not the issue, and no one from the Pirate team further mentioned the matter. Two Pirate players were reduced to tears as a result of the intimidation, and Pirate Coach Don Sabatini brought the matter to the attention of league officials. Don is not prone to making gratuitous complaints. In the third match-up, Pirate fans were by now having more and more “Pirate fun” at each game. Five minutes prior to game time, we played “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on a small stereo; loud enough to be heard, but certainly only within the confines of our game field. We followed with the National Anthem and raised the American flag. As had become our custom (again, before the scheduled start time), we raised Jolly Roger to the overture from “Phantom of the Opera.” The kids love it! The coaches love it! The parents love it! We have seen opposing team players enjoy the festivities and received genuinely supportive praise from Cub Coach Reedy (an opponent), stating he would love to see more similar spirit and parental participation. The opposing coach in this situation became demonstratively angry, personally maligned Don Sabatini and pressured the young umpire, through intimidation to force us to stop. Again, all of this took place prior to game time. Any subsequent “entertainment” would have been done between innings. “A Pirate’s Life for Me”, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, the “Oscar Mayer Hot Dog” song and the “Addams Family” theme song with fun Pirate lyrics were to round out the parent/fan repertoire. Our opponent won the game, but I will guarantee you that no one, player or parent had fun or overcame the pall cast over the game in those opening moments.

Gentlemen and Lady, in America baseball has a long and lasting tradition of pre-game and between inning fun and entertainment. They still hold sack races at SJ Giants minor league games in between innings. The National Anthem is still played before all MLB games, as is “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch, and players step up to the plate to everything from “Star Wars” to the home run theme from “The Natural.” It’s fun, it’s traditional, acceptable and inoffensive.

Thank you for allowing me to bring this matter to your attention. Parent involvement is important to the quality and traditions of the game. Parents that laugh, sing and enjoy the two hours spent sitting on hard benches supporting their players should be encouraged, and not discouraged by the few that have lost their perspective. The fact that parent volunteers giving generously of their personal time provide the coaching slots for PNLL is not lost in this and they all deserve our gratitude. Perhaps “perspective” can be made part of a coach’s inaugural training.

Respectfully,

Dean Schenone

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