Eastern Kentucky fight leads to ban on T-ball tourney, crackdown on verbal assaults
An Eastern Kentucky city banned scorekeeping and championship tournaments for its T-ball league and imposed a zero tolerance policy for verbal assaults after adults fought during a game.
The Stanton Parks and Recreation Board on Tuesday announced the new changes for the city’s T-ball games for 5- and 6-year-old players. No changes were announced for other youth baseball programs. The new policies were adopted because an argument between coaches and game officials turned into a physical altercation in the middle of the field during the tournament finale Monday night.
The board also promised discipline against fight participants without revealing details.
The city announced a new zero-tolerance policy for verbally assaulting umpires, referees, scorekeepers or any other game officials at any sports league hosted by Stanton Parks and Recreation.
“This applies to coaches, players, and spectators,” Stanton Parks and Recreation said in a Facebook post. “Umpires should eject the offending party immediately if this rule is violated. An individual who is ejected will not be allowed to return as a coach, player, or spectator to that league for the remainder of the season.”
The city will now require all T-ball teams to place players at assigned positions. “Player grouping” is no longer allowed.
“Our goal is to facilitate a safe and fun environment for everyone who attends or participates in leagues hosted by the Stanton City Park,” the parks and recreation department said.
Videos from Monday night’s game appeared to show coaches from both teams get into an argument. One coach appeared to throw his hat down before another man came onto the field, started shoving people, and took his shirt off.
Additional videos showed more adults joined in the altercation. There was a loud argument with spectators. A coach later said on Facebook that the dispute started over a bad call.
The game was called off over the fight. Both coaches later took responsibility on social media and said they hoped both their teams could be named co-champions.
Stanton Parks and Recreation said it was still going through videos and reports it received from the incident.
“While there will be disciplinary actions taken against individuals, we will not be discussing those publicly,” the parks department said in its social media statement.
Charges could be pressed against some of the people involved, depending on what turned up through investigation, the Stanton Police Department said.
“We’re going to speak to everybody that we can, and if the (Powell) county attorney recommends charges, that’s what we’ll do,” Sgt. Ian Morton said.
Reactions to the new park policies were split.
“Why take away the tournament?” Jason Smallwood asked in a comment on Stanton Parks and Recreation’s Facebook page. “Don’t punish the kids for the adults acting foolish!! And no score keeping? You’re taking the fun out of the game of baseball!”
Others felt that having a tournament and keeping score at games for small children was unnecessary.
“In my opinion; keeping score at this level is more for the parents than the kids,”Albert Douglas said in a comment. “They are too young to even realize what is going on.”
‘Really sad.’ Adults fight at Eastern Kentucky T-ball game. Charges possible.
