T-Ball Coach Offered 8 Year Old Boy $25 To Bean Autistic Player

[matcom]

<snip>

UNIONTOWN -- In the summer of 2005, it was the Falcons versus the Pirates in the T-ball playoffs of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, and 8-year-old Keith Reese was the key Falcons player.

Yesterday, it was the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Mark R. Downs Jr. in a Fayette County Common Pleas courtroom and, once again, Keith Reese was the key player.

Keith, who is now 9, testified that Mr. Downs, the coach of his T-ball team on June 27, 2005, offered him $25 if he would throw a baseball at an autistic teammate, injuring him so he would be unable to take part in the playoff game.

League rules require each player to play at least three innings.

Mr. Downs, 29, of Dunbar, is charged with two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, corruption of minors, conspiracy to commit simple assault and reckless endangerment. He and his defense attorney, Thomas Shaffer, rejected a December plea agreement offered by Fayette County District Attorney Nancy Vernon.

The case has attracted intense news media coverage and sparked concern over what youngsters are learning from adults on their playing fields.

"This is baseball," Mrs. Vernon told the jury of eight women and two men during her opening statement. "This is small-town USA. This is Americana. These children are supposed to be learning the importance of teamwork and good-sportsmanlike conduct from their coaches."

Mrs. Vernon and Mr. Shaffer took turns questioning Keith and the other boy, Harry Bowers Jr., 11, who was struck by two throws -- one hit him in the groin and the other in the ear -- and did not play in the Falcons' playoff game. Both boys testified after assuring Judge Ralph C. Warman that they knew the difference between the truth and lies and promising that they would tell the truth.

http://www.pittsburghpg.com/pg/06256/721322-85.stm

[Bill McBlueState]

1. wow

"This is baseball," Mrs. Vernon told the jury of eight women and two men during her opening statement. "This is small-town USA. This is Americana...."

All true, and none of that is inconsistent with what happened.

[MountainLaurel]

2. Um, damn

But since this is Pennsyltucky after all, I'm not sure that we should be surprised.

[underpants]

3. This is actually worse than the football coach running onto the field

and THAT'S saying something.

Repeat after me-IT IS JUST A GAME

Oh I sure hope none of these kind are around me when our girl starts playing in leagues. I might just make me the matcom news.

[zonkers]

4. Matcom, you are irreplaceable.

[Momgonepostal]

5. What is wrong with people?

This would be unacceptable in any circumstances, but since when do normal people take t-ball this seriously? T-ball!

[rustydog]

6. Lifetime ban from coaching...you shollow unfeeling bastard

My best friend and I coached city-sponsered kids basketball several ice ages ago.
the rule was EVERYONE played.

Mike and I were the only coaches that rotated ALL players in and out from beginning to the end of the game. We did not win very many games, but the kids learned fundamentals of basketball and the concept of teamwork, functioning as a unit trying to accomplish your goal.

These kids never gave up. I loved coaching them. This prick Downs should be forced to volunteer time assisting teachers of autistic people.
We have postings of child molesters and sexual offenders. Why not post the picture of this coward who paid a child he was charged with coaching (teaching fundamentals of fair play, sportsmanship, teamwork)25.00 to STRIKE ANOTHER HUMAN BEING IN THE HEAD with a baseball simply because he was autistic.

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH.

[Kajsa]

7. My son has autism.

This is beyond cruel, it's sadistic and sick.
Oh yes, it's also in violation of SEC.12203-B
of the ADA.

It hurts me so much to see people
treating our kids this way.

:nuke: and sadness.

http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/ada.html

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Titles I and V

Title V

PROHIBITION AGAINST RETALIATION AND COERCION

SEC. 12203.

(a) Retaliation. - No person shall discriminate against any individual
because such individual has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by
this chapter or because such individual made a charge, testified,
assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding,
or hearing under this chapter.

(b) Interference, coercion, or intimidation. - It shall be unlawful to
coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any individual in the
exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his or her having exercised or
enjoyed, or on account of his or her having aided or encouraged any other
individual in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected
by this chapter.

[Arger68]

8. My two nephews have autism.

I feel the same sickness as you.;(

[Kajsa]

26. Thank you,Arger68.

:hug:

[kay1864]

9. Here's another pic of the coach...

Looks like he's lost a little weight.

http://www.comcast.net/data/news/photoshow/html/sports/189539.html

[Aristus]

14. Jesus! Who's that guy's tailor? Bozo The Clown?

The suit and shirt are about three sizes too big for him. Clown pants and floppy shoes should help him accessorize nicely.

[kay1864]

21. My guess is that's a suit he hasn't worn in awhile...

And we can only hope that he's been throwing up a lot from being disgusted with himself.

[Lance_Boyle]

10. My first reaction,

aside from the requisite "whattabastard," was "how in the fuck do you bean someone in T-ball?"

[fishwax]

29. apparently it was during warmups before the game n/t

[Broken_Hero]

11. Holy...what

a @#$#@$#%^$#% up story...:(

[Broken_Hero]

12. wait a minute

on second thought, what is up with this story? in T ball, they don't pitch/throw the ball, the ball is placed upon a T, and the batter gets a free swing at it....

[ceile]

13. He was to throw it at him.

He was on his team so I'm guessing maybe throw it at him when he was covering a base?

[Broken_Hero]

15. yeah, true....

you got a point there...:)

[SKKY]

16. I think Mr. Downs should be required to work with handicaped...

...children for a period of time as deemed appropriate by a court of law. As the father of a stunning little boy who has Down Syndrome, I can safely say I don't feel
any anger toward Mr. Downs. I feel sadness. Sadness for him and for his mind and soul.

[LaraMN]

23. You have a little guy with Downs, too?!

My three-year-old (youngest) son has it. He is the. light. of my life. (I'm sure you can relate!)

[SKKY]

31. I do. And yes, I would agree with you.

Sergio is a year and a half and is just as lively and full of life as any other child. To be honest, we haven't really
felt the "weight" of him having Down yet. I'm told there will be challenges down the road, but one thing children like
ours teach us is to take each day as it comes. PM me your e-mail address and I'll send you a pic. I would also like
it if you did the same. :)

[ulysses]

24. I understand what you're saying, but my initial thought

is that this asshat needs to stay as far away as possible from any child with a disability.

[ScreamingMeemie]

32. Seconded! I would not trust him around any child.

:( Poor baby. :cry:

[KamaAina]

17. If someone had tried that with me, I'd have gone medieval on them

Obviously neither Mr. Downs nor young Reese know the first thing about people with autism. If Reese had tried to bean me when I was 11, he would have found himself being beaned right back, with rocks, or maybe soaked with a bat. They're lucky that Harry Bowers apparently withdrew rather than, um, tantrumming with extreme prejudice.

Apparently not much has changed since my glorious "Les Nessman" moment in a college intramural game, early '80s: I smashed a bases-clearing triple, about two steps to the right of where the center fielder would have been, had he not assumed I was unable to hit it that far and camped out right behind second... oh well, at least no one tried to bean me! :grr:

[zonkers]

18. A groin shot and an ear shot is damn good for a few 10 year olds...

Let's keep an eye on those two.

[cwydro]

19. this makes me unbelievably angry

and incredibly sad...I don't know that I agree he should work with disabled children, or ANY children at all. He should be forbidden to have anything to do with kids or kids sports.

[johnnie]

20. He's only 29

Karma sucks dude. I'm just saying.

These "coaches" are pathetic. I know people love sports, but I have always thought sports were over-rated. The need to win just blows my mind.

[Nye Bevan]

22. Ban him from coaching? Make him work with handicapped kids?

Everyone in this thread is *way* too easy on this guy.

This piece of scum needs to go to jail for several years.

[Zavulon]

25. I'm with MathGuy on this. This man is a true piece of human garbage and

should spend some time with ardened criminals being treated like one.

[Taverner]

27. 90 days in county

That's the only fair punishment

[fishwax]

30. I agree

should he be found guilty, jail time is definitely in order for this kind of offense.

[warrens]

28. Asshole doesn't even start to describe this psycho

I coached t-ball for two years and the very idea of someone hurting a kid on my team...for the coach to do it to his own kid is just unbelievable.

Our kids were very nice to the lousy players, including my daughter and a kid who had a lot of physical problems.