Sportsmanship or how to bend the rules:

I have spent the past several years involved in youth baseball in Tyrone. We play each other and teams from Fayetteville. I've seen a lot of strange things over the years in regards to rules and what not. But nothing like what I witnessed during this year's baseball season.

The Tyrone Braves had a record of nine wins and one loss and were in first place in the 11-12 Park (American) League. Another team, the Fayetteville Phillies, had a record of eight wins, one loss and one tie. Clearly, the Tyrone Braves should have been given first place. But lo and behold, the rules were changed.

The Phillies were allowed to continue playing their tie game on another day (although the game had already been ruled complete because it continued to the 2 hour and 15 minute time limit allowed in the rules). They scored a run and the tie was erased and they were given the win, bringing their record to nine wins and one loss.

This gave the Phillies the exact same record as the Braves, yet first place was awarded to the Phillies. I know this seems trivial in the grand scheme of things, but what does this teach our kids? If you don't like the rules, don't obey them, change them?

I thought youth sports was to teach sportsmanship and help kids build self-esteem and character. This hardly seems like the way to do it!

Ryan K. Gunnin

Tyrone

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