# Coach has disabled player deliberately hurt **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 15, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677 "2005-07-15T17:39:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/1 "2005-07-15T17:39:16Z")
[story here.](http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05196/538635.stm) > [@](#): > > police said, Downs, the head coach, “approached the other member of the team and told him that he would give him $25 to hit the victim on his head with a baseball so the victim would not be able to play in the game.” The other player hit the victim in the left ear and also in the groin, police said. > [@](#): > > said that interviews they conducted “revealed Downs did not want the victim to play due to his physical limitations.” Alleged, of course, but dismaying if true. Hasn’t this guy ever heard of the bench? Sit him on the bench if you don’t want him to play, dickwad! ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/2 "2005-07-15T17:41:33Z")
Okay, it’s worse. I missed that this was 8 year old teeball! Not even a real sport, just a fun game for young kids! Let the kid play for Christ’s sake! IT’S _TEEBALL_. Get a grip. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/3 "2005-07-15T17:42:18Z")
What a dumb coach. Doesn’t he realize that you’re supposed to use your worst players to hurt players on the OTHER team, not the other way around? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/4 "2005-07-15T17:46:11Z")
If this is true, the “coach” deserves to be placed in a stockade in the middle of town. What a great example to set for children. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/5 "2005-07-15T17:51:45Z")
A left ear for a left ear and a groin for a groin. Go O.T. on his sorry ass. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/6 "2005-07-15T18:16:00Z")
That’s just fucked up. I hope they throw The Book at the guy. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/7 "2005-07-15T19:29:01Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > That’s just fucked up. I hope they throw The Book at the guy. I hope it’s the OED. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/8 "2005-07-15T19:34:49Z")
But this is what we [teach](http://www.nospank.net/whistle.htm) our coaches (without telling them in so many words). Fair play is just a cornball turn of phrase most of the time: coaching is mostly about a. authority and b. winning. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/9 "2005-07-15T19:39:03Z")
Is it ironic that the coach is named _Downs_? ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/10 "2005-07-15T21:20:19Z")
> [@LateComer](#): > > Alleged, of course, but dismaying if true. Hasn’t this guy ever heard of the bench? Sit him on the bench if you don’t want him to play, dickwad! Just a guess, but since it’s tee-ball, they may be required to play everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/11 "2005-07-15T21:46:21Z")
> [@JeffB](#): > > Just a guess, but since it’s tee-ball, they may be required to play everyone. Then just fucking play everyone. It isn’t like there were lives at stake. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/12 "2005-07-15T21:51:50Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Is it ironic that the coach is named _Downs_? Yeah, I noticed that. If this guy was dumb enough to believe: 1. A teeball game warrants tactics usually seen in the Mafia and Olympic figure skating and 2. an 8-year-old would keep quiet about why he hit Jimmy in the groin he really ought to have some sort of mental capacity testing himself. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/13 "2005-07-15T22:08:11Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Then just fucking play everyone. It isn’t like there were lives at stake. But imagine how much more interesting tee-ball ball would be if lives _were_ at stake… “If you don’t get to first base on your next at bat, little Timmy, we’ll kill your mother.” ---
**Author:** ![gaucho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@gaucho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaucho)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/14 "2005-07-15T22:38:07Z")
It would be better if had said to the other player, “sweep the leg, Johnny.” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/15 "2005-07-15T22:40:49Z")
Heh. I coached my kid’s teeball team this year. I never saw any coach even try to “win”, much less do anything the least untoward. They don’t even keep score in teeball! God, what a dumbass! Yeah, I know we don’t all live in Lake Wobegon, but geez! ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/16 "2005-07-15T22:46:25Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > But imagine how much more interesting tee-ball ball would be if lives _were_ at stake… > > “If you don’t get to first base on your next at bat, little Timmy, we’ll kill your mother.” Am I a bad person for laughing at this post. Note I aint laughing at the coach, Am I a bad person for wanting to beat the shit out of that coach if the story turns out to be true. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/17 "2005-07-15T22:48:45Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Heh. I coached my kid’s teeball team this year. I never saw any coach even try to “win”, much less do anything the least untoward. They don’t even keep score in teeball! God, what a dumbass! > > Yeah, I know we don’t all live in Lake Wobegon, but geez! No kidding. I’ve watched my nephews play teeball in the past and it’s hard enough to get the kids to hit the ball. Never mind the outfielders entranced by whatever happens to catch their eyes at the moment. This isn’t a criticism, by any means. It’s cute and I was the same way as a kid. I’m just saying this is the _least_ critical sport in terms of winning and losing. This coach should get the equivalent treatment. Since he’s an adult, find another adult baseball player who can pitch at his head and groin. Then make him run the bases. ---
**Author:** ![SlyFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SlyFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlyFrog)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/18 "2005-07-15T22:56:36Z")
I was on my way here to post about this same issue. An 8 year old mentally disabled kid? This is the very definition of an attack on innocence. I picture this poor kid, challenged enough as is, who just wants to play baseball with the other kids, and then he gets intentionally pelted because of this asshole. This guy should be stoned (and not in the herbal way) as an appropriate punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/19 "2005-07-15T23:12:54Z")
> [@SlyFrog](#): > > This guy should be stoned (and not in the herbal way) as an appropriate punishment. A couple hundred kicks to the head and nuts would be good for a start. Better yet, let him spend a week with the same mental faculties of the victim. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677/20 "2005-07-15T23:15:10Z")
Seems to me the most appropriate punishment for this guy would be a good old-fashioned shunning. Everyone who knows him turning away, refusing to speak to him, refusing to make eye contact with him, treating him as if he simply no longer exists. Doesn’t sound like much? Stop and think how it would feel to go through days, weeks, months of essentially being invisible to the world, knowing that the thing you’d done was so abhorrent to your community that they cast you out of it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coach-has-disabled-player-deliberately-hurt/312677.md?page=2)