coach
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 1:45 pm
oh , and they always talk about the parents being jerks. no wonder I sign my kid up for 4H rather than this stuff. aren't sports supposed to be fun anymore?
-rebecca
Coach to Stand Trial Over Hurt Player By RAMESH SANTANAM, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago
A youth baseball coach on Thursday was ordered to stand trial for allegedly paying one of his players $25 to hurt a 9-year-old mentally disabled teammate.
Eight-year-old Keith Reese testified at a preliminary hearing that Mark R. Downs Jr. made the offer before a playoff game June 27.
"He told me if I would hit (the teammate) in the face, he would pay me $25," Reese said.
Reese warmed up before the game with his mentally disabled teammate, Harry Bowers. His first toss hit Bowers in the groin area. As Reese walked away, he said his coach told him to "go out there and hit him harder."
"So I went out and hit him in the ear," Reese said.
The 27-year-old Downs will be arraigned Sept. 15 on two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault and one count each of corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person.
Downs' attorney, Thomas W. Shaffer, on Thursday again denied the allegations.
Reese's father, Keith Reese Sr., also testified Thursday. He said Downs admitted after the game to offering his son money to hurt the other boy.
The team was part of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, which ended its T-ball season earlier this month.
League organizers have said Downs won't be allowed to coach again if he is convicted of criminal charges.
Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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-rebecca
Coach to Stand Trial Over Hurt Player By RAMESH SANTANAM, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago
A youth baseball coach on Thursday was ordered to stand trial for allegedly paying one of his players $25 to hurt a 9-year-old mentally disabled teammate.
Eight-year-old Keith Reese testified at a preliminary hearing that Mark R. Downs Jr. made the offer before a playoff game June 27.
"He told me if I would hit (the teammate) in the face, he would pay me $25," Reese said.
Reese warmed up before the game with his mentally disabled teammate, Harry Bowers. His first toss hit Bowers in the groin area. As Reese walked away, he said his coach told him to "go out there and hit him harder."
"So I went out and hit him in the ear," Reese said.
The 27-year-old Downs will be arraigned Sept. 15 on two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault and one count each of corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person.
Downs' attorney, Thomas W. Shaffer, on Thursday again denied the allegations.
Reese's father, Keith Reese Sr., also testified Thursday. He said Downs admitted after the game to offering his son money to hurt the other boy.
The team was part of the R.W. Clark Youth Baseball League, which ended its T-ball season earlier this month.
League organizers have said Downs won't be allowed to coach again if he is convicted of criminal charges.
Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Questions or Comments
Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright/IP Policy - Ad Feedback