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It is unfortunate that poor sportsmanship, the bane of little League everywhere, has turned up in Rappahannock County. The Rappahannock Athletic Association’s baseball program is only a few weeks old and already, umpires are getting the same abuse and arguments that fall on officials in more competitive contests elsewhere. Kids on the sidelines have joined in to follow the adult lead, tossing taunts instead of balls at the players.
There’s no place for this kind of foolishness in a program whose primary purpose is to give children something constructive to do with their time while learning the basics of a sport.
Summer baseball is the newly formed Athletic Association’s first project. In an effort to avoid regional rivalry, the organizers choose—wisely, we think—to form teams representing the county as a whole rather than specific areas. There are not nine players on a team from Sperryville, Washington or Flint Hill but nine players on teams from Rappahannock.
However, efforts to keep competition low keyed have been only partially successful. Mutterings and criticism have steadily increased and most of it is from the sidelines, not the bench or the playing field.
It’s unrealistic to expect kids and their parents and friends not to care who wins or loses. However, it is important to emphasize that the adults in the program are not paid for their time or efforts. Umpires and coaches are all volunteers and while coaches earn the respect and affection of their
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