Posted by Joe O
on 2/22/2008, 3:38 pm
65.78.48.135
Here are some facts that came out about the 2007 Lefty's Pub ASA of PA Class "C" State Roster during the suspension hearing for Tom McLaughlin and Chris Protesto.
The vast majority of the names of the players on the roster were forged along with incorrect birthdates (that weren't needed) and addresses.
This was verified because District 6 still had in its possesion Lefty's Pub 2006 Advance Play roster where players names were actually signed by the players.
There were also players on the roster who did not participate in at least two league games prior to the tournament (in fact they didn't play at all) which is a requirement if they wanted to participate.
McLaughlin and Protesto's excuse was that they didn't have time to get their players to sign the roster before it was due to the tournament director, so McLaughlin forged the names.
When names that had as little as five letters in them were spelled wrong from how they were the previous year and players addresses were used from streets that didn't exist, one of which was an industrial park in Aston and a few others that had the players living in the wrong state, it was more than obvious that there was no respect for the ASA of PA District 6 and its players.
The penalty that could have been handed down from the District 6 Disciplinary Committee could of been a one year suspension of not just McLaughlin, but the entire Lefty's team.
In the past, under a different commissioner, a one year suspension or more was given out for the same infraction.
The leniency exhibited by the District 6 Disciplinary Committee for McLaughlin, who received a one-year District 6 probation and Protesto, who although was part of the conspiracy, was not penalized, was unprecedented.
There were no outside pressures by anyone in reaching this decision, just an effort of the Disciplinary Committee to give the players and Lefty's team a break, with hopes that they would be remorseful of their wrongdoings and would never allow this type of roster violation to happen again.
No other team in District 6 turned in an illegal roster for advance play in 2007.
Lefty's Pub seems to make a habit of submitting illegal rosters, as evident by the seven illegal players who were placed on their 2007 Marcus Hook Slow Pitch League playoff roster.
For McLaughlin and Protesto to catch the kind of break that they did at their suspension hearing and still be whining to anyone who will listen, is just amazing.
Instead of being a man and accepting, what turned out to be a slap on the wrist, they and their counterparts continue to try and corrupt others with their untruths and misconceptions.
Unfortunately for them, they are not succeeding.
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