A kids’ t-ball game ended abruptly when a brawl broke out between parents and coaches in Stanton, Kentucky, earlier this week.
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A group of young children, with ages ranging from 5 to 7, were playing their championship game when one of the coaches, Jimmy Smith, apparently disagreed with a call made by the umpire. According to Smith’s Facebook post, the other team’s coach “threw his hat at another coach on [his] team, and then got in [his] face.”
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Reports claim that someone ultimately stormed the field and started “cursing and punching” other adults, inspiring a scene where parents and coaches chaotically took over the field and left children standing around bawling.
The altercation got out of control enough that someone even called 911, reporting things “getting pretty wild at the T-ball field, believe it or not.”
No major injuries were reported, and the real casualties of the escalation of the events were, of course, the kids who were just trying to play their game and have some fun. Instead, the remainder of the game was called off, no champion was declared, and no end ceremony with promised trophies and medals took place.
“It was devastating for the kids I couldn’t believe that adults [were] acting like that and I know my little girl was so excited,” one parent told WKYT. “She had worked all season to get better and get the game balls and she was so excited, and it just got ripped away from them.”
While Smith initially carried the hotheadedness from the game onto Facebook, he and opposing coach Steve Randall eventually both seemed to agree that they were both in the wrong and they need to find some way to make this right for the kids.
“At this point all I care about is getting these kids what they deserve,” Randall wrote.
Smith followed it up with a new post of his own the next day, saying that he’s “man enough to admit” his mistake and find a way to put together an awards ceremony for both teams.
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In response to the unexpected clash, the Stanton Parks and Recreation Board declared a ban on scorekeeping and championship tournaments for its t-ball league for 5 and 6-year-olds. The possibility of some participants in the fight facing criminal charges is still being explored by the local police.
*First Published: June 17, 2021, 7:18 am
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