Little Leaguers told to stop speaking Spanish on field:

[formerrepuke]

"It appears the umpire was concerned that the coach or manager may have been using a language other than English ... to communicate potentially 'illegal' instructions to his players...The umpire simply overstepped his authority, and there was no malicious intent."

Still, consider games played by teams from different countries (Olympics, for example)...I think it's a lame excuse.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/07/29/ll.spanish.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

[dsc]

1. My dad is a former little league manager

I will have to ask him what, if any, illegal coaching could be done.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. seems silly

they could just as well be using signs (ala base coach) or coded english.

[Journeyman]

3. But baseball managers & players communicate by code all the time. . .

What makes an instruction "illegal" if its given verbally in a language the umpire may not comprehend, versus an instruction given by ear pulls, tummy scratches, and hand claps -- something the umpire is expected to be unable to comprehend?

[kwolf68]

4. LOL

What a joke. Part of baseball is tricking your opponent. Pitchers try to throw pitches hitters aren't expecting. Base runners steal bases on a good pitch (breaking ball down)...Coaches give signs to their players on what to do and when.

If someone can communicate on the field in Spanish, Arabic, Swahili...whatever, then suck it up and play ball.

If knowing what Spanish speaking people are saying is that important to you then….LEARN SPANISH.

The anti-Spanish movement is quite hilarious…

[KamaAina]

5. Funny, the same thing happened at the Little League World Series

the Mexican and Dominican teams were doing it, too. It's a conspiracy, I tell you! :-)

[Ken Burch]

8. And just try to understand what the Taiwanese team was telling each other!

[Igel]

6. Tenhle je blbec, vol,

to je pravda.

So of course, it's not a problem.

Kto by jinak mislel?

[formerrepuke]

7. A lo mejor, los chicos estaban bromeando de algo- y el gringo

de arbitro se enfada de no entender- que pendejo.

[getmeouttahere]

9. Wow, that's all I need to do to field a championship team?

just get an all spanish-speaking lineup!