Dave Jones Broker/Owner e-PRO Dave Jones Realty llc Prospect CT.

Say it ain't so.

You have heard recently about the disgracefull tirades that parents have put on at Children's sporting events. Everything from fights between parents, parents fighting with umpires, and even Violence.

But this?

The Youth Baseball League of New Haven, Conn., has banned a 9-year-old from pitching.

What was his crime? you may ask? Did he get caught doing something illegal? Not doing well in school?

No, He is TOO GOOD! Or more specifically, Excessive velocity on his fastball.

Jericho Scott throws almost 40 mph, a speed deemed too dangerous for other 8- to 10-year-olds to step in against. Though Jericho has NEVER hit a batter as his team opened the season 8-0, his coach was told the boy must play some other position or the team would be disbanded.

When coach Wilfred Vidro defied the league directive and sent Jericho to the hill last week, the other team refused to play, packed its gear and left. Officials for the league say that Jericho's team has indeed been disbanded and that the players will be redistributed among other squads.

This has been in the local news of late, but today I see it on CNN, Sports Illustrated, Fox News and even ESPN.

I don't know if these league officials have gotten the word, but we're trying to get kids in cities in America to start playing baseball, not stop playing baseball because an opposing pitcher has a little giddy-up on his fastball.

The league claims that parents were expressing safety concerns. But given that youth baseball helmets now have face masks, there is enough safety in place to help prevent an ingury. I would guess the speed of the ball coming off a line drive would be about the same (if not more) and the pitchers dont wear helmets! It is obvious the bruse the parents are trying to prevent Jericoh from inflicting is the bruised ego's of striking out, and getting shut out and no hit (he had thrown 6 no hitters this year).

It's as if these parents and league officials have banded together to teach these children an important lesson: if something is hard or scary, you don't have to do it. You can just walk off the field. We can skip the achievement-in-the-face-of-adversity-part and go straight to the ice cream.

Jericho, good luck with your court case, maybe in the mean time you can talk to Omar Minaya or Brian Cashman. Both New York teams could use a hard throwing pitcher that can find the strike zone.

Parents who started this mess in New Haven, you should be ashamed of yourselves. He could actually make your children better by getting them to learn to hit the fastball and teach them about sportsmanship.

Lasagna Fundraiser Dinner at the Prospect Fire House on September 6th, 2008 from 5-8pm for Benjamin LeBlanc.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from Gwenn Fischer 203-558-0641 or Deborah Talmadge 203-206-3373.

Also going on later that night is the Hilarious Local Comedian Dave Reilly. www.DaveReilly.com

Tickets to the show are $30, and you get $5 off by going to the Benefit for Matthew. Dave will be performing at the Prospect Grange Hall at the Town Center.

Matthew has been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and has been receiving weekly treatments at Yale/New Haven Hospital.

Please try to come out and make this event a HUGE Success!

This Saturday August 16th is the official opening and dedication of the Matthew Kenney Memorial at Hotchkiss Field in Prospect. last night at our Monthly Republican Town Committee meeting Mayor Bob Chatfield said this was one of the most successful fundraisers in the town of Prospect's history!

The festivities begin at 10:30am at Hotchkiss field. It will be a great time to celebrate what has been accomplished. Bring your skateboards, rollerblades and of course helmets! There will be music, free t shirts and food!

You can read more about Matt at the site I designed and donated at www.mattkenney.org or our site www.sellformatt.org

On a hot and Humid Tuesday on July 8th the Prospect Seniors had their annual picnic at the Prospect VFW. The party was catered by the Prospect Dairy Bar. They served, Potato and macaroni salad, Corn on the Cob, Baked Beans, Foot long hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, carrot cake and ice cream. Senior Sounds the band played and a great time was had by all.

I even got to help cook the burgers and hotdogs. I did have to leave a little early for a listing appointment however.

The Dairy Bar crew and me (in the hat) in the kitchen!