For the first time in Little League's 53 years, scandal has turned its World Series winners into losers.
Little League officials declared eight Philippine players ineligible Thursday and ordered a forfeit of their team's 15-4 victory last month over Long Beach, Calif.The forfeit gave Long Beach the title and prompted the Philippine Little League's district administrator to resign today, calling the move "rank injustice." The Long Beach team got together Thursday night for a quiet celebration at a park.
"I think this is a real big thing. But it would have been better if we had won it on the field," said pitcher Randall Shelley, 12.
"I'd like to have another game with them," first baseman Ryan Stuart said.
A Philippine newspaper this week quoted a Zamboanga, Philippines, coach as saying only six of his players were eligible. Eight players from outside the city of Zamboanga were added, in violation of Little League's geographic limits.
The players' ages, which had also been questioned, were not cited.
Taiwan has long dominated Little League baseball and the Philippines' victory over it in the Far East tournament was considered quite an upset.
Little League's tournament committee met Thursday to discuss the problem. Long Beach was notified of the decision Thursday night.
"It is a hollow victory that we didn't win it on the field in a way, but it's very good because it showed they couldn't do what they did and get away with it," said Ron Nelson, assistant director of California's Little League District 38, which covers Long Beach.
Two of the suspect players, Roberto Placious and Ian Tolentino, pitched the Philippines to the title, winning the international championship and world championship, respectively. Placious was perfect through five innings against the Dominican Republic and Tolentino, despite giving up a grand slam to Stuart, was the winner against Long Beach and also added a two-run homer.
In resigning today, the league's Philippine district administrator, Armando Andaya, claimed the Filipino team lost its title because Americans could not stand losing to Filipinos.
"Our Philippine Leaguers defeated the American champions in their own national sport, in their own homeland," Andaya said. "The Americans in Williamsport just could not take it at the hands of the Filipinos. Hence, they scrounged around for some reason to overturn the victory."
Andaya said the league's decision was "beyond reason" and, "despite its protestations and pretensions of fair play and justice, it has committed a rank injustice to the innocent Philippine Little Leaguers - the world champions."
The office of Philippine President Fidel Ramos didn't immediately comment. Ramos received the players at the presidential palace when they returned from the United States and gave them a $40,000 prize to finance their educations.
There was no word on whether the prize would be taken back.
The Philippine Inquirer in Manila quoted coach Eduardo Toribio as saying the first four batters, Jerwin Sagun, Tolentino, Placious and Michael Gonzales, were ineligible.
Long Beach's original roster also had a player from outside its region, but coaches deleted his name when they discovered the problem. Long Beach brought only 13 players to Williamsport. The league allows 14 players.
"They found one of the players was two blocks out of the boundary, so we didn't take him," said Bob McKittrick, District 38 administrator.
McKittrick said he received newspaper accounts of the Philippine national tournament showing the suspect players listed with other teams. A check by The Associated Press in Manila supported McKittrick.
Little League depends on local officials to settle all eligibility questions and provides for no follow-up at Williamsport.