An Oklahoma youth baseball coach who allegedly instructed his 12-year-old son to throw into the opposing dugout has received a lifetime ban from the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA), which sanctioned the travel ball tournament where the incident took place.
According to USA Today Sports, the coach's son, who was pitching at the time he threw the ball into the opposing team’s dugout during a tournament Memorial Day weekend in Kansas City, has been suspended for five years.
"Due to the sensitive nature of the sensitive manner of the issue, and involvement of minors, no further comments will be (provided)," John Latella, CEO of the USSSA, told USA TODAY Sports.
The incident occurred during a game between 11-and-under teams from Oklahoma and Nebraska. Players who are 12 and in fifth grade are eligible to play for an 11-and-under teams.
Michael Ryals, 38, of Welling, Okla., was identified as the coach who directed his son to throw into the dugout. The pitcher’s name has not been published because he is a minor.
In a statement to USA Today, Ryals said the Nebraska players were verbally abusing his son before the incident took place.
“Just kids being ruthless kids,” Ryals said. “I don't think any kid should be in trouble for what they said, but he (Ryals’s son) reached his breaking point. He told me he was going to throw the ball in between innings and I said, ‘There's consequences for it. You should really think that through, but there is consequences for it.’”
One of the parents of the players from Oklahoma sent an apology letter to Brian Mangi, coach of the Nebraska team.
"Our athletes and our parents were 100 percent blindsided when Michael instructed his son to do what he did," the letter stated. "We left the park immediately after the game and we are no longer associated with the coach and we never will be again."
