Guest Author - Denise Oliveri

The South Georgia Peanuts are a minor league baseball team in Albany, GA. They play in the South Coast League. Their record as of this report on July 21, 2007, is 33 wins and 11 losses. Sounds like a pretty record so far, don't you think. They have even earned a spot in the Championships.

Wally Backman, who is the team's field manager, reports that after the Peanuts got into a physical fight at Friday night's game (7/20/2007), they simply packed up and forfeited the game. They were playing the Macon Music in Macon, GA.

The culminating events that led up to the forfeit were as follows. Backman had been ejected from the game in an early inning. Backman, a key member of the New York Mets when they won the 1986 World Series, was tossed in the second inning. The team got into a fight with the Macon Music and decided to walk off the field in the seventh inning ending the game in a forfeit.

With Macon way ahead, Casey Garrison of the Music swung at a 3-0 pitch and drove in a run that made it 12-2. That didn’t sit well with the Peanuts.

The next batter, Carlos Arroyo, evaded two pitches before the next one hit him. The dugouts emptied, umpires broke up the fight and the players were sent back to their benches.

At that point, the Peanuts decided they’d had enough and did not return to the field.

Garrison claimed he heard Peanuts pitching coach, Buddy York, tell his pitcher to hit Arroyo.

“I really don’t like to play these guys,” Garrison said. “Every time they lose, it’s like they just can’t take it.”

What Can We Learn From This?

What is your definition of good sportsmanship?

Do you think that the Peanuts showed good sportsmanship at this game? If not, what could they have done differently to get a better outcome?

Have you ever played a team that was unfair or did not play by the rules? How did that make you feel?

Here are some tips to remember, if you want to practice good sportsmanship during games:

• Look to professional sports figures who display good sportsmanship and try to mimic their actions.
• If you win, do not boast about it. Be proud and happy, but do not rub it in the other team's face.
• If you do make a mistake, don't make excuses. Just try better next time.
• Encourage teammates, don't critcize them.
• Listen to your coach, and follow his directions.
• Try your best to avoid arguments, and do not lose your temper.