The BIRMINGHAM NEWS reports today that the baseball coach at something called Bevill State has been accused of forcing a gloveless player to kneel in front of a pitching machine.
(Who knew something that brings boundless joy to millions could be used for such an (alleged) DASTARDLY DEED)
The player’s grandfather, Fred Hambrecht, told the News that his grandson Shawn Rider was being punished for having lied about why he missed a recent practice. Hambrecht said that Rider’s coach Ed Langham then forced the player “to put on a catcher’s mask and chest protector and kneel about 45 feet from a pitching machine without a glove. With the player holding his hands behind his back, Langham dispatched “80-, 90-mile-per-hour fastballs” from the machine.”
Rider ended up in the hospital. The he player’s mother, Debbie Rider, “said she saw photos of multiple bruises on the left elbow, left bicep and left shoulder of her son Shawn, as well as on both collarbones and his right elbow. He underwent an MRI on Monday, she said.”
OK, that’s pretty damn hardcore. But amazingly, the school has done nothing with Langhman and the presiding district attorney and the city prosecutor aren’t exactly pressing the issue either.
That despite the fact that 10 of Rider’s teammates signed a statement verifying the veracity of Rider’s story.
Bevill Athletics Director Russell Howton said the school was”investigating the incident and that no action had been taken against Langham.”
“He’s been here 10 years and nothing has ever come up with him,” Howton said. “He runs a pretty clean-cut program.”
Doesn’t sound like Howton is inclined to do anything. The same can be said for city attorney Herbie Brewer. He reported to the News that the district attorney, after a review of the case, had ruled that if “a crime occurred it did not reach the legal level of felony assault.”
Brewer added, “That young man needs to come back in and complete his interview and bring any medical records to demonstrate actual injuries.”
How shooting 90 MPH fastballs directly into someone without a glove isn’t felony assault? I know, we’re talking about Alabama. It appears Langham is a well-respected, well-connected man about town, which may supercede what are some heinous allegations.
7:36 pm on November 7th, 2008
Bevill State is short for "Be Evil State".
7:38 pm on November 7th, 2008
Shawn should return the favor by taking a couple of practice swings upside the coach's head.
7:40 pm on November 7th, 2008
This should prepare him for playing for Hank Steinbrenner.
7:43 pm on November 7th, 2008
Whatever happened to running 10 laps?
7:45 pm on November 7th, 2008
If they ever do a sports version of those "Saw" movies, they have their first scene.
7:50 pm on November 7th, 2008
Shouldn't have told the coach he skipped practice to go vote for Obama.
7:51 pm on November 7th, 2008
Another selling point to have Dodge Ball as an intercollegiate sport.
7:52 pm on November 7th, 2008
Putting up with such punishment takes a lot of balls - about 30-40 of them coming at you at 90 mph.
8:36 pm on November 7th, 2008
He should be thankful he didn't choose Ball State… could've been much much worse.
9:31 pm on November 7th, 2008
Isn't this considered assault and battery? Especially since the player couldn't use a bat?
9:31 pm on November 7th, 2008
Herbie Brewer - any relation to Bernie Brewer?
9:19 am on November 8th, 2008
Happy Gilmore is impressed.
4:22 pm on November 8th, 2008
Every serious catcher has done that drill a hundred times. Its not that hard…
1:40 pm on November 9th, 2008
It wasnt 30 or 40 balls it was 80. The serious catchers have all had gloves to catch the balls. Shawns hands were behind his back. I consider this assault and battery. Shawn has run laps befor. Shawn lied to his coach this punishment was out of controle. We are waighting for results from the MRI taken Tues 4th. The bruises don't worry me as bad as the swelling that he still has on his left shoulder. Shawn and i have talked about actions he should take if ever put in a situation like this in the future. I just hope therapy will fix his shoulder. Thanks for the support.
6:31 pm on November 9th, 2008
Shawns Mom, are you considering a civil suit? I can't believe the AD an the DA are giving the coach a pass. He doesn't have any business being left in charge of kids.
1:53 am on November 11th, 2008
Well, I will break it down like this. The newspaper is only giving half the truth in the story. Of course the part that everyone is reading is the half that gives Shawn the upper hand. It says nothing about the fact that Shawn had lied numerous times. #1. Missing a baseball game to go to class, which he did not go too. #2. Falsely implying that he could get 6 field passes to the UGA v UA football game, letting 6 players believe they had free tickets, not to mention field tickets. Once the kids got to Athens, from Birmingham, when gas was around 3.80 a gallon, the kids didn't have any tickets. #3. Saying that he was in Georgia, and couldn't make practice that morning, when he was 15 miles down the road at his girlfriends house. All of these offenses were punished with running. After having Shawn run over 300 poles and he still hadn't gotten the message that he was not performing up to par, something else had to be done. The speed was not 80-90 mph. It was set at 70 mph. There was actually a catcher to do this same drill, who moved up to 35 feet, and had no problems. The only thing this has done is destroyed a team that could be great. Also, at no point in time did Coach Langham ever "force" Shawn to block these baseballs. At any point in time he could have said it was hurting, he couldn't do it anymore, etc. He chose his fate.
9:53 am on November 25th, 2008
The students that wanted free tickets for the UGA game, were going to that game for tailgating. They did not burn gas based on the prank Shawn pulled. There plans were to go anyway!! So they did not waist time or gas. And the coach admitted to my family that the speed of the pitching machine was set at 90MPH. As far as this being a drill, i have spoken to a Minor League Catcher who says, "yes this is a drill but they are farther back, they are not on there knee's, they do have a glove and his question was???? WHAT WAS A PITCHER DOING BEHIND A PITCHING MACHINE IN THE FIRST PLACE. There is a difference in little white lies and lies made to intentionaly hurt someone.
10:01 am on November 25th, 2008
If there is anyone who thinks they can take what Shawn took. Let me know how you feel when it's over. Shawn let me know that aftere being pounded on for so long it hurt so bad he tried to hide his front side from the on coming balls. And from that there were balls that hit his back side of his shoulder. The MRI showes sprained and possible tore ligaments.