The Real Little League Cheaters

Japan won the 2001 Little League World Series.

Danny Almonte has gone through more ups and downs over the past few weeks than the Space Mountain roller coaster at Disneyland.

During the 2001 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Danny was a pitching wizard. In three games, Danny had 46 strikeouts and threw a perfect game while helping his team from the Bronx, New York finish in third place. Danny was a hero. President Bush congratulated him, Randy Johnson sent him a letter and an autographed baseball and Ken Griffey Jr. even called him up. Danny and his team were also honored by the mayor of New York and given keys to the city.

Then Danny's real age came out. Danny is actually 14 and is too old to be playing Little League baseball - which is why he was striking out everyone. Danny and his team from the Bronx were disqualifed from the tournament, Danny's dad was arrested for faking his son's birth certificate and Danny had his picture on newspapers and television sets all around the world with the word cheater under it.

Sure, he threw 80 mile an hour fastballs past kids two years younger than him and made them look like chumps - but when you got stuff, you gotta throw it. Danny could've come forward and said he was too old. But it would've been pretty tough for Danny to do that if it was his Dad who changed the birth certificate. I certainly wouldn't be ratting out my own Dad after getting the keys to New York City, a high-five from the Prez and all that attention.

The real culprits are the people who changed Danny's birth certificate to make him two years younger - whether it was his parents, his coach or the president of his league. They're the ones who spoiled the Little League World Series for the other teams and turned a fun baseball tournament for kids into an international scandal. You really can't blame Danny because his father is a stinking liar. There's a real problem if little league sports mean that much to this dude.

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