I would like to begin by addressing a few important facts regarding the scheduling issues revolving around the termination of the series. As has been noted by several league officials and coaches, the best-of-three city series was scheduled to begin on Monday, Aug. 18, with the second game on Aug. 20 and the third game, if necessary, on Friday, Aug. 22.
Two weeks prior to the EWLL championship series, my wife and I planned a a summer family vacation before my oldest son returned to college and I went back to work. I have two sons who play for IBPO and we postponed our annual time away due to league commitments. On Sunday, Aug. 17, I emailed our league’s Player Agent to let him know that my two sons would not be available after Wednesday’s game.
Also in that email, I disclosed that one other player from IBPO would not be attending games that week and a fourth player would not be available for Game 1 on Monday due to another family commitment.
To be fair and on the record, I never emailed this message to Gary Lataille as was stated in an earlier published editorial but I did have a conversation with Gary and the conclusion of Game 1. At that time, I let him know about my vacation plans, the other player being away for the week and the uncertainty of other players probably missing Friday’s game.
We also talked about a few other topics regarding the city series but from my perspective he was informed of the potential that IBPO might not be able to field a team for Friday’s third game. This situation would have left IBPO with a minimum of only nine players. I suppose the game could have been played with the nine players for IBPO but it probably would have been more prudent to reschedule the game so that both teams had an opportunity to play with their full complement of players.
One Bernon coach made a good point in his letter to the sports editor last week when he talked about the A’s losing several players to family commitments. 
Little League rules state that all major league teams must maintain a minimum of a 12-player roster with a maximum of 15. EWLL has adopted this rule and has taken measures through its Player Agent and Board of Directors to see that this rule is strictly followed.
Bernon, on the other hand, rosters 13 players for each major league team but allowed Woonsocket Tax Service to compete with as few as 10 players throughout their league and city playoffs. It is well known that there is a greater advantage to a team that has fewer mandatory player substitutions to make in Little League, especially if those players not present are less skilled than those who do come to play.
If Woonsocket Tax Service maintained a full roster through the end of the year, it probably would not have had a problem rescheduling at some future date due to a lack of players.
The failed league merger earlier – which was voted down by EWLL earlier this year – created a very adversarial and contentious beginning to the City Series. I was on the Merger Committee and was totally in favor of the two leagues merging and chastised those from our league that spread negative rumors and mistruths about Bernon.
I understand why Bernon’s membership is angry. Animosity between the two leagues was very evident and spilled over when this controversy began.
Unfortunately, as can be the case with Little League politics, sometimes adults make rash decisions intended to punish or hurt other adults and do not think of the kids first.
A perfect example of this occurred this week when a nine-year-old pitcher in New Haven was banned from pitching “because he was too good.” The reality is that our actions can have an adverse effect on the players, who are also our children.
The two league presidents made a unilateral decision to call the series a draw. In hindsight, I wish each league’s Board of Directors had a chance to resolve or at least discuss an alternative solution.
For the sake of the children, families, sponsors and respective leagues, I hope that this debacle can be put behind us and that better communication, tolerance and understanding can take place between the leagues so that we can move forward to improve the baseball climate and sportsmanship for our city’s youths.
It must start with the adults because our actions and words are what the children see, hear and emulate.

Ed Hunt,
Vice President of EWLL