1 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to Playing Dirty Sports Scandals. I'm 2 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: your host, Jay Harris. I've had over twenty years of 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: experience as a journalist and sportscaster, hosting a variety of 4 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: ESPN shows from Sports Center to Outside the Lines. On 5 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: this show, though, I am all about the juice. H 6 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: so good, guys, consider me your juice barista, stirring up 7 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: the sports that are supposed to be all about fun, 8 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: talent and clean competition to reveal their oftentimes dirty underbelly. 9 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: What can I say? It seems that for every true 10 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: sports hero tale, there's an another one about a player 11 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: straying way off base. It's human nature. I guess Jacko 12 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: and hide Yin and Yang and so on and so 13 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: forth in this crazy game of life. Today, I'm playing dirty. 14 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: I've got a serious curveball on tap for you, So 15 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: grab your drink of choice, whether it's a smoothie, a 16 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: classic juice with yours truly, or heck it's five o'clock somewhere, 17 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: maybe even something a bit stronger. And let's quench our 18 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: thirst for scandal with a cheat that shook the very 19 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: core of Little league baseball. Oh yeah, you heard me right, 20 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: Just because the players a little doesn't mean there isn't 21 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: some big scandal. Let's tee this tail off with the 22 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: Biggest little Player, Danny Almante. Danny was an unreal talent 23 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: in the world of Little League baseball. In fact, he 24 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: pitched the first ever perfect game at the Little League 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: World Series. So what was the problem? Well, the reason 26 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: I called him the biggest little player is because he 27 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: actually wasn't as little as he was supposed to be. 28 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: Despite being registered as twelve years old, Danny was fourteen. 29 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: Little League Baseball rules require players to be no older 30 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: than twelve. Who in the world was behind this attempt 31 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: to sub a fourteen year old kid into a game 32 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 1: where everyone else was twelve? Who would want to cheat 33 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: other kids for goodness sake? Or maybe the better question 34 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: is who would be motivated to settle in and drink up? 35 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: Because this scandal goes right to the core of America's pastime. 36 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 1: When most people think about baseball, little leaguer otherwise, there's 37 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: an immediate association with the United States of America. President 38 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: Theodore Roosevelt deemed it the national game all the way 39 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: back in the early nineteen hundreds, and ever since it's 40 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: been seen as a representation of the American dream, where 41 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: hard work, determination and perseverance can lead to success. But 42 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: in another country, just a little over two thousand miles 43 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: away from the US, baseball isn't just a national pastime. 44 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: It's a way of life. I'm talking about the Dominican Republic. 45 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: In the dusty streets and makeshift ball parts of the 46 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: Dominican Republic, dreams are foraged from the cracks in the concrete. 47 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: In the barrios and neighborhoods, baseball diamonds emerge amidst the 48 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: vibrant chaos of daily life. Kids armed with homemade bats 49 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: and worn out gloves play the game with a passion 50 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: that transcends the boundaries of poverty. The crack of the 51 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: bat is the sound most associated with childhood and with 52 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: hope in the Dominican Republic. Some of you have probably 53 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: been to the Dominican Republic's gorgeous resorts on the white 54 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: sand beaches by the Caribbean Sea. Maybe you've read about 55 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: the late designer Oscar Della Rena's mansion there being nothing 56 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: short of spectacular, or Michael Jordan celebrating his bachelor party 57 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: at Villa Vogue, or the constant stream of celebrities from 58 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: the Cardassians to Beyonce, staying at the all inclusive Dominican 59 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: resort Casa de Campo, where every villa comes with a 60 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,799 Speaker 1: personal maid, butler, and garden crew. No one can deny 61 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic, and it's obvious 62 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: allure for tourists, But for the people born and raised 63 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: in the Dominican Republic, there is no vacation. Like many 64 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: Caribbean paradise destinations, poverty is the harsh reality for natives, 65 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: making this small island just about the same size as 66 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: South Carolina, a place starkly divided between the haves and 67 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: have nots. According to the CIA World Factbook, thirty point 68 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,679 Speaker 1: five percent of Dominicans fall below the poverty line. For many, 69 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: baseball is the only ticket out of the cycle of 70 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: poverty that leads many children there to be malnourished, a 71 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: situation so dire that most American kids who play organized 72 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: sports can't even imagine. Desperation is so severe that veteran 73 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: scouts tell of older brothers using the identities of little 74 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: brothers or even of dead people to get ahead. Youth 75 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: holds allure for pro scouts, so Dominican parents are under 76 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: real pressure to get creative, to ensure there is a 77 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: path to a better life for their kids and for 78 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: themselves through baseball identity. Theft isn't so difficult to pull 79 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: off because UNISEF, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, 80 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: estimates that nearly twenty five percent of Dominican children over 81 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: five lack proper birth certificates. In the words of Alan Klein, 82 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: an anthropology professor at Northeastern University in Boston, people used 83 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 1: to refer to the Dominican Republic baseball scene as a 84 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: cesspool of people who were doing corrupt, bad things, breaking laws. 85 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: They ignored the fact that there's a reason players are 86 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: claiming to be younger than they are, and the reason 87 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: is created and fostered by Major League Baseball. If MLB 88 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: is willing to pay much greater signing bonuses for a 89 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: seventeen year old than they are for an eighteen year 90 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: old one year older, then any Dominican will be foolish 91 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: not to try to be younger. Makes sense, right, So 92 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: kids with baseball aspirations in the Dominican Republic actually do 93 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: have a real incentive to falsify their ages as early 94 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: in their training as possible. I would never condone cheating, 95 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: but I can certainly understand their motivation for playing dirty. 96 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: I empathize with these young aspiring athletes. They know that 97 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 1: their families are counting on them, and they know that 98 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: their family members aren't the only ones expecting them to 99 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: deliver a signing bonus. Independent scouts called busconis find and 100 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: train young players in the Dominican Republic as a matter 101 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: of course, taking part of the player's signing bonus as pay. 102 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: There's a great range of behaviors among busconis, said doctor 103 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: Rob ruck, a sports history professor at the University of Pittsburgh. 104 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: Some bosconas are housing, feeding, and giving medical care to 105 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: the kids. Others basically have a facility and the kid 106 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: lives at home, so there's various levels of investment. Players 107 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: who don't sign with the team as soon as they 108 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: are able to are dropped by these busconas, and with 109 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: an estimated two percent success rate, many young men are 110 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: left without a job or education in the Dominican Republic 111 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: since they usually drop out of school to pursue baseball 112 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: full time. Most of these kids are not going to 113 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: be past eighth grade or ninth grade when they're working 114 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: with the buscone, and a lot of them are not 115 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: going to continue going to school at that point. Doctor 116 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: Ruck said. Their goal is getting a signing bonus, which 117 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: is going to be more money than the families ever 118 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: seen at one point in its entire history. It's not 119 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: just a kid whose futures on the line, it's the 120 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: family's future. So much pressure is on the shoulders of 121 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: these young kids. For the majority of aspiring players in 122 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: the Dominican Republic who don't successfully secure their future through 123 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: baseball well with no education means or specialized skills, their 124 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,559 Speaker 1: prospects are poor. Most men and women, for that matter, 125 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 1: face a lifetime of scraping together the equivalent of around 126 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: three hundred and fifty dollars a month just to survive 127 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: in the Dominican Republic with the most basic of necessities. 128 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: So while baseball is called America's pastime, it is serious 129 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: business in the Dominican Republic, where for many it's the 130 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,719 Speaker 1: only possible way out of crushing poverty. The boys there 131 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: dream of making it to the major leagues, and the 132 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 1: first stop to the majors is you guessed it, the 133 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: Little League World Series. The Little League World Series is 134 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: an annual baseball tournament for children aged ten to twelve 135 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: years old that has been held every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 136 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: since the first one took place in nineteen forty seven. 137 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: The competition consists of twenty teams, ten from the United 138 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 1: States and ten from other countries. The US and international 139 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: teams play in separate brackets in a double elimination format. 140 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: The winner of each bracket play each other for the 141 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: championship title. More than just a tradition, the Little League 142 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: World Series is often a precursor for the young participants 143 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: to a professional and lucrative career as an adult athlete. 144 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 1: All stars like Cody Bellinger, Michael Conforto, lance Lynn, Todd Fraser, 145 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: and many more all made their debuts at the Little 146 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: League World Series. Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where Little League World Series 147 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: is held, is the mecca for a ten to twelve 148 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: year old. That's what Todd Fraser, who played in Major 149 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: League Baseball for the Cincinnati Red Chicago White Sox, New 150 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: York Yankees, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and Pittsburgh Pirates, remembers, 151 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: It's the coolest place ever. Nothing was cooler than playing 152 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 1: against kids that couldn't speak English. The differences in culture 153 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 1: is what makes it so great. The friendships you make 154 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: there last a lifetime. Todd Fraser's experience is shared by 155 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: most of the Americans who participate in the Little League 156 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: World Series. They get to meet new, interesting kids, compete 157 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,239 Speaker 1: in the spotlight, and then return to the relative security 158 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: of their lives in a first World country, a country 159 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: where citizenship and all of its associated benefits are their birthright. 160 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: But for Dominican kids, the stakes are often much higher. 161 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: If they've already managed to immigrate from the Dominican Republic 162 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: to America, then they are outsiders with challenges that US 163 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: citizens don't bear. According to Migration Policy dot org, Dominican 164 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 1: immigrants are more likely than the overall foreign born population 165 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: in the United States to live in poverty and be 166 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: limited English proficient, and are less likely to have a 167 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,599 Speaker 1: college degree and to be uninsured. It's to be expected 168 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: that dire finances, language barriers, limited education, sub paramedical access, 169 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: and oftentimes split families make for a tumultuous childhood. So 170 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: while the kid who makes it to the Little League 171 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: World Series would almost certainly share Todd Frasier's enthusiasm for 172 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: the overall experience, chances are that their pressure to succeed 173 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: is exponentially greater. With extreme cultural and economic disparity as 174 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: a background, The two thousand and one Little League World 175 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: Series instantly knocked it out of the park with pitching sensation. 176 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: Danny Almonte, the kid I told you, was at the 177 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: heart of this whole scandal. Remember. But the thing is 178 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: that Danny Almonte is not a heartless fourteen year old 179 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: lying about his age to steal glory from a bunch 180 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: of twelve year olds. Far from it. Danny was a 181 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: malnourished kid from the Dominican Republic who was born into 182 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: abject poverty, and the only thing that ever gave him 183 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: any relief from his life of hardship was a love 184 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: for the game of baseball. When he was a little boy, 185 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: he always walked around our town of Moco with a 186 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 1: little stick, hitting things, batting, said Danny's mother, Sonya Margarita 187 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: Rojas Breton. Mocha, where Danny was born, is a relatively 188 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: small town in the Dominican Republic, with only about one 189 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 1: hundred seventy thousand residents. Its economy is based on growing 190 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: and harvesting plantains and yucca. Opportunity there is extremely limited. 191 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: Sonya says that Danny's love of baseball came from his 192 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: thirty six year old father, who started a youth league 193 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,360 Speaker 1: in Mocha in nineteen ninety two that still bears his name, 194 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: Liga Filipe de Jezus Almonte. Felipe wanted something aspirational and 195 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: productive for the kids of Mocha, and especially for his 196 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: kids to do. That's because Felipe saw the big picture. 197 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: He wanted a better life for himself, and he wasn't 198 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: afraid to take advantage of other people, including his own 199 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 1: son and a bunch of other kids, who trained incredibly 200 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: hard to realize his American dream. Tired of the lack 201 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 1: of opportunity in the Dominican Republican, burned out on family 202 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: life there, Felipe Almonte divorced Danny, his mother, Sonya, and 203 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: immigrated on his own to the United States in nineteen 204 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: ninety four. The tenuous relationship to Danny had with his father, 205 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,719 Speaker 1: forged mostly on dusty baseball diamonds in Mocha, was all 206 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: but put on hold for six years as Danny and 207 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: his mother remained behind in the Dominican Republic. But Felipe 208 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 1: knew that the son he'd left behind had talent, and 209 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: he definitely knew that his family had to do something 210 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: daring if they wanted to escape their debilitating, hand to 211 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: mouth existence. So when an opportunity came up for Danny 212 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: to travel with his youth baseball team from the Dominican 213 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: Republic to a game in New York, Felipe convinced Danny's mother, Sonya, 214 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: to let her son stay behind in the Bronx to 215 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: live with him and his childhood best friend, baseball coach 216 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: Rolando Paulino. Put yourself in Danny's cleats. Your parents have separated, 217 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: Your dad moved thousands of miles away from you to 218 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 1: build a new life in a first world country, while 219 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 1: you were left in a small town on a small island, 220 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 1: in hoverished and with little opportunity. How would you feel? 221 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: Danny was just a kid. Everything he knew was in 222 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: the Dominican Republic, his mom's cooking and care, his friends, 223 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: his baseball teammates. Trading in tropical Caribbean weather for freezing 224 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: New York winters was almost certainly a shock, and while 225 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: life in the Dominican Republic was extremely hard. Moving to 226 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: the mean streets of the Bronx and into a fourteenth 227 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: floor tenement apartment without his mother couldn't have been easy. 228 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: Whatever his exact age, Danny was a kid grappling with 229 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: a lot, but he still knew that leaving everything he'd 230 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: ever known behind was his and his family's best shot 231 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: at a brighter future. The Bronx is known for the Yankees, 232 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: hip hop and gritty gangster crime. The South Bronx, where 233 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: Danny suddenly found himself living, is one of the most 234 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: dangerous areas in the borough, and the year two thousand, 235 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: when Dan and he immigrated, was a particularly scary time. 236 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: There was a fifty percent rise in violent crime that year, 237 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: including innocent bystander Caprice Jones being shot from a crack 238 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: deal gone wrong and hitman Joe Fernandez taking forty thousand 239 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: dollars to commit double homicide. There are just two of 240 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: many examples. Crime was gruesome and frequent in the South Bronx. 241 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: In spite of, or maybe because of, this community's roughness, 242 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: a lot of baseball dreams have started in the Bronx tenements, 243 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: and happily, many of these dreams have come true for 244 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: athletes like Alex Rodriguaez, Derek Jeter, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth. 245 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: Even among the Bronx's great baseball legends, Danny's young talent 246 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: shone very brightly, very quickly, and Felipe's best friend, Ronaldo Paulino, 247 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: took notice. Living alongside Danny and watching his baseball skills progress, 248 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: he brought Danny on to the team. He coached the 249 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: Rowando Poulino All Stars as a pitcher and wasted no 250 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: time toughening up his new wished recruit. Living with Paulino 251 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: was hell. Danny told us eight today, he never let 252 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: me do nothing like go outside. It was baseball twenty 253 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: four to seven. Danny found himself isolated in the United States. 254 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: Other than his father, his new coach, Rolando Paulino, and 255 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: his teammates, Danny had no one to talk to. Literally, 256 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: Danny didn't speak English and his education wasn't a priority 257 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: for his dad, Felipe. So Felipe bucked New York law, 258 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 1: which required all kids to go to school, and didn't 259 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: register Danny. In fact, Felipe went one step further and 260 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: lied about Danny's education on sports competition forms, claiming that 261 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: he sent his son to public school seventy in the Bronx, 262 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: so Danny didn't spend a single day in school between 263 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: moving to the US and the two thousand and one 264 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: Little League World Series, racking up more than a year 265 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: of truancy and very little English. When asked about denying 266 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: his child in education after the Little League scandal broke 267 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: in late two thousand and one, Felipe Can continued to 268 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: defend his decision. He has been eating, Felipe spat and 269 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: playing baseball. And while stripping your child of educational opportunities 270 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: is for most parents unconscionable, no one can deny that 271 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: Danny was an exceptional baseball talent. As the Little League 272 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: season unfolded, coach Paulina molded a team around Danny's formidable arm. 273 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: The camaraderie among the players, a mix of diverse backgrounds, 274 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: echoed the spirit of the Burrow itself, a melting pot 275 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: of dreams and aspirations. Danny, though he couldn't speak English, 276 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: certainly spoke baseball. Baseball, like so many sports, is a 277 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: universal language for players and fans. When Danny separated from 278 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: his mother, pushed by his father and relentlessly trained by 279 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,959 Speaker 1: his coach for Orlando, Paulino stepped up to the pitcher's 280 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 1: mound in August two thousand and one in Williamsport, Pennsylvania 281 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: for the Little League World Series. It didn't matter what 282 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: language he spoke, everyone watching heard him loud and clear. 283 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: Was a winner for a kid bearing the weight of 284 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: generational poverty, discrimination, and assimilation challenges in a foreign country. 285 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: Danny's poise under the spotlight was remarkable. He carried on 286 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: to the pitcher's mouth not just his own dreams, but 287 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 1: the hopes of the Bronx and his Dominican friends and family. 288 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: Sports history is full of stories about athletes, especially young 289 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 1: athletes with promising futures, who failed to come through in 290 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: the clutch moment. Just think about American gymnast Jade Carey, 291 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: who fell off the balance beam in the Olympic All 292 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: Around Final, or Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who fumbled 293 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 1: the ball to twenty twenty three Super Bowl, giving the 294 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: Kansas City Chiefs an opportunity to tie up and then 295 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: win the game. It would have been understandable if Danny 296 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: had gone the same way and faltered in his big 297 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: moment winding up to pitch for the Rolando Paulina All 298 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: Stars at the two thousand and one Little League World Series. 299 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: But that's not what happened. Danny's team was in the 300 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: first game of round raw play against a team from Apopka, Florida, 301 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 1: when he achieved something unheard of in the history of 302 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: the Little League World Series. Danny Almonte, the overworked, underprivileged 303 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 1: kid from the Dominican Republic, through the tournament's first perfect game, 304 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: leaving fans and pundits alike in awe of his extraordinary talent. 305 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: This perfect game was an historic moment, marking the first 306 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: perfect game in forty four years for the Little League 307 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: World Series. To really understand the magnitude of Danny's accomplishment, 308 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: let's crush some ice together, take a big sip of 309 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: brain juice, and break it down. What exactly is a 310 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: perfect game? Well, Danny struck out sixteen in a round 311 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: robin perfect game against the Popka Florida. His pitching was untouchable. 312 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: From the Apopka team, only two batters, Ryan Markel and 313 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: Andrew Cobb, managed not to strike out attempting bunts, but 314 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: both were thrown out to start the sixth inning. That's 315 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: a perfect game. No hits and nobody gets on base. 316 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: It's pretty unusual even with the best pitchers in the majors, 317 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: but for the Little league. Wow, this was a moment. 318 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: Just about every baseball fan heard about. It made sports news, highlights, reels. Heck, 319 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 1: Danny was suddenly headlined news in the New York Times. 320 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: Pitcher throws perfect game for the Bronx Little League World Series. 321 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: It's been more than twenty years now, but I still 322 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: remember hearing about this incredible kid's performance at Williamsport. Danny's 323 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: humility and backstory endeared him not just to the sports community, 324 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: but to the world at large. To all of us, 325 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: I didn't even know what perfect game means. I just 326 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 1: throw my pitches, Danny said in broken English. His incredible 327 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: Little League World Series progressed, with Danny allowing just one 328 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,639 Speaker 1: hit and striking out sixteen more in the quarter finals 329 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:18,119 Speaker 1: against Oceanside, California, before whipping fourteen against Cirasau in the 330 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 1: third place game. After the perfect game, all eyes were 331 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,679 Speaker 1: on Danny Almonte and his Rolando Paulino All Stars teammates, 332 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: often called the Baby Bombers. As a nod to the 333 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: Bronx Bombers aka their beloved New York Yankees. The Bronx, 334 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: often synonymous with struggle and violence, emerged as a source 335 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 1: of inspiration. Each pitch, each swing, and each play by 336 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: the Baby Bombers was a testament to the resilience of 337 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: the players. As the scrappy team from the Bronx advanced, 338 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: their story became our story, a quintessentially American story about 339 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: hard work, team work, winning, and the purity of youth 340 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 1: sports itself. Amidst this fervor, major league players took notice 341 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: of the young pitching prodigy Danny Almonte. Too Arizona Diamondbacks 342 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: pitcher Randy Johnson, known as the Big Unit, learned that 343 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: teammates had nicknamed Danny the Little Unit. In a gesture 344 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: of encouragement, Johnson sent an autograph, ball and a note 345 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: to the aspiring pitcher. What a moment that must have 346 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: been for young Danny. He'd come a long way from 347 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: the impoverished Dominican republic to being recognized by his idol 348 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: and featured on every major news outlet in America. As 349 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: The Guardian reported, in a matter of days, Almonte rose 350 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: from obscurity to stardom. The Rolando Paulino All Stars, or 351 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: the Bronx Bombers, as they are known locally, were the 352 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 1: first team of their kind from the tenement slums of 353 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: the South. Bronx detect the usually squeaky clean and white 354 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 1: Little League by storm Almonte pitched a so called perfect 355 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 1: game and had schoolgirls from the lush Green Valley around Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 356 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: with a series as been played since nineteen thirty nine, 357 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: hanging around his compound blowing kisses. For just a moment, 358 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: Danny was on top of the world. It was so 359 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: much fun and happiness, Danny remembered years later. So what happened, well, 360 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: Danny's remarkable pitches had been so remarkable that two of 361 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: the other Little League teams started poking around. Beyond the 362 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: fact that Danny looked pretty big at five foot eight inches, 363 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,879 Speaker 1: the physical ability he had exhibited seemed improbable for a 364 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: twelve year old. I think he's the hardest Little leaguer 365 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: I've seen throw, said Oral Hirsheiser, a cy young winner 366 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: who was a broadcaster for the Little League World Series 367 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: for ABC Sports. In ESPN, pitching is location first and foremost, 368 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: then movement in velocity, and he's got all three. Hirsheiser 369 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 1: was right. Danny did have all three, and that was 370 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: a lot for a twelve year old to have. Realistically, 371 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: the thing is pitching is really really hard. I mean, 372 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: have you ever studied the way a pitcher throws the ball. 373 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: It's like poetry in motion. Well, if poetry stood on 374 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: an elevated mound of dirt and throw a ball in 375 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: a way that bends its arm at unnatural angles and 376 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: sense of five ounce hard ball sizzling sixty feet away 377 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: straight at a batter, then it's like poetry, amazing and 378 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 1: extremely cool. The average adult Major leaguer lobs at hardball 379 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 1: at speeds approaching ninety three miles per hour. So how 380 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: did Danny stack up and why were some eyebrows raised? Well, 381 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 1: Danny's pitch is approached seventy six miles per hour. If 382 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 1: you translate the pitching distance to the home plate in 383 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: Little League, in that seventy five miles per hour speed, 384 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: it was as if Danny was throwing the equivalent of 385 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: a one hundred three mile per hour fastball in the majors. 386 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: No twelve year old physically can throw seventy five miles 387 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: an hour in Opposing Little League coach Bob Letesa said 388 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: in an interview with the New York Daily News, we 389 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: had former Big leaguer Jason Marquee in our little league 390 00:24:57,760 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 1: when he was twelve years old, and his tops be 391 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: he was sixty five miles per hour, maybe sixty seven. 392 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: So what Danny Elmonte was doing was physically impossible. But 393 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,840 Speaker 1: nobody wanted to hear that. Everybody wanted the superhero. The 394 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: city fell in love with the whole thing, and that's 395 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: why they let it go. But not everyone did let 396 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: it go. And this is where this scandal starts to 397 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:28,719 Speaker 1: get juicy, but I guarantee you won't like the taste. 398 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: Two teams that lost along the way at the two 399 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: thousand and one Little League World Series raised questions about Danny. 400 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 1: At first, the Little League and Dominican officials insisted that 401 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: they were certain Dannielmonte was born in nineteen eighty nine, 402 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: which would have kept him eligible, but the losing teams 403 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: would not back down. Even as the Little League World 404 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: Series came to a close, with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and 405 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: New York City Sports Commissioner Kenneth J. Potzeba congratulating the 406 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: Baby Bombers, stating above all else, the team conducted themselves 407 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: as a good sportsman, which for athletes is about the 408 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:05,359 Speaker 1: highest praise that they could ever receive. And our beloved 409 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:09,360 Speaker 1: Baby Bombers ignited our city with tremendous enthusiasm and excitement 410 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: during the Little League World Series. They played with passion 411 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: and dignity and showed us the true meeting of sportsmanship. 412 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: Even as those words were being spoken, the storm cloud 413 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: of scandal was looming large. If they'd known the torrential 414 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: deluge would fall just three days after their public congratulatory speeches, 415 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: Giuliani and Podzeba would have been harder to find for 416 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: comment than toilet paper in a pandemic. The losing teams 417 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 1: had created a fuss, and you know who loves a 418 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 1: good fuss. Reporters Sports Illustrated sent a reporter to Danny 419 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: Almonte's hometown of Mocha and found a document showing that 420 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: Danny's father, Felipe, had entered his year birth as April seventh, 421 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty seven. Once this was uncovered, the Dominican officials 422 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: had to investigate further and ultimately agreed that Sports Illustrated 423 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: had discovered the truth Danny Almonte was fourteen years old, 424 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: not twelve. Retribution came swiftly. The Rolando Paulino All Stars 425 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: aka the Baby Bombers, were stripped of their Little League 426 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 1: World Series victories and their records were purged from tournament books. 427 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:24,879 Speaker 1: Felipe Almonte was charged by Dominican prosecutors with falsifying his 428 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: son's birth certificate. Almonte's coach, Rolando Paulino, received a lifetime 429 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 1: ban from Little League International. None of this is the 430 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 1: bad taste I'm talking about in this juicy scandal. However, 431 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: the adults undeniably deserved what they had coming next, and 432 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 1: will dive into that in next week's episode of Playing Dirty. No, 433 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: what doesn't sit well on my palette is the fact 434 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: that Danny Almonte got caught up in a scandal that 435 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:54,520 Speaker 1: was not of his own making. In fact, because Danny 436 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: hardly understood or spoke any English, he wasn't even aware 437 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: that there had been a scandal until over a year 438 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: after everything went down. In two thousand and two, ESPN 439 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: reporter Dan LeBatard wrote, when the reporters trailed Danny to 440 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: school in early September, asking in English, why did you cheat? 441 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: And are you embarrassed? It sounded like good noise to him, 442 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 1: not unlike applause and when the talking heads called him 443 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: a liar and bully and cheat, as Bill Maher did 444 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: on politically and correct. All the accompanying footage revealed to 445 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 1: Danny was that his strikeout throw on TV again. Danny's father, Felipe, 446 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 1: also continued to keep the truth at arm's length. He 447 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: still doesn't know there is anything bad about this, Felipe 448 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: told Lebratard sixteen months after Danny's tainted Little League World 449 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: Series win. Danny has no wounds, no scars, no nothing, 450 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: Felipe said. When the controversy comes on Spanish TV, someone 451 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: changes the channeler turns it off. If Danny knew how 452 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: bad the press was, he'd be wrecked. He'd need a 453 00:28:55,080 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: team of psychologists, but he never felt any suffering. A 454 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: family friend, seated on the couch beside Felipe, murmurs, none 455 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: of the crap ever touched Danny. God doesn't let the 456 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: crap touch the children. If only that were true. The 457 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: full force of what happened at and after the two 458 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,960 Speaker 1: thousand and one Little League World Series would not just 459 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: touch Danny Almonte, but shape the rest of his life. 460 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: He was personally cleared of all wrongdoing and widely viewed 461 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: as a victim of his father's and coaches underhanded scheming. 462 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: But it was his name, Danny Almonte that was now 463 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: on the lips of the sports world regularly whenever cheating 464 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: was the topic of conversation. Howard being ensnared in the 465 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: two thousand and one Little League World Series scandal mar 466 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: his career prospects, his life prospects. One thing was for sure. 467 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: While the world recoiled at the unethical behavior exhibited by 468 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: Felipe Almonte and Rolando Paulino, there were still plenty of 469 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: people who did support the young baseball prodigy who had 470 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: risen from destitution and in the Dominican Republic to take 471 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: sports fans breath away. President George Bush even stood up 472 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 1: to defend Dannie al Monte. I'm sorely disappointed that adults 473 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: would fudge the boy's age, but I'm not disappointed by 474 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,959 Speaker 1: his fastball and slider at the President with a smile. 475 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: The guy is awesome. He's a great pitcher. Even the 476 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: venerable New York Times couldn't help but stand up for 477 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: Danniye al Monte in the face of what he'd unwittingly 478 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 1: been a part of how hard he'd worked, regardless how 479 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: much he'd overcome in his young life, and how much 480 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: he had achieved. Their paper declared Almonte is viewed as 481 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,000 Speaker 1: a hero and when he was born is mere nitpicking 482 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: about statistics. Ah, but there is a fine line between 483 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: nitpicking and cheating. Someone's advantage is someone else's disadvantage. In sports, 484 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 1: after all, something dirty happened at the two thousand and 485 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: one Little League World Championships, but the kid at the 486 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: center of the scandal, Danny Almonte, is clean. Some stories 487 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,120 Speaker 1: are hard to say. What happened to Felipe Almonte, who 488 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: used his own son to achieve recognition? N Rolando Paulino, 489 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: who housed the Almontes and certainly knew about the cheating. 490 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: Most importantly, did Danny Almante find his way through this 491 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: scandal and realize his dreams? Join me in swelling up 492 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: this scandal's conclusion and next week's episode of Playing Dirty 493 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of 494 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: Dan Patrick Productions. Never Ever Productions and Workhouse Media from 495 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, Nick Panella, Maya Glickman, 496 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: and Jennifer Clary. Hosted by Jay Harris, Written and produced 497 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: by Jen Brown, Francie Haiks, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Claire