Legion Dispute Could Cost Team Mass Forfeits

A wind of forfeit is blowing away victories for a District 20 American Legion team this summer.

The team, Burbank-Providence, coached by Marc Saraceno, already has forfeited two of its five victories because of roster violations. But that’s just the beginning. According to District 20 Commissioner Mel Swerdling, two of the three remaining Burbank-Providence victories will be declared forfeit losses Monday.

A 5-5 record is now, 3-7, and falling.

“Every team that plays them from now on can pay a $10 protest fee and get any loss declared a win,” Swerdling said.

Unless the present situation changes dramatically, Burbank-Providence can look forward to a final legion record of 1-20 after all the forfeiting is complete.

The dispute revolves around the American Legion’s waiver rule.

Burbank-Providence, a new entry in District 20 this season, draws its players from the same area as Burbank-Burroughs, which is an established team. According to Legion rules, Burbank-Providence can use players from Providence High, but in order to draw players from other Burbank-area high schools, Burbank-Burroughs must first sign a waiver. A player clears waivers when he receives written permission from the established team in the area, freeing him to play for his new team.

In May, Burbank-Burroughs agreed to let John Barnfather, Doug Ferrante and Buck Robinson--three players who did not attend Providence in 1987--play for Burbank-Providence this season.

“It was agreed that Mr. Saraceno was only going to draw from Providence,” Burbank-Burroughs Coach Bill Isaacson said. “But anybody else that tried out for our team and didn’t make it could play for his team.”

But currently, six players on Burbank-Providence have not cleared waivers from the Burbank-Burroughs team. They are Jo Jo Carmona, Scott Hatley, Rod Arancibia, Chris Westbury, John Boysen and Danny Buffo.

“We went to ask these ballplayers to try out for our team and they had already been asked by Mr. Saraceno to play for his team,” said Isaacson, whose team held its final day of tryouts May 29. “That’s tampering.”

Because Isaacson believes Saraceno had violated their May agreement, Burbank-Burroughs exercised its right to refuse to grant waivers on the six players.

“We didn’t mind helping a new legion team in Burbank out, but this was unacceptable,” Isaacson said. “That type of activity could hurt our legion program at Burroughs.”

Saraceno denied tampering, saying he contacted the six between June 2-4.

“The waiver thing is really confusing,” he said. “How can Burbank-Burroughs prevent me from getting waivers on kids when they are not even interested in having these kids play on their team?

“We’re concerned with having a team this year, not a recruiting war.”

The fact that this was not the first problem with a Saraceno-coached team in Legion baseball also figured into the Burbank-Burroughs decision, according to Isaacson. Saraceno coached a Legion team last year--Van Nuys-Notre Dame--that also forfeited wins because of roster violations.

“Marc lost games last year for the exact same thing,” Isaacson said. “One mistake is one thing but if you do it again, you’re just refusing to follow the rules. Marc has just totally violated the rules.”

Swerdling said forfeits are nothing new in American Legion baseball.

“Hell I’ve always been this way cracking down,” he said. “I’ve always forfeited teams and suspended players.”

District 20 is cracking down on roster violations in the wake of last year’s problems with Woodland Hills, the district champion and runner-up in the state tournament. Woodland Hills was accused of roster violations but won a court injunction to continue postseason play. Eventually the roster violations were upheld, preventing the team from advancing to the regional tournament.

If Saraceno continues using illegal players, Burbank-Providence will have no chance at postseason play. Still, he intends to keep using them.

“We have only about 100 males at Providence to try and get an 18-player American Legion roster from, and that’s not enough,” he said. “I have got to play these players from other schools to stay competitive. And I will continue to play them.”

Saraceno objects to the intrusion of what he calls politics into the game.

“I think the forfeits are baloney,” he said. “We earned these wins. We’re out here for the kids and if you take away something they did positive, that is really bad.

“I just want to be let alone and go out each weekend and play games and stay competitive. When people bring out the politics, it makes the game seem unsavory.”