YOUNG AT HEART : Fifteen-Year-Old Little Leaguer With Cerebral Palsy Reinstated After Outcry

A 15-year-old Little League baseball player with cerebral palsy, who had been kicked off the team for violating an age rule, was reinstated Friday after the organization’s national office intervened.

“I think Little League baseball’s for kids, and these adults just have to ruin the fun of it,” said Judi Church, before it was decided that her son, Tucker, would be allowed to play in the Sharpstown Little League Pirates’ last game of the season.

Tucker, who weighs just 56 pounds, was kicked off the team and his coach was forced to resign this week when another team competing for the same playoff spot complained about the player’s presence on a team for 9- to 12-year-olds.

Coach Scott Davis said when he saw the 4-foot-9 youngster try out for the 13- to 15-year-old team, he knew he would not be able to make the cut. So Davis put him on the Pirates, a team composed of 9 to 12-year-olds.

“I knew the age rule, but in my heart I just couldn’t see this kid not playing baseball,” Davis said. “He loves it so much.”

After league officials forced Tucker and Davis off the team, the Little League national office in Williamsport, Pa., was flooded with calls about the matter Friday. Officials there ruled Tucker could play if he presented a doctor’s note that said he would be safer playing on the team of younger boys.

Tucker had such a letter but did not want to play because Davis was not going to be allowed to coach. Then, Sharpstown Little League president Lercy Simoneaux reinstated Davis.

In the third inning, Tucker entered the lineup and struck out on five pitches.

“I swung as hard as I could,” Tucker said. who hits .167 and falls often. “I don’t know what he threw me. I’m not sure I saw it.”

Tucker’s team lost, 13-4. His teammates carried him off the field.

“They wanted to know what we were doing to this poor kid, so I called the Texas state office and said we have to make this right,” said Joe Losch, assistant to the president of Little League baseball.

Little League district administrator Paul Goolsby received a complaint from another team competing for the same playoff spot and on Wednesday night threw Tucker off the team for violating the age rule. He also asked for Davis to resign as coach and indicated he wanted Davis banned from further coaching.

“I knowingly broke their rules so I resigned right away,” Davis said Thursday. “But what this is really about is adults who cared too much about winning.”