It’s Strike 3 for Softball Ringer Probe

An investigation of a post office softball team’s alleged use of so-called ringers with forged government ID’s has struck out, according to a federal postal inspector.

A U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigation was unable to fully substantiate a mail carrier’s allegations that a team called the Wongs had issued doctored identification cards to qualify ringers, or outside players, for employee-only tournaments, spokesman Donald Obritsch said Thursday.

Investigators verified that one Postal Service ID was issued to a softball player who earns a living by preparing new cars for sale.

But the athlete told inspectors he had used the ID only once, to play with the Wongs at least two years ago in Las Vegas, and the card itself could not be found, Obritsch said.

Although ringers are not uncommon in amateur sports, rules about their use vary. What concerned postal inspectors, Obritsch said, was the alleged forging of a government document to make the Wongs’ ringers eligible for tournaments intended to be exclusively for post office employees.

Had the charges proven true, culprits could have faced five years in prison and $10,000 fines for forging a government document.