Burning Jersey on Mound May Cost Little League Manager’s Job

The manager of an Anaheim Hills Little League team faced possible dismissal Wednesday after he reportedly turned a pitcher’s mound into a pyre, burning what looked like the opposing pitcher’s jersey while trying to rally his players for a big game.

Parents who witnessed the fire have complained to Little League officials, and the 12-year-old pitcher who saw the jersey set ablaze apparently was so rattled by the incident he committed an error that allowed a run to score, and his previously undefeated team lost.

Robert Jackson, district administrator for 18 Little Leagues in Orange County, said league officials will consider dismissing Randy L. Pangborn, 38, of Anaheim, the manager of the Yankees and a board member of the Anaheim Hills league.

“We will not tolerate the burning of a uniform. It is like burning the American flag,” Jackson said.

Jackson and league officials met Wednesday night at an elementary school to review the incident and consider whether to dismiss Pangborn, who was briefly suspended by the league two weeks ago for making rude remarks to an umpire.

Anaheim Hills Little League board members and Pangborn, 38, who is also the league’s director of fields, declined comment about the meeting.

Witnesses said the incident involving the jersey began about 5 p.m. Monday, half an hour before the Yankees and the undefeated A’s--teams made up of boys ages 10 to 12--took the field at Crescent Intermediate School on Gerda Drive. During warm-ups, Pangborn and his coach propped up a green and yellow jersey, similar to those worn by the opposing team, on the pitcher’s mound with a stake. On the back was number 17, the number of Todd Sterman, star hurler for the A’s.

With two players to block the wind, the Yankees’ coach, encouraged by Pangborn, set the jersey on fire with a lighter, witnesses said. As it burned, Pangborn conducted infield practice, occasionally pausing to yell at Sterman and to urge his own team on to victory.

“Todd, did you see the number on the jersey?” witnesses quoted Pangborn as saying. “We are going to burn the A’s down because the Yankees are fired up.” It was not determined if action would be taken against Pangborn’s coach.

Parents said the attempt to psych out the opponents apparently worked--the A’s lost 3 to 1. The Yankees scored all their runs in the first inning, helped by errors, including a wild throw by Sterman that sailed over the first baseman’s head.

On Tuesday, shocked parents called league president Teresa Dean, who contacted the Anaheim Fire Department. A fire official said there appears to have been no violation of arson laws and that proving someone set an illegal fire is difficult, unless the person is caught in the act by authorities.