Minor League Doesn’t See Humor, Suspends 5 for Playing With Water
Former Southern California College pitcher Jim Dedrick was among five players suspended and fined an undisclosed amount Wednesday by the Class-A Midwest League for a prank apparently meant to cause the cancellation of a doubleheader Monday in South Bend, Ind.
The players--Dedrick, pitchers John Boothby and Kip Yaughn, catcher Jimmy Roso and shortstop Brad Hildreth, all members of the Wausau (Wis.) Timbers, a Baltimore Oriole affiliate--were suspended starting Wednesday for the rest of the season, which ends Aug. 29, and through 10 games of the 1991 season by Midwest League President George Spelius. The players also are prohibited from playing in instructional leagues in the fall.
The incident, which has been likened to a scene from the movie, “Bull Durham,” occurred Sunday, the night before a doubleheader between the South Bend White Sox and the Timbers. The players rolled back the infield tarpaulin during a rainstorm, apparently hoping to prevent the doubleheader from being played Monday.
But the groundskeepers were able to prepare the field in time for the game, and the teams split the doubleheader.
Get our high school sports newsletter
Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
