Thousand Oaks Baseball Victory

Re “Westlake Forfeits a Victory for Failing to Enforce Rule: Warriors fall out of first-place tie after allowing player ejected from previous game to sit in dugout,” Ventura County Sports, May 11.

It is really too bad our society has a “win-at-all-cost” attitude. Don’t worry if you lose on the playing field, we will find a technical rule and win. I guess it stems from the highest office in the land; the truth is not the truth if you can find a loophole.

Coach Bill Sizemore of Thousand Oaks High School taught his team a lesson in opportunistic virtue. You can win even if it is not on the playing field. If Thousand Oaks wins the Marmonte League baseball title, in the minds of everyone but the egotistical coach and administration it will be a tainted win.

Westlake High School did commit the error of allowing a player who had been ejected from the previous game to be in the dugout, in street clothes, during the Thousand Oaks game. Did that have any bearing on Westlake winning the game 3-1? Not a chance. But Coach Sizemore spotted this “crime” before the game even started and kept quiet. He must not have much faith in his team. He apparently figured that if they didn’t beat Westlake on the field he had this ace up his sleeve.

Relish your no-class victory, Thousand Oaks, champions of bush-league baseball.

JEROME WHITE, Woodland Hills