Little Johnny Smith winds up to fire a high, hard one toward home plate. Tommy Jones takes the borderline pitch, which umpire Specs Callaghan calls ball four, forcing in another run. Tommy's manager goes crazy, berating Specs loudly and with exaggerated gestures, as fans in the stands pick up the infection and begin their own profanity-laced tirade against the arbiter. The tirade turns even uglier, and pretty soon Specs is wondering whether he's going to survive to ump another game.

That little scenario is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

It happens all the time. Kids are being taught by such behavior that sportsmanship is an archaic concept that doesn't apply to them. How could it? Their own parents and manager are the ones setting the example.

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