Injustice or Incompetence New York Softball League (NYSC) On Trial
Sept 27, 2009
Last week, NYSC Protest Committee ruled in favour of Triumph in a protest against Cavaliers. For those who may not know the details. Before the game, Cavaliers submitted their list of 12 players to the umpire and told him [the umpire] that their 12th man for the game was T. Arjune, the #5 player on the list. After the game which Triumph lost by some 40 runs, Triumph filed a protest that Cavaliers did not mark (circle) on their roster the 12th man. At the hearing, the umpire testified that when Rishi Singh (Cavaliers' vice captain) gave him the list that he [Rishi] did tell him about the 12th man but that he [the umpire] forgot to tell Triumph when he gave them the list. The Protest committee ruled that Cavaliers did not clearly mark the 12th man (as the rules require), and therefore Cavaliers lost the protest.
At first glance the decision seems fair but...and here is the but:
Just a few months ago, in the Independence Cup semi-final, the NYSC Allstar team (the team that eventually won the competition) made a similar mistake against Florida, but they were awarded the game. I was at that game. After the game, Florida Manager, Sato Manohar, protested the game. Mr. Manohar produced the list that was given to him, and there was no 12th man marked on the list (same as Cavaliers' list). The umpire, Mr. McCallister, said that he was given a different list that had the 12th man marked. Sato Manohar said that he was never informed about the 12th man and, therefore, can only go by the list that was given to him (same as Triumph). Mr. McCallister told Mr. Manohar that as the umpire in the game the list given to him [the umpire] is the official list. I was on hand a few minutes later, when Mr. McCallister reprimanded the NYSC manager for submitting two different lists.
Here are my questions:
1) How is it that the information given to the umpire is taken as good enough in the Independence Cup but not good enough in the game between Cavaliers and Triumph?
2) Where is it written that the list given to the umpire is more valid than the one given to the opposing team?
3) In fact, isn't it the case that if a team submits two (2) different rosters that that alone is enough grounds for a successful protest?
4) Is Florida right to feel that they were given a cowboy ruling because the NYSC League ruled in its own favour?
If the decision in the Independence Cup was the correct one, then Cavaliers must win this protest. If Cavaliers' lose the protest (which they have), then the Independence Cup decision was wrong. You cannot have your cake and eat it.
For a ruling to be fair and proper not only must justice be done, but it is equally important that justice appears to have been done.
In one of these two decisions, justice was neither done, nor appears to have been done. You decide which one.
25 Over Championship