DEAR EDITOR:

First, a huge shout out to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers! Thank you for blessing our high school students with the opportunity of a lifetime to play like the pros. Bravo and thank you from this northwest Trumbull County resident!

I am so proud of the fans of the Pymatuning Valley School District for their amazing behavior at this ballpark! They cheer for their kids and respect the opposite team. They come to the ballpark with horns and cowbells. It makes me want to go out and purchase some horns and cowbells and cheer just like they do!

Now, I am not going to mention the name of the school district, but their fan behavior is beyond ridiculous, and I pray that they get the message, calm down and start behaving appropriately. This is a school district in Trumbull County and their fans screamed at opposing players in the dugout in a rude manner and constantly used a certain inappropriate finger toward our kids at basketball games. Not one word was even said to this school district and there is a lack of empathy knowing that we have family who graduated from this school. They don’t care and they only think of themselves.

So, why would you tell folks to be quiet when it is a baseball field? This is not a public library and it’s not a church. Why are people today becoming so much nastier? Please remember that this is only a game that involves high school students.

Good sportsmanship might be hard to define, but it is not. It is a hallmark of being able to respect one’s opponents and not mocking your opponent.

The baseball field is a place to cheer and make those appropriate cowbell sounds when a run comes to home plate. Yell “Go Team Go!! and Do Your Best.” Now, that is what is called an American fan, just like baseball and apple pie should be!

If you lose, do not make excuses. If you win, don’t rub it in. It is all about character and you never know when the next win will come!

So, folks go out to see these high school athletes at Eastwood Field and cheer them on with excellent sportsmanship and hoot and cheer with good kind hearts and grace!

Bring your cowbells to the next game too!

A. Gill

Orwell