Filipino Champions Said to Be Overage : Little League: Newspaper in Philippines says officials faked documents and lied about birth dates at World Series.

A joke at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., last week was that the best player from the Philippines was a day late showing up because he had been at home with his wife, who was having a baby.

Speculation that members of the Philippine Little League championship team were overage was fueled again Thursday when a Filipino newspaper reported that officials in that country had faked documents and lied about birth dates. Philippine officials denied the charges, which supported rumors that had swirled around the Little League players’ compound last week.

The Philippines, making its first appearance in the event, defeated Long Beach for the title, 15-4.

“I can’t say I’m totally surprised,” said Long Beach Coach Jeff Burroughs, when told of the latest allegations. “The stories went around the barracks. It was common knowledge that something had to be a little different for these guys to put together teams like they were fielding.”

Burroughs said American coaches had suspected that both the Dominican Republic and the Philippines were using overage players.

A Little League administrator said he suspected that many of the Filipino boys were older than 12, normally the age limit, although Little League rules allow players of 13 if their birthdays occur after Aug. 1.

“The catcher for the Philippines looked like a Senior League player,” said Bob McKittrick, District 38 administrator. “Just the way he came out on the field, the way he carried himself. I’m not saying he’s one of the kids accused here, but that is what tends to make you wonder what age the kids are. It’s not the facial hair, but the way they walk. The way they carry themselves.”

McKittrick said he would investigate the allegations and, if he believes he can prove them, will protest to Little League, Inc.

Filipino catcher Allan G. Bitun, who is listed as being 13 in the Little League media guide, batted .357 during the series.

According to a story in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Thursday, the Philippines has long been suspected of lying about birth dates in international athletic competition.

The story quoted an unidentified Filipino coach, who was not involved with this year’s Little League team, as saying that in 1984 trainers removed body hair from players to avoid creating suspicion that they were overage. The coach said that Philippine officials believe that cheating is widespread throughout the Far East, and that the only way to be competitive is to falsify records to allow older players to compete.

Ian Tolentino, who hit a home run and pitched three innings against Long Beach, is one of the players suspected of being overage. Tolentino told the Daily Inquirer that he had played on a team that won the Bronco League world series for the Philippines in 1990. Later, the Philippines offered to return the championship trophy after allegations that it had used overage players. The Bronco League age limit is 13.

When pressed, Tolentino said he would turn 13 later this month, but officials at the school he reportedly attends would not confirm his age and hung up on an Associated Press reporter.

Little League spokesman Dennis Sullivan told the Associated Press that the organization had no intention of investigating the Philippine team unless it had a challenge from within the league.

“If a protest comes through our organization, at that time we’ll look at it,” Sullivan said.

He acknowledged that it is rare for allegations of this nature to originate in the country of the winning team.