Little Leaguer in Tears

Was it necessary to run a picture of a crying Adam Sorgi on the Aug. 24 front page as part your reporting on the Little League World Series? Adam Sorgi is a 12-year-old kid; he doesn’t have to be embarrassed like that just to attract readers. Aren’t you just adding to life’s lesson No. 3, observed in your article, that “allow an adult into a kid’s game . . . he will find a way to muck it up”?

I’m proud to say that many of the kids making up the South Mission Viejo team live in my neighborhood. They did a great job by winning the U.S. championship. We’ll be there today with so many of our other neighbors to give them a heroes’ welcome home.

ALEC VALK

Mission Viejo

Bill Plaschke’s analysis in “Little Leaguers Learn Life’s Lessons” (Aug. 24) is a message that belongs on every bulletin board in every school and sports arena. It’s right on target. Every single word. These boys lost a game but won an excellent opportunity to strengthen their individual character and tenacity through one of life’s painful experiences. Manager Jim Gattis and too many parents won’t see it that way--for them it’s win at any cost. All else is failure.

In my fifth-grade class, we have a sign on the wall that says, “You aren’t finished when you lose. You are finished when you quit.” These kids from Mission Viejo weren’t quitters. We should be genuinely proud of them.

JOHN T. ALLEVATO

Redlands