Tilting at Pinwheels: This how they should handle cheating in baseball

Thursday, May 17, 2007

This how they should handle cheating in baseball

Jones, 60, is an avid angler. A divorcé with no family nearby, he sometimes stayed at the shop for hours. He had friends here. So when he placed second in a fishing tournament two weeks ago, the regulars expected he would show up the next morning to crow about it, just as he did after a win the week before.

But his moment of triumph — his trophy plaque and $886 — was the one that got away. He left the winner's circle that day in handcuffs, facing a felony count of theft by deception. Fishermen at the boat ramp cheered his arrest. Others were moved to anger. Fishermen can forgive all kinds of transgressions, but not cheating.

I found this story fascinating. Who knew that cheating was so rampant in professional fishing? Even in rinky-dink tournaments like this.