The Central East Maui Little League Majors All-Stars finished as the U.S. runner-up and fourth overall at the Little League World Series this summer in Williamsport, Pa. AP file photo
Seven bats were confiscated from the Central East Maui Little League All-Stars prior to their first game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., last month and two were found to be illegally altered, according to the team coaching staff.
The illegal bats were not used in the World Series and CEMLL was not further penalized by Little League International, although two local youth leagues did sanction the parents of a CEMLL player due to the illegally modified bats being sent to Williamsport.
“Little League International was made aware of a video involving the alleged tampering” of baseball bats “by a parent of a Central East Maui Little League player prior to the team’s first Little League Baseball World Series game,” Little League International said in a statement emailed to The Maui News. “After viewing the video, the Little League International Tournament Committee inspected and removed” the bats from the team’s equipment to ensure the bats “could not be used.”
The parents who were disciplined by CEMLL and the Maui Bronco League are Kris and Kaunoa Hong. Both local leagues decided the Hongs will not be allowed to volunteer or coach next season — the discipline will be revisited on a year-to-year basis, according to board members of each league who asked for anonymity.
The coaches and the CEMLL team were cleared of any wrongdoing by Little League International. The team was the first from Maui County ever to make the Little League World Series, eventually finishing fourth in the world.
“Prior to the start of every Little League Baseball World Series game, as well as all games in the Little League International Tournament, the condition of the playing equipment of each team is inspected to ensure that all baseball bats meet the requirements for play,” the LLI statement continued. “Little League International’s official policy on the modification and alteration of baseball bats can be found in Appendix D of the Little League Official Regulations, Playing Rules, and Operating Policies.”
Because the tampered bats were not used during any Little League World Series games, “no further disciplinary action was taken by Little League International.”
Kaunoa Hong posted on social media last week taking responsibility for the incident and apologized to all involved.
“I am very sorry for the incident that took place in Williamsport,” Hong wrote. “I want to clear the boys and coaches names from the dark cloud that has been put on them.”
He acknowledged sending the bats in the team equipment shipment to Williamsport and said the bats were modified for a tournament in June at the Cooperstown Dreams Park earlier in the summer, an event that is not affiliated with Little League.
“I want to take this opportunity to clear the air about any uncertainty going on around the community first and foremost,” Hong wrote. “The Central East Maui Majors players and coaches made history and earned their respective wins throughout this amazing 2019 World Series journey.”
Hong continued, “There was an incident that took place, where two extra, altered bats that I had purchased back in April, for another tournament in Cooperstown Dreams Park in June, were confiscated from our bat case in the barracks at Williamsport.
“I sent these 2 extra bats in the case with the intent of being cage bats. This was irresponsible on our part. This incident has caused misconceptions about the team and coaches and we want to sincerely apologize to the coaches, players, families, and everyone else involved. We want to reassure everyone that no cheating ever took place, these two bats were NEVER used by any player, and there is no doubt they earned all of their wins with the utmost integrity.”
The coaches of the team all said Sunday they had no idea that the illegal bats existed until they were shown the video that was sent to Williamsport officials less than an hour before their first World Series game. They were summoned to Little League vice president Pat Wilson’s office, where they were shown the video.
They said the video showed altered bats and the voice on the video said “the work is done and these bats will be shipped to Kaunoa Hong.” The coaches were then shown three bats that had been cut open by Little League International officials, two of which had been “shaved” or altered inside the barrel, therefore making them illegal.
“We had absolutely no idea of any illegal bats — we basically found out 45 minutes before the first game against Louisiana in the World Series,” CEMLL manager Brad Lung said Sunday.
Lung said regrouping with his coaches Randy Nakashima and Branden Arakawa prior to their 5-2 opening win over Louisiana on Aug. 16 was not easy.
“It’s the hardest tournament we as coaches have ever had to coach in our lives, knowing something like that is dropped in our laps 45 minutes before we take the field,” Lung said. “We just did what we had to do.”
Lung admitted the whole situation has “been very, very tough, extremely tough, but it should absolutely not take away anything because these boys all worked very, very hard and everybody else had their own bats.”
When asked if the illegal bats were used anywhere along the way to the World Series — in county, state or West regional play — Lung said, “I have no idea because it was brought to our attention in Williamsport.”
When Wilson and International Tournament Director Sam Rank entered the team’s dorms to confiscate the bats, Nakashima and Arakawa took the team to its previously scheduled lunch time away from the dorms.
“They just knew that coach Branden was asking for all their bats and that was it,” Nakashima said. “We had to go to lunch. We had to take them to lunch because the Little League is sticklers about being on time for when it’s your time to eat.”
Nakashima added, “I don’t think they had any clue about what was going on. That’s why I think they went out there and performed. Had they known, it could have been a different story.”
The CEMLL team won its first three games in Williamsport before losing to Louisiana 9-5 for the national championship. Then CEMLL lost the consolation game to Japan, leaving it in fourth place in the 16-team World Series that is for children ages 11-12.
Arakawa noted it was remarkable that the incident did not come to light until the team arrived home. It has been running wild on social media recently.
“It’s tough, but once we step on the field we’re there concentrating on the game to coach the kids through to the victory,” Arakawa said. “But as soon as we step off the field, it all comes back and we have to do our best to keep it to ourselves. Fortunately enough, we could talk amongst each other as coaches. Pretty much, that’s where we could vent.”
Each of the coaches was steadfast when asked if the incident should take anything away from what the team accomplished.
“Absolutely not,” each one said in succession.
Nakashima added, “They put their heart and soul into this journey.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
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