Ken Hill used to play professional baseball. He threw a one-hit game for the Rangers in 1996. Now he manages a little league team in Southlake. At a game last Thursday, according to an opposing manager, Hill flew into an “uncontrollable rage” and had to be restrained. These photos of Hill were taken during the incident (the cloven-hoofed Snake, of Ticket fame, broke this story and shared the photos with us).
To Hill, we say: shame, shame, shame.
To the guy riding Hill’s leg, we say: that’s giving 110 percent!
Here’s a letter about the incident that the opposing manager wrote to Shana Yelverton, the city manager of Southlake:
I wanted to report an incident that happened at Bicentennial Park on Thursday 5/26/05. My name is Calvin Kniffin and I coach the 10U Richland Rage. Ken Hill, the coach of the Southlake Dragons 10U team went into a uncontrollable rage following our game. He threatened to beat up three different people, myself included, and had to be restrained by three to four people to avoid fulfilling that threat.
This incident was preceded by him yelling across the diamond at me calling me bush league amongst other things. He then started yelling at one of my players during an at bat. This frightened the child and was unacceptable behavior.
I hope that your city does not accept this type of aberrant behavior in coaches whom we choose to be the developers and role models for our children. There were twenty 9 and 10 year old children that had no choice but to witness this. They saw an ex-professional baseball player go berserk, and I can only hope that they did not perceive it as cool. I hope you see my point. There are a great numbers of still pictures of this incident that can be forwarded upon your request.
I am notifying you because it is my understanding that this is not the first incident such as this that Mr. Hill has been involved in. The fact that it is happening again erodes any confidence that I might have had that it can be successfully handled be the [Southlake Baseball Association]. This incident is severe enough that there should be no opportunity for a repeat. I can only imagine what would have happened if this out of control individual had of broken free and physically assaulted any of the individuals that had been threatened, right in front of all of our children.
Please respond to this email and let me know what the cities position is on this incident. Thanks for your consideration and I will look forward to your reply.
Respectfully,
Calvin Kniffin
