Baseball star struck out

Danny Almonte was considered a star of the future

One of the stars of US baseball's Little League has been disqualified- for being too old.

Clearly, adults have used Danny Almonte and his team-mates in a most contemptible and despicable way

Stephen D Keener
President, Little League baseball

Danny Almonte, from the Dominican Republic, was found to be 14, when the limit for Little League players is 12 years of age.

All the victories won by his team, from the Bronx in New York, were declared invalid.

These included a third place in the Little League world championship.

The team's founder, Rolando Paulino has been barred for life from Little League baseball.

Perfect pitch

Danny Almonte became famous in the Little League world championship when he pitched a perfect game, denying his opponents any score.

Paulino: Not my problem

But his proud achievement soon turned to shame, when his real age became known.

"Clearly, adults have used Danny Almonte and his team-mates in a most contemptible and despicable way," said the president of Little League baseball, Stephen D. Keener.

"We're clearly sad and angry that we were deceived. In fact, millions of Little Leaguers around the world were deceived."

False certificate

A birth certificate claiming the Dominican pitcher was 12 has been found to be false, according to the authorities on the Caribbean island.

The US authorities are now considering whether to prosecute Almonte's father for falsification of documents.

Birth records show Almonte is 14

Paulino denied that he had done anything wrong, saying that he had simply believed the documents that the boy's parents had given to him.

"If the parents lie to the League that is not my problem," he said.

President George W Bush, who played in the Little League as a child, said he had been impressed with Danny Almonte's pitching, but was disappointed adults had falsified his age.

"Little League is Little League, and the age is up to 12," said a White House spokesman.

"The president was disappointed to hear that."

Almonte had become a local celebrity, receiving the freedom of New York City from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

The mayor said the city would not ask for the keys conferring the freedom of the city to be returned, saying "it would only add to the hurt and pain that the innocent children of this team are already experiencing".