Photo: WhiteHouse.gov

Little League’s Jackie Robinson West was a true American feel-good story.

A story of good sportsmanship and perseverance… underdogs who pushed passed the doubters and detractors to become the first African American Little League baseball team to win the U.S. Championship.

They were fêted with a visit to the White House, made the rounds of various talk shows and had a parade through downtown Chicago in their honor.

And now it’s all gone.

Little League International stripped the team of its title when it discovered that there were players on the roster who lived outside of the approved geographic boundaries from which team members could be recruited.

Those exuberant-faced boys that we fell in love with last summer are now stained by the deliberate, calculated mistakes of a few adults.

Boundary-shifting in Little League, and other sports our children play, is not new. Sometimes there aren’t enough players in a certain area, so they expand the reach of the team. Most of the time, it’s ignored because they’re playing for the home crowd… not a televised international audience.

The manager and administrator of Jackie Robinson West wanted to build a “super-team.” Both of them knew that the home addresses of the players didn’t match the addresses Little League International had on file for the players. But it didn’t matter. They wanted to win.

We’ve all read, and probably seen, adults (coaches and parents) at kids’ sports games manically swept up in the need to win. They can be physically, mentally and verbally abusive to the children.

But, in this case, the young players on Jackie Robinson West were abused, too. They probably knew that some of the other players on their team didn’t live around them, but they were manipulated into thinking it was okay… because that’s what they were told by the adults.

What will become of these boys who had a brief shining moment in the summer sun? Do they have parents that will help them understand that what happened is not their fault, and that they are still talented and gifted athletes and should still pursue their dreams?

To celebrate National Caramel Popcorn Day, here’s a rerun of a favorite recipe: Chili-Spiced Caramel Popcorn. 

Keep this recipe in your back pocket for whenever you’re going to have a crowd over and you want something salty and sweet to snack on… it doesn’t have to be National Caramel Popcorn Day!

Oh… and don’t make this Chili Spice Caramel Popcorn too screaming hot… you’ll want the sweetness to come through, too!

       Print this recipe.    

OK…what’s your sporting pleasure this weekend? World Series? Notre Dame football? Pro football in London?

Clearly, there’s too much going on to spend a lot of time in the kitchen getting the eats together. But, never fear… that’s where Mama can help.

These Rueben Dogs are a deliciously easy twist on an old deli favorite. In this case, instead of corned beef, we’re using hot dogs, but keeping the sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese… maybe.

What’s great about this recipe is that you can make it as “healthy” as you like by making these substitutions:

• Low or no-nitrate beef, turkey, chicken or tofu hot dogs instead of pork hot dogs.

• Whole wheat, light or gluten-free buns in place of white buns.

• Yogurt-based Thousand Island dressing or reduced-fat Thousand Island dressing instead of regular Thousand Island dressing.

• Fresh or organic sauerkraut instead of canned sauerkraut.

• Reduced fat Swiss cheese in place of regular Swiss cheese.

But, honestly, I’m kinda with GP on this one. These sports-filled weekends only come around once (okay, maybe twice) a year… so you might as well get the most enjoyment out of what you’re eating. Enjoy the Rueben Dog the way you really want to… and promise yourself that you’ll eat healthier the minute the Chicago Cubs make the World Series!!

       Print this recipe.