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Tuesday, August 22 2006 @ 10:53 AM CDT
Little League president Bob Johnson saw his team lose its first two games in LL World Series last weekend, but that was after Johnson had some choice words for New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and star third baseman Alex Rodriguez.
After Staten Island played in Connecticut for its LLWS regional, the team's parents reportedly paid thousands of dollars for hotels, food and gas. So Johnson spearheaded a campaign to get corporate sponsors to help out the team's “blue-collar league,” he told the New York Times.
Steinbrenner donated $5,000 to the Staten Island league, but Johnson told the New York Post that he expected far more.
"For Steinbrenner, $5,000 is throwing dollar bills in the air," he told the paper.
But Johnson reserved ire for Rodriguez, baseball's highest-salaried player, too.
"Everything counts, don't get me wrong, but it's disappointing. And A-Rod, he plays $1,000 a hand in poker, he might as well throw $1,000 in our dugout. I don't want Steinbrenner's money. I want A-Rod's money. He's making $20 million a year," Johnson told the paper.
Steinbrenner's publicist, Howard Rubenstein, did not make a comment to the paper.
Johnson also called the New York Mets' public affairs office, but didn't hear back. The Mets have invited past LLWS teams to Shea Stadium, the Post reported, and according to Mets VP Dave Howard, would do so again.
"Once they finish their trip, we would be happy to honor them appropriately for their terrific accomplishment," he told the Post.
Staten Island (0-2) faces Phoenix (1-1) on Tuesday, the final day of pool play.
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