Former boys baseball coach sentenced 30 days for battery

Published on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 1:13 PM CDT

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Slidell Court Judge Jim Lamz sentenced former boy’s baseball coach, Jason Ghighizola, 34, to 30 days in jail Tuesday after he was convicted of battery August 21.

Ghighizola used to coach the Yankees, a team made up of 8-year-olds in the Slidell Bantam Baseball Association. The Yankees lost a game to the SBBA team, the Red Sox May 22, 2008. After the game, Chighizola refused to shake the hand of the Red Sox assistant coach Robert Johnson. Johnson threw a fake punch at Ghighizola who turned around and landed a real punch on Johnson’s face.

The two coaches ended up rolling on the ground punching each other, much to the horror of the young baseball players and their parents. After the umpires separated the two coaches, Ghighizola grabbed a baseball bat and started swinging it in a threatening way. He did not hit anybody. Police were called in and both coaches were arrested and charged with simple battery and disturbing the peace.

Chighizola was convicted for battery of a school or recreation contest official last August.

According to Slidell City Court spokesperson Anne Barks, Lamz sentenced the former coach to six months in jail, but suspended all but 30 days. Ghighizola was also fined $500 and put on probation for 24 months. During the probation, Ghighizola cannot attend any youth sporting events.

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Comments

4 comment(s)

R. SIDE wrote on Sep 2, 2009 9:07 AM:

" Thirty days in jail seems excessive. This was a terrible incident, but so is spousal abuse, selling crack cocaine, selling alchol and cigeretts to underaged children. Most of the offenders of the aforementioned crimes do no time in jail. A man threw a fake punch at the coach, and found out that was the wrong thing to do. We don't have all the facts here, what happened to the other Coach who instigated the fracus? I think the fine and banned for life should suffice. "

Steve wrote on Sep 2, 2009 6:15 AM:

" The cowardly POS got off easy, if you ask me.

If that SOB had hit me in front of my kids, he'd be walking with a permanent limp.

I hope the roid-raging loser becomes someone's GF in the slammer. "

Lewis wrote on Sep 1, 2009 5:50 PM:

" This wasn't a good show of sportmanship for our young kids he should be forced to pick up trash and empty trashcans and scrub the restrooms at all sports activities for a whole season so the kids can see what wrong doings can get you into. An don't forget the black/white stripped suit with his name on the back. "

biggun wrote on Sep 1, 2009 5:29 PM:

" He should be banned for life!!! "

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