Coach Battered At Youth Basketball Game

Former major league baseball player Ed Sprague Junior got more than an earful and from an opposing coach during a children’s basketball game in Stockton Saturday. He got sucker punched, witness say. 34 year-old Mark Thomas pummeled Sprague and bloodied his nose after he became upset that the former big leaguer’s little players were fouling the children on Thomas´ team. Spectators say Thomas had to be pulled off of Sprague after chasing him around and beating him. Thomas left the game and later turned himself in at the Stockton police station where he was arrested on suspicion of felony battery. Sprague spent eight of his 11 years in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays. He suffered bleeding in his right eye and contusions, authorities said.