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Little League says ump was wrong to ban Spanish

METHUEN, Mass. A national Little League official says an umpire was wrong when he told a team not to speak Spanish.

That happened earlier this week at a Little League tournament game in Massachusetts.

According to the Eagle Tribune newspaper, a coach from one team was calling out instructions in Spanish to his pitcher, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic.

The umpire immediately called a time-out, and after conferring with a Little League official at the game, issued an order that only English could be spoken on the field.

The coach says he was "baffled" by the order and demanded that the official show him a rule that prohibits Spanish from being spoken. But the ruling stood.

His team went on to lose 10-to-6.

But a national Little League spokesman says there is no rule that prevents Spanish -- or any language -- from being used during a game.