A longtime Boston-area high school baseball coach has been charged with assaulting his own player after he attempted to intervene in an argument between the player and home plate ump and then physically removed the player.
As reported by Boston CBS affiliate WBZ, among other outlets, Xaverian Brothers High School (Westwood, Mass.) varsity baseball coach Gerry Lambert was charged Thursday with assaulting one of his own players during a game against St. John’s High School (Shrewsbury, Mass.) on Wednesday.
Lambert was immediately placed on leave from the school after the charges of assault and battery were handed down. He has served as a teacher at the school for 25 years and as its baseball coach for 18.
According to Westwood Police Chief Jeffrey Silva, witness said they saw the coach remove his player by grabbing him by the neck.
“The player was up at home plate. There was some conversation regarding a call that an umpire had made,” Silva told WBZ. “There was then some conversation between the coach and the player.”
While the school was obviously disappointed in the incident that transpired, Xaverian Brothers headmaster Daniel Skala stood by his longtime employee’s integrity, even while he is on leave during the investigation into the incident.
“This does not reflect on his character. He’s been a faculty member here for 25 years and a coach for 18 years on the varsity team and this is an anomaly,” Skala told WBZ. “I’m disappointed because his behavior certainly doesn’t represent the high standards we expect from our coaches and our athletes.”
No date has been set for Lambert’s court appearance as of yet. Until his case is resolved, the team will reportedly be led by assistant coach Jay Iannoni, who will try to bring the team together and support the player who was a victim of the assault.
