CORVALLIS, Ore. — __________, one of the best players in college baseball, and certainly its most controversial, strode to the mound, dusted away a patch of dirt with his cleats and lined up for his first pitch.
The home crowd of nearly 3,000, most in orange and black, the colors of Oregon State, cheered, “Luke! Luke! Luke!” They wanted a victory against Arizona State, one of their biggest rivals.
More than that, they wanted a performance that would hark back to a different time — the time before anyone had heard that __________, 22, their hero, had pleaded guilty to a felony: sexually molesting his 6-year-old niece when he was 15.
Otherwise, this game in Goss Stadium seemed completely normal, as has been true all season, which has unfolded in a surprisingly ordinary way. The Beavers are again among the elite. They have a good chance of making it back to the College World Series in June. They might win the national championship.
But, given his past, the question remained, why was __________ even on the mound?
Related links:
Penalties paid, Heimlich ready to return for Beavers baseball [portlandtribune.com 2/1/18]
Ethics Quiz: The Child-Molesting Pitcher [ethicsalarms.com 5/8/18]
Reading the comments on this article is as disheartening as ever. Although there are some rational people who argue that people who have served their sentence and who have demonstrated rehabilitation should be allowed to move on with their lives, there are as many or more who are of the opinion that people who commit sex offenses, especially against children, should never be accorded any consideration, and should remain outcasts forever.
That said, _________’s denial that “anything happened” and his claim that he pled guilty only to get the family past a delicate matter may be the truth, but it is hard to accept without knowing more detail than anyone outside of those who were personally involved will ever know. I think that if it is true, it is in some ways unfortunate for him since many people interpret denial as a probable lie and an indication of lack of remorse, or worse.
My son plays baseball and the competition is surreal! If you pitch for Oregon State, your are the best of the best! I’ve just read the article. He made a mistake at 16, paid his debt to society and no longer registers! So, why are we even having this conversation?
We have 2 choices. Give people second chances or destroy their future like Florida does!
Read the real story, below, not the Gray Lady version which was published for sensationalism. This is how redemption should be after all is said and done. Hope he can still play baseball.
Even if this was quiet until he was drafted or afterward, I bet a dollar to doughnuts, the ex-sister-in-law would’ve squealed.
Side note – since this dealt with OR and WA, two different set of state laws, this is a good example of knowing the laws in one state after being penalized in another. In the end, OR screwed up the citation to start this before it was dropped.
Penalties paid, Heimlich ready to return for Beavers baseball
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/385703-274945-penalties-paid-heimlich-ready-to-return-for-beavers-baseball
The disheartening thing is the sister-in law does not want him to ever have a life ever again.
Playing baseball at college in hopes to landing in the MLB is about a career. He’s good enough to have been drafted last year. But someone dug something up just to destroy this kid’s future.
Similarly, remember there’s a Maine art exhibition where they took down three art pieces because they found out the artist is on the registry.
This is the public making sure a registrant never becomes part of society or even succeed in society. When does it end? It doesn’t. The registry is a scarlet letter. If you’re branded with it, then you’re treated far differently than a free person would.
I am rooting for him and Oregon State to make it to the College World Series and win the national championship. And I hope he goes on to a long and successful professional baseball career.
It’s unfortunate that this is still an issue after he has completed his punishment, yet the sanctimonious, holier-than-thou, omnipotent moral busybody crowd must rear its ugly head, bear its fangs, and remind us that “once a sex offender, always a sex offender.”
First off what the h*&^&% kind of person reacts to something like the following??
“Last June, when she heard the news about Heimlich, she said she walked into a closet, crumpled to the floor and shook for hours.”
I understand sexual abuse may have lasting effects but come on man, this lady needs some serious counseling if she is crumbling to the floor in a closet and shaking for hours. That is just bizarre to me. Wow, it is these kinds of people that are pushing these lame as**^ laws or the closet molesters that are out front pushing them while the whole time committing the crimes themselves….Crumples to the floor and shakes for hours, come on get real…..
And they call us the weirdos….
The only reason he was welcomed back to the baseball team was because he’s no longer a registrant after the season was over last year. The school still wants to ban registrants from representing the school in sports.
Guys, bashing the mother is very low. No offense, but neither of you know the circumstances of this case! Very sick on your part. The guy who went on a battery operated dildo needs counseling. I for one support the players quest for a great career, but bashing the parent of a 6 year old child isn’t kosher.
Well USA the only thing that I was bashing is the pretext that she crumbles in a closet and shakes for hours remark. I agree the women may have been thru hell but crumbling in a closet and shaking for hours is a serious mental disorder that needs counseling at the very least. These type of people seem to think that it is ok to be irrational and the victim for eternity when in fact they can heal and move on if they so choose. I bet money that the lady probably refuses counseling and is playing the I am always going to be the victim card and I can never heal so he should not be allowed to heal or not be the victim of his own making. Just because she cannot heal and move on is no excuse for making this kid the victim of his own mistakes for the rest of his life as well. My wife was a victim of sexual abuse as a child and it drives me to no end that she claims that she cannot be cured of her ptsd and she lives in that past way to often. Nothing is impossible and as long as they refuse to take on their victim hood and mental anguish head on sooner or later than they wil never heal and will always want the perpetrator to pay as they are forcing themselves to pay. It is not fair. Life is not fair and stuff happens but proportionality and fairness should be the goal in any situation such as these and this guy should not have to pay for the rest of his life after he has been punished and supposed to have been rehabilitated just because this lady cannot face her demons and move forward with her life. I do not know how she feels as I have never been in that situation but I bet she is going to make that little gil pay and remember this all of her life as well just so this lady can be the victim for the rest of her life. The little girl will heal, kids are very resilient and although this is undoubtedly traumatizing holding this over this guy for the rest of his life and reminding the little girl of it for the rest of her life does no one any good, including the women herself.. That was my point and I think it is a healthy point of view…
Exactly! It’s probsbly the moms fault anyways. How dare her be angry for this guy molesting a 6 year old! It was probably the infants fault! Maybe we should? How dare her be angry or upset! She shouldn’t be allowed to voice her opinion or give her point of view! Newspaper editors never misprint quotes or ensationalize their articles to get more readers! How dare her! Bad kid/bad mom!
I think the most important step for us to take is to change the state of mind that all people convicted of an SO are kidnappers and killers, and that they will never be able to be safe in society. That is the image the media portrays and the politicians, and that must be shattered. SO’s are like any other person that has broken the law. Every individual must be judged on their own actions. One drug dealer is not like another, nor is one drunk driver, not are SO’s.