Danny Almonte
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Danny Almonte (born April 7 1987 in Moca, Dominican Republic) is a former Little League baseball pitcher, the subject of a media circus in 2001. Considered a phenom as he led his Bronx, New York team into the playoffs, Almonte was revealed to have actually been born in 1987 instead of 1989, two years too old to play Little League baseball, even as his team, the Rolando Paulino All Stars, received third place in the Little League World Series.
The related investigation into Almonte's birth records, produced two different certificates, one owned by his mother, stating his birth in 1989, and the town's official recorded copy, stating his birth occurred at Dr. Toribio Bencosme Hospital in 1987. His mother's copy stated that Danny's birth occurred at home with the aid of a midwife. Both of Almonte's parents, though separated, unilaterally insisted their son was born in 1989, condemning the other documents as false. His father, Felipe de Jesus Almonte, appeared on Good Morning America at the time of the investigation, proclaiming his son's innocence. However, Danny's Dominican elementary school records proved he was born in 1987.
In 2000, Danny moved, along with his father, to the Bronx, where he began playing Little League baseball. It was revealed that from 2000 to 2001, Almonte did not attend PS70 in New York, the elementary school that, according to Little League registration forms, Danny attended. Almonte threw the first perfect game in the Little League World Series since 1957, but his team was defeated by the Apopka, Florida team in the U.S. championship game (a game he could not pitch in under Little League rules, as he had pitched a complete game the day before). He finished the 2001 tournament, held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with 46 strikeouts, giving only three hits in three starts, and only one earned run.
Danny, who did not speak English at the time, apparently knew nothing about the falsified documentations, and was cleared of wrongdoing. After his father's visa expired, Danny remained in New York under the guardianship of Rolando Paulino, his league founder. He played, along with four of his former teammates, in the 2004 Public School Athletic League championship. In early 2005, Danny moved to the Miami, Florida area, where he continues to be a youth club baseball pitcher and notable professional prospect.