CHICAGO, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- An almost $800,000 jury award may send a chilling signal to overzealous parents of school athletes, according to a Chicago coach's lawyer.
A news release alleged Brad Esposito, then varsity coach at De La Salle Institute, was under investigation for fighting, ordering his pitchers to throw at batters and allowing coaches to drink on road trips, reported the Chicago Tribune Saturday.
Esposito's lawyer, John Winters Jr., said the large verdict for punitive damages, impairment of reputation, mental suffering, humiliation and economic loss would send a signal to parents.
John Mayer, the parent of a baseball player cut from the team, denied he had anything to do with the bogus news release. His lawyer said Mayer earns about $60,000 a year and would have a hard time paying such a large judgment.
The high school said is had investigated the allegations and found no systematic problems with the baseball program and it offered Esposito another contract, but he chose to teach and coach at another school, the Tribune said.
