In its print and on-line articles about the Malibu Little League Phillies Majors Championship last week, The Malibu Times made a negative comment about one of the team’s best players, Miles “Biggie” Murray, referring to his performance as “shaky.” This comment is quite out of character for The Malibu Times in its reporting on youth sports in Malibu, which are always very positive and encouraging, even when local teams may struggle and lose by a large margin.
Accordingly, it was a bit shocking to have a 12-year-old Little Leaguer criticized in a game in which his team won the Malibu Little League Championship. The Times compounded this by making no mention of the fact that in the bottom of the 6th (and last) inning of that game, with the Phillies trailing 4-3, Biggie hit a key leadoff single and scored the game-tying run. What was also lost is the fact that Biggie was the best pitcher in Malibu Little League this season, leading the league with six wins on the mound, and was a team co-captain who led his team to the title. Sunday, Biggie was the starting pitcher for the Malibu Phillies when they traveled to Culver Marina to face the Beverly Hills Little League Champion Mets in the Tournament of Champions. He was dominant, pitching four shutout innings and allowing just one hit and no walks, and earning the win in the Phillies’ 9-1 victory. He also hit a towering home run and had 4 RBIs in that game.
Len Simonian, Phillies Malibu Little League coach