Fla. baseball team kills snake to stop losing

[April 10, 2009]  PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) -- A Tampa Bay area high school baseball coach has been temporarily relieved of his duties while authorities investigate the killing and burial of a snake on his team's field.

A Palm Harbor University High School second baseman said the coach told the team last week that they were "snake-bitten" and needed to stop their losing streak.

So, the student said, the team bought and killed a snake, then buried it on the field during the school's spring break. The coach wasn't present.

A Pinellas County schools spokeswoman said the coach was temporarily sidelined while authorities investigate. A sheriff's office spokeswoman says nothing has been found on the field.

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Information from: St. Petersburg Times, http://tampabay.com/

[Associated Press]

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