On U.S. playing fields, parents escalate the violence

LAS VEGAS — Excitement suddenly turned to fear for the 49ers youth football team as players ran off the field holding their stomachs and began vomiting on the sideline.

Parents and coaches helped the eight boys, aged 12 to 14, into cars and headed to the hospital, ending the practice for a championship game a few days later.

No one knew it at the time, but the sick 49ers had been poisoned, casualties in an epidemic of parental rage sweeping through American youth sports.