NJ Little League suspension of 12-year-old is total bullsh**

UPDATE: NJ court slams Little League for suspension

Let’s punish a kid for his love of the game. Sure. Great idea, Little League International.

Because that’s all this was. A 12-year-old player fighting his way to get into the Little League World Series in Williamsport is celebrating a home run. How? He flipped a bat on his way to round the bases. Something his father says the very body that claims it’s a rule violation openly promotes.

Hypocrisy on display: Bat flips are celebrated — until they’re not

“Little League International openly promotes bat flipping all over their social media accounts, their websites, and the broadcasts on TV for the Little League World Series,” said Joe Rocco. “It’s openly promoted and encouraged. My son watches that and was emulating what he sees.”

His son Marco Rocco plays for Haddonfield Little League. He’s been playing his whole life. Now he’s been barred from playing for his team in a crucial state-final game.

A season on the line — and a kid on the sidelines

Haddonfield is one of the four remaining teams playing Thursday night in Deptford. It’s a double-elimination bracket with the winner moving on to the Metro Region Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut.

In other words, this is big. This is what this boy has been playing for and working towards his whole young life. This is how they reward passion? Marco’s dad Joe says the organization won’t listen to reason and it’s come down to the filing of an emergency temporary restraining order in an attempt to allow him to play.

A reminder from another case: The courts have sided with fairness before

Remember the story of Anthony Knox the high school wrestler who was involved in a brawl in the stands along with his father? His suspension was overturned by the courts and he was allowed to compete for and win a state title, his fourth. If they sided with Knox over a brawl, they better damn well side with Marco Rocco over an innocent, celebratory bat flip.

By the time what I’m writing is published this will probably already be decided and I certainly hope the decision is the correct one.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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