Little Leaguer suspended for bat flip allowed to play after court ruling
Marco Rocco was in the lineup for his team of all-stars, representing the town of Haddonfield, hours after a Gloucester County judge granted an emergency temporary restraining order that had been sought by Rocco's father.
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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
12-Year-Old Little Leaguer Suspended from State Championship for Flipping His Bat Awaits Decision on Reversal
The family of a New Jersey Little Leaguer who was suspended from his team for flipping his bat is awaiting a decision about his reinstatement amid the team's Little League World Series run. Marco Rocco, 12, was barred from playing in the state final game on Thursday, July 24 after he flipped his bat in celebration of his home run during a game on Wednesday, July 16, his father Joe Rocco told Little League officials deemed the action unsportsmanlike and a form of 'horse play,' and the younger Rocco was suspended, his father said. A decision is expected on Thursday, just hours before the Haddonfield Little League team will play in a double-elimination bracket with the winner advancing to the regional tournament in Bristol, Conn. 'As this is active litigation, it's premature to comment on the specifics of this case at this time,' a spokesman said in a statement sent to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday, July 23. 'Little League International Tournament rules serve as the guide for any determination regarding conduct, of which fall distinctly under the discretion of the umpires," the spokesman continued. "As an organization we must consistently honor the judgment of the umpires to ensure fairness across all games at all levels of play.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Joe filed a request for an emergency temporary restraining order on Tuesday, July 22, to allow his son to play, and had hoped to resolve the situation 'amicably.' 'They said, 'No, we're not doing that,' and basically, that they're not willing to compromise in any way,' Joe told NJ Advance Media. The father maintains that the league 'openly promotes' the practice of bat-flipping on its social media accounts, according to ABC News. 'My son watches that and was emulating what he sees,' Joe said. He added, 'He's played Little League his whole life, and his dream is to make it to the World Series in Williamsport. We're in the state finals and are a couple of steps away. We're on our way there, and now, they tell him he can't play.' Read the original article on People
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
New Jersey LLWS squad loses heartbreaker to Connecticut due to illegal slide
The New Jersey Little League team lost because of a rule that isn't in the major leagues. During the first round of the Little League World Series Metro Regional on Saturday in Bristol, Conn., New Jersey's Jackson Holbrook lost 2-1 to Connecticut's Fairfield National — with the final out being made from an illegal slide. 5 Players from Fairfield National pointed out the illegal slide to the umpires. LIttle League/YouTube After what would have been the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning, a Jackson Holbrook player was ruled out for sliding headfirst into second base. According to the official Little League rulebook, headfirst slides are only allowed when sliding back into a base. 'Here's that head first slide, you are not allowed to go head first into the ahead base,' the broadcast booth pointed out. 'You are allowed to do it going back to a base, but you can not do it to that forward base.' Players on Fairfield National pointed out the illegal slide to the umpires and the Jackson Holbrook player was ultimately called out after review. 'I knew he couldn't slide head first,' Fairfield National player Luca Pellegrini told CT Insider after the game. 5 According to the official Little League rulebook, headfirst slides are only allowed when sliding back into a base. LIttle League/YouTube Fairfield National has remained undefeated throughout this summer, but this game was one of their toughest matches yet, according to manager Brian Palazzolo. 'New Jersey put up one heck of a fight,' Palazzolo said. 'That was a championship fight. I hope everybody that was here enjoyed it a lot better than I did because I think I lost a couple of years of my life on that one.' This game comes just days after a controversy involving another New Jersey Little League team, where Marco Rocco of Haddonfield Little League was initially suspended from the state tournament championship for bat-flipping after a home run. 5 Jackson Holbrook ended up losing the game 2-1. LIttle League/YouTube 5 Fairfield National has remained undefeated throughout this summer. LIttle League/YouTube Rocco and his father, Joe, took the suspension to court, where a judge ruled that he was allowed to play in the championship tournament, where Haddonfield lost to Elmora 14-10 in the semifinals. Little League was 'extremely disappointed' with the judge's ruling, according to a statement released by the organization. 5 Marco Rocco, 12, plays with his Haddonfield Little League teamates in a state tournament game after Judge Robert G. Malestein ruled in favor of the Little Leaguer. Aristide Economopoulos 'Little League International respects, and will uphold, the Gloucester County Superior Court of New Jersey Chancery Division judge's decision to allow a Haddonfield (N.J.) Little League player to participate in the Little League Baseball New Jersey State Tournament and beyond following an ejection caused by unsportsmanlike conduct last week,' the statement read. 'While we continue to follow any orders governed by the court of law, Little League is extremely disappointed that time, energy, and attention were diverted away from our volunteers and communities who are creating positive experiences for all players and families throughout the International Tournament. Trusted by parents and communities around the world, Little League holds the integrity of the game, respect for game officials, and sportsmanship of teams as core tenants of our program. 'We expect all players, coaches, and staff to uphold these values at all times.'
26-07-2025
In latest bat flip flap, big league players side with Little Leaguer
NEW YORK -- Jazz Chisholm Jr., known for playing with flair, noticed when a Little Leaguer was suspended in baseball's latest bat flip flap. 'I thought that was ridiculous. You're going suspend a kid for having fun?" the New York Yankees All-Star infielder said Friday. 'Crazy.' Marco Rocco, a 12-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey, tossed his bat in the air on July 16 after his sixth-inning, two-run homer in the final of the sectional tournament for Haddonfield's under-12 team against Harrison Township on July 16. His father went to court and got the suspension eliminated. 'If it's a game-changing homer, it's fine. Even when I'm on the mound, it doesn't irk me. It's a human reaction and it's good for the game, just like a pitcher doing a fist pump after a big strikeout," said Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner. "I side-eye someone if they hit a solo shot and their team is down 5-0. That doesn't jive with me. I don't like it when opponents or teammates do that. I feel the same way about Little Leaguers.' Rocco was ejected for what his family was told were actions deemed 'unsportsmanlike' and 'horseplay,' and an ejection results in an automatic one-game suspension. His father, Joe, is a lawyer and his dad filed suit. Judge Robert G. Malestein of New Jersey Superior Court ruled in favor of the Roccos, and Marco played for Haddonfield against Elmora Little League in a 10-0 loss Thursday in the opener of a four-team, double-elimination tournament at the Deptford Township Little League complex. Marco went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. 'I wish nobody would do a bat flip. I'm kind of traditional,' Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said before adding, 'But let him play.' A staid sport for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, baseball has embraced emotion in recent years. José Bautista's bat flip against Texas in a 2015 AL Division Series was featured in the video game MLB The Show 16. 'It's a kid's game, Whether you're a kid or a major leaguer, we're in a have-fun era," Detroit catcher Jake Rogers said. "If you earn that moment, you earn that moment.'
