12-Year-Old Little Leaguer Suspended from State Championship for Flipping His Bat Awaits Decision on Reversal
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 NJ.com.
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.'
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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.'
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