With litigation pending, Little League International said it stands by its umpires and their decision to eject — and suspend — a 12-year-old player from Haddonfield for a bat-flip celebration but will not comment on the specifics of the case, which has caught national attention this week.
“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 evening. “Little League International Tournament rules serve as the guide for any determination regarding conduct, of which fall distinctly under the discretion of the umpires. As an organization we must consistently honor the judgment of the umpires to ensure fairness across all games at all levels of play.”
The player, Marco Rocco, hit a home run in the top of the sixth inning in a game against Harrison on July 16 and was ejected for flipping his bat in celebration.
The ejection carries an additional one-game suspension, which would be served when Haddonfield opens play in the state championship round Thursday evening against Ridgewood Little League at 8:30 p.m. in Deptford.
In hopes of overturning the suspension, a request for an emergency temporary restraining order was filed Tuesday morning in the Gloucester County Chancery Division.
A court decision was not rendered Wednesday, but verbal arguments will be heard Thursday afternoon with a decision expected in time for the game, according to Joe Rocco, the player’s father and plaintiff.
Regarding the restraining order, the older Rocco said his family tried to resolve the situation amicably with Little League International.
“They said, ‘No, we’re not doing that,’ and basically, that they’re not willing to compromise in any way,” Joe Rocco said.
The family then responded with legal action.
“He’s played Little League his whole life, and his dream is to make it to the World Series in Williamsport,” said Joe Rocco. “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.”
The final four teams for the 12U division of the New Jersey Little League State Tournament will play Thursday night in Deptford in a four-team, double-elimination bracket with the winner advancing to the Metro Region Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut.
Haddonfield, which won the state championship last season, is one of the four remaining teams, along with Holbrook Little League (Jackson), Elmora Little League (Elizabeth) and Ridgewood.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.