Jackie Robinson West files suit against Little League over vacated title

The fallout from Little League International’s decision to strip Jackie Robinson West Little League of its 2014 United States championship is not over yet. In fact, an entirely new chapter was opened up on Wednesday that ensures the drama will continue well into the summer. 

According to CBS 2 in Chicago, lawyers for Jackie Robinson West have filed a lawsuit against Little League’s governing body questioning the fairness of the decision. Jackie Robinson was officially stripped of its championship in February following an investigation stemming from claims that the team used ineligible players from outside of designated residential boundaries.

According to the report, JRW is not denying having ineliglble players on the roster. Instead, they are questioning the methods and procedures of Little League International, the timeline of the events, and the basis for the decision itself.    

The lawsuit alleges Little League International failed to provide information to Jackie Robinson West, explaining its punishment. The suit also alleges the league failed to mention any specific violation of the rules.

“Until Little League International establishes to us that they have, in fact, acted properly, then we are not willing to concede that these young men are not still the champions from 2014,” Henderson said.

Henderson said he isn’t claiming JRW did not have ineligible players on the field, but said the Little League rulebook requires the league to check each team’s paperwork during tournament play, and any protests should be lodged before the games are played.

“I can’t tell you whether Little League looked at all of the paperwork for all of the teams that were [playing] in Indianapolis. I don’t know, because when I tried to sit down with them, they wouldn’t talk to me,” he said. “I don’t know if Little League reviewed all of the paperwork for all of the teams, other than Jackie Robinson West.”

In basic terms, they’re petitioning for Little League to turn over all of its unseen information to help determine whether they’re satisfied with the process. Ultimately, they want to determine if JRW has been treated fairly and equally compared to others leagues and teams. There are certainly those who believe that isn’t the case, and according to many of them Little League’s decision may have been fueled by racism.

Here’s another interesting snippet. 

Henderson said if JRW made any mistakes — and they likely did — they will acknowledge them, but believe they were singled out for punishment, and held to standards other teams didn’t have to meet.

For a time, Jackie Robinson West’s run was the ultimate feel-good story as they became the first all-black team to make the Little League World Series in several years. That fact aside though, the team was simply a joy to watch on the field, while showcasing good sportsmanship and several joyous and infectious personalities that made them very easy to root both on and off the field.

Now, that’s all being overshadowed by legal drama and political struggles thanks to the alleged actions of those counted on to provide leadership. It’s unfortunate, but here’s hoping we can finally find some closure here so the focus can go back to what really matters — the kids. 

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813