Sour grapes and double standards

By Ashahed M. Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Feb 17, 2015 - 8:54:37 AM

Rev. Jesse Jackson has supported the Jackie Robinson West Little League team. Photo: Haroon Rajaee

Thousands of all races turned out to celebrate the accomplishments of the Jackie Robinson West All Stars August 27 at Millennium Park.

Community responds to Jackie Robinson West All-Star Little League team being stripped of championship titles

CHICAGO (FinalCall.com) - The decision to strip the Jackie Robinson West All-Star Little League team of their 2014 championship is not sitting well with members of the Black community in Chicago.

The governing board of Little League International determined JRW officials knowingly violated rules by recruiting and using players from neighboring districts who did not qualify to play because they lived outside of the area covered by the league’s boundaries.

Frederick Ragsdale Jr. his wife Nicole and their sons 9 year-old Frederick Ragsdale III, and 5 year-old Blake. The Ragsdale family celebrated Jackie Robinson West’s accomplishments at Millennium Park with thousands August 27, 2014. Their young sons can’t wait for their chance to make history. Photo: Ashahed Muhammad

Little League International president and CEO Stephen D. Keener said February 11 it was a tough decision, but one that had to be made in order to maintain the integrity of the program.

“Little League takes these matters very seriously and has spent countless hours gathering information about the many issues facing Jackie Robinson West Little League and Illinois District 4,” said Mr. Keener. “During our review, it became clear that both Jackie Robinson West officials and District Administrator, Mike Kelly signed documents to make players eligible who should not have been.”

Community members are not taking the decision to strip the boys of their title lying down. The words of Little League International’s governing board sound good, but many in the Chicago land area believe there are racial undercurrents present in the punishments delivered and the determination by some of JRW’s vanquished opponents to find violations.

Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, issued a strongly worded response after hearing the decision to strip JRW of their title.

Coach Darold Butler (Center) of the Jackie Robinson West little league baseball team.

“I do not respect the decision of Little League International because the officials have not respected the ethical and emotional well-being of the children involved in this matter. The young men of Jackie Robinson West brought their talent, skills, smarts and hearts to the playing field and captivated a nation by securing a national championship for themselves and our city,” said Ms. Lewis. “To strip Jackie Robinson West of its title nearly six months after securing the win tarnishes the efforts of our children who have dodged bullets, school closings, and reductions in their school athletic programs in order to compete and win on the playing field.”

Ms. Lewis believes JRW should be allowed to retain the title, receive an apology, and each player should receive a full-ride scholarship to college because of the humiliation and negative national scrutiny they have now faced.

Father Michael Pfleger, the activist priest of the Faith Community of Saint Sabina spoke at a press conference alongside the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., to defend the youth, however, his sharpest criticism was directed at Chris Janes, an Evergreen Park Athletic Association official who doggedly pursued the issue involving the eligibility of JRW players. Evergreen Park was clobbered by Jackie Robinson West 43-2 during 2014 Little League sectionals.

“I am both angry and disgusted at the obsession of this man from Evergreen Park to try and take away the championship from the Jackie Robinson West Team.....REALLY? Is the fact the an African-American Team could do so well, Unite the City, and prove the Great Children that is the Norm on the South Side, is that so Distasteful to you Sir, that you have worked day and night to discredit these young children? GET A LIFE.......and Leave these Children, leave our Children alone......THEY WON DAMN IT!!!!!!!!” Father Pfleger wrote.

Jackie Robinson West Little League team. Photos: MGN Online

There are no accusations that any of the JRW players were involved in or had any idea that there was any wrongdoing, and in a strange twist, reports have emerged that Evergreen Park may have been guilty of the same types of rule violations in the past.

A win for the city

Not only are the Jackie Robinson West All Stars named after the venerated sports hero who faced vicious racial discrimination when breaking into Major League Baseball as the first Black player, but also to have this happen in February, which is celebrated as Black History Month, makes what has happened sting even more.

News from the mainstream media often focuses on the crime and violence on Chicago’s South Side, however, in the summer of 2014, the Jackie Robinson West All Stars emerged as a source of good news and pride, specifically for Black people in the city.

Even though they ultimately lost the Little League World Series championship to South Korea, whose team—upon visual inspection—consisted of many who appeared to be very large for their ages, the city was proud of the young boys who showed character and resolve after a consistent string of impressive nail-biting victories broadcast throughout the entire city of Chicago.

Just one of the displays celebrating the accomplishment of the young team. Photos: Ashahed M. Muhammad

The young players were greeted upon their return to Midway Airport in Chicago as heroes. On August 27, thousands cheered as coaches and parents rode a double decker bus through the streets of Chicago. At intersections typically blocked off because of police activity for crimes, the streets on this day were blocked off so mothers could bring their children out to see a group of young Black boys in Chicago being celebrated for their accomplishments. A ceremony was held for them at U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, and a huge mid-day rally at Millennium Park downtown. The young men were even honored at a White House ceremony by President Barack Obama.

All who encountered them said JRW’s baseball players always demonstrated the highest levels of sportsmanship. A player even apologized to an opposing coach during one game after the player thought it might be perceived that he was celebrating too much after hitting a home run.

According to Jason Sacks, executive director of the Chicago Chapter of the Positive Coach Alliance, the organization gave an Honor the Game Award to JRW “for the sportsmanship and class the players displayed on the field.”

PCA’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jim Thompson said the “win-at-all-cost culture” is the cause.

“While this incident does not diminish the accomplishments of Jackie Robinson West Little League’s players, including their on-field examples of Honoring the Game, this situation does reflect a prevalent win-at-all-cost culture constantly pushing on youth and high school sports,” he said in a statement.

This is third time in the 68-year history of the Little League Baseball World Series that this sort of punishment has been meted out, causing teams to vacate league victories and titles. In 1992, the Zamboanga (Philippines) City Little League team was disqualified and in 2001, the Rolando Paulino Little League from Bronx, NY.

The ruling means by default, the 2014 championships vacated by Jackie Robinson West Little League will now be given to the finalists in the other games throughout the various levels of the tournament.

- Mountain Ridge Little League (Las Vegas, Nev.) is now awarded the 2014 United States Little League Baseball World Series Championship.

-New Albany (Ind.) Little League is now awarded the 2014 Great Lakes Regional Little League Baseball Championship.

-The Tri-Cities Little League (West Dundee, Ill.) is now awarded the 2014 Illinois State Little League Baseball Championship.

-The Lansing (Ill.) Little League is now awarded the 2014 Illinois Section 3 Little League Baseball Championship.

-The Rosemoor Little League (Chicago) is now awarded the 2014 Illinois District 4 Little League Baseball Championship.

Punishment fit the crime?

While no one excuses the behavior of the JRW officials who have been accused and appear in some cases to have been guilty of attempting to bend the rules, some wonder whether the severity of the punishment fits the crime.

Consider the fact that the late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno presided over what amounted to a pedophile ring led by his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Even after being told of impropriety as far back as 1998, it was found that Mr. Paterno failed to disclose them, nor did he do anything about them. In fact, an investigation uncovered that he actually concealed facts related to the allegations and evidence suggests he may have even persuaded Penn State officials not to turn Mr. Sandusky in to law enforcement. Mr. Paterno died on January 22, 2012.

In 2012, the National Collegiate Athletic Association vacated all Penn State’s victories from 1998 through 2011 dropping Paterno from 1st to 12th on the list of winningest Division 1 coaches, however, on January 16 of this year, they reversed their decision restoring 111 wins to his record, again placing him at the top.

Mr. Sandusky, convicted of being serial child molester after being found guilty on 45 of 48 charges, is currently serving a prison sentence of between 30 to 60 years.

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