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Haddonfield Little Leaguer Suspended Before State Championship for a Bat Flip #FreeMarco
By Kyle Pagan
Published:
How soft is Little League suspending this kid over a bat flip right before the New Jersey State Championship Game? This is Marco Rocco and he hits bombs:
There hasn’t been a lot of reporting on this so far, but I saw Darren Rovell tweet about it, BroBible did a story, and popular memorabilia collector, Ken Goldin, confirmed it. Three reputable sources integral to journalism so I’ll run with it.
Before we start, I’ve got some questions. Was he immediately ejected for the bat flip? Is there a copy of the Haddonfield Little League rulebook I can get my hands on? Who was the sore loser parent who reported this kid to the authorities because his/her son’s team got their butts whooped by the reigning NJ State Champs?
Until I get answers to my questions I’ll say this: You can’t suspend a kid for bat flipping. Not in this day and age. If you ask me, this Rocco kid is teaching that pitcher a valuable life lesson at a young age. Don’t want me to launch my bat to the moon? Throw it by me. No need to punish a kid for having a little bit of fun after hitting one out of the park. The nutso part is this isn’t the first time he’s bat flipped after a home run. Here’s video from a couple weeks ago of him bat flipping after a home run. Now, don’t get me wrong, that one compared to the bat he launched into orbit is a little different, but in my opinion all bat flips are created equal. If we’re going to start judging bat flips on a case-by-case basis then it’s going to be anarchy on the diamonds of Haddonfield and beyond. This country was founded on due process. Everyone has a right to a fair trial. If we sent every child who bat flipped to the gallows we would have no more Little League.
And I love how hypocritical Little League is. Here’s a highlight of a Nicaraguan player last year bat flipping, cupping his ear like a young Hulkamaniac, AND griddying across home plate:
Don’t think I didn’t catch that runt on third showboating too! Oh the humanity! Will someone teach these Nicaraguans how to play the game the right way? There are kids shitting their pants in the crowd that look up to these role models! Think of the toddlers! Will someone think of the toddlers!?
There’s something in the water over there in New Jersey. We’re suspending Little Leaguers for bat flips and trying to ruin the high school career of state champion wrestlers because they tried to stop their dad from pummeling someone’s face in. I think New Jersey can’t stand greatness. They lost their sense for flair and pageantry and that’s probably why Atlantic City went to shit. Yea I said it. You think Frank S. Farley would’ve let AC get to where it is today? Absolutely not.
Hopefully this kid’s father can get the same judge as Anthony Knox Jr. did cause this kid deserves to play.
Kyle writes blog posts and does Man on the Street-style videos all around Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University (a basketball school) in 2015. contact: k.pagan@sportradar.com