Jackie Robinson-West parents are suing Little League and Stephen A Smith

[RammerJammer]

Parents from Jackie Robinson West havefiled a lawsuit against ESPN and on-air personality Stephen A. Smith, according to The Big Lead.



Smith is being sued for defamation, after making comments suggesting Jackie Robinson West's former coach Darold Butler fabricated documents and knew certain members on the team were ineligible as the team made its run to the Little League World Series.

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Smith's comments stem from an appearance on the show First Take, and can be seen in the video below:


During that run, the team became a feel-good story. The team charged through local competition in order to make it to the Little League World Series, where they lost in the championship to South Korea.

Shortly after their season ended, allegations arose that the club had cheated. One of the coaches from a team that Jackie Robinson West defeated accused the club of bringing in ringers from outside the proper districts. The club was also accused of manipulating district lines in order to gain an competitive advantage. Months after those allegations were made Little League stripped Jackie Robinson West of its wins and U.S. title.

Smith may be one of the bigger names mentioned in the lawsuit, but the parents are also going after Little League International, as well as officials connected with the program.

The lawsuit filed by parents of Jackie Robinson West alleges that Butler diligently submitted the necessary paperwork to Little League International, but that Little League either ignored potential boundary issues, or kept them a secret in order to profit from the popularity of Jackie Robinson West.

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Little League officials allegedly waited until after Jackie Robinson West had completed its season to inform league president Bill Haley that the club had used ineligible players. Despite its findings, Little League still arranged the team's visit to the White House and inclusion in the 2014 World Series in San Francisco.

Chris Janes, the opposing coach who blew the whistle on Jackie Robinson West, was also named in the lawsuit. Janes told DNAinfo.com's David Matthews and Mark Konkol that the lawsuit is "laughable."

The lawsuit can be read in its entirety over at DNAinfo.com.

 

[El Bombi]

I hope they rape c00nin A. Smith pockets.

 

[Made Myself A Boss]

I wonder which apology route he's going to take with this one

 

[42 Monks]

Press conference is next week I think.

I can't stand what Stephen A and ESPN as a whole have turned into, but this case itself is weak as hell unless they've got some crazy recordings or something...

 

[Milk N Cookies]

Wait, what did Steven A smith have to do with them stripping Jackie Robinson-West of their title? I though that was some hating ass parents of losing teams...

 

[Rick Roller 10]

 

[The God Poster]

Wait, what did Steven A smith have to do with them stripping Jackie Robinson-West of their title? I though that was some hating ass parents of losing teams...

You didn't read the OP did you?
Defamation

 

[mcellas]

 

[RammerJammer]

Here's the First Take video

 

[Milk N Cookies]

You didn't read the OP did you?
Defamation

I wanted video clip or an article that quoted him saying it.

Edit: it's posted above

 

[Made Myself A Boss]

Press conference is next week I think.

I can't stand what Stephen A and ESPN as a whole have turned into, but this case itself is weak as hell unless they've got some crazy recordings or something...

He defamed their name on national tv show

 

[42 Monks]

He defamed their name on nationally televised tv show

He shyt on them, yeah - the actual lawsuit though? How are they gonna prove this?

In the complaint, Butler says he submitted boundary maps and addresses to local league president Bill Haley and Little League International officials several times as the team advanced through the 2014 Little League World Series. But it wasn't until September 2014, after the team won the tournament's national championship, that a Little League official told Haley that Jackie Robinson West fielded ineligible players. Haley, who is accused in the complaint of concealing the Little League investigation from parents, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

And despite its findings, Little League still arranged for Jackie Robinson West's highly publicized visit to the White House and Major League World Series in San Francisco without telling parents or team officials that a residency investigation was underway. Little League stripped JRW's title in February 2015.

"Defendant Little League deliberately capitalized on the notoriety of the JRW Team and the JRW Parents in order to bolster its corporate image, gain donations and otherwise profit from the unique appeal of the JRW Tournament Team," the complaint says.

James Karamanis, the Chicago lawyer who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the parents, declined to comment, saying he plans to host a press conference Monday.

The lawsuit also alleges ESPN defamed Butler and others by saying they fabricated residency documents and deliberately assembled JRW's ineligible team. The lawsuit specifically names ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, who said on national television that Butler "threw" his players "into the wind."

Jackie Robinson West Parents Sue Little League, ESPN and Local League

I hope they hit ESPN for all they can but that's flimsy as fukk unless, like I said, they got tapes or something that straight up shows that Little League officials were straight up concealing information from the team and were lined up with ESPN and others to profit off of their planned demise.

It'd be nice but... well, that press conference better be lit

 

[homiedontplaydat]

fukk Stephen A Smith

 

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

his parents are still alive?

 

[jadillac]

I wonder which apology route he's going to take with this one

what a fall