Lawmaker Wants JRW's Title Reinstated, Other Little League Teams Investigated
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Illinois lawmaker has jumped into the fray after the Jackie Robinson West Little League team was stripped of its national title.
Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) has introduced a resolution calling on Little League International to reinstate JRW's national championship.
Last week, the league vacated all of Jackie Robinson West's wins from the 2014 season, and stripped them of their regional and national titles, after finding team officials knowingly violated league residency rules by using players who lived outside the team's official boundaries.
Little League officials have said team officials purposely redrew the team's official boundaries in order to pick up a couple key players who were ineligible to play on JRW's all-star squad in tournament play.
"The children who play for Jackie Robinson West should not be punished because of actions taken by adults," Davis's proposal states.
Davis's resolution – sponsored by 28 other members of the Illinois House – also would demand Little League International investigate all other teams that played in the Little League World Series
"I am truly saddened by the decision to strip the Little League National Title won by Jackie Robinson West Little League team. The only way that I would ever accept this is if they performed a thorough forensic investigation of every team that played in the league," Davis said. "When young boys, African-American boys, reach an achievement such as they did much greater thought should be given before actions are taken that could cause such great harm."
Little League officials have said their decision to strip JRW of its title is final, and even if the House passes Davis' resolution, it would have no power to force any action by the league.