The father of a young Little Leaguer, Joe, is feeling the strain as his son’s bat flip has generated a surprising amount of controversy. Twelve-year-old Marco Rocco from New Jersey has found himself at the center of discussions following his home run celebration.
“We feel sick to our stomachs over this,” Joe expressed to the Cherry Hill Courier Post. “My son is really upset. He said, ‘I didn’t realize I was breaking any rules. I see bat flips on TV all the time during the Little League World Series.’”
Joe continued, explaining that Marco is confused about why he was ejected from the game. “I told him that sometimes life doesn’t seem fair, but I’ll step up for you,” he said.
The family is trying to process everything that has happened since the bat flip incident and Marco’s subsequent one-game suspension in their state tournament. Wednesday is set to be a crucial day regarding whether Haddonfield will have their star player available for their next match.
Joe plans to appear in court on Wednesday after submitting an emergency detention order with the Gloucester County Court Chief Justice on Tuesday.
The hope is that this order will lift Marco’s suspension just in time for Haddonfield’s upcoming game against Elmora as part of a double elimination tournament.
The tournament consists of four teams, and the winners will advance to next week’s Metro Regional Tournament.
The issue first arose last Wednesday when Marco hit a two-run homer during a game against Harrison Township, which put his team ahead 8-0 in the sixth inning. According to Marco, he celebrated with a bat flip as he rounded the bases, a moment captured in a video shared on social media.
Initially, the referee called him out and did not credit the run. However, after a communication with Little League officials, the home run was validated, but Marco was still ejected.
Joe later shared that the referee cited “safety concerns” and mentioned that “Little League International” had indicated that Marco’s bat flip was against the rules.
Reports indicate that while Little League does not strictly prohibit bat flips, they can lead to ejections if deemed inappropriate conduct. “They informed us that any sort of horseplay is against the guidelines,” Joe mentioned.
Interestingly, Joe pointed out that “Little League International actively promotes bat flips on social media, their website, and during TV broadcasts of the World Series.” He believes Marco was simply imitating what he had seen.
As it stands, the ejection carries a one-game suspension, which coincides with the upcoming match this Thursday.
Joe expressed frustration, sharing that the family attempted to engage with Little League International but felt they were met with resistance. “Marco has dreams of playing in the World Series in Williamsport,” he stated. “Now, at the state finals, they say he can’t play.”
