U.S. Little League Vacate Wins from Jackie Robinson West

JRW stripped of its championship. Photo Credit: Evan Habeeb/USA TODAY Sports

Jackie Robinson West will vacate all of its win during its 2014 championship season.

By: Michael Hanley (@Magic20099)

As a result of this, decision Mountain Ridge Little League of Las Vegas will be crowned the Little League World series champion. All other titles that this team from Chicago won during its run will also go to the runners up of each tournament that competed and went up against Jackie Robinson West.

Here is the statement on what Little League International CEO Stephen D. Keener said: 

"For more than 75 years, Little League has been an organization where fair play is valued over the importance of wins and losses. This is a heartbreaking decision. What these players accomplished on the field and the memories and lessons they have learned during the Little League World Series tournament is something the kids can be proud of, but it is unfortunate that the actions of adults have led to this outcome.

"As our Little League operations staff learned of the many issues and actions that occurred over the course of 2014 and prior, as painful as this is, we feel it a necessary decision to maintain the integrity of the Little League program. No team can be allowed to attempt to strengthen its team by putting players on their roster that live outside their boundaries."

It was found through their investigation that Jackie Robinson West officials  falsified a boundary map for the 2014 Little League World Series Tournament. In addition, officials with the program also went to the trouble of going around to other leagues in Illinois District 4 to get territory that was not rightfully theirs to have.

The punishments were swift and heavy as Jackie Robinson West manager Darold Butler was suspended from Little League activities. Illinois District 4 Administrator Michael Kelly lost his job.

 The most damaging part of all the penalties dealt is the suspension of the team's tournament privileges and being place don probation until they can meet the necessary steps to be given back those opportunities.

The adults certainly deserve the punishments doles out to them for the shady, illegal activity they conducted knowingly as a group and bending the rules to the point where they broke them.  Little League has specific rules that must be abided by and followed to the letter of the law to ensure everyone is on  a level playing field.

Going around and trying to take territories  not at all for them to take is a very weak and selfish act that not only effected their lives and careers but hurt the kids on that team the most.

 All those kids came to do was play the game they loved and to do it as a team  and do something positive for the city of Chicago.

They should not be getting harassed or being grilled about these punishments, the adults need to step up and take responsibility for what they were doing and own their faults and apologize to those kids and families who poured their heart and soul into that tournament.

These kids played their hearts out for a common goal and that should not be forgotten in the aftermath of this investigation.