Little League suspends player for celebrating with bat flip
- Marco Rocco hit a home run and flipped his bat, prompting an immediate ejection from the game.
- He was given a one-game suspension due to the league's interpretation of his actions as 'horseplay.'
- The Rocco family is fighting the suspension through legal channels, raising questions about the league's inconsistent policies on celebrating.
In New Jersey, a controversy unfolded when Marco Rocco, a 12-year-old Little League player from Haddonfield, was suspended from the state tournament. The incident occurred after he hit a two-run home run against Harrison Township Little League on July 15, 2025, during a critical playoff game. As he celebrated by flipping his bat into the air while rounding the bases, the umpires deemed this act a "safety concern" and ejected him from the game. Following the game, the Rocco family learned that Marco would also face a one-game suspension, which would impact his participation in the ongoing tournament. Joe Rocco, Marco's father, expressed his frustration with the ruling, highlighting that Little League International seems to endorse bat flipping in their promotional materials, including social media posts and broadcasts of the Little League World Series. He argued that his son was merely emulating the celebrations seen in those promotions. Joe filed an emergency temporary restraining order in Gloucester County Chancery Division, seeking to lift the suspension and allow Marco to continue playing in the tournament. The legal decision was set to be made on July 17, 2025, just hours before Haddonfield's next game against Elmora. Despite the controversies surrounding the suspension, the Little League organization stood by its ruling, citing established rules against "horseplay," which they believe includes actions like bat flipping. With the state finals in progress, Haddonfield managed to advance to this stage, facing tough competition from teams like Elmora, who had previously made it to the Little League World Series in 2019. The outcome of this case has not only implications for Marco's aspirations to reach the World Series, but also raises questions about the consistency of Little League's branding and the rules governing player behavior during games. The remaining teams in the tournament continue to compete, and it remains to be seen how the suspension and the legal battle will affect Marco's team in their quest to advance further in the double-elimination tournament. Joe Rocco emphasized that this situation deeply affects his son's dreams and the family’s support for him as he has committed to the sport for many years.