Feb. 12--The parents of 13 members of the Jackie Robinson West baseball team that captivated Chicago with a national championship in 2014, only to be stripped of the title for residency violations, have sued the team's director, Little League Baseball and the whistleblower who alerted authorities to the boundary issues.
The lawsuit argues JRW and the Little League organization that hosts the annual World Series "concealed the ineligibility of the JRW team members in order to reap the benefits of notoriety and media attention."
Also named in the lawsuit, filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court, is ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith. The parents say Smith defamed them on an episode of "First Take" in which he "directly accused the JRW parents of perpetrating a fraud against the Little League."
The parents behind the lawsuit include two former JRW coaches whose sons were on the team that won the Little League national title in August 2014, which led to praise from Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a 13-mile parade through the city to a Millennium Park rally and a visit to the White House, where the players met President Barack Obama.
The attorney for the parents, James A. Karamanis, confirmed the suit's filing but declined to comment, stating he may hold a news conference at a later date.
A Little League International spokesman said in a statement that the organization was aware of the suit but had not reviewed it. An ESPN spokesman said the network hadn't seen the lawsuit "so it would be inappropriate to comment."
Championed as "America's team," JRW's players captured the local and national media spotlight in the summer of 2014 as they made their way through postseason play. The African-American youngsters representing the South Side league became the city's feel-good story in a city troubled by violence.
But the image began to tarnish when allegations of fraud were made public. The initial accusation was made by Chris Janes, a Little League official from south suburban Evergreen Park who contacted Little League officials to express concerns that JRW had used players who lived outside the league's boundaries.
The lawsuit claims Janes violated their privacy by tracing license plates to home addresses, later reporting the residency issue to the Little League. Janes could not be reached for comment.
The Little League organization initially cleared JRW of wrongdoing in December 2014, saying they found no merit to Janes' claims. But two months later, after further investigation, the national championship title was revoked.
JRW leadership and parents cried foul, filing suit to challenge the Little League's ruling and wondering aloud whether race played a part in removal of the championship title.
Thursday's lawsuit indicates team unity is a thing of the past. The lawsuit argues Little League officials never raised any residency concerns prior to the season and broke league rules in stripping the team's title because such concerns must be made during the season. The lawsuit also claims that the players and their parents were not allowed due process.
Bill Haley, JRW director during the 2014 championship season, who with his mother, Annie, is named in the suit, could not be reached for comment. Their former attorney, Victor Henderson, also could not be reached.
wlee@tribpub.com
