Jackie Robinson West Will Not Play Under Little League Banner This Spring

By Danette Chavez in News on Apr 23, 2015 4:05PM

Though they still technically have a Little League International charter, the Jackie Robinson West league will be playing as part of the Cal Ripken-Babe Ruth organization this spring. There's been some speculation on whether JRW would make the move for a while now and now their attorney, Victor P. Henderson, has confirmed their new affiliation.

Following their national championship win last summer, Jackie Robinson West filed and paid for their Little League International charter in December. But in February, they were stripped of their national title amid a boundary redrawing/recruitment scandal that was first reported by DNAInfo Chicago's Mark Konkol. LLI officials placed the JRW league on probation until they could replace their president and treasurer (Anne Haley and her son, Bill) and then in March disbanded their district (#4).

Bill Haley assumed leadership of the JRW league, and appears to have opted to change affiliations rather than step down. There's still no word on what will happen to the rest of District 4, or the $200,000 in donations that were made to the JRW league last year (though some officials from the district told DNAInfo they believe Haley made the move to Cal Ripken-Babe Ruth to remain in control of those funds.)

Henderson, the JRW league's attorney, also said he is still urging Illinois state police to look into how Chris Janes, the suburban coach whose allegations launched the investigation, obtained the information that provided the basis for those claims.