On Monday, some of the parents of the Jackie Robinson West Little League filed a lawsuit, which seeks reinstatement for the championship team. Joined by their lawyers, the parents claimed that their children were exploited.
In 2014, Jackie Robinson West baseball players captured national championship after winning the season. However, the team also captured national attention when their championship title was stripped due to residency violations.
There are three reasons behind the lawsuits, says CLTV. One is JRW wants its championship title reinstated. Second, the parents, players, and coaches want to clear their names and fix their reputations. And lastly, although the amount has not yet been determined, the JRW is seeking for financial compensation.
The Chicago Tribune reported that 13 of the players' parents seeks financial damages to cover expenses from the scandal. Attorney James Karamanis, representing the baseball players and their children, said that the lawsuit was brought for a number of reasons, but mainly to address the misconceptions and "unfairness" related to the parents and the exploitative behavior of Little League and JRW.
"They feel their children were used," said Karamanis at a news conference at a South Side art gallery.
The lawsuit filed by the parents claimed that JRW had all the birth certificates, addresses, and documents. Their championship title promoted a Cinderella-like story of the all-black South Side team.
Stephen A. Smith, one of ESPN's famous personalities, are included in the lawsuit for statements made about the coaching staff. Chris Janes, the coach for an opposing team was also named. The parents claimed that Janes violated their privacy by tracking their license plate numbers to their addresses.
Many people in Chicago celebrated after JRW won the US Little League Championship. ABC Chicago reported that the team met President Obama at the White House and was applauded by dozens of people at a rally in Millennium Park.
There were thirteen families who showed at the Southside Gallery and not one of them talked about the lawsuit. Reports say that they wanted their lawyers to speak for them.
