The Springfield Little League in Oreland is working through controversy after a banner, towed by an airplane, crossed the sky during a game on May 18, Axios Philadelphia reported.

According to an online petition, the banner “targeted a parent who had called the Little League to inquire about why the in-house season was, for the second year in a row, being cut short in favor of beginning summer travel ball” and called him out by name:

The petition demands the resignation of any Little League board member found to have been involved. 409 have signed at the time of this writing.

Parents protested the flyover during a township board meeting last week, Axios reported.

Magid told Axios that league officials reversed their summer league decision after he contacted a district coordinator. The company that flew the plan reportedly charges between $650 and $1,200 to run personalized banners.

The week after the flyover, the league said it had launched an investigation into the matter.

The full story is here. From the petition:

The airplane flyover that targeted a Little League family and other forms of adult bullying should have no place in SLL. While no one has taken accountability for that egregious action taken against a fellow parent, it’s especially concerning that the act seems to be in retaliation against a parent who rightly questioned the league’s initial decision to shorten the in-house season in favor of travel teams beginning their tournament play for the second year in a row. Little League is supposed to be a fun, nurturing, inclusive place for all the children in our town to have the chance to learn and love the game of baseball. 

The leaders of the board should fulfill their commitment to report back to parents with the outcome of their investigation of the airplane flyover on May 18th.  If any Board Leaders were responsible for the flyover or involved with it in any way, they should be held accountable and removed from board leadership, commissioner, and/or coaching positions in the Little League. Bullying like this cannot be tolerated among people who are supposed to be role models for our children. 

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Photo courtesy of Zak Magid via Axios Philadelphia