Even the enemy is going to bat for this little leaguer!
A parent at a rival New Jersey team is backing the Little League player who was suspended from a state finals game for joyfully flipping his bat — saying the “horseplay” rule is unclear and most players don’t even know it exists.
“These umpires aren’t very good. It doesn’t warrant a game suspicion,” said Chris Heenan, whose son plays for a team in the Harrison Township Little League organization, whose 12-year-old squad gave up the home run that led to Haddonfield Little League player Marco Rocco’s now-infamous bat-flipping celebration.
The bat flip got Rocco ejected along with a one-game suspension. X / @Spicoli_____
Rocco’s father, Joe, filed court papers to have the suspension overturned. X / @Spicoli_____Rocco, 12, was facing off against Harrison July 16 when he tossed his bat in the air to celebrate hitting a home run, which made the game an 8-0 blowout and prompted the umpire to eject him from the game.
The move also earned him a one-game suspension and barred him from competing in the New Jersey Little League State Tournament final this coming Thursday — outraging his dad, Joe Rocco, who filed court papers Tuesday to have the suspension overturned.
But even Heenan — whose son plays for a rival Harrison team in the 11-year-old division — called the punishment off base.
“I don’t believe it is common knowledge in Little League that you aren’t supposed to flip a bat,” he said.
Joe and Marco Rocco are pictured in an undated Facebook photo. Facebook/Liz RoccoHe also said the “no horseplay” rule reportedly cited by the umpire of the game in question is overly vague.
“You can call almost anything ‘horseplay,’” he said. “If there’s no rule specifically against bat flipping in the handbook, how would you know?”
The elder Rocco insists the league sends kids mixed messages by posting videos of celebratory bat flipping on its social media accounts — and Heenan agreed.
If the suspension stands, Rocco would be barred from playing in the Little League state finals. Facebook/Liz RoccoWhile Heenan acknowledged that tossing a bat in the air could be dangerous, he said the league should stay consistent with its messaging.
“If that’s what they’re promoting on social media, and that’s what kids are seeing, that’s what they’re gonna do,” he said.
“It sucks,” he added. “You live and you learn.”
On Tuesday, Rocco filed an emergency temporary restraining order in the Gloucester County Chancery Division court in an attempt to have his son’s suspension overturned.
He’ll learn in a hearing Wednesday afternoon whether his kid can play in the big game, Rocco told The Post.
Little League International didn’t immediately return a request for comment from The Post Wednesday.
