Jackie Robinson West Now Plays 'Real Baseball' with Babe Ruth-Cal Ripken

Chicago White Sox mascot Southpaw threw out the first pitch on Sunday at Jackie Robinson West’s Opening Day. No longer with Little League International, the South Siders took the field under the Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken banner. And Bill Haley remains at the helm.

Writes Mark Konkol for DNAinfo Chicago:

“We’re happy to have Jackie Robinson West back playing youth baseball. The kids are having a lot of fun. We’re going to keep moving forward,” Haley said.

“The phrase that kids use is, ‘Coach Bill, we’re playing real baseball now. It’s a faster-paced game, and the kids feel like they’re playing just like the players they see on TV.”

In the context of the fallout from the JRW cheating scandal, “real baseball” also doubles as a thinly veiled dig at Little League International. ...

On Sunday, Babe Ruth assistant Ohio Valley commissioner Tom Wright said switching national affiliations “opens a lot of doors” for Jackie Robinson West, including the opportunity to play a wider range of talent in Illinois and Indiana.

But what will happen to the $200,000 in donations Jackie Robinson West received under the auspices of Little League International sponsorship before being stripped of the national title?

» read more on DNAinfo Chicago