A youth baseball game came to a halt in a small Philadelphia suburb last month when parents started pointing up at the sky.
- It wasn't a ball, or a bird, that caught their eye — but rather, a banner, towed by an airplane, calling out a parent by name.
Why it matters: The Springfield Little League stunt has caused a scandal in the Montgomery County town, angering community members and prompting an investigation.
Driving the news: Parents flocked to a township board meeting last week to decry the flyover, which many perceive as bullying and evidence of a toxic culture among adults in the league.
- Meanwhile, an online petition demanding the resignation of any Little League board member found to have been involved has gathered hundreds of signatures in the township of about 21,000 people.
The big picture: Emotions often run high in youth sports, but this expensive statement-making stunt raises questions about whether adults are ruining spaces for children to learn and play.
Catch up quick: The flyover, at a May 18 Little League game, targeted a father who recently complained about league scheduling.
- Parents said several coaches immediately began laughing and snapping photos of the airplane banner, which read, "His name is Zach Magid!!"
- Magid complained to officials about a decision to end the in-house season early for the second straight year so more advanced players could begin competing on summer travel teams. He felt it unfair to intramural players who wouldn't get to compete in a playoff to crown a champion.
- Magid tells Axios league leaders reversed the decision after he contacted a district coordinator, who relayed the parent's concerns to board members. He thought the issue settled until the flyover.
More than a week after the incident, the league emailed parents saying it had launched an investigation into the matter.
What they're saying: Some parents said at the township meeting they lack confidence in a league-led investigation, suspecting someone on the inside was behind the stunt.
- Springfield Little League president Thomas McGeehan Sr. told parents he hasn't uncovered evidence implicating any board members or coaches.
- McGeehan called the flyover a "stain on our league" at the township meeting.
- He and Little League Baseball, the organization's governing body, didn't respond to Axios' requests for comment.
Magid said the stunt has made his family fear for their safety.
- He says no one from the league has reached out to interview him and he doubts the league is seriously investigating.
Not the flyover he was hoping for. Photo: Courtesy of Zak Magid
The latest: The flyover could have violated an agreement between the Little League and Springfield, enabling them to use the township's baseball fields so long as they follow its rules, township board president James Lee tells Axios.
- Lee is giving the league "some runway to get [the investigation] right," but doesn't rule out the township conducting a probe if parents are unsatisfied with the league's results.
The intrigue: The airplane advertising company identified as being involved in the stunt charges between $650 and $1,200 to fly personalized banners.
- Magid contacted the company to see who paid for the flight but was told that information wouldn't be provided without a subpoena.
- The company didn't respond to Axios' requests for comment.
What we're watching: Magid tells Axios the league is a community staple that he hopes grows "even stronger," but that won't happen without accountability.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the Little League is in Springfield Township, which has a population of 21,000 (not 25,000) and is in Montgomery County (not Delaware County) .
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