Little League Official Says 'No Ill-Intent' in Players Placing 'Cotton' on Black Teammate's Head
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Little League International claims the controversial footage shown on ESPN of white players attaching fabric, resembling cotton, to their Black teammate's head is nothing more than an unfortunate misunderstanding.
The viral moment occurred on Monday night in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, towards the end of a Little League Classic game between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox, though neither of the competing team's players was involved. Rather, the video footage shows players from Davenport, Iowa's team, who represent the Midwest Region in the competition, participating in the "perceived as racially insensitive" act.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Kevin Fountain, senior director of communications for Little League International, stated, "During the broadcast of the MLB Little League Classic, a Midwest player was shown with filling from a stuffed animal given away at the game on his head."
The league's statement continued, "After speaking with the team, as well as reviewing photos, multiple players on the Midwest Region team were taking part in this while enjoying the game. As only one player appeared on the broadcast, Little League International understands that the actions shown could be perceived as racially insensitive."
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The league stated that both the player's mother and coaches "have assured" the organization's officials that, "there was no ill-intent behind the action shown during the broadcast."
The viral video prompted various sports personalities to condemn the moment. "This breaks my heart. Look at his face. This is despicable," FS1 host Joy Taylor wrote on Twitter.
"I am highly pissed," said journalist Dorothy J. Gentry in a tweet on Monday night. Gentry called upon major players in the sports world to speak out on the issue, including direct tags to official accounts for ESPN, NAACP, LeBron James, and Kendrick Perkins.
Davenport's team will play again on Tuesday, where they will compete for a spot in the bracket's finals. The Little League World Series will crown a champion on Aug. 28 in Pennsylvania.
The Little League World Series made headlines previously this season after 12-year-old Easton Oliverson fractured his skull following a fall from his bunk bed. The Little League athlete has made substantial progress on his road to recovery since the accident.
According to a Facebook account set up by his family to provide updates on Oliverson's condition, results from the young athlete's MRI scan came out "very promising," which they said is "a big step" in the boy's recovery.
"Easton keeps proving himself to be the fighter we have always known he is," the family said Tuesday. Additionally, the young baseball player from Utah's Snow Canyon team is no longer relying on a breathing tube as of Tuesday evening, which his family calls "a big step" in his recovery.
"The prayers are working! Please keep them coming," the post concluded, acknowledging the hundreds of social media users who have been concerned for Oliverson since his fall.
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On Aug. 17, the family shared an update soon after Oliverson got out of surgery. "Just 36 hours ago, Easton was 30 minutes from passing away," the family said, according to TMZ Sports.
"Now 36 hours later, he has a team of Trauma 1 doctors who are in absolute awe of his tremendous progress. One of his doctors said that everything they have hoped Easton to be able to do in the last 12 hours, he has done and more." The boy's father, Jace Oliverson, also said that his son's pupils "were extremely dilated with the piece of skull removed and hematoma removed and the bleeding being stopped they've come back down and seem to be functioning normally."
