Little League team disqualified from World Series for Snapchat photo of players flipping off camera

The Atlee Little League softball team was disqualified Saturday from playing in the Junior League World Series after a player posted a photo of her teammates, ages 12-14, giving middle fingers on Snapchat. Little League spokesman Kevin Fountain wrote in a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch that it was a “violation of Little League’s policies regarding unsportsmanlike conduct.” The post itself, which was coupled with a caption that read “watch out host,” came after the team won its semifinal game against host team Kirkland, which went to the championship game instead and lost 7-1 to USA Central.

According to an Atlee coach, the post was in response to dishonest play by Kirkland. Via the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Atlee coach Chris Mardigian said the issue was retaliation against some members of the host team who had treated the Atlee girls with less-than-ideal hospitality.

Friday's game ended in a double play shortly after a baserunner from the Kirkland team was ejected for stealing signals from the Atlee team while on second base and relaying them to the batter. A Kirkland coach was ejected as well.

After Atlee manager Scott Currie caught wind of the post, it was deleted and he gathered his players to personally apologize to Kirkland. The disqualification came later, a decision Currie disagreed with, telling the Times-Dispatch, “It’s a travesty for these girls. Yes, they screwed up, but I don’t think the punishment fit the crime.”

Late Saturday night, Atlee Little League president Jamie Batten sent a statement to the Times-Dispatch saying that the organization is “disappointed” by the incident, and that the players “will brush themselves off after a loss, and try again — after having learned a most valuable lesson."

(h/t Washington Post & Richmond Times-Dispatch)