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Mayoral candidate Dr. Willie Wilson to give JRW $10,000 for legal fees

JRW lawyer launches probe

By Chinta Strausberg

Saying he has had a 20-year relationship with the Jackie Robinson West (JRW) team, mayoral hopeful Dr. Willie Wilson Thursday confirmed he is giving $10,000 to the league to help defray their legal fees in the fight to regain their coveted Little League U.S. title that was snatched away by the Little League International for allegedly violating residency rules.

Appearing on WVON’s Cliff Kelley show, Wilson, who is holding a press conference 2 p.m., Friday, February 13^th, at 10540 So. Morgan, said, “We are going to donate to the JRW family $10,000 to help their legal fees. This is not our first time doing this…,” Wilson said referring to the $10,000 he gave the team last year.

“We think it is wrong” for the Little League International to take away JRW’s title, Wilson said. “Let’s let the lawyer look into it….” Wilson said nothing was done “with the guys who let the air out of the football…. Why are they messing with our kids? It’s not our kid’s problem. They are out there throwing sliders and curbs going. They work hard. They’re not in a gang or drugs.”

Wilson said he is also giving them a trophy to the team “just to keep their morale going.” Wilson said it is important to let the youth know they are behind them.

Victor Henderson, the lawyer for the JRW, who appeared on WVON’s Cliff Kelley show after holding a press conference downtown, said he wants the same residency rules to be applied to any other team.

While he has yet to file a lawsuit, Henderson said he is investigating why the team’s title was revoked.

The Little League International officials said they will not be releasing any more information and will work with Henderson who is demanding to know why did the League revoke JRW’s title when just last December they found no violations in the residency rules.

Standing with Henderson was Bill Haley whose father began the league 41-years ago. “We played hard to win a state championship, a Great Lakes regional championship, one national championship, but clearly we have one more battle,” Haley said referring to the fight to retain the coveted Little League National title.

Henderson said, “We are very fortunate and very thankful,” he said after learning of Wilson’s offer to donate $10,000 towards the legal fees.

Kelley said a friend from Stockholm called him about the JRW case. “It’s all over the world,” Kelley said.

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