Scoop: Springfield Little League ousts board member over flyover stunt
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The banner targeted a Little League parent who had recently complained about scheduling. Photo: Courtesy of Zach Magid
Springfield Little League has removed a board member who was behind an airplane flyover targeting a parent last month, per an internal email obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: The viral stunt outraged parents in the Montgomery County town, who called the flyover an act of bullying and demanded an investigation.
Driving the news: Springfield Little League president Thomas McGeehan Sr. informed parents Saturday that their investigation revealed a single board member was responsible for "carrying out the act," per the email.
- McGeehan said the individual was stripped of all coaching and leadership roles.
- The league didn't publicly share its statement or name the board member, but Paul Greenberg has since been removed from his previously listed role as vice president on the Springfield Little League website.
- Greenberg did not respond to Axios' requests for comment.
The latest: Springfield Township board member Brendan May told Axios that league leaders looked him "dead in the face" and misled him about not knowing who was behind the stunt. It costs between $650 and $1,200 to hire the airplane company identified as being involved to fly personalized banners.
- Township board president James Lee tells Axios the league's vague accounting of what happened "falls woefully short."
- He says the township wants more details before extending an agreement for the league to continue using its baseball fields.
Catch up quick: Angry parents flocked to a Springfield Township board meeting last month to raise concerns about the May 18 flyover, which tugged a banner targeting a parent who recently complained about league scheduling.
- McGeehan called the stunt a "stain on our league" during the meeting but said he hadn't uncovered evidence implicating any board members or coaches.
- Zach Magid, the parent named in the flyover, raised doubts about the league investigation last week, telling Axios that officials had not reached out to talk to him.
What they're saying: McGeehan, in his email to parents, apologized to Magid and acknowledged lapses in the league's investigation, saying board members who knew the identity of the person who paid for the flight "should have spoken up sooner."
- "We found ourselves facing a situation we truly did not know how to handle," McGeehan wrote. "We should have listened to all of you, but we had our own fears which held us back."
McGeehan didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.
What's ahead: The league will implement several reforms to rebuild public trust, per McGeehan's email — including adding new board positions, encouraging more women to be involved in leadership, and forming a parent committee that'll help draft new bylaws and policies around conduct and grievances.
- It'll also bring in an independent auditor to review the league's finances before the next board election and survey parents on how else the league can improve, McGeehan wrote.
The bottom line: The league faces "considerable work ahead," McGeehan told parents, but it's "dedicated to ensuring that our children have a respectful and positive experience that fosters their growth."