A Haddonfield Little Leaguer’s bat flip almost got him suspended — now it’s being commemorated with a pin and auction

A home run celebration opened the floodgates for nationwide debate about sportsmanship, new- vs. old-school baseball, and rule enforcement at the youth level.

Now, as the Little League World Series gets underway, a New Jersey 12-year-old’s bat flip is being immortalized with a special pin and auction. Organizers say it’s way bigger than baseball.

Marco Rocco, 12, almost sat out the first game of his Haddonfield Little League team’s state championship tournament. On July 16, the star player threw his bat with the swagger of his MLB idols. He was celebrating a two-run homer against Harrison Township that helped advance his team to the state tournament.

He was ejected from the game for his show of flair.

An umpire called Rocco’s move unsafe and said it demonstrated unsportsmanlike conduct, prompting a one-game suspension. Marco’s father, Joe Rocco, asked Little League International to overturn the ruling. When the league disagreed, he went to court, asking a judge to lift the suspension.

» READ MORE: 12-year-old Haddonfield Little Leaguer’s suspension is lifted by a judge

The incident went viral, making national news and sparking discourse from pro athletes and sports correspondents about sports and celebration.

MLB players, including the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, reached out to the Rocco family to extend their support.

“It’s not just about a 12-year-old celebrating a home run,” Joe Rocco told The Inquirer on Wednesday. “His ejection and suspension raised questions about where to draw the line in celebration.”

Rocco, who serves on the Haddonfield Little League board, says the debate touches on “generational differences,” with older generations leaning toward a more traditional and restrained approach while younger groups have embraced more personality on the field.

There’s no written rule in Little League prohibiting bat flips, but it can fall under umpires’ discretion whether they consider it unsportsmanlike. At the court hearing, the Rocco family attorney pointed to instances when the Little League promoted bat-flipping highlights on its website and on social media.

“My family are gigantic Little League supporters,” Joe Rocco said. “We never wanted to sue [the league] … Marco’s whole case and situation highlighted fairness and consistency in rule enforcement.”

Ultimately, the court ruled in Marco’s favor, overturning his suspension and allowing him to play in Game 1 of the state tournament. Haddonfield lost, but the season isn’t over for the Rocco family.

Joe Rocco is working on an enamel pin depicting Marco’s bat toss — made especially for trading at the Little League World Series, which began Wednesday and runs through Aug. 24 in Williamsport, Pa.

Pin trading is a common practice at the Little League World Series — similar to within the Olympic community — with fans, athletes, and alumni swapping pins.

A proof of the pin shared with The Inquirer shows Marco from behind in his No. 10 jersey, flipping his bat with the phrase, “BATFLIP 2025.″ A circle outlining the illustration says “Haddonfield NJ13,” Marco’s team and district.

The pins are not for sale, and only 75 will be on the trading market, a nod to 75 years of Haddonfield Little League. Joe Rocco is self-funding the project.

“We’re not making any money,” he said. “We’re going to go down there and trade them and have a good time. It’s part of the celebration.”

Marco’s bat from Haddonfield’s game against Harrison Township also is being preserved.

“It’s become a sort of symbol for this discussion among people in sports,” Joe Rocco said. “My business partner thinks it’s a really hot item.”

That business partner is none other than Netflix reality TV star Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions (now called Goldin) out of Runnemede. Goldin stars in King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, which focuses on his company’s sports memorabilia auctions.

Goldin and Joe Rocco also co-own Kresson Sports, an indoor baseball facility in Cherry Hill, where many of the Haddonfield Little Leaguers train. Goldin’s son, Paul, is Marco’s teammate and has been for five years. They live a few blocks away from each other.

Marco’s bat will be one of the items in Goldin’s weekly auctions, running from Aug. 19-28. All proceeds will go to the Haddonfield Little League team, Rocco and Goldin confirmed.

The starting bid will be less than $100, but Goldin believes the sky’s the limit for what the bat ultimately could sell for because of all it represents.

He also has two theories: one on who will buy it and one on who should.

“I think the International Little League should buy it,” Goldin said unflinchingly. “This was the most viral moment of Little League of the year. … They should buy it as a reminder of this incident. The bat will serve as a reminder to do a job for the kids.”

The Inquirer reached out to Little League for comment but did not hear back before publication time. In a previous statement, the organization said it was disappointed that the court overturned an umpire’s decision.

“We respect the determination and judgment of the umpire who was present and are disappointed that a legal ruling contradicts the integrity of Little League International’s values and rules,” the statement said.

Goldin believes it’s more realistic that someone from the Haddonfield area or who is close with the team will buy it because of how much the Senior League, which ranges from ages 11-13, has gone through together — including attending three state championships in a row and winning last season.

Joe Rocco says it’s unclear if Marco will play again with Haddonfield next season, his last year before aging out of the league — not because of the viral bat flip, but citing normal coming-of-age priority setting.

“We don’t have a sour taste. We still look at Little League as a special part of his life,” Rocco said. “The attention doesn’t faze him — he doesn’t know about a lot of it. But it’s up to him."

And while the Roccos may not know what’s in store for Marco’s next season, Goldin’s already thinking about the big leagues.

“The funny thing is, all these kids want to be pro athletes,” he said. “To me, I’ve dealt with the collections of Barry Bonds, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Cal Ripken. All of those athletes’ collections included saved memorabilia from when they were young. If Marco makes it to the big leagues, well, this will be the first item from his collection.”