No. Their cheating on the residency rules stripped them of the trophy. Hopefully, the players learned an important lesson about obeying the rules.
The investigation, which was first reported by DNAinfo.com, appeared to end in December when the national organization said it had uncovered no violations. But officials said they would reopen the inquiry if new information surfaced. About that time, the organization learned of questions about boundary maps involving multiple leagues. The investigation resumed.
In an interview, Keener said Jackie Robinson West officials expanded the boundaries of their league at the expense of three neighbouring leagues, so that the boundaries included the homes of several players on the team who would not otherwise have been eligible.
The investigation found that at least one district official who had helped redraw the map went to the other teams to ask that they go along with what the team had done, Keener said.
“They (said) ‘We know we took your territory. We shouldn’t have done it, but will you give it to us’ to essentially legitimize it,” Keener said.
The other leagues refused, he said.