Baseball Dad: Will I Be Arrested if I Watch My Son Play?

The Parsippany Town Council last week advised a local man that the   has the right to .

That view was backed by Mayor James Barberio.

For Scott Dean, the father not allowed to watch his young son play baseball, that answer was not sufficient. He appeared again before the council at its Tuesday night meeting at  to plead his case in hopes that the body would change its mind and issue a directive forcing the league to allow him access to see his child in action.

Dean referred to portions of the township's lease with PTWLL.

"There is nothing specific that empowers them to not allow me to watch my son play baseball on town-owned public property," he said. "In fact, the lease states the Par-Troy West Little League shall comply with all directives, laws and ordinances set forth by this municipality."

Last week, the council and the mayor said authority rested with the national Little League organization.

"Little League International says that this is absolutely a local issue, so with your comments last week and their comments, nobody controls Par-Troy West Little League," Dean stated. "They have the power to make decisions with or without cause, with no accountability to anybody, [while] using property of the town.

"That being the case, will the council and you, Mr. Mayor, be directing the to have me removed if I do happen to go down to watch my son play on the public property?"

Township Attorney John Inglesino told Dean that the matter was not an appropriate one for the governing body.

"It's an issue between you and Par-Troy Little League West," he said. "It's not an issue for the Township Council because it is not a township league. ... Your issue does not relate to the township property. It relates to the way in which the league is treating you."

The attorney added that there is no mechanism for the Town Council to inject itself into the dispute between Dean and the PTWLL, even if the members wanted to do so.

"I'm actually begging, pleading with the council, as well as to [Council President Brian] Stanton, who reached out to me, to help me get a resolution to this," Dean said.

Councilman Paul Carifi Jr. asked if the police would arrest Dean.

"If Mr. Dean went to a game and stood in a corner, is the league going to call the police and have them remove him or arrest him?" he asked.

"If there is any incident that would warrant police intervention, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the police to be called," the attorney replied.

Carifi continued.

"But what if Dean was just standing there, silently watching the game? I mean, I have young kids. I cannnot imagine not being able to watch my kids play," he said. "If he's there and not causing a problem whatsoever, they still have the right to [have him arrested]?"

"The league has the right to enforce its rights under the lease," Inglesino explained. "The property itself is being leased out to [the league]. They control the property, they control who's permitted on it. The lease ceded that right to them."