“About three, four parents [came] up to me saying they’re not letting their kids go down there”

“This is probably one of the most embarrassing moments I’ve had,” Wittleder added. “It’s very heartbreaking. This is totally against what I believe in.”

Other parents soon joined the protest and Wittleder eventually realized he wouldn’t have enough players to field a team.

Bryan Street, the head baseball coach at Brooks, told basically the same story to Fox Chicago.

“He said that one parent got all the other parents together collectively and said it would be hazardous to the kids’ health because they might have a drive-by in the neighborhood,” Street said.