Mayor: Jackie Robinson West players 'champions in Chicago'

CHICAGO (AP) - Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the children who played for Jackie Robinson West "will always be champions in Chicago."

Emanuel's statement Wednesday comes in reaction to Little League International stripping the team of the national title it won last summer. Little League International's ruling comes after an investigation revealed the team improperly expanded boundaries to include players who lived outside the team's borders.

Emanuel says the players are "remarkable boys" who "brought our entire city together." He says "they created memories that will last a lifetime and nothing will take that away." The mayor says the players "showed the nation their character both on and off the field."

He says Chicago "remains united in its support of these great children."