Photo: karasundlun/Instagram

A young baseball player showed up to his little league game this weekend, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to win. But thanks to the intolerance of the local community in Mansfield, Connecticut, the bear was turned away.

According to KSFM News, the one-year-old black bear was first spotted near a park by residents who were watching a middle school little league game.

Reporter Kara Sunlun explained the bear’s plight in a Facebook post:

Here’s a close up of the bear in the tree near King Phillip Middle School. Getting lots of attention at little league practice. Police say they’ll let him stay, he’s about a year old and not a danger. But if anyone sees a mama bear call WHPD!

The unfair discrimination against bears in youth sports teams must end. Justice for bears!