Little League

From its inception in 1939 to the present, Little League has evolved into the primary outlet for youngsters to participate in baseball (see entry under 1900s—Sports and Games in volume 1), America's national pastime. Today, well over three million boys and girls from across the globe between the ages of five and eighteen participate in Little League programs.

Little League was founded in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with the initial league consisting of three teams. In 1947, the first non-Pennsylvania league, located in Hammonton, New Jersey, became an official Little League. By 1950, there were 307 leagues spanning the United States. Little League went international the following year with the establishment of a program in British Columbia, Canada. In 1953, the Little League World Series was first televised, on CBS. In 1955, at least one Little League program existed in all forty-eight states.

Throughout the decades, Little League continued to evolve. Separate leagues were created for older boys, for girls' softball, and for children with physical and mental limitations. The 1970s saw the introduction of the aluminum bat.

Many major leaguers began their baseball careers in Little League, including Carl Yastrzemski (1939–), the first Little Leaguer to make the Baseball Hall of Fame, Tom Seaver (1944–), Jim Palmer (1945–), Mike Schmidt (1949–), Nolan Ryan (1947–), Cal Ripken (1960–), and Dale Murphy (1956–). Countless Little Leaguers who pitched no-hitters and perfect games, had multiple home-run games, or starred in Little League World Series were fated never to play professional baseball, let alone make the majors or earn a spot at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Those who coach Little League are supposed to teach children baseball fundamentals and then send them out on the field to play with sportsmanship, not to win at all costs. The essence of Little League is clearly stated in its official Pledge: "I trust in God. I love my country and will respect its laws. I will play fair and strive to win. But win or lose, I will always do my best."

—Rob Edelman

For More Information

Burroughs, Jeff, and Tom Hennessy. The Little Team That Could: The Incredible, Often Wacky Story of the Two-Time Little League World Champions. Chicago: Bonus Books, 1994.

Frommer, Harvey. Growing Up at Bat: 50 Years of Little League Baseball. New York: Pharos Books, 1989.

Little League Online.http://www.littleleague.org/index.htm (accessed February 13, 2002).

Newman, Gerald. Happy Birthday, Little League. New York: F. Watts, 1989.