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With the Little League World Series in full swing, now’s a good time to go over a few things you might not know about Little League.
Little League was formed with the express purpose of being cost-free to players.
Little League is a non-profit organization that was founded in Pennsylvania by Carl Stotz in 1939 with the specific provision that “at no time should payment of any fee be a prerequisite for participation in any level of the Little League program.” This is largely attributed to Stotz’s experience with poverty in during the Great Depression, and the belief that even when times are hard and everyone is poor, we should all be able to play a little ball. And to this day, to the relief of parents, children continue to be supported by sometimes-unfortunately-named sponsors.
The first no-hitter was pitched in 1942.
13-year old Edward Younken, of the Lundy Lumber team, allowed no hits in a game against Stein’s Service Station (this is different from pitching a perfect game, as players can still be walked or can reach base on errors). The win resulted in the team’s entrance to, and eventual win of, the league championship that season. Apparently the young Younken had no idea what he’d done until his father came running up after the game to congratulate him. For reference, in the recorded history of Major League Baseball, there have been only 263 no-hitters.
The Little League’s Hall of Excellence has some pretty big names.
The Hall of Excellence, where the Little League pays tribute to former players who have gone on to be successful in life, is home to quite a few recognizables. Members of the Hall of Excellence include Rudy Giuliani, George W. Bush, Kevin Costner, Dave Barry, Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan, Tom Selleck, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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Did you play, coach or ump Little League? Any war stories you’d like to share?
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I played for various leagues, as I was a military kid. My first experience was for the Navy in Newfoundland Canada, and the most vivid memory I have of it was of me in right field being fascinated by my Ninja Turtles glove.
I then played at the age of 12-14 in Maryland, a team sponsored by Comcast and had my favorite team colors (black and orange, the same as the Orioles). I picked jersey 9 after Brady Anderson, and played first base and left field (I’m a lefty). My first “world slows down and everything becomes quiet” moment happened in left while chasing down a fly ball in which I dove for and caught, followed by the world coming back into perspective and the crowd cheering like crazy. (best little league moment ever, followed by one time where I got to pitch, struck out two and caught the last).
Finally, in Delaware, at 16, played the Senior League for the CW Moose Lodge. Not many highlights here, other than the pain then numbness of my left arm after throwing too hard.
posted by Steven on 8-26-2009 at 10:15 am
I played Little League when I was 11, I guess it was. I was catcher and we won our division that year. I had the trophy for many years but it has since been broken and I think tossed out.
I only played one year because I broke my wrist trying to bunt at the next year’s try outs. I still spent many hours at the ball field, though, because my three brothers continued to play for a couple more years.
posted by Sarah in CA on 8-26-2009 at 11:08 am
When I was 15, I umped a few Little League games to earn some extra cash. The first game I did was in the division that comes right after tee-ball. The managers took me aside before the game and said that if it was close, call it a strike (”Because there aren’t many real strikes and we’ll be here forever.”)
The first four pitches were comically off-line. One hit the backstop, one rolled to the plate, and the other two went behind the batter. The first three pitches to the next hitter weren’t much better. Then, on a 3-0 count, the ball floated in and was caught by the catcher. A little high, probably, but I called a strike. The manager of the batting team freaked out, Lou Piniella style, only whinier. Things didn’t get much better from there.
The four inning game took four hours. I was paid $10. That was my last game at that age level.
posted by Jason English on 8-26-2009 at 11:37 am
My brother threw a no hitter in his debut (and final) appearance as a pitcher. Walked everyone… It was a long day at third base, but I did get to meet the entire other team, sometimes more than once.
posted by Paul on 8-26-2009 at 11:40 am
While playing 1st base for my 13-14 yr old team, I tripped over the bag going after a foul ball. I fell, and the ball landed and hit me in the stomach. Purely out of reflex, my arms covered the ball and my now sore and bruised stomach. It was the strangest out I ever recorded. For years afterward, every time my coach saw me he laughed and told the story.
posted by Dave on 8-26-2009 at 11:57 am
I played from tee-ball all the way through American Legion, and have lots of great memories from the experience. Some highlights are the year I became a catcher (the year before, I tried it and the ball would knock me over backwards), hitting about .700 for a season with one strikeout (called, on a ball two feet too high), my first walk-off hit (it was in school ball), winning the league championship one summer, and being on a state-ranked team in high school.
I also umpired a bit, and it wasn’t too bad most of the time. There’s the occasional coach or parent that gets too into it, and that is ultimately why I quit doing it. The hardest was the girls softball league I umped for – they were about 7 or 8 or so, if I remember, and EVERY SINGLE PLAY was bang-bang! No easy outs, every play in question, etc.
I also coached some as well, and now have the great joy of coaching my son’s tee-ball team.
I love baseball.
posted by Dustin Fritsche on 8-26-2009 at 12:14 pm
I was the worst minor/little-league player ever. Charlie Brown would have made me look bad. But my dad made me play. He tried me at second base. When that didn’t work, he put me in right field. And although I got to second once on a hit (due to an error), I don’t think I ever made a multi-base hit.
I knew the rules, I knew the game, I was just horrible at it.
posted by Sandy Wood on 8-26-2009 at 12:35 pm
I umpired a couple years. In the first game of the season in the level just above tee ball, I called a strike on a pitch (that was actually right down the middle, miracle). The kid batting looks back at me, drops the bat and declares it couldn’t be a strike. His reasoning, he didn’t swing.
posted by Kevin in GA on 8-26-2009 at 1:35 pm
My current local team, the Ramstein Beasts represented Europe this year at the Little League World Series. They lost to China and Mexico, and competed against Canada yesterday. Don’t know the score from that game, but they sure were proud to represent all of Europe! They even got interviewed on the radio- big time stuff over here! I hope all the kids have a great time in Pennsylvania.
posted by Tamsyn on 8-26-2009 at 2:04 pm
I played exactly one game of organized ladies softball in my life. Got a base hit, by some miracle, first time up. From then on out, I couldn’t hit a ball to save my life. Uh, not my game. But I love watching those kids in the Little League World series.
posted by Hyacinth on 8-26-2009 at 3:41 pm