Little League Baseball facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Little League Baseball, Incorporated

Sport	Baseball, softball
Founded	1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Founder	Carl E. Stotz
Inaugural season	1939
CEO	Stephen D. Keener
COO	Patrick Wilson
Director	David Houseknecht, CFO
Claim to fame	Largest organized youth sports organization in the world
Motto	Character, Courage, and Loyalty
No. of teams	over 180,000
Competitors	2,600,000
Qualification	Little League International Tournament
TV partner(s)	ESPN, ESPN2, ABC; Madison Square Garden Network (MSG), New England Sports Network (NESN)

Little League Baseball and Softball is a huge organization that helps kids all over the world play baseball and softball. It's a non-profit group based in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA.

The idea started in 1939 with Carl Stotz in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He created a league with just three teams. Little League Baseball encourages local helpers to set up and run programs. These programs get a special permission, called a charter, from Little League International each year. Leagues can be set up in the best way for the kids in their area. There are different age groups, from 4 to 16 years old.

The main office for Little League is in South Williamsport. The very first Little League Baseball World Series was played in Williamsport in 1947. The Little League International Complex is where the big annual Little League Baseball World Series happens. It uses two stadiums, Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Little League Volunteer Stadium. You can also visit the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum there. It shows the history of Little League Baseball and Softball with fun, interactive exhibits. Many famous Major League Baseball (MLB) players started out in Little League!

How Little League Started and Grew

Logo of Little League baseball from 1954 to 2020

Carl Stotz, who lived in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, started Little League Baseball in 1939. He first tried out his idea in 1938 with his nephews and their friends. They played informal games and tested different field sizes.

The next summer, they were ready to officially start. The first league in Williamsport had three teams. Businesses sponsored these teams: Jumbo Pretzel, Lycoming Dairy, and Lundy Lumber. Carl Stotz and two brothers, George and Bert Bebble, managed the teams. These men, along with their wives and another couple, formed the first Little League board.

The first game was on June 6, 1939. Lundy Lumber beat Lycoming Dairy 23–8. Lycoming Dairy won the first half of the season. They then beat Lundy Lumber, the second-half champions, in a championship series. The next year, a second league started in Williamsport. From there, Little League grew into a huge international organization. It now has almost 200,000 teams in every U.S. state and over 80 countries.

Girls in Little League

Kathryn "Tubby" Johnston Massar was the first girl to play in a Little League baseball game in 1950. But after that season, Little League decided to ban girls from playing. So, from 1951 to 1973, only boys could play.

In 1974, a lawsuit was filed for Maria Pepe. The court decided that Little League must let girls play. Later that year, President Gerald Ford signed a law. This law officially opened Little League baseball to girls.

By 2008, nearly 2.6 million boys and girls played in Little League Baseball worldwide. About 400,000 of these were in softball leagues. For tournaments, Little League Baseball is now split into 20 regions. Ten are in the U.S., and ten are international. Every summer, Little League holds seven World Series tournaments across the U.S. These include events for softball and different age groups in baseball and softball.

Important Moments in Little League History

Early Years: 1939-1956

• 1939: Little League begins with Carl E. Stotz and the Bebble brothers. The first season is played near Bowman Field.
• 1946: Little League grows to 12 leagues, all in Pennsylvania.
• 1947: The first league outside Pennsylvania starts in New Jersey. The first Little League World Series is played.
• 1948: Little League now has 94 leagues. The first company sponsor, U.S. Rubber, donates shoes.
• 1949: Little League is featured in a popular magazine and newsreels. Carl Stotz gets many requests to start new leagues.
• 1950 or 1951: Kay Johnston becomes the first girl to play Little League baseball. She uses the nickname "Tubby" to join a team. A new rule, called the Tubby Rule, is made to stop girls from playing. This rule lasts until 1974.
• 1951: Leagues start in Canada and near the Panama Canal. These are the first outside the U.S.
• 1953: The Little League World Series is shown on TV for the first time. Joey Jay is the first Little League player to play in Major League Baseball. The first all-Black team, Cannon Street Y.M.C.A., is formed in Charleston, South Carolina.
• 1954: Future MLB stars Boog Powell and Ken Hubbs play in the Little League World Series. Little League has over 3,300 leagues.
• 1955: Little League is in all 48 U.S. states. George W. Bush plays Little League. He later becomes the first Little League player elected president.
• 1956: Carl Stotz leaves Little League Baseball due to disagreements about how it was run.

International Growth: 1957-2022

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice poses with Little Leaguers from Chile in Santiago

• 1957: Angel Macias pitches a perfect game. Monterrey, Mexico, becomes the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series.
• 1959: The Little League World Series moves to the new headquarters in South Williamsport. The protective baseball helmet is invented.
• 1960: A team from West Berlin, West Germany, is the first from Europe to play in the World Series. The series is broadcast live on TV.
• 1962: Jackie Robinson attends the World Series. President John F. Kennedy declares National Little League Week.
• 1967: A team from West Tokyo, Japan, is the first from Asia to win the World Series.
• 1969: Taiwan begins a period of winning many Little League World Series titles.
• 1971: The aluminum baseball bat is first used. Lloyd McClendon hits five home runs in five at-bats in the World Series. He later becomes the first Little League player to manage an MLB team.
• 1973: Ed Vosberg plays in the Little League World Series. He later plays in the College World Series and the MLB World Series, the first to play in all three.
• 1974: Girls are officially allowed to play in Little League. A Little League Softball program is created for both boys and girls.
• 1975: All foreign teams are temporarily banned from the World Series. This ban is lifted the next year.
• 1980: Future major-leaguers Derek Bell and Gary Sheffield play for a team from Tampa, Florida.
• 1982: The Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum opens.
• 1984: A team from Seoul, South Korea, wins their first title. Victoria Roche from Belgium is the first girl to play in the Little League World Series.
• 1988: Tom Seaver is the first former Little Leaguer honored in the Museum's Hall of Excellence.
• 1989: Poland becomes the first former Soviet-bloc nation to have a Little League.
• 1992: Carl Stotz, the founder, passes away. Night games are played for the first time at Lamade Stadium.
• 1993: Long Beach, California, becomes the first U.S. team to win back-to-back titles.
• 1997: ESPN2 starts showing regional games.
• 1999: Burkina Faso becomes the 100th country with a Little League organization.
• 2000: An expansion project begins, and Volunteer Stadium is built. This allows the World Series to double in size.
• 2001: The Little League World Series expands from 8 to 16 teams. George W. Bush is the first U.S. president to visit the World Series.
• 2004: The Europe Region is renamed EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).
• 2007: Little League expands into Australia and Kyrgyzstan. The Asia and Pacific regions merge, and Japan gets its own region.
• 2008: The Transatlantic and EMEA regions are reorganized into Europe and Middle East and Africa (MEA) regions.
• 2010: The World Series tournament changes its format. Little League plans a new division for 12–13 year olds.
• 2011: The World Series tournament format is further changed.
• 2012: Uganda sends the first team from Africa to the Little League World Series. Little League announces a big reorganization of international regions for 2013. Australia gets its own spot in the World Series. The Intermediate (50/70) Division becomes an official Little League division.
• 2013: Davie Jane Gilmour becomes the first woman to lead the Little League board. The first Intermediate Little League World Series is held.
• 2014: Mo'ne Davis becomes the first girl to win as a pitcher and pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series. She is also the first Little Leaguer on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
• 2018: Little League changes its age rules, moving the birthday deadline.
• 2020: The Little League World Series is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2021: The World Series is played with only U.S. teams because of the pandemic.
• 2022: The World Series returns to normal with 20 teams, adding new regions.

Little League Regions Around the World

Map of Little League regions (as of 2023)

A Little League World Series game in Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport.

Since 2022, here are the regions that send teams to the annual Little League Baseball World Series:

• U.S. Regions:

*      Great Lakes *      Metro *      Mid-Atlantic *      Midwest *      Mountain *      New England *      Northwest (including Alaska) *      Southeast *      Southwest *      West (including Hawaii)

• International Regions:

*      Canada *      Mexico *      Asia-Pacific *      Japan *      Europe and Africa *      Australia *      Latin America *      Caribbean *      Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico — two of these three teams get a direct spot in the World Series each year, while the third team plays through its normal region.

The Little League World Series and Other Tournaments

A game of the 2007 Little League World Series

The most famous event for Little League Baseball and Softball is the annual Little League Baseball World Series. This big tournament happens every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Before the World Series, local and regional tournaments are held in places like Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and all over the world.

Different World Series Events

The Little League Baseball World Series is just one of many World Series tournaments that Little League International holds each year. There are nine different World Series events, each held in a different place:

• Little League World Series (baseball)
• Intermediate Little League World Series (baseball)
• Junior League World Series (baseball)
• Senior League World Series (baseball)
• Big League World Series (baseball) (stopped after 2016)
• Girls Little League Softball World Series
• Girls Junior League Softball World Series
• Girls Senior League Softball World Series
• Girls Big League Softball World Series (stopped after 2019)

Little League Museum

To learn more about the history of Little League, you can visit the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum.

Awards and Recognition

Little League gives out several awards to recognize great players, volunteers, and parents. Some of these awards include:

• Good Sport of the Year Award
• Challenger Award
• Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award
• George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award
• Volunteer of the Year Award

Baseball Divisions for All Ages

Little League Baseball has different divisions based on a player's age. This helps make sure everyone plays with kids their own age and skill level.

Main Baseball Divisions and Their World Series

Here's a quick look at the main baseball divisions and where their World Series events are held:

Tee-ball: Learning the Basics

Tee-ball is for young players, usually ages 4–7. In tee-ball, players hit the ball from a special stand called a tee. There's no live pitching. The main goal is to teach kids how to hit and field the ball.

Minor League: Developing Skills

The Minor League division is for children ages 5–11. Local leagues can divide this group further. Younger levels might have coaches or machines pitch the ball. Older levels might have players pitch.

9–10 Year Old Division: Tournament Play

This division is for tournament play, started in 1994. It has competitions up to the state level. The field size is the same as the Little League division.

Little League (Major Division): The Classic Game

This division, also called the Major Division, is for children aged 9 to 12. The bases are 60 feet apart, and the pitcher's mound is 46 feet from home plate. Local leagues can form "All Stars" teams from their best players. These teams can then enter an international tournament that ends with the Little League World Series.

Little League Intermediate (50/70) Division: A Step Up

In 2012, Little League added this new division for the 2013 season. It's played on a bigger field with a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot base paths. It's for players ages 11–13. In this division, players can lead off and steal bases, just like in regular baseball. This helps players get ready for bigger fields.

The Intermediate Little League World Series is held in Livermore, California.

Junior, Senior, and Big Leagues: Playing on Big Fields

The Junior League, Senior League, and Big League divisions are for older players. They all use a standard-sized baseball diamond. The bases are 90 feet apart, and the pitcher's mound is 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. This is the same size as Major League Baseball fields.

Like the Major Division, local leagues can create "All Stars" teams for these age groups. These teams then compete in their own "World Series."

• Junior League: 12–14 year olds
• Senior League: 13–16 year olds
• Big League: 16–18 year olds (This division was stopped after the 2015–2016 season).

Challenger Program: Baseball for Everyone

Little League started the Challenger Division in 1989. This program gives children with physical and intellectual challenges a chance to play baseball. The Challenger Division uses a "buddy system." Other Little Leaguers help Challenger players with batting, running, and fielding. Challenger Division games are usually not competitive.

Little League Challenger Division

This division is for players ages 4–18. Games are played on a smaller field and are not competitive.

Senior League Challenger Division

Started in 2015, this division is for players aged 15 and older (no maximum age). Games are played on a standard 60/90 field and are not competitive.

Who Plays in Challenger?

As of 2018, almost 1,000 Little Leagues in 10 countries offer the Challenger Program. This means over 31,000 people with physical or intellectual challenges can enjoy playing Little League.

Softball Divisions for Girls and Boys

Little League also has several softball divisions for girls and boys, based on age.

Boys and Girls Softball

Little League offers Tee Ball, Minor League, Little League (Major Division), Senior League, and Big League softball for both boys and girls.

Important Little League Rules

Little League baseball rules are mostly like the official baseball rules used by Major League Baseball. But there are some key differences, especially for younger divisions.

Game Length

A regular game for Little League and younger divisions has six innings. If a game stops early, it's official if at least four innings are completed. For Intermediate, Junior, Senior, and Big League levels (ages 13–18), a game has seven innings. It's official if five innings are completed.

Mandatory Play for Everyone

In most divisions, every player on the team must get to bat at least once. They also must play six outs in the field in each game. If a manager doesn't follow this rule, they can be suspended. This rule can change during tournament play.

Field Sizes Vary by Division

The size of the baseball field depends on the division:

• Tee-ball: Bases are usually 50 feet apart.
• Minor League and Little League: Bases are 60 feet apart. The pitcher's mound is 46 feet from home plate. Outfield fences are usually 200 feet or more away.
• Intermediate Little League: Bases are 70 feet apart. The pitcher's mound is 50 feet from home plate. Outfield fences are recommended to be 200 to 275 feet away.
• Junior League, Senior League, and Big League: These divisions use a standard baseball field. Bases are 90 feet apart, and the pitcher's mound is 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. This is the same as MLB fields.

Equipment Rules

A Little Leaguer executing a bunt

• Bats: Bats can be made of wood or other materials like aluminum. They must be approved by Little League. For younger divisions, bats have limits on length and barrel size. Older divisions have different bat size rules.
• Helmets: Batting helmets are required for safety.

Base Running Rules

• In Minor League and standard Little League, a runner cannot leave the base until the pitcher throws the ball to the batter.
• In older divisions (Intermediate, Junior, Senior, Big League), runners can leave the base any time the ball is in play.
• Runners must try to avoid contact with fielders who have the ball at a base.
• Runners cannot slide head-first unless they are going back to a base they just left.

Batting Rules

• The strike zone goes up to the batter's armpits.
• In some younger divisions, a batter is out after the third strike, even if the catcher drops the ball.
• In older divisions, a batter can try to run to first base on a dropped third strike if certain conditions are met.
• If a batter is hit by a pitch, they automatically get to go to first base. But if the batter didn't try to get out of the way, the umpire might not let them go to first.

Pitching Rules

• Pitchers have limits on how many pitches they can throw per game. They also need a certain amount of rest between games. These limits depend on the pitcher's age.
• If a pitcher hits too many batters or intentionally hits a batter, they might be removed from pitching.
• Intentional Walk: In 2017, Little League changed a rule to match MLB. A pitcher can now intentionally walk a batter by simply saying so, without having to throw four pitches. Four pitches are still added to the pitcher's total pitch count.

Local League Choices

Local Little Leagues have some flexibility with rules. For example, a league might choose to use a "continuous batting order." This means every player on the team gets to bat, even if they aren't playing defense. Leagues can also choose to waive the "ten-run rule." This rule ends a game early if one team is ahead by ten or more runs after four innings.

Images for kids

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  A Little League World Series game in Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport.