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Show 1 BASEBALL FOR BOYS Little League Provides Baseball For U.S. Youngsters 8 to 12 Most people when thinking about organized baseball instantly picture the major or minor leagues, the set-up ruled by czar "Happy" "Hap-py" Chandler. They miss entirely the strongest baseball idea which has ever spread over the United States, that of the Little League, I V . ' '-. , , f, ;. y r "' ! )" . ' - V r Jf . ; t - ' - "--irtt'i reft n't ma n baseball scaled down to fit boys between the ages of 8 and 12. This year at least 37 states will compete for national honors in the Little League. In 1949 some 21,600 'boys, comprising 1,200 teams, and 'representing 22 states saw action on the small fry diamond. The Lit-' Lit-' tie League tournament, similar to 'the major league world series, has Iplayed to capacity crowds for the past two seasons and made a big ! hit with newsreel audiences. I The phenomenal growth of base-Iball base-Iball for boys is the success story of a man with an idea, Carl Stotz, ,of VVilliamsport, Pa. In 1938, while i watching a bunch of kids trying J to play baseball on a regulation diamond, with inadequate equipment equip-ment and without the benefit of coaching and organization, he conceived con-ceived the Idea of the Little League. Teams Are Sponsored Although the country has not fully recovered from the depression, Stotz started out to find a sponsor who would help him financially get the idea working. He made 56 calls before he succeeded. The 57th call produced results. Three other sponsors quickly fell Into line and the Little League opened with four teams. The first year, however, was little more than supervised j sandlot play. But each year the I Idea has captured the Imaglna-J Imaglna-J tlon of more people, until today Stotz gives his full time to the j organization as president and i commissioner of the league. All teams and leagues are sponsored spon-sored locally. It costs approximately approximate-ly $200 to uniform and equip a team, or $800 for a four team (league. The U.S. Rubber company (supports the national Little League headquarters and bears all cx-ipenses cx-ipenses of the week playoff at Wil-iliamsport Wil-iliamsport for the national pennant. The league is specifically for boys between the ages of 8 and 12. Each team consists of 12 uniformed players play-ers with not more than six eligible reserve substitutes. No team is allowed al-lowed to have more than five players play-ers in uniform who are 12 years old, and, not less than three players play-ers age 10 or less. ' The regulations specify that a lleague consist of from four to six teams. There is no limit on the number of leagues in a city or community. The national organization organiza-tion covers the league from local champions to state and sectional champions, and, finally the Little League world series at Williams-port Williams-port during the last week of August. The regulation diamond has been scaled down to two-thirds size for the kids. The bases are 60 feet apart and the pitcher stands 40 feet and 4 inches from home plate. The Eddie Listander, hurler for Peusacola, runner-up in the 194!) Little League world series, shows Mickey McConncy, chief of the scouting section of Brooklyn Brook-lyn Dodgers, his pitching form. At first the idea spread to towns adjacent to Williamsport. Then it appeared in neighboring states. Word of mouth publicity appears to be responsible for its progress. The amazing thing about the Little League is the way it has grown. There was none of the usual promotion or high pressure pres-sure methods used in putting across the idea. Perhaps one of the reasons for Its growth is due to the ages of the youngsters. young-sters. Mothers are always interested in-terested in what their boys of 8 to 12 are doing. And, believe it or not, women are making up a greater portion of the spectators specta-tors at Little League games. Finally, two years ago, the United States Rubber company became interested in-terested in the movement and since then has given financial support to Ihe extent of playing host to the teams qualifying for the championship champion-ship series and support for the Little League headquarters. Stotz now devotes all his time to the league. A considerable amount ol it is spent traveling over the United States explaining the movement. move-ment. While his speaking engagements engage-ments are extensive, in each case lie appears only on invitation. Prominent baseball officials have endorsed the Little League. "Happy" "Hap-py" Chandler, baseball czar, said: "Naturally organized baseball is behind the Little League movement." move-ment." "Sponsors of the Little League baseball are doing the nation and professional baseball a service of incalculable value," says Bruce Dudley, president of the American Association. And G. M. Tautman, president of the National Association of Professional Profes-sional Baseball clubs, added, "I heartily endorse this work as one of the fine contributions that is being made to the youths of our land." Five Points Listed The effect of organized baseball on the kids is tremendous. They are proud of their uniforms and teams. During summer months a kid is occupied with his team and will think twice before doing anything that will jeopardize his status as a player. The presence of crowds at their games proves to each boy that his community is interested. Close association as-sociation with other youngsters with regard to race, creed, or color, gives them a start in the basic principles of Americanism. There are five basic points under which the Little League operates: 1. Little League is a nonprofit non-profit organization. Z. It is designed to promote good health, good habits, good sportsmanship and good citizenship citizen-ship in the youths of America. 3. Little League essentially is a community activity with a national tie-up. Regional and championship playoffs provide youngsters a challenge to ex-cell ex-cell so maybe in the future he can make the big league. 4. It is without prejudice of race, color or creed. 5. Little League is big league baseball for the little boys of America. The kids themselves take to organized or-ganized baseball like sugar attracts flies. As yet none have taken up the habit of chewing tobacco, but they cultivate the mannerisms of big league players. They'll walk to the plate like a professional, swinging swing-ing two or three bats. They'll stop, knock the dirt out of their cleats, h tch up their belts, and step into the box and dig in. v X. s. r o : t Safe at home calls the umpire in the first inning of the 1949 Little League world series at Williamsport, Pa. Munci Sacco, captain of the Hammonton team, is shown sliding. Jerry , Miller is the Pensacola catcher. Hammonton won the series. number of innings a pitcher can work are limited to nine a week. Six innings are considered a full game. Bats and balls are the same size as those used in the major leagues, but lighter. To make the game as much like the major league as possible and practicable, a fence is placed around the Little League diamond on an arc 180 feet from home plate. It permits the kids to slam a homer over the fence just like their big brothers. Mothers Are Fans In the interest of safety, steel cleats have been banned from the league and now sport goods manufacturers manu-facturers are making a special rubber rub-ber sole shoe for the kids. Uniforms Uni-forms are standard, and professional profes-sional umpires, working free, call all the Little League world series games. |