Little League Baseball

History

Carl Edwin Stotz (1910–1992), a longtime resident of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, founded Little League Baseball in 1939. He began experimenting with his idea in the summer of 1938 when he gathered his nephews, Jimmy and Major Gehron, and their neighborhood friends. They tried different field dimensions over the course of the summer and played several informal games. The following summer, they felt that they were ready to establish what later became Little League Baseball. The first small league organized in Williamsport had just three teams, each sponsored by a different business. The first teams, Jumbo Pretzel, Lycoming Dairy, and Lundy Lumber Company were managed by Stotz and his friends, George and Bert Bebble. The men, joined by their wives and another couple, formed the first Little League board of directors.

The first league game took place on June 6, 1939, when Lundy Lumber defeated Lycoming Dairy, 23–8. Lycoming Dairy became the champions of the first half of the season and then defeated Lundy Lumber, the second-half champions, in a best-of-three championship series. The following year, a second league was formed in Williamsport, and Little League Baseball grew to become an international organization with nearly 200,000 teams in every U.S. state and more than 80 countries.

Kathryn "Tubby" Johnston Massar was the first woman to play in a Little League baseball game, in 1950. However, when that season ended, a Little League meeting was held, and it was decided that girls would be banned from Little League baseball. From 1951 through 1973, Little League baseball was restricted to boys only. In 1974, due to a lawsuit brought on behalf of Maria Pepe by the National Organization for Women, the New Jersey Superior Court decided that Little League baseball must allow girls to play. In the final week of December 1974, President Gerald Ford, signed a bill that opened Little League baseball to girls.

According to the Little League Baseball and Softball participation statistics following the 2008 season, there were nearly 2.6 million boys and girls in Little League Baseball worldwide. Of these, approximately 400,000 are registered in softball leagues (including both boys and girls). Starting in 2022, for tournament purposes, Little League Baseball was divided into 20 geographic regions: ten national and ten international. Each summer, Little League operates seven World Series tournaments in various locations throughout the U.S. (Little League softball and Junior, Senior, and Big League baseball and softball).

Timeline

1939: Little League is established by Carl E. Stotz, George Bebble, and Bert Bebble. The first season is played in a lot close to Bowman Field. Lycoming Dairy is the first season champion.

1946: Little League expands to 12 leagues, all in Pennsylvania.

1947: The first league outside of Pennsylvania is founded in Hammonton, New Jersey. Maynard League of Williamsport defeats a team from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania to win the first Little League World Series. Allen Yearick is the first Little League graduate to play professional baseball when he is signed by the Boston Braves.

1948: Little League has grown to include 94 leagues. Lock Haven returns to the Little League World Series and defeats a team from St. Petersburg, Florida. The first corporate sponsor, U.S. Rubber, donates Pro-Keds shoes to teams at the series.

1949: After a decade, Little League is featured in the nationally famous weekly longtime magazine, the Saturday Evening Post and on newsreels shown in neighborhood movie. Commissioner Stotz receives hundreds of requests for information on forming local leagues from all over the country. Little League incorporates in the State of New York.

1950 Kay Johnston becomes the first girl to play Little League baseball. She cuts her hair, dresses as a boy and adopts the nickname "Tubby" to join the Kings Dairy Little League team in Corning, New York as a boy. After earning her way onto the team and being assigned first base, she tells her coach that she is a girl, but he keeps her on the team. She is forced to quit after just one season because a new rule, known as the Tubby Rule, is created to bar girls from participation. The rule remains in force until 1974.

1951: Leagues are formed in the western province on the Pacific Ocean coast of British Columbia, in the neighboring Dominion of Canada to the north and in the old U.S. territory of the Panama Canal Zone surrounding the Panama Canal, in Central America, making them the first youth baseball leagues outside the United States.

Regions

Effective with the 2022 tournament, U.S. regions represented in the annual Little League Baseball World Series are:

Great Lakes

Metro

Mid-Atlantic

Midwest

Mountain

New England

Northwest (including Alaska)

Southeast

Southwest

West (including Hawaii)

Also effective in 2022, the international regions are:

Canada

Mexico

Asia-Pacific and Middle East

Japan

Europe and Africa

Australia

Latin America

Caribbean

Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico — on a rotating basis, two of these three teams directly qualify for the LLWS, with the other team qualifying through its normal region

Little League World Series

The best-known event on the Little League Baseball and Softball calendar is the annual Little League Baseball World Series, which is held every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Local and regional tournaments leading up to the World Series are held in the U.S. insular areas of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and throughout the world. In 2003, for example, there were tournaments in Canada, Latin America (Mexico, Aruba, Curaçao, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela), Europe (Germany and Poland), and Asia (Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan).

Little, Junior, Senior, and Big League baseball & softball World Series

The Little League Baseball World Series is one of nine World Series conducted by Little League International every year, each one held in a different location:

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) (discontinued after 2016)

Girls Little League Softball World Series (or the Major Division)

Girls Junior League Softball World Series

Girls Senior League Softball World Series

Girls Big League Softball World Series (discontinued after 2016)

Boys Little League Softball World Series

Boys Senior League Softball World Series

Boys Big League Softball World Series (discontinued after 2016)

Awards

Awards include:

Good Sport of the Year Award

Challenger Award

ASAP (A Safety Awareness Program) Award

Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award

Mom of the Year Award

George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year Award

Volunteer of the Year Award

Howard and Gail Paster Little League Urban Initiative Volunteer of the Year Award

Howard Hartman Little League Friendship Award

Baseball divisions

Little League Baseball has several baseball divisions based on age.

Summary chart of major divisions in Little League Baseball

The major divisions of Little League Baseball have their own World Series format as follows:

Tee-ball

Tee-ball is for boys and girls ages 4–7. In tee-ball, players hit the ball off of a tee located atop home plate; live pitching is not allowed. The purpose of the division is to teach young children the fundamentals of hitting and fielding.

Minor league

The minor league baseball division is generally for children ages 5–11, with local leagues given the option to allow 6-year-old children to try out. Local leagues are permitted to further divide the Minor League division based on player age and/or experience, and often consist of coach-pitch (i.e., the batter's coach lightly pitching the ball) or machine-pitch at lower levels, with defensive players pitching at higher levels.

9–10-year-old division

The 9–10-year-old baseball division is a tournament program, established in 1994. It has competitions up to the state level, and the size of the diamond is the same as in the Little League division (with 60-foot (18 m) sides and a 46-foot (14 m) pitching distance).

Little League (or the Major Division)

The Little League Baseball division, also known as the Major Division, is for children aged 9 through 12, though local leagues have the option of barring 9 or 10 year olds from participating. The diamond has base paths measuring 60-foot (18 m) and a pitching distance of 46-foot (14 m). The local league can form an "All Stars" team consisting of players throughout the local teams, which can enter an international tournament culminating with the Little League World Series.

Little League Intermediate (50/70) Division

In 2012, Little League announced plans to add a new division of play for the 2013 season, the Little League Intermediate Division. This division is played on a field with a 50-foot (15 m) pitching distance and 70-foot (21 m) base paths. It is open to players ages 11–13, but may be limited to ages 11–12 or 12–13 by a local league. Players in this division are able to lead off and steal bases. The rules are similar to those of the Junior, Senior, and Big League divisions of play.

Little League holds a World Series in this level of play, officially called the Intermediate Little League World Series, in Livermore, California.

Junior, Senior, and Big Leagues

The Junior League, Senior League, and Big League Baseball divisions operate similarly for different age groups. All three use a conventionally-sized baseball diamond, with 90 feet (27 m) between bases and a 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) pitching distance. Similarly to the Major Division, local leagues can form "All Stars" teams from each age group and enter a tournament, again leading up to a "World Series", for each division. The Junior League consists of 12–14 year olds, the Senior League consists of 13–16 year olds, and the Big League was for 16–18 year olds. The Big League division was eliminated after the 2015–2016 season.

Challenger program

Little League introduced the Challenger Division in 1989 to provide opportunities for children with physical and intellectual challenges to participate in the Little League program. The Challenger Division utilizes a "buddy system" in which Little Leaguers assist Challenger participants in the areas of batting, running and fielding. Challenger Division games are typically non-competitive in nature.

Little League Challenger Division

Introduced in 1989, the Little League Challenger Division is for participants ages 4–18. Games are played on a 46/60 field and are non-competitive.

Senior League Challenger Division

Approved at the 2014 Little League International Congress, the Senior League Challenger Division launched in 2015. This division is for participants ages 15 and above (no maximum age). Games are played on a 60/90 field and are non-competitive. Leagues may request permission to play games on a smaller field as well.

Participation

As of 2018, nearly 1,000 Little Leagues in 10 countries around the world offer the Challenger Program, providing an opportunity for more than 31,000 individuals with physical or intellectual challenges to participate in the Little League program.

Softball divisions

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

Boys softball

See footnote

Tee Ball Softball for Boys

Minor League Softball for Boys

Little League Softball (or the Major Division) for Boys

Senior League Softball for Boys

Big League Softball for Boys

Girls softball

See footnotes

Girls Tee Ball Softball

Girls Minor League Softball

Girls Little League Softball (or the Major Division)

Girls Junior League Softball

Girls Senior League Softball

Girls Big League Softball

Rules

Playing rules for the baseball divisions essentially follow the official baseball rules defined and used by Major League Baseball, especially with respect to the upper divisions (Junior, Senior). Some major exceptions are outlined in the following sections, and these apply to Little League (Minor and Major, ages 7–12) except as otherwise noted.

Rulebooks and fees

The official rules of Little League Baseball are available to the general public via a free app or as a $5 printed edition. In Canada, rulebook orders requested through LittleLeague.ca are routed to the US website at the same prices.

Rulebooks are not available in stores and must be ordered directly from Little League Baseball or from one of its regional centers. One paper copy is provided to each chartered team.

Length of game

A regulation game consists of six innings. If the game is halted prior to the completion of six innings, it is considered an official game if four innings have been completed (three and a half, if the home team leads); otherwise, if at least one inning has been completed, it is a suspended game.

In Intermediate Little League, as well as the Junior, Senior, and Big League levels (ages 13–18), a game consists of seven innings and is official if five innings have been completed.

Mandatory-play rule

In all divisions except Senior and Big League, every player on the team roster must have at least one plate appearance and play six consecutive outs on defense in each game. The penalty for a manager violating the rule is a two-game suspension. This rule is waived if the game is completed prior to the usual duration (six innings in Little League and below, seven innings in Intermediate Little League and Junior League). This rule is modified during tournament play, when teams having 13 or more players dressed are mandated to provide one plate appearance for each player, but have no defensive requirements. Teams having 12 or fewer players dressed are required to afford each player one plate appearance plus six consecutive outs in the field on defense.

Playing field

The size of the field is dependent on the division of play.

Tee-ball

The distance between the bases is generally 50 feet (15.24 m).

Minor League and Little League

The distance between the bases is 60 feet (18.29 m) and the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate (more precisely, the midpoint of the front edge of the pitcher's rubber to the rear point of home plate) is 46 feet (14.02 m). Outfield fences must be at least 165 feet (50 m) from home plate, but are usually 200 feet (60 m) or more (the fields at the Williamsport complex have fences 225 feet away). The bases and pitching rubber are also slightly smaller than in standard baseball. Also, unlike fields at almost all levels of competitive baseball for teenagers and adults, the distance between home plate and the outfield fence is constant throughout fair territory.

Intermediate Little League

The distance between the bases is 70 feet (21.34 m) and the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate is 50 feet (15.24 m). The recommended distance between home plate and the outfield fence ranges from 200 to 275 feet (60–85 m); unlike regular Little League, the distances can vary within fair territory. As in regular Little League, the bases and pitching rubber are also slightly smaller than in standard baseball.

Junior League, Senior League, and Big League

The distance between the bases is 90 feet (27.43 m), the same as for regulation Major League Baseball fields. The distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate is 60.5 feet (18.44 m), also identical to that of MLB. The minimum outfield distance in the upper divisions is 300 feet (91 m) (MLB's official, but not strictly enforced, minimum is 325 feet [99 m] at the foul lines), while the maximum for Big League is 425 feet (130 m). (Base paths of 80 feet [24.38 m] are optional for Junior League regular season play.)

Equipment

Bats (all levels) may be made from wood or other materials (such as aluminum) and must be approved for use in Little League Baseball. For the Majors division and below, the maximum bat length is 33 inches (838 mm) and barrel diameter may not exceed 2+1⁄4 inches (57 mm). Since 2009, all Little League bats must be labeled with a Bat Performance Factor (BPF) of 1.15 or lower.

Bats for the Junior League level may have a maximum length of 34 inches (864 mm) and a maximum barrel diameter of 2+5⁄8 inches (67 mm). Bats for the Big and Senior League levels may have a maximum length of 36 inches (914 mm) and a maximum barrel diameter of 2+5⁄8 inches (67 mm). Non-wood Big and Senior League bats must meet the Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) testing standards that are currently used in the NCAA and NFHS (high school). Intermediate Little League bats must meet Junior League specifications.

Base running

When the pitcher is ready to pitch, a baserunner may not leave the base until the pitch reaches the batter in Minor League and standard Little League. In the upper levels, including Intermediate Little League, the runner may leave the base at any time while the ball is in play.

If a fielder is waiting at the base with the ball, an advancing runner must attempt to avoid contact. A runner may not slide head-first except when retreating to a previously held base.

In the upper levels, runners must still make an attempt to avoid contact if possible, and may not maliciously initiate contact with a fielder.

Batting

The upper limit of the strike zone extends to the batter's armpits.

In tee-ball, Minor League, and Little League (if the uncaught third strike rule is waived by the local league), the batter is out after the third strike regardless of whether the pitched ball is held by the catcher. In Little League (both standard and Intermediate), Junior, Senior, and Big League, a batter may attempt to advance to first base on a dropped third strike if first base is unoccupied with less than two outs, or if first base is unoccupied or occupied with two outs.

If the batter is hit by a pitch, the batter receives a base on balls automatically. However, if the batter does not make an attempt evade the pitched ball, the home-plate umpire may continue the at-bat.

Substitution

Players who have been substituted may return to the game under certain conditions, though a player who is removed as pitcher may not return to pitch.

Pitchers

Pitchers in all divisions are limited to a specific pitch count per game and a mandatory rest period between outings. These vary with age. The rest period also depends on the number of pitches thrown.

If the pitcher hits too many batters with the ball, or intentionally hits the batter, he or she is ejected from the pitching spot.

Intentional base on balls

Historically, a pitcher could intentionally walk a batter by simply announcing the intent to do so, without being required to throw any pitches. Beginning in 2008, the pitcher was required to actually pitch the required four balls (which are included in the pitcher's overall pitch count). In 2017, the Major and Minor levels of Little League Baseball aligned with an MLB rule and now allow the pitcher to intentionally walk a batter simply by declaration, though four pitches are added to the pitcher's overall pitch count. This change rescinded a former rule by which the batting team could decline the award of first base and force the pitcher to throw four balls, thereby increasing the pitcher's overall count.

Local options

Local leagues have a certain amount of flexibility. For example, a league may opt to use the "continuous batting order" rule (4.04), under which each player on the team's roster bats, even when not in the defensive lineup. Leagues may also waive the "ten-run rule" (4.10(e)), which ends the game if one team is ahead by ten or more runs after four innings.