Carter laughed. “Seriously, though, I bet it’s going to be a cool movie.” He waggled his eyebrows. “How much of the postseason do you think it’s going to cover, anyway?”
Liam pressed his fingertips to his temples and intoned in a spooky voice, “The great McGrath predicts… mmmm, ooooo, mmmm… that we will go all the way!” Then in his normal voice, he added, “But first we have to win back-to-back games tomorrow.”
Carter clucked his tongue. “Man, a District doubleheader. That’s tough.”
“Yeah, no kidding. But rules are rules, and when the thunder and lightning started today, they had to cancel all the games.” Liam grinned. “District doubleheader—that has a nice ring to it. Maybe Melanie can use it for the title of her film.”
“I thought you were going all the way?”
“Oh, the team is, for sure,” Liam said grandly. “But if she doesn’t stop sticking that camera in my face, she’ll be through after tomorrow!”
The storm that had shut down the fields the day before had long since passed when Liam’s All-Star team arrived. Their white jerseys emblazoned in royal blue with their team name, Ravenna, looked blindingly bright in the morning sun. Liam knew that they’d be good and dirty before long, though.
The two games bumped from the previous day were scheduled to take place simultaneously on separate fields. Then, in the early evening, the winners would face each other in the District Championship. With such a busy day, the umpires made sure all teams were ready to begin on time.
“Go get ’em, bro!” Sean Driscoll called to Rodney as Ravenna ran onto the field.
“Yeah, go get ’em, bro!” Melanie echoed, shooting Sean a huge grin.
Then together they yelled, “Go get ’em, Ravenna!”
And that’s just what Ravenna did. When the dust settled, they had plastered their opponents from Sinclair, ten runs to three. Liam had made the final out with a throw from center field to home.
“That play won’t end up on the cutting-room floor,” Melanie said, patting her camera happily.
The first game ended at noon, so the players returned to their homes to shower and eat.
“Nothing too heavy or greasy or fatty or—oh, what am I saying?” Coach Driscoll grinned. “You’re boys. You can eat practically anything and still be ready to go!”
But it turned out that wasn’t true. When Ravenna gathered in the dugout for the second game of the doubleheader, Owen Berg was missing. The coach received a call from Mrs. Berg. When he hung up, he had bad news.
“Owen has been sick all afternoon,” he informed the team grimly. “She thinks it’s something he ate. So he won’t be playing today. Which means we need to make some changes to the lineup.”
Liam’s heart skipped a beat. Owen was supposed to catch that game. Luis Cervantes, Ravenna’s other starting catcher, had played the entire first game and needed a rest. That left two possible players for the spot: Cole Dudley—and him.
Pick me, he silently begged. Give me a chance.
Liam waited for an agonizing five minutes as the coaches put their heads together to talk it over. Finally, he had his answer.
“Liam,” Coach Driscoll said. “You’re behind the plate.” Liam was about to give a quiet cheer when the coach added, “Go warm up with Phillip.”
The dugout fell silent. Phillip and Liam exchanged glances. Then Phillip grabbed his glove and hurried to the bull pen. Liam, his mind racing, suited up quickly and trotted over to join him.
“Listen, DiMaggio—” he started to say.
“No, you listen,” Phillip cut in sharply. Then he shook his head and blew out his breath. “Sorry, that came out wrong. But I guess that’s pretty much the way things usually are with us, huh? Wrong. But—”
“Not today,” Liam finished. “Not this game. This game, we get everything right.”
Phillip stared at him. Then he nodded. “Exactly.”
They didn’t say another word, just got into their positions. Liam hadn’t caught for Phillip often. He wished they had more time to find their rhythm now. But they didn’t, because Coach Driscoll was calling to them to hit the field.
And then the game that would make or break Ravenna’s postseason run began with the umpire’s cry.
“Play ball!”
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WHAT IS LITTLE LEAGUE®?
With nearly 165,000 teams in all 50 states and over 80 other countries across the globe, Little League Baseball® is the world’s largest organized youth sports program! Many of today’s Major League players started their baseball careers in Little League Baseball, including Derek Jeter, David Wright, Justin Verlander, and Adrian Gonzalez.
Little League® is a nonprofit organization that works to teach the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork. Concentrating on discipline, character, and courage, Little League is focused on more than just developing athletes: It helps to create upstanding citizens.
Carl Stotz established Little League in 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The first league only had three teams and played six innings, but by 1946, there were already twelve leagues throughout the state of Pennsylvania. The following year, 1947, was the first year that the Little League Baseball® World Series was played, and it has continued to be played every August since then.
In 1951, Little League Baseball expanded internationally, and the first permanent league to form outside of the United States was on each end of the Panama Canal. Little League Baseball later moved to nearby South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and a second stadium, the Little League Volunteer Stadium, was opened in 2001.
Some key moments in Little League history:
1957 The Monterrey, Mexico, team became the first international team to win the World Series.
1964 Little League was granted a federal charter.
1974 The federal charter was amended to allow girls to join Little League.
1982 The Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum opened.
1989 Little League introduced the Challenger Division.
2001 The World Series expanded from eight to sixteen teams to provide a greater opportunity for children to participate in the World Series.
2014 Little League will celebrate its 75th anniversary.
HOW DOES A LITTLE LEAGUE® TEAM GET TO THE WORLD SERIES?
In order to play in the Little League Baseball World Series, a player must first be a part of a regular-season Little League, and then be selected as part of their league’s All-Star team, consisting of players ages 11 to 13 from any of the teams. The All-Star teams compete in district, sectional, and state tournaments to become their state champions. The state champions then compete to represent one of eight different geographic regions of the United States (New England, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Great Lakes, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, and West). All eight of the Regional Tournament winners play in the Little League Baseball World Series.
The eight International Tournament winners (representing Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa, Mexico, Japan, and Latin America) also come to the Little League Baseball World Series.
The eight U.S. Regional Tournament winners compete in the United States Bracket of the Little League Baseball World Series, and the International Tournament winners compete in the International Bracket.
Over eleven days, the Little League Baseball World Series proceeds until a winning U.S. Championship team and International Championship team are determined. The final World Series Championship Game is played between the U.S. Champions and the International Champions.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Visit the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania! When you visit, you’ll find pictures, displays, films, and exhibits showcasing the history of Little League, from the players all the way down to the equipment. A renovated museum opened in summer 2013.
TEST YOUR LITTLE LEAGUE® KNOWLEDGE!
1. Little League was founded in 1939. Who founded it?
Cy Young
Carl E. Stotz
William Sport
Peter J. McGovern
2. Which person played in the first-ever Little League game in 1939 and was the first Little League graduate to play professional baseball?
John Wesley “Boog” Powell
Joseph “Joey” Jay
William “Mac” McCloskey
Allen “Sonny” Yearick
3. The first no-hitter in Little League history was thrown in 1942. Who was the pitcher?
Fred Shapiro
Angel Macias
Ed Yonkin
Kiyoshi Tsumura
4. What was the original name of the Little League Baseball® World Series, first played in 1947?
National Little League Tournament
Pennsylvania Baseball Classic
All-Star Baseball Series
Little League Championship
5. In 1952, the first international team played in the Little League Baseball World Series. Where was that team from?
Monterrey, Mexico
Berlin, Germany
Kunitachi, Japan
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
6. Little League officially opened its doors to girls in 1974. Ten years later, the first girl played in the Little League Baseball World Series. What was her name?
Kathryn Johnston
Maria Pepe
Chelsea Baker
Victoria Roche
7. Since the competition went international, which region has won the most Little League Baseball World Series championship games?
Japan
Taiwan
United States
Mexico
8. Former United States president George W. Bush grew up playing Little League Baseball in Texas. What position did he play?
first base
right field
pitcher
catcher
9. In 2011, the Championship Game of the Little League Baseball World Series was delayed because of what natural disaster?
an earthquake
a tornado
a hurricane
a fire
10. Little League International created a new baseball division to aid players with their transition to a standard-size diamond. What is the name of this division?
Intermediate 50/70
Challenger
Boys’ Softball
Girls’ Baseball
See here for the answers!
HOW CAN I JOIN A LITTLE LEAGUE® TEAM?
If you have access to the Internet, you can see if your community has a local league by going to www.LittleLeague.org and clicking on “Start/Find a League.” You can also visit one of our regional offices:
US REGIONAL OFFICES:
Western Region Headquarters (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, and WY)
6707 Little League Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92407
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Southwestern Region Headquarters (AR, CO, LA, MS, NM, OK, and TX)
3700 South University Parks Drive
Waco, TX 76706
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Central Region Headquarters (IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI)
9802 E. Little League Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46235
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Southeastern Region Headquarters (AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV)
PO Box 7557
Warner Robins, GA 31095
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Eastern Region Headquarters (CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VT)
PO Box 2926
Bristol, CT 06011
E-MAIL: [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL OFFICES:
CANADIAN REGION (serving all of Canada)
Canadian Little League Headquarters
235 Dale Avenue
Ottawa, ONT
Canada KIG OH6
E-MAIL: [email protected]
ASIA-PACIFIC REGION (serving all of Asia and Australia)
Asia-Pacific Regional Director
C/O Hong Kong Little League
Room 1005, Sports House
1 Stadium Path
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
E-MAIL: [email protected]
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA REGION (serving all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa)
Little League Europe
A1. Meleg Legi 1
Kutno, 99-300, Poland
E-MAIL: [email protected]
LATIN AMERICA REGION (serving Mexico and Latin American regions)
Latin America Little League Headquarters
PO Box 10237
Caparra Heights, Puerto Rico 00922-0237
E-MAIL: [email protected]
ANSWERS
b—Carl E. Stotz first came up with the idea of fielding youth baseball teams in 1938. In 1939, he founded Little League Baseball with the help of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, community.
d—Allen “Sonny” Yearick was a member of the 1939 Lycoming Dairy squad, one of the first three Little League teams. In 1947, he was signed by the Boston Braves. He spent his five-year professional career playing for different farm leagues.
c—Thanks to Ed Yonkin’s no-hitter, his team, Lundy Lumber, beat Stein’s Service. The other players listed also posted Little League Baseball firsts: Fred Shapiro pitched the first perfect game in the Little League Baseball World Series in 1956. In 1957, Angel Macias of Mexico threw the only perfect game in the Series Championship, marking the first time a team from outside the United States won the title. Kiyoshi Tsumura of Japan helped his team get to the 1976 finals by pitching a perfect game in the semifinals. (Japan went on to win its third title.)
a—Originally dubbed the National Little League Tournament, the name was later changed to the Little League Baseball World Series after Major League Baseball’s World Series. Today, the official name for the tournament is the Little League Baseball World Series.
d—The team from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was beaten in the quarterfinals, 13–7, by Hackensack, New Jersey. The first chartered Little Leagues outside the United States were on each end of the Panama Canal in 1950.
d—Victoria Roche played on a team from Brussels, Belgium. Several instances have been recorded of girls playing Little League: In 1950, Kathryn Johnston pretended to be a boy in order to play. Maria Pepe’s desire to play baseball spawned the organization to open its doors to girls in 1974. Begining in 2009, pitcher Chelsea Baker wowed fans and opponents with her amazing knuckleball.
b—To date, Taiwan has won seventeen Little League Baseball World Series. Japan holds second place, with eight championships; California is in third, with seven.
d—President George W. Bush is a lifelong fan of Little League. He played for the Cubs of Midland, Texas. In 2001, Little League’s Southwestern Region Headquarters was renamed in his honor. Other former Little Leaguers turned politicians include vice president Joe Biden, vice president Dan Quayle, and senator Bill Bradley.
c—Hurricane Irene threatened the Williamsport, Pennsylvania, area with fierce winds and heavy rains. Concerned for the safety of players and fans, Little League chose to move the start of the 2011 Championship Game up from three o’clock Sunday, August 28, to noon that same day.
a—The Little League Intermediate 50/70 Base-ball Division was created as a bridge between the Little League Division Major and the Teenage. It takes its name from the longer fifty-foot pitching distance and seventy-foot base paths (the Majors’ pitching distance is fourty-six feet and the base paths are sixty feet) and is open to players ages 11 to 13. The rules more closely follow those of the Junior Baseball Division.
DON’T MISS THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES!
CHAPTER
ONE
Whizz! Swish!
Thud!
“Stee-rike two!” The home plate umpire made a fist in the air.
Liam McGrath, twelve-year-old catcher for the Ravenna All-Star team, plucked the baseball from his mitt and threw it back to pitcher Phillip DiMaggio. He licked his lips, tasting the dust that coated them.
“Okay, DiMaggio,” he said under his breath. “Let’s finish this now.”
It was the early evening, top of the fifth inning of the final District tournament game, and the temperature was hovering in the mideighties. Liam was sweating buckets beneath his padded gear and mask. He wiped his damp palm on his pant leg before settling back into his crouch.
The Orchard City batter must have been feeling the heat, too. He mopped his face with the sleeve of his Little League uniform and then resumed his stance in the box.
Orchard City was up by one. It had two outs but also had runners on first and third. One good hit could sweeten its lead.
Liam had no intention of letting that happen. Too much was on the line. The winners of today’s game would advance to the Sectional tournament, putting them one step closer to the ultimate youth baseball competition: the Little League Baseball World Series. The losing team would go home, its postseason run at an end. Liam had worked too hard, overcome too many challenges this season, to pack away his gear—and his World Series dreams—after this game.
At the top of his list of challenges was the boy standing on the mound. Liam and Phillip had a long-standing rivalry that dated back to the previous World Series. They’d been on opposing sides then, and battling for the U.S. Championship. Phillip’s team won when he struck out Liam in spectacular—and, for Liam, mortifying—fashion.
If anyone had told Liam that one day he’d be Phillip’s catcher, he would have said pigs would fly first. And yet here he was, readying himself for DiMaggio’s next pitch.
District Doubleheader Page 10
