Tommy Diamond Syndicated Worldwide by American Spirit Network All Rights Reserved 
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Batter Up
I watched the youngsters in front of my home playing sandlot baseball. Each afternoon the shouts would be, pick me, no pick me, can he hit, run, and catch? Questions that were never really answered only the hopes of a spectacular catch or the wood bat making contact with a well worn Rawlings baseball that was shared.
There was really no batter's box, pitcher's mound or foul ball area. The imaginary base patches were well worn and each base pad was no longer grass.
Baseball was a past time most of us enjoyed growing up. Little League, organized in small town America in 1939, and gave young men an opportunity to play in an organized summer game that had been America's summer game for the past century.
The same year the Baseball Hall of Fame was dedicated in Cooperstown in upstate New York Carl Stotz originated the idea for Little League Baseball. His plan included a new ball for every game, team uniforms and real bats.
The idea for Little League Baseball was simple yet inspired. Boys of the founding hometown of Williamsport, PA aged eight to twelve would be able to play on a scaled-down field. There would be good playing conditions, adult supervision and no threat of rejection by older boys.
Cooperation was the cornerstone of Stotz and the Bebble brothers, Bert and George who once played semi-pro baseball. With a three-team league of thirty boys the three men each agreed enthusiastically to manage a team. Playing suits were purchased for $1.58 each at a chain store. The three teams would share eight ball gloves and one $1.67 catcher's mask.
The first game was played on June 6, 1939. Lundy Lumber faced Lycoming Dairy on the field of the sandpaper plant where Carl Stotz worked. The Williamsport Sun published the score of the first game in the history of Little League baseball, Lycoming Dairy 8, Lundy Lumber 23.
The first season was under way with a planned twenty-four games on makeshift fields, rule sheets and a portable slate blackboard to record each game inning by inning.
I was honored to be in Williamsport for the 50th Anniversary of Little League Baseball and a special guest at Mr. Stotz home where a handful gathered prior to a dinner party with comedian Bob Hope. We were greeted at the small framed home by a man of slight build who was a bit shy. Very graciously he shared memories of the early days of Little League and how proud he was to see it grow worldwide with each league having its charter under the Charter of Little League Baseball.
The original playing field is marked with a simple plaque and by most accounts Carl Stotz was all but forgotten and was not formally included in the Anniversary festivities.
Thanks to the pledge of Carl Stotz and his nephews birth was given to Little League Baseball. With the huge army of volunteers a community project will soon begin its 70th season. The amazing thing about Little League is it depends on volunteers to continue its grass roots operation on an international basis.
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