In celebration that baseball is back...post your favorite Little League pic/stories

This is a signed ball from my entire pony league Pirates championship team. The glove trophy we received for the tournament inspired me to get the ball signed. I'm glad I did. I cherish this ball as three of my best childhood teammates and one coach have passed on. Bobby Norch was my best friend, best teammate and fellow baseball card collector up until we graduated high school together. He was killed in a car accident traveling back home from college not long after we graduated. His favorite player was Freddie Patek. I left a Patek card on his gravestone the last time I visited his resting place. RIP Bobby.

[HexsHeroes]

Sometime around 1972, my league winning team advanced in the Michigan State Little League tournament. In my team's last game, we were the home team. I started in left field. First two batters out, the third batter hit one deep into left field. I ran back, focused on the ball in flight. I stretched outwards and squarely caught the ball at the same moment I collided with the outfield chain-link fence rail. Took the impact square across the mouth, with my teeth cutting the inside of both lips. And impact caused the baseball to pop out of my glove, as my hand was extended over the fence. Home run for the opponents. I was removed from the game at that moment, and watched my team lose 1-0 and see our season end.

Post Script: last year was a tough year as two of my three coaches both passed away in 2020. Third coach had died in 2014. So happens I went to visit that third coach at his home in 2014 but he was not there. Turns out he would die within 24 hours after that attempted visit, in hospice care. I waited too long to reconnect.

[the-illini]

My son, who loves baseball

[emmygirl]

Wow has it been 63 years since my days in little league. I was 12 in 1957 and how I loved to play baseball. My final year I batted a whopping .227 with 3 doubles. We wore wool uniforms and were they super warm on those summer nights. Yes, I was one of those kids from the 50's that bought baseball cards and enjoyed flipping them for fun. I can still remember trading my Mantles for Frank Malzone and Jackie Jensen. It made me very happy in 1957. Best to all, Jim MacCord (I'll be 76 in a couple of months) Collecting has made my life so much better.

[obiwan1129]

I'll share one from 3 years ago. This is one of my all time favorite little league memories. Coached my son for several years in rec ball. It's been a lot of fun for me and him. Our team (9 and 10 yr olds) is in the semi-finals, all tied up in the last inning.

We were losing light, so you might even say it was gloaming. This was likely the last inning. I was in charge that night and coaching 3rd base as our head coach, Bill, was in Dubai for work. I found out afterwards one of the parents was live streaming the game over Facebook Live so Bill was able to watch the last inning.

Our first two batters made an out and that brought up my son. He has exercise induced asthma and had an asthma attack a few innings before but recovered well enough to stay in the game. The asthma is a kick in the shorts because he is fast. He manages to work the count full and draws a walk.

Now we have one of our best hitters up at the plate. I am over at 3rd and we have signs but I know it doesn't matter. Everyone knows he is running. I didn't even flash a sign, I just gave him a head nod over to 2nd. I hear a chorus of shouts from the other teams dugout behind me "He's running, he's running." The pitcher goes into his windup and he is running full speed into second. The catcher makes a throw and the ball scoots out into center field.

My son jumps up and heads towards third base. The middle infielders are scrambling after the throw into second. While he is halfway to 3rd, I take a step back and start windmilling my arm sending him home. He rounds 3rd with a full head of steam. At the same time half the world away watching on a laptop in a hotel room in Dubai at 3am, my buddy Bill yells "Send him, John, Send him!". Probably waking up a number of his fellow hotel guests. The shortstop finally grabs the ball and turns to fire it home.

I remember crouching down and grimacing after he turned the corner because I knew it would be a close play. The throw comes into the catcher at the same time he starts sliding into home. In a cloud of dust his leg touches home plate just as the catcher goes to make the tag. The umpire swings his arms out and yells safe!

At this point, the kids come pouring out of the dugout, jumping up and down like a bunch of delirious 10 year olds to celebrate going to the championship game.

...and that is probably my all-time favorite baseball memory. To be able to share in a moment like that with your own son is one of the greatest feelings I will ever know.

[the-illini]

That’s a great story John - I coach my two sons as well so I can relate to the excitement you must have felt!

[Casey2296]

Great story John, thanks for sharing.