With working so many hours this summer it brings me great disappointment to say that I've had a rough time catching up on one of my favorite summer time traditions, that is religiously following the Little League World Series. The Little League World Series seems to be a bit of an acquired taste for some sports fans though, as some find it exceptionally boring. However, there must be a pretty big viewership seeing as ESPN plays is every year, including at prime time slots on their schedule. Its like the World Cup, not everyone gets the allure, but those that do absolutely love it and go out of their way to follow it, just on a smaller scale.
And of all the years to decide to miss so much, I picked a bad one. This was a year of a great story in the Pennsylvania team that came from just 30 miles away to Williamsport (where the games are located) and drew crowds better than if I were to just drive 15 miles to Cleveland and watch my local Major League team on most nights. I'm talking about 40,000+ in the stands to watch these 11, 12, and 13 year olds play, and they deserve it. The entity of Little League Baseball deserves it, and here's why. The Little League World Series is the purest, most fantastic form of sports on a large scale in the world.
Many always remark on how they prefer college sports to pro sports because the players aren't playing for money in college. They are instead playing "because they love the game". That may be very true in a significant number of instances, but you need not look any further than this past summer at all the college football scandals that have arose from college athletes receiving gifts, money, and benefits for their play. There is reason to believe that this type of pay off occurs on a fairly large scale. Needless to say then, college sports, at least at the highest levels are... well... tainted. Its not about love of the game. Its about receiving benefits: cash benefits, material benefits, and so on. If not, then its about working hard so they can one day make money in the NFL, or professionally in general, and its hardly ever about academics or learning. Really, its all about winning and money. And that goes without mentioning the exploitation of the players and extreme greed of the colleges themselves.
On the other hand, Little League Baseball is a non-profit organization. Further, its just kids. Kids from their local towns, the best kids, that do obviously want to win, but its about more than that. Its about a community uniting around a team of youngsters that are playing baseball, and not playing baseball for a multi-year contract, or because some booster is going to drop off a Maybach in their driveway tomorrow morning if the kid homers. They're playing because baseball is fun, and they enjoy the game, and the camaraderie of their teammates. That's what Little League Baseball is all about, and that's what it should be about. Competition of course, but more so, its about the fun (competition, in my opinion, is fun within itself too), bonding, and learning lessons. And that's just another point, these kids learn lessons along the way too, about stamina (it takes a long lasting effort to get all the way to Williamsport), perseverance, winning and losing gracefully, and practice. This is everything sports, especially at an amateur level should be, and everything that sports were before corporations and the American businessman tainted them. I haven't even mentioned the fact that Little League Baseball is a world-wide effort, bringing together nations and cultures. It shows our children that even if were are different, we can at least have this one thing in common that we all enjoy (much like the previously mentioned World Cup does as well). I'm for anything that teaches younger generations to bond and respect other cultures and nations.
I think I'm only scratching the surface, but I paint a pretty good picture of why the Little League World Series should be one of the more respected sporting events on this planet. The game includes the encouragement of hustle and respect for the game, others, and oneself, along with all the other elements I have mentioned. With all that said, if you're one of those that doesn't fall fondly on the Little League World Series, I encourage you to watch one of the remaining championship games (the International championship is on behind me right now), and even if you don't enjoy the style or quality of play, although these young guys still do play pretty well, you can at least enjoy the underlying message that this pure sport provides.
What's the baseline?
The Little League delivers in the way amateur sports really should. Its about the love of the game, and the messages and lessons that sports can teach. The baseball play is quality, but the other elements are really what make it an excellent event.
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