Smyrna times., 1958-05-29
Values i'm Little
League Contests
Are Manifold

(From a speech given by Dr.
Creighton j. Hale at the 1858 ma
tional Little League Congress. This
is the third and final article of a
series published by the Times as
a public service at the beginning
of the local Little League season.)
identifying the actual benefits
within program such as Little
League is extremely difficult. We
are frequently asked to furnish
tangible evidence that the values
of Little League are real and not
just the dreams that accompany
an idealistic program. Actually
there are many evidences to sup
port the merits of Little League,
but never have so many of the
proclaimed values been so forci-
bly, demonstrated as during tourn-
ament play this past year.
This story, truly a fairy tale,
began in Monterey, Mexico, where
a tournament team was chosen
from a local league in the city
Most of these boys selected came
from poverty-stricken homes. In
fact two of the twelve-year old
players had found it necessary to
quit school and work in order to
supplement the family income.
However, in spite of economical
and educational disadvantages,
these boys loved to play baseball
and were fortunate to live in
community where there was op-
portunity to participate in Little
League.
''From Mexico, to Texas, to
Kentucky, to Williamsport, Pa
this was the sequence of games
that provided Little League with
the most colorful of all World
Series. However, the fact that the
Mexican boys were so small and
defeated a much larger team from
California; that one of their best
players enjoyed American food so
well he ate himself onto the
bench; that one of their players
could play shortstop right-handed,
FIRST base left-handed, and pitch
with either hand; that this ambi-
dextrous boy pitched a perfect
game in the finale, or that they
won the championship, are not the
real values of the Little League
World Series. More important was
ahe effect upon the boys, their
parents, their community, the
United States, Mexico, and the
Little League program in general
"F'ollowing the final game, writ
ers were declaring that the tourn-
ament in Little League promoted
more international goodwill than
s1,o00,000 in foreign aid. The Con-
smEar of the Mexican Embassy,
while attending the games in Will
Transport, said the greatest Mexi-
can ambassadors to the United
States were those ID boys repre-
senting their country. President
Eisenhower, who has always dis
played a genuine affection for
children, disrupted his entire daily
schedule to meet these boys. The
pIayers were luncheon guests OF
Vice President Nixon and Sen.
Lyndon Johnson of Texas, and the
following day the Little League
champions were in the palace OF
sheir own country to have dinner
with their President. Certainly
shis series of events is a testi'
mony of the national and interna
tional effect of the Little League
program.
upon arrival home these boy!
were given thunderous welcom'
by hundreds of thousands OF peo
ple in their city; their names ar
now enscribed alongside outstand
Sng Mexicans; but more import
ant are the educational advant
ages they now have and. the fac
that one of the two boys who ha
seft school is now back with hi
heart set on becoming an engin
eer.
eyes, Little League is more thai
a baseball program. 1t is a move
ment which benefits boys, parents
communities, and nations. I
those few who held reservation
as to the value of tournamen
play in Little League, certainl
now their questions have been an
swered."