Developing Major League People for 75 Years Little League World Series Site Little League® Concludes its 75th Anniversary Celebration at the 2014 Little League Baseball® World Series Since January 2014, Little League has celebrated its 75th Anniversary around the world. The 7,000 local Little Leagues have marked the occasion, and there have been wonderful moments throughout the year honoring the Anniversary. The 2014 Little League Baseball World Series, though, served as the exclamation point on an exciting year. During the 10-day tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., just miles from where the first Little League game was played on June 6, 1939, special occasions were held to mark the Anniversary. Read More World Series Historic Photos Little League® Celebrates its 75th Anniversary During the Little League International Tournament Events Around the World At the 2013 Little League Baseball® World Series, Little League® unofficially kicked off its 75th Anniversary celebrations.

Now, a year later, the Little League International Tournament will serve as the exclamation point on the end of a year of Diamond Anniversary commemorations.At Little League tournaments around the world, local leagues have been celebrating our Anniversary. With 75th Anniversary “rocker” patches being worn by All-Star teams and special 75th Anniversary banners, the Diamond Anniversary has made it to fields on six continents. Read More MLB All-Star Game Little League® Celebrates its 75th Anniversary at Major League Baseball All-Star Week in Minneapolis Derek Jeter, Todd Frazier, Troy Tulowitski, Chase Utley and other Little League® graduates won’t be the only Little Leaguers on the diamond during the events at Major League Baseball All-Star Week in Minneapolis, Minn., from July 11-15. This year, 2014, marks the 75th Anniversary of the first Little League season ever played. To celebrate this milestone, Little League will be actively recognized during the 85th Midsummer Classic. To honor Little League’s Diamond Anniversary, a group of Little Leaguers® will march in the MLB All-Star Red Carpet Show. Read More Explore the Virtual Museum Sen.

Toomey Honors the 75th Anniversary of Little League During Visit to World of Little League® U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), a graduate of East Providence (R.I.) Central Little League, visited the World of Little League®: Peter J. McGovern Museum in South Williamsport, Pa., on Wednesday, July 2, to recognize the 75th Anniversary of Little League. Stephen D. Keener, Little League International’s President and CEO, presented Sen. Toomey with a customized 2014 Mid-Atlantic Region jersey that featured his last name and the number 75, in honor of Little League’s diamond anniversary. The Senator also received a copy of his 1975 Senior League Baseball team roster. Read More Women’s College Softball World Series Little League®-Groomed Talent in the Women’s College Softball World Series History was made on June 3, 2014, as the Florida Gators defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide, 6-3, winning the school’s first Women’s College Softball World Series (WCWS) Title.

For Game 2, Florida manager, Tim Walton surprised everyone by not starting his ace, and Game 1 starter, Hannah Rogers, who lead the way for the Gators all year with 30 wins and an era of just 1.68. Instead, he kept his promise to junior Lauren Haeger and gave her the Game 2 start in the best of three series. Alabama chose a different approach to Game 2. Needing a win to stay alive, Crimson Tide ace, senior, Jackie Traina, went back to the circle after pitching 6 1/3 in a Game 1 loss. Read More Read About Our June 6 Celebrations Empire State Building lit in Red, White and Blue to Kick Off 75th Anniversary Celebrations Around the World! The 75th Anniversary of Little League® was kicked off in grand fashion on June 5, as the Empire State Building was lit in red, white, and blue in honor of Little League. Celebrations will continue around the world to mark the 75th Anniversary of the very first Little League game, which was played in Williamsport on June 6, 1939.

Including the Australia Region Little League Baseball Championship game to family-oriented, neighborhood celebrations to a gathering at the birthplace of Little League in Williamsport, Pa., with league staff and friends, local dignitaries, celebrities and local Little Leaguers®. Read More Parade Magazine Celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Little League® Parade, the most read magazine in the United States, has dedicated its June 1, 2014 cover to the 75th Anniversary of Little League® and scores of great online features about the world's largest youth sports organization! Steve Rushin, 2005 National Sportswriter of the Year, writes about his own Little League experience and shares the history of the world's largest youth sports organization. Read More Read Chris Drury's Story Developing Major League People: Little League® and Ice Hockey Legend, Chris Drury on the Life Lessons of Little League In 1989, the Trumbull National Little League of Trumbull, Conn., captured the hearts of Little League fans everywhere when they won the Little League Baseball® World Series.

The winning pitcher on that team, Chris Drury took those lessons from Little League and applied them to become a standout collegiate, Olympic and professional ice hockey player. He's also the only Little League Hall of Excellence Enshrinee to sit on the Little League International Board of Directors. Mr. Drury wrote about what Little League means to him for the Stamford Advocate. Read More Take the Quick-Parents-Course Developing Major League People: Little League® and the Positive Coaching Alliance Team Up For New, Free Quick-Courses for Parents and Coaches One of the most important on-field relationships is between coaches and their players. One of the most important relationships off the field is between coaches and parents. Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) and Little League® have introduced two, free Little League Second-Goal Parent and Little League Double-Goal Coach online quick-courses, designed to make the Little League experience better for parents, players and coaches. There also is a full online training program offered through PCA, if you are interested in the full course, you can visit positivecoach.org for more information.

Read More Read The Full Story 75th Anniversary Rocker Patches Will Be on Uniforms Around the World and on the Jerseys of 6,000 Little League® Umpires and Players in Upstate New York As part of the local league's 75th Anniversary celebrations, rocker patches are joining the official Little League patch on player and umpire uniforms. One District Administrator, Danny Cavallo (New York 8) has purchased 6,000 of these patches to make sure all the players and umpires in his district in Upstate New York. The Syracuse, N.Y., area has a long Little League history with passionate voluteers. Learn more about their 75th Anniversary celebrations.

Read More Read The Full Story Developing Major League People: Little League® and Taylor Hooton Foundation Team Up to Educate Parents About the Dangers of Steroids and Other APEDs The Taylor Hooton Foundation (THF), widely acknowledged leader in the advocacy against Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs (APEDs) abuse by the youth of North America, is teaming up with Little League® Baseball and Softball (LL®) to educate the more than 1 million LL parents, coaches and other adult volunteers as part of the 75th Anniversary of Little League and its steadfast commitment to the health and safety of young people playing baseball and softball. Read More Read The Full Story Local Little League® Programs Around the World Begin to Celebrate the 75th Anniversary! Little League International has started celebrating its 75th Anniversary, and local leagues and volunteers have begun to bring that celebration home to local ball fields. From new 75th patches on uniforms to alumni joining in on Opening Ceremonies, there are a lot of great ideas in the Anniversary Celebration Guide. Miami Springs Little League has already started celebrating at their Opening Ceremonies.

Check out this article from the River Cities Gazette about how this league kicked off its 2014 season! (Photo credit: Wally Clark/RIVER CITIES GAZETTE) Read More Read More Moment in History: Little League Pledge Unveiled on the Cover of the February 1955 Little Leaguer® Magazine The Little League® Pledge was written by Peter J. McGovern, the late president of Little League Baseball, in 1954. It made its first appearance in the February 1955 Little Leaguer® magazine. Its text has remained unchanged in the half-century since then.The text of the Little League Pledge was sent to U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower on Feb. 22, 1955. President Eisenhower (and every president since then) was a strong supporter of Little League. Today, local Little League programs sometimes choose to recite the Little League Pledge at the start of the season, and some recite it before every game.

Read More Read More Little League® Hall of Excellence Honorees and Former Little League Baseball® World Series Standouts with a History of Olympic Hockey Hardware As the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia enter the home stretch, some of the most anticipated action in the final days is on the hockey ice. And two of the legends of USA Hockey National teams are two of the legends of the Little League Baseball® World Series. When both the men’s and women’s USA Hockey National teams were on the podium at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, two of those players receiving their silver medals had already seen success on the baseball field, Chris Drury and Krissy Wendell-Pohl. Read More Read More A Look Back at Little League History: The Cannon Street YMCA All Stars and the 1955 Little League Baseball® World Series Since its inception in 1939, Little League® has always been racially integrated. That position came to the forefront in 1955 when the Cannon Street YMCA Little League All Stars, an all black team from Charleston, S.C., could not advance through their state tournament to the Little League Baseball® World Series because of protests.

In celebration of Black History Month, read this great profile on the team and their own unique trip to Williamsport written by Little League Hall of Excellence enshrinee, George Will, for the Washington Post. Read More Learn More About Little League Softball Little League Softball® Celebrates its 40th Anniversary and National Girls and Women in Sports Day with New Initiatives In 1974, the United States Congress amended the federal charter of Little League® to allow girls to play Little League and Little League Softball® was launched. Now, 40 years later, millions of women around the world can call themselves Little League graduates. In recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 5 and the 40th Anniversary of Little League Softball, Little League is announcing a year’s worth of initiatives. Little League Softball currently has 360,000 athletes participating on more than 24,000 softball teams in over 20 countries, with four divisions culminating at a Softball World Series. Read More Your Favorite Sports Blog | "Just play. Have fun.

Enjoy the game." Michael Jordan Your Favorite Sports Blog Stay updated via RSS Latest Posts 0 Baseball has come to be known as America’s pastime. It is a game of patience, anticipation, and character. In this day and age professional baseball players are seen as role models for young aspiring children. As role models, they demonstrate qualities such as: loyalty, respect, and courage. But, outside of school it is difficult for young children to practice these fundamental qualities. Little league baseball allows children the opportunity to grow into a well-rounded adult through team sport. Founded in 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania by Carl Stotz, little league baseball prepares children for greater life endeavors. It began as a three-team league and grew into an international phenomenon. It was Carl Stotz’ dream of establishing a league that would teach children the dynamics of teamwork and fair play that has lead to the great little league organization of today. Where there are nearly 200,000 teams in over 80 countries of the world. Little league baseball is functionalistic in nature. Functionalism helps preserve the status quo of the society. It ties sports to the society’s beliefs and ideologies.

It creates a system that socializes people to accept societal values and protects those people from disruptive outside influence. This functionalistic nature is great for kids because it allows them the opportunity to contribute to the larger social system. So, it keeps children out of trouble by giving them something to look forward to that is fun and influential. Carl Stotz in essence, knew that what he was creating was going to be functionalistic. Stotz wanted, “A little league for youth baseball players in which rules, equipment, and life lessons were designed to suit them.” (Hyman1). One major aspect of little league baseball that is functionalistic in nature is the pledge. The little league pledge is said before every game. This pledge was created by Peter J. McGovern to replace the use of the “United States Pledge of Allegiance”. He wanted to give all little leagues across the world a pledge with aspects of the pledge of allegiance while adding elements of sportsmanship and the desire to win. Every statement in the pledge is made to teach those who are playing societal values.

“I trust in God, I love my country, And will respect its laws, I will play fair, And strive to win, But win or lose, I will always do my best.” (Peter J. McGovern1). This pledge was designed to motivate kids to accept social norms by instilling values such as religion, determination, and nationalism, during a simple little league baseball game. But, it is not just the pledge that promotes aspects of functionalism; it is the entire organization as a whole. According to an article in “Science Daily” entitled “Youth Clubs Strengthen kids’ self image to keep them out of trouble”, children that belong to a youth organization such as little league baseball, gain a stronger sense of who they are as a person. There was a study done by Dawn Anderson-Butcher, an associate professor of social work at Ohio State University, where nearly 300 children from ages 9 to 16 where surveyed. About three-fourths of the kids participated in and organized league, and the rest where just children who lived in the surrounding community. The survey was entitled, “The Utah Division of Substance Abuse Needs Assessment Survey”.

It asked questions such as how the children felt towards their families, schools, neighborhoods, and drugs. The study revealed, “the more children participated in the club, the stronger their sense of self. Participation in the club boosted their social skill, as well as the positive reinforcement they felt they received from the community” (Anderson-Butcher1). This article is a great example of how organizations like little league baseball are functionalistic. It promotes values needed in society like co-operation and allows children to develop high self-esteems so they can succeed in society. Children are learning from sport instead of class. “If a kid has to choose between playing basketball, or going to a life skills class, which are they going to choose?” (Anderson-Butcher2). Sport as an engagement technique helps them learn these life lessons without making them sit in a classroom and be lectured. Though, classrooms do keep children out of trouble. Another aspect of functionalism that goes hand and hand with little league baseball is the idea of protecting the children from disruptive outside influence. If these young baseball players are on a baseball team making friends and enjoying the game, it takes away their free time.

Theodore Roosevelt once argued, “The way to cut the alarming rate of juvenile delinquency was to build more playgrounds. “The young criminals are created not by their school life, but by what is done in their leisure hours.”” (Hyman4). Therefore, little league baseball allows young children the opportunity to stay out of trouble. It gives them time during the day to go out and have fun. But, not just any fun, they have controlled fun that will develop them into a mature adult. Theodore Roosevelt felt strongly about this issue. He truly believed that if children had more time to play and have structured fun, they would not have do mischievous things because they are bored. Roosevelt also stated, “By striving for a proper opportunity from outdoor recreation… for all of our boys and girls we will do a great work towards cutting down crime” (Mark Hyman4) So, by creating little league baseball Carl Stotz theoretically lowered the crime rate. “Prevention is better than the cure” (Wright1). This quote from the article “Keeping Youth Out of Trouble” describes Theodore Roosevelt and Carl Stotz’ idea for creating an institution that would protect children from disruptive outside influences and keep them out of trouble.

Little league baseball is seen as functionalistic because it is strongly integrated into the community. According to the article “Baseball Tomorrow Fund Helps Small Town Prosper”, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) awarded $80,991 to Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation in Nebraska. The BTF is a joint initiative between the Major League Baseball Players Association and Major League Baseball designed to help promote and enhance baseball throughout the world. (Davis28) They awarded this money to these organizations, so that they can construct baseball fields and a new little league for the roughly 500 children in the area. The BTF believes that this will give the children of the community the opportunity to learn the game of baseball. But, they will not only be learning about baseball, they will also be learning life lessons, just as Carl Stotz dreamed. But, some of the most important members of the community are the coaches that run the little league teams. When most people think of little league coaches, they tend to think of a coach who yells, screams, and punishes his team in defeat. Coaches who are more worried about reliving their own little league experience rather than developing the children that he has been placed in charge of.

But, that is not always the case when Jerry Dunnack is spoken of. Jerry Dunnack has become very successful with his little league team because he never puts them down. “He yelled, but he always yelled encouragement. ‘You can do better,’ he’d say. He never belittled or berated anyone.” (Ryan1). This coach believed that he was there for a higher purpose. He was not just there to help a team win, he was there to develop boys into well-rounded men. He taught teamwork and co-operation passionately and the team won many games with this coaching technique. Both the children and the parents were happy to have him as the coach. Carl Stotz would be proud of him as well because he is doing what Stotz had intended. Another aspect of functionalism is nationalism. According to the article, “A Kid’s Game?: Little League Baseball and National Identity of Taiwan” little league baseball actually helped Taiwanese Nationalism. Since the 1940’s Taiwan’s international relations have dominated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In 1949, the “One China” doctrine was created.

This doctrine states that, “It is the shared belief of both governments that the separation of the two was a temporary anomaly.” (Sundeen255). But in reality, both continued to view themselves as two separate legitimate governments. But, Taiwan was constantly in the shadow of the PRC and competing for global recognition. So the Taiwanese people had no nationalism because they were in the shadow of the PRC. Little League baseball helped the Taiwanese people to believe in themselves again. This sport of values allowed the creation of a team that could not be defeated easily. The team played to win, and to gain recognition for Taiwan. Carl Stotz’ international competition provided a place where the national community of Taiwan could be symbolically represented by teenagers. “It has been long recognized in both scholarly and popular literature that sport can be a major force in international politics.” (Sundeen255). On that stage, those Taiwanese teenagers secured sovereign recognition for their country. These kids were able to be a part of something bigger than themselves, which is one of the main goal of little league baseball. Therefore, the functionalistic nature of little league baseball is good for kids and good for society. It allows kids to learn the necessary values needed to succeed in society today.

It aids the social system by developing hardworking and value based individuals to keep the society working. Carl Stotz’ grand scheme is a success for society and the children who have fun along the way. Works Cited Anderson-Butcher, Dawn. “youth clubs stregthen kids’ self image to keep them out of trouble.” science daily. 12 june 2010: Print. Davis, Sean. “baseball tomorrow fund helps small towns prosper.” parks &recreation. 39.9 (2004): 28. Print. Hyman, Mark. Until it Hurts. Boston MA: Beacon Press, 2009. 1-14. Print. McGovern, Peter. “little league online.” little league pledge. N.p., 2003. Web. 7 Oct 2010.< Ryan, Bill. “the little league coach who yells encouragement.” the new york times 28 May 1995, Print. Sundeen, Joseph. “A kids game?: little league baseball and the national identity in taiwan.” Journal of Sport & Social Issues. 25 (2001): 251-264.

Print. Wright, Jacob. “keeping youth out of trouble.” ezine . N.p., august 2001. Web. 7 Oct 2010. < 0 Millions of people watch sporting events every single day. It is up to the viewer’s preference which sporting event they actually watch, whether it be a baseball game, a tennis match, or an MMA competition. “Each sport calls upon its particular mix of physical talents. Every sport requires commitment to perfect those talents and to learn how to employ them skillfully and strategically” (Murray 13) No matter what the viewer’s sport preference is, there is a shared value among all viewers. Viewers want to see a fair competition, where athletes give their all and play hard for the thrill of competition. Viewers want the playing field to be level; they want talent and dedication to determine the winner. When an athlete makes the deviant decision to use performance enhancing drugs, that athlete now has an unfair advantage against competitors that have decided to base their success on hard work, commitment, and dedication. This is not only morally wrong; it is cheating and harmful to the athlete.

Performance enhancing drugs are detrimental to all of the athletes that use them, and should be banned from all sports to ensure the health of athletes. This will also help protect the integrity of competition. A common term for the use of performance enhancing drugs is “doping” Doping as defined by World Anti-Doping Agency is the occurrence of one or more of the following anti-doping rule violations: presence in test, use, refusing to test, failure to test, tampering, possession, trafficking, and administering. Athletes doping is an issue that has arisen in all area of sport from high school to the pros. “A 1997 Sports Illustrated poll revealed that 98% or current and aspiring Olympic Athletes would take a banned performance enhancing drug if it guaranteed both winning and no suspension for drug use” (Mulcahey, Schiller, Hulstyn). These athletes would be making the deviant decision to break social norms by using performance enhancing drugs as an easy way to improve their performance and gain an “edge” on the competition. This is not a good model for high school athletes. (World Anti-Doping Agency) Since the beginning of organized sporting events, there has been widespread use of performance enhancing drugs to gain an edge on the competition.

“In ancient Greece athletes were known to eat deer liver or lion heart in hopes of gaining speed, bravery, and strength”(Woolf 88). Through advances in technology, science, and society, lion hearts have been replaced by anabolic-androgenic steroids. “Anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, modified to enhance its anabolic actions” (Saudan, Baume, Robinson, Avois, Mangin, Saugy). Anabolic-androgenic steroids act on the musculoskeletal system to metabolize protein and influence lean body mass, muscle size, and strength. The chemical structure of testosterone is modified by manufacturers to maximize anabolic effect. When taken, anabolic-androgenic steroids bind with DNA in the cell nucleus and increases RNA transcription. The binding androgen receptors produce an anabolic state where there is a positive nitrogen balance in muscles. This leads to the desired effect of muscle hypertrophy and increased strength. (Mulcahey, Schiller, Hulstyn) There is no doubt that anabolic-androgenic steroids make athletes perform better. Many athletes have proved this already. But, there are many unhealthy side effects of doping such as decreased organ systems. According to Dr.

Harm Kuipers, the influence of Anabolic Steroids on liver function has been studied extensively. One significant finding is that injections of testosterone may cause lesions of the liver. This can further lead to liver failure if not treated immediately. Further studies done by Dr. Kuipers, show that anabolic steroids affect the cardiovascular system. Anabolic steroids increase the body’s total cholesterol and decrease high-density lipoproteins. Depending on the dosage, anabolic steroids can raise blood pressure and may lead to increased chances of heart attacks. (Kuipers) Even though there are many health risks, athletes continue to dope. The reasons for this deviance are hubris and over-conformity. Hubris is the expression of self-importance which leads to a sense of being separate and above the rest of the community. When an athlete decides to disregard the rules and use performance enhancing drugs, that athlete feels as if they above to community and can do whatever they please. Deviant over-conformity involves uncritically accepting norms and being willing to follow them to extreme degrees. This would be if an athlete feels undersized, that athlete’s over-conformity to the game and its social norm would drive the athlete to use performance enhancing drugs to “fit in”.

Nonetheless, they are breaking rules. Sport today is predominantly functionalistic in nature. Functionalism helps preserve the status quo of the society. It ties sports to the society’s beliefs and ideologies. There is an ideology in society the views sport in an honest light. It views athletes as hard working individuals that cherish the integrity of the game. This is why there are many different anti-doping agencies. These agencies set out to uphold the integrity of sport by banning performance enhancing drugs and drug testing to make sure that the athletes are abiding by the rules. And if they do not abide by the rules, a punishment will be implemented to improve conformity. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons takes a strong stand against the use of performance enhancing drugs. “The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons believes that anabolic steroids and their precursors should not be used to enhance athletic performance…and should be banned from all sports programs. To deter and detect drug use, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons suggest that aggressive drug testing programs be implemented, and harsh penalties be imposed for positive results” (Mulcahey, Schiller, Hulstyn). This is functionalistic because it promotes harsh punishment for those athletes who choose to ignore social values.

It is trying to keep the status-quo. Deviance will not go uncontested in sport due to its functionalistic nature. What functionalism promotes if fairness. According to “Making Sense of Fairness in Sports” by Thomas Murray all sports require many unique skills to achieve success. But, any minor random slip may give the victory to the opposing competitor. This allows sport have a fair playing field of competition where those who excel are talented due to their hard work. “If rules ban performing enhancing drugs, then using those drugs to gain an advantage over athletes who refuse to cheat is unfair” (Murray 14). It is unfair because it goes against societies shared values. Those who cheat to win do not understand the concept of importance of winning through hard work. “Sports are what can be accomplished under specific limitations” (Murray 14). Therefore, performing enhancing drugs make it much easier for an athlete to surpass their limitations which destroys the integrity of the game. To protect the integrity of the game performance enhancing drugs must be banned. There will always be competition because athletes will always strive to surpass their limitations. In the highly competitive world of Mixed Martial Arts, every minute of training is crucial to prepare oneself for competition.

Mixed Martial Arts is a combat sport in which competitors us interdisciplinary forms of fighting tactically and strategically in a supervised match. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the premier professional mixed martial arts organization. The UFC is functionalistic because it strives for the highest levels of safety and quality in all aspects of the sport, and there is a zero tolerance policy for the use of performance enhancing drugs. The UFC wants to make every match a fair level playing field and there are extreme repercussions for those individuals who disrupt the status-quo. If a UFC competitor is caught doping, they are immediately suspended and charged a fine. (UFC) On August 7th 2010, UFC 117 was held in Oakland CA. the main event that evening was a middleweight bout for the middleweight championship. Chael Sonnen was challenging the champion Anderson Silva. For four rounds, Sonnen dominated Silva and was one round away from becoming the new middleweight champion. But, halfway through the final round Silva caught Sonnen in a triangle choke and forced Sonnen to tap out. Sonnen was the aggressor of the fight and ended up losing in a split instant. Following the bout he was scheduled to have a rematch with Silva in January.

He was drug tested on September 18th 2010 and tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was immediately pulled from the rematch and suspended for a year by the UFC and the California State Athletic Commission. He was also charged with a fine of $2,500. This is how all positive drug tests should be handled all the time in sports. “As a physician, I look at fair play differently than most. I am less interested in who wins the contest as I am concerned about each competitor’s ability to fairly defend themselves” (Benjamin). This is significant because on August 7th, Silva nearly could not defend himself. He was on the defensive for the entire bout. Chael was just too strong for him to handle. Sonnen’s deviant over-conformity pushed him to use performance enhancing drugs. It also seriously injured Silva. Silva suffered two broken ribs and was put on the medical leave. Even though there is an accepted risk in MMA of getting this type of injury, it is worse because Sonnen dominated him for four rounds, and barely gave him a chance to retaliate. Sonnen’s deviant over-conformity led to Silva’s injuries.

Silva won the fight, but the question remains, would he have done as well if he was not doping? Winning often defines success, which can motivate athletes to use performance enhancing drugs to gain an edge. The desire to remain competitive among rival athletes drives them to deviant over-conformity. But, when it devalues the integrity of the game and is harmful to its participants, it is wrong. Performing enhancing drugs should be completely banned from all sports to protect the athlete and the integrity of the game. Keeping drugs out of competition has been difficult, but those who are caught blatantly disregarding the rules, should receive immediate harsh punishment. Works Cited Benjamin, Johnny. “Zero Tolerance for Performing Enhancing Drugs in MMA.” Orthopedic Spine Surgeon medical Journal. (2010): Print. Kuipers, Harm. “Anabolic Steroids: Side Effects.” Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science. University of Limburg, 07-03-1998. Web. 9 Dec 2010. < ;. Mulcahey, May, Johnathan Schiller, and Michael Hulstyn. “Anabolic Steroid Use in Adolescents.”Physician and Sports Medicine.

38.3 (2010): Print. Murray, Thomas. “Making Sense of Fairness in Sports.”Hastings Center Report. 40.2 (2010): 13-15. Print. Saudan, C, N Baume, N Robinson, L Avois, and M Saugy. “Testosterone and doping control.” Journal of Sports Medicine. 40.1 (2006): 21-24. Print. Woolf, Richard. “Banned Substances in Organized Sports.” Strength and Conditioning Journal. 27.2 (2005): 88-94. Print. World Anit-Doping Agency. “Definition of Doping.” N.p., June 2010. Web. 9 Dec 2010. < ;. UFC “History of the UFC.”. Zuffa, 2010. Web. 9 Dec 2010. < ;. Society and Culture: Take Me Out to the Ball Game Take Me Out to the Ball Game Thomas E.

Fitzpatrick Early seasonal sightings in North America of the blue-beaked shortstop and the red-breasted right fielder foretell of flocks sure to follow. As winter gives way to spring, town parks and area playing fields will sprout youth sport programs—a bevy of brightly-colored, budding ball players eager to strut their stuff. Laden with lawn chairs, picnic baskets and pets, proud parents leave their nests to assemble and enjoy the adorable exuberance and athletic exploits of their offspring. The cheerful scene of children at play in a safe and well-supervised setting is a delight to behold and a credit to communities that care for their fledging citizens. For many moms and dads, going out to the ball game is a welcome diversion from daily duties, a time of wholesome family fun in hometown America. If you buy them some peanuts and cracker jacks, they won’t care if they ever go back to the harried pace and hectic regimen of routine responsibilities. IN THE BIG-INNING Early in the 20th century social agencies like the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) began sponsoring sports and structured recreational activities, ostensibly designed to keep boys out of trouble.

In 1938 an oil company clerk named Carl Stotz had an idea for an organized baseball league for the boys in his hometown of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. With some help from family and friends, the first official Little League game was played on June 6, 1939. Over the past six decades, Little League Baseball has become the world’s largest organized youth sports program with over 180,000 teams in all 50 U.S. states and 80 different countries. Little League Baseball describes its mission, unchanged since 1939, as being to: “provide a wholesome, healthy activity for children using the ball field as a classroom, to instill discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play, and to establish a set of values to guide them into adulthood, and hopefully responsible citizenship. These are the reasons Carl Stotz founded the program, and they are the reasons it exists today.” Since the middle of the 20th century, adult-organized athletic activities for youth have grown dramatically. The view that these programs convey values, and cultivate character has been generally accepted in American culture.

A 2001 National Council of Youth Sports report indicates that 63 percent of boys and 37 percent of girls in America participate in an organized youth sports program for an average of five years. Over 38 million children participate in structured sports programs annually. It’s Only a Game, Isn’t It? Why do parents continue to register their kids in record numbers? Is it all fun and games? Or is there an expected return on their investment of time and money? At a time when warnings of childhood obesity abound, the obvious benefits of additional activity and exercise are attractive. Some have fond memories of their own childhood experiences and wish the same for their kids. Others express hope that physical abilities learned through structured play with peers will foster confidence and enhance social skills, teamwork, cooperation and the ability to deal with disappointment. But are we asking too much of sports and extracurricular activities? Is it reasonable to expect fields to function as classrooms of character? If we claim that sports can assist in building character, must we concede that if abused they can damage and destroy character? By nature, competitive sports involve determined effort and emotional intensity. It is this inherent pressure to push oneself to perform that attracts some parents to enroll their kids in these activities.

They anticipate that the discipline demanded by competition will promote physical and mental toughness, produce character and prepare children for the rigors of life. But does competition promote Character or produce characters? Daniel E. Doyle, Jr. is founder and executive director of the Institute of International Sport at the University of Rhode Island. Widely-acclaimed institute initiatives include National Sportsmanship Day, The World Scholar-Athlete Games, and the Center for Sports Parenting. Doyle holds a master of arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He has addressed sports ethics with student athletes for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on over 100 college campuses and has received two honorary doctorates for his work in sports education. Doyle recently discussed the relationship between sports and character with Vision.

When asked if competitive sports can deliver the much-desired benefit of building character in children, he replied: “Sports can teach traits that transfer into skill for success in life, but athletic prowess alone is not a guaranteed path to good life choices.” In his recently released book, The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting, the first in a three-volume series that can serve parents as a comprehensive guide for navigating the youth sports scene from novice to the NCAA, Doyle declares: “As a youngster playing sports in Worcester, Massachusetts, it was common to hear a well-meaning coach say, ‘If you’re a success on the court, you’ll be a success in life.’ This is not necessarily true!” “For those unable to transfer athletic excellence to other undertakings, there seemed to be a revealing common denominator: their success as young athletes had given them a false, even delusional sense of self-importance. For many, athletic success was accompanied by the passivity and even complicity of parents, coaches or teachers who permitted the young stars to take shortcuts and neglect their academic and character development. When parents encourage balance and perspective, sports can have a wonderful impact on a child.

Without such balance and perspective, sports can produce detrimental, sometimes devastating consequences.” Sadly, a lack of perspective causes some to perceive the young player’s rite of passage as the first encounter with the formidable forces that determine winners and losers in the game of life. To these folks this is more than mere child’s play. Their offspring’s identity, and no doubt their own, is at stake. Cheers, Jeers, Tears and Fears! Unfortunately, all is not fun and games in Norman Rockwell’s America. Social commentators continue to express concern about the coarsening of contemporary culture. That trend reveals itself as a lack of sportsmanship by coaches, athletes and spectators at sporting events. Although unsportsmanlike conduct is not new, it does seem that appropriate standards of behavior were less ambiguous to previous generations. Why do we tolerate trash-talking, taunting and baiting of opponents by young athletes? Are we unwittingly acquiescing to an adversarial “in your face” attitude? Emboldened by the cover of the crowd, some fans revel in hurling crude comments and abusive attempts at humor toward players, officials and each other.

Ironically, some adults expect organized sports to help develop good character in their children while they themselves demonstrate insidious incivility and lack of self-control on the sidelines. Are they unaware that their crass conduct undermines the credibility of the claim that sports competition is a classroom for responsible citizenship? Is good sportsmanship becoming an endangered ethic of a bygone era? Doyle believes that balance and perspective come from constructing a values-based sports parenting philosophy. He advises parents to adopt an anchors/aspirations approach to childrearing. “My anchor/aspiration approach to child rearing is simple. It proposes that aspirational goals such as excellence in sports or the arts are wonderful—they ennoble our lives. But the aspirations must be fortified by two anchors—character development and training the mind—or serious problems can develop. The objective is not to suppress a child’s desire to excel but rather to support the desire by making sure that the two anchors are safely moored. Failure to demand consistent effort toward achieving proficiency in the anchor qualities is very detrimental to a youngster’s long-term development.

Aspirational sports goals should never be mistaken as substitutes for, or interchangeable with, the anchor values.” The Honorable Competitor Can opponents clash in a competitive contest and demonstrate mutual respect while challenging one another to be and do their best? Doyle suggests that they can indeed if they are taught the true meaning of honorable competition. “Teach your young athlete that the word competition comes from the Latin word competere, which means to strive together, not against each other. Respect is an important part of this concept. Impress upon your young athlete that the honorable competitor respects opponents and, when an opponent tries hard and plays fairly, one often ends up both respecting and admiring the opponent.” If we want sports and extracurricular activities to contribute to the good character of our children, then we must have a predetermined values-based parenting philosophy that we require our children adhere to both on and off the field. Doyle emphasizes, “Parents should punish their children for unsportsmanlike conduct, whether officials do or not. Parents who fail to discipline a young athlete often rationalize their failure with excuses such as the umpires are unfair or the other team plays dirty. Dads and moms must let their athlete know that misconduct will result in home discipline.

Parents who ignore problems send the message that misconduct is acceptable. If you fail to actively and consistently teach your child the right values, you are, by default, leaving your child open to learning the wrong values. Harmful values include a win-at-any-cost mentality, outright cheating, arrogance, selfishness, acts of aggression and taking shortcuts to get ahead.” Parents seeking to promote the positive and neutralize the negative components of the contemporary competitive sports scene will benefit from the practical advice in Doyle’s The Encyclopedia of Sport Parenting. Parents seeking a code of conduct—a core set of virtues for formulating their parenting philosophy—need look no further than the Judeo-Christian ethic. Its golden rule provides a solid basis for a principled philosophy, good sportsmanship and quality of character. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you! This one brief statement promotes balance and perspective, expounds empathy, reveals the secret to graceful winning or dealing with disappointment, and champions the cause for class and character.

Related Content Rsm - Recreation And Sports Management 250 with Bemiller at University of Tennessee - Knoxville - StudyBlue Last Modified: 2015-06-25 Size: 25 Views: 30 1838 educator ____noted that in an increasingly urbanized United States, outdoor recreation space was becoming scarce and children were at risk of physical detention. Horace Mann Schools and other agencies began to promote baseball to aid in solving broad social problems such as ill health and juvenile delinquency Advertisement ) Was the first institution known to have promoted the physical well being of its student as part of its formal mission and curriculum The round hill school in Northampton, Massachusetts. Round hill schools founder appointed a German,___as their instructor of gymnastics, making him the first known physical education instructor in the United States Charles beck In 1859 the _____became the first school to feature games against outside competition in athletic programs actively encouraged and promoted by an administrator, school founder____ The Gunnery school in Washington, Connecticut. And Fredrick Gunn In 1878,____hired the first full time faculty member specifically to coach team sports. St.

Paul's school in concord, New Hampshire 1895,____Appointed the first permanent faculty member as director of athletics Exter academy in New Hampshire Several Boston area public and private schools formed the____in 1888 Interscholastic football association Good riddance to Little League: Organized youth sports have become stressful and regimented and it’s time to let them die | National Post Good riddance to Little League: Organized youth sports have become stressful and regimented and it’s time to let them die Justin Peters, Slate | May 28, 2015 | Last Updated: May 29 12:10 PM ET StumbleUpon Is Little League participation on the wane? And, if so, should we care? Those were two major questions raised by a Wall Street Journal piece from last week documenting the apparent decline of casual sporting leagues in a nation of kids who have either been bewitched by video games or encouraged to specialize in one sport year-round — or both, if the sport in which they specialize is competitive Minecraft.

Whether you find the WSJ report convincing and conclusive — and there are good reasons to be skeptical of it — it should raise in your mind an overwhelmingly important point: Little League and other youth sports leagues are terrible, and we should not be sad to see them go. Citing a study conducted by the National Sporting Goods Association, the Journal reported that while 8.8 million children between the ages of 7 and 17 played baseball in 2000, only 5.3 million children in that age group did the same in 2013. It’s worth noting, though, that the study seems to document declining youth participation in almost all sports, not just baseball. Basketball participation in the same age group and over the same time period dropped from 13.8 million to 10.3 million; soccer participation dropped from 9.2 million to 6.9 million. The only sport highlighted by the Journal with increased participation from 2000 to 2013 is tackle football, proving once again that Americans do not read the newspaper.

Related ‘Shame’ on them: Little League coach who gave inspirational speech after loss says his team ‘got beat by cheaters’ The Journal also reported on the declining fortunes of a youth baseball league in Newburgh, New York, a city “on the front lines of the fight for baseball’s future.” Whereas 206 children played Little League in Newburgh in 2009, only 74 signed up to play this year. Extrapolated to the wider world, this purported Little League participation crisis is bad news for Major League Baseball, given that the boy who plays baseball grows up to be the man who spends $149 on a Mark Trumbo jersey. Is the Newburgh Little League crisis truly indicative of broader Little League trends? Or is the Journal’s piece just a small-sample-size look at the amateur sporting fortunes of an impoverished city in a cold-weather region? And does it matter? Along with Mom and apple pie, Little League baseball symbolizes wholesome Americana. But just as apple pie is fattening and Mom won’t stop nagging you to come visit, neither is Little League an unalloyed good.

Little League was founded in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in the 1930s by a man named Carl Stotz who grew to hate what his creation became. “Originally, I had envisioned baseball for youngsters strictly on the local level without national playoffs and World Series and all that stuff,” Stotz later said, according to Mark Hyman in his book on youth sports, Until It Hurts . Then, in the 1950s, businessmen essentially staged a hostile takeover, forced Stotz out of the league, and proceeded to turn it into the worldwide entity that it is today, with its international World Series and its ESPN affiliation. “The national organization with headquarters here (in Williamsport) began developing into a Frankenstein. I became utterly disgusted,” said Stotz. He died a bitter man. Stotz found the bigness of Little League to be awful in part because it seemed like an exploitative ploy that used kids’ athletic ambitions to fill adult-sized voids. As the league grew and became more corporate, there was less and less opportunity for kids to enjoy the thrill of low-stakes, good-natured organized competition.

In his fascinating paper “ ‘A Diamond Is a Boy’s Best Friend’: The Rise of Little League Baseball, 1939-1964 ,” University of Chicago historian Michael H. Carriere argues that Little League was a force for normative morality in a postwar America terrified that children would fall prey to sexual perversion, juvenile delinquency, and, presumably, the beatnik menace. For children, Carriere argues, Little League served to reinforce social order; it was “a highly supervised activity that engendered in children a healthy respect for law and order, taught proper gender roles, and, most importantly, brought families together.” For the postwar corporate man, coaching Little League was a way to manifest the initiative and aggression he was unable to show at work.

The league helped compensate for the denatured character of postwar corporate labour while simultaneously preparing boys to enter the workforce and “accept such dispositions as specialization, rationalization, and bureaucratization.” By formalizing unstructured youth sporting play, modeling it on professional leagues, putting adults in charge, and keeping score and maintaining league standings, Little League “began to be seen as simply one stop on the trajectory of young people’s professional lives.” Today you’re signing up for Little League, tomorrow you’re signing up for a lifetime of toil at General Motors. So why should this bother us? Because youth sports leagues are stressful and regimented at their worst, and even at their best, they promote the idea that organized, performative play is the most valid and important kind of play. The mere fact that adults take such a keen interest in the sporting activities of children invests those activities with an importance that just screwing around in a vacant lot will never have. That’s a horrible attitude to promote.

I played organized youth baseball until I was 14 or so, and the fun moments I remember are vastly outnumbered by the terrible and stressful ones: botching a critical play and feeling horrible about it for a week, failing to make all-star teams because the coaches nominated their own kids, the tension and agita of pretending these games have actual stakes, and the sense that if you don’t perform at your best, you’re letting everybody down. In contrast, the most fun I had in childhood was with ad hoc games with other kids from my neighbourhood: basketball on my driveway until dark, baseball with maybe four other kids in a vacant lot. Spontaneous play is better than organized play. The two can coexist, of course. But spontaneous play allows children to be in charge of their worlds for a while, to set and explore their own rules and boundaries, to exercise their imaginations in addition to their bodies. So who cares whether youth baseball really is waning in Newburgh? As long as they can play pickup games, the town’s children will be fine.

A League of Their Own | Your Favorite Sports Blog Your Favorite Sports Blog Stay updated via RSS Latest Posts A League of Their Own Posted: February 7, 2011 in Texts 0 Baseball has come to be known as America’s pastime. It is a game of patience, anticipation, and character. In this day and age professional baseball players are seen as role models for young aspiring children. As role models, they demonstrate qualities such as: loyalty, respect, and courage. But, outside of school it is difficult for young children to practice these fundamental qualities. Little league baseball allows children the opportunity to grow into a well-rounded adult through team sport. Founded in 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania by Carl Stotz, little league baseball prepares children for greater life endeavors. It began as a three-team league and grew into an international phenomenon. It was Carl Stotz’ dream of establishing a league that would teach children the dynamics of teamwork and fair play that has lead to the great little league organization of today. Where there are nearly 200,000 teams in over 80 countries of the world. Little league baseball is functionalistic in nature. Functionalism helps preserve the status quo of the society.

It ties sports to the society’s beliefs and ideologies. It creates a system that socializes people to accept societal values and protects those people from disruptive outside influence. This functionalistic nature is great for kids because it allows them the opportunity to contribute to the larger social system. So, it keeps children out of trouble by giving them something to look forward to that is fun and influential. Carl Stotz in essence, knew that what he was creating was going to be functionalistic. Stotz wanted, “A little league for youth baseball players in which rules, equipment, and life lessons were designed to suit them.” (Hyman1). One major aspect of little league baseball that is functionalistic in nature is the pledge. The little league pledge is said before every game. This pledge was created by Peter J. McGovern to replace the use of the “United States Pledge of Allegiance”. He wanted to give all little leagues across the world a pledge with aspects of the pledge of allegiance while adding elements of sportsmanship and the desire to win. Every statement in the pledge is made to teach those who are playing societal values.

“I trust in God, I love my country, And will respect its laws, I will play fair, And strive to win, But win or lose, I will always do my best.” (Peter J. McGovern1). This pledge was designed to motivate kids to accept social norms by instilling values such as religion, determination, and nationalism, during a simple little league baseball game. But, it is not just the pledge that promotes aspects of functionalism; it is the entire organization as a whole. According to an article in “Science Daily” entitled “Youth Clubs Strengthen kids’ self image to keep them out of trouble”, children that belong to a youth organization such as little league baseball, gain a stronger sense of who they are as a person. There was a study done by Dawn Anderson-Butcher, an associate professor of social work at Ohio State University, where nearly 300 children from ages 9 to 16 where surveyed. About three-fourths of the kids participated in and organized league, and the rest where just children who lived in the surrounding community. The survey was entitled, “The Utah Division of Substance Abuse Needs Assessment Survey”.

It asked questions such as how the children felt towards their families, schools, neighborhoods, and drugs. The study revealed, “the more children participated in the club, the stronger their sense of self. Participation in the club boosted their social skill, as well as the positive reinforcement they felt they received from the community” (Anderson-Butcher1). This article is a great example of how organizations like little league baseball are functionalistic. It promotes values needed in society like co-operation and allows children to develop high self-esteems so they can succeed in society. Children are learning from sport instead of class. “If a kid has to choose between playing basketball, or going to a life skills class, which are they going to choose?” (Anderson-Butcher2). Sport as an engagement technique helps them learn these life lessons without making them sit in a classroom and be lectured. Though, classrooms do keep children out of trouble. Another aspect of functionalism that goes hand and hand with little league baseball is the idea of protecting the children from disruptive outside influence. If these young baseball players are on a baseball team making friends and enjoying the game, it takes away their free time.

Theodore Roosevelt once argued, “The way to cut the alarming rate of juvenile delinquency was to build more playgrounds. “The young criminals are created not by their school life, but by what is done in their leisure hours.”” (Hyman4). Therefore, little league baseball allows young children the opportunity to stay out of trouble. It gives them time during the day to go out and have fun. But, not just any fun, they have controlled fun that will develop them into a mature adult. Theodore Roosevelt felt strongly about this issue. He truly believed that if children had more time to play and have structured fun, they would not have do mischievous things because they are bored. Roosevelt also stated, “By striving for a proper opportunity from outdoor recreation… for all of our boys and girls we will do a great work towards cutting down crime” (Mark Hyman4) So, by creating little league baseball Carl Stotz theoretically lowered the crime rate. “Prevention is better than the cure” (Wright1). This quote from the article “Keeping Youth Out of Trouble” describes Theodore Roosevelt and Carl Stotz’ idea for creating an institution that would protect children from disruptive outside influences and keep them out of trouble.

Little league baseball is seen as functionalistic because it is strongly integrated into the community. According to the article “Baseball Tomorrow Fund Helps Small Town Prosper”, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) awarded $80,991 to Lincoln Parks and Recreation Foundation in Nebraska. The BTF is a joint initiative between the Major League Baseball Players Association and Major League Baseball designed to help promote and enhance baseball throughout the world. (Davis28) They awarded this money to these organizations, so that they can construct baseball fields and a new little league for the roughly 500 children in the area. The BTF believes that this will give the children of the community the opportunity to learn the game of baseball. But, they will not only be learning about baseball, they will also be learning life lessons, just as Carl Stotz dreamed. But, some of the most important members of the community are the coaches that run the little league teams. When most people think of little league coaches, they tend to think of a coach who yells, screams, and punishes his team in defeat. Coaches who are more worried about reliving their own little league experience rather than developing the children that he has been placed in charge of.

But, that is not always the case when Jerry Dunnack is spoken of. Jerry Dunnack has become very successful with his little league team because he never puts them down. “He yelled, but he always yelled encouragement. ‘You can do better,’ he’d say. He never belittled or berated anyone.” (Ryan1). This coach believed that he was there for a higher purpose. He was not just there to help a team win, he was there to develop boys into well-rounded men. He taught teamwork and co-operation passionately and the team won many games with this coaching technique. Both the children and the parents were happy to have him as the coach. Carl Stotz would be proud of him as well because he is doing what Stotz had intended. Another aspect of functionalism is nationalism. According to the article, “A Kid’s Game?: Little League Baseball and National Identity of Taiwan” little league baseball actually helped Taiwanese Nationalism. Since the 1940’s Taiwan’s international relations have dominated by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In 1949, the “One China” doctrine was created.

This doctrine states that, “It is the shared belief of both governments that the separation of the two was a temporary anomaly.” (Sundeen255). But in reality, both continued to view themselves as two separate legitimate governments. But, Taiwan was constantly in the shadow of the PRC and competing for global recognition. So the Taiwanese people had no nationalism because they were in the shadow of the PRC. Little League baseball helped the Taiwanese people to believe in themselves again. This sport of values allowed the creation of a team that could not be defeated easily. The team played to win, and to gain recognition for Taiwan. Carl Stotz’ international competition provided a place where the national community of Taiwan could be symbolically represented by teenagers. “It has been long recognized in both scholarly and popular literature that sport can be a major force in international politics.” (Sundeen255). On that stage, those Taiwanese teenagers secured sovereign recognition for their country. These kids were able to be a part of something bigger than themselves, which is one of the main goal of little league baseball. Therefore, the functionalistic nature of little league baseball is good for kids and good for society. It allows kids to learn the necessary values needed to succeed in society today.

It aids the social system by developing hardworking and value based individuals to keep the society working. Carl Stotz’ grand scheme is a success for society and the children who have fun along the way. Works Cited Anderson-Butcher, Dawn. “youth clubs stregthen kids’ self image to keep them out of trouble.” science daily. 12 june 2010: Print. Davis, Sean. “baseball tomorrow fund helps small towns prosper.” parks &recreation. 39.9 (2004): 28. Print. Hyman, Mark. Until it Hurts. Boston MA: Beacon Press, 2009. 1-14. Print. McGovern, Peter. “little league online.” little league pledge. N.p., 2003. Web. 7 Oct 2010.< Ryan, Bill. “the little league coach who yells encouragement.” the new york times 28 May 1995, Print. Sundeen, Joseph. “A kids game?: little league baseball and the national identity in taiwan.” Journal of Sport & Social Issues. 25 (2001): 251-264.

Print. Wright, Jacob. “keeping youth out of trouble.” ezine . N.p., august 2001. Web. 7 Oct 2010. < Feldman '15: Little League, big pressure Friday, September 5, 2014 Andrew Feldman As students get older, they often complain that their jobs or internships require long, arduous hours that take advantage of their need for experience and/or employment. These complaints usually don’t begin until high school at the very least, if not college. But for some 11- to 13-year-olds, this exploitation begins before many of their parents even allow them to stay home alone. In 1939, Little League Baseball began in unassuming Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Carl Stotz started the league in his hometown to help teach local children about “sportsmanship, fair play and teamwork,” according to the Little League website. While the league still serves as a great opportunity for kids from all over the country and the world to come together to play a sport they love, it has spawned a tournament where prepubescent children are now burdened with the same pressures as professional athletes.

The Philadelphia Taney Dragons’ Mo’ne Davis is at the epicenter of all of this pressure. Davis is the first girl to ever pitch a complete game shutout and only the sixth to record a hit in the Little League World Series. Her athletic prowess has deservedly earned her fame, so much so that she became the youngest athlete to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. But how much attention can we put on her until it becomes excessive? It’s not that she cannot handle the fame — she has done so, better than the vast majority of children or adults ever could — but how much attention should really be thrown at a 13-year-old child who is about to enter the eighth grade? It’s one thing for Little Leaguers to celebrate their best ­— especially Davis, who has served as a national role model — but another entirely for adults to put so much pressure on her. When asked about her expectations for her newfound popularity, she said, “People were like, ‘Oh, there’s going to be people running up to you taking pictures,’ and I thought it was going to be a bunch of little kids. But it’s grown-ups!

And that’s, like, creepy.” Little League Baseball does attempt to alleviate some of those pressures by adhering to the initial ideals of sportsmanship. The teams that qualify for the LLWS are local teams that won their respective regional brackets. The players aren’t just a 12-person all-star team from a region — they are an actual local team of friends. Rules are also in place to ensure that everyone is given an equal chance to play, without anyone playing too much. Rules set a minimum number of times a player must bat while limiting the number of pitches and how often a pitcher can pitch in a game. However, Little League baseball must go beyond the rule book in order to truly aid these heavily scrutinized children. The Little League World Series compensates the Little League teams’ participation with equipment, transportation and room and board, as well as the chance to play on an international stage. But, in return, the LLWS has a $76 million TV contract with ESPN over the next eight years. That’s not even including all the additional endorsement deals or the memorabilia and tens of thousands of tickets sold. Recently, Davis’ autographed baseballs were selling for as much as $500 on eBay.

This is not to say that 11- to 13-year-old children should all of a sudden get a salary for their efforts. The LLWS should be reinvesting some of its profits in the players to ensure the growth and safety of not just kids involved in the tournament but children across the entire country. The simplest way to help LLWS participants is by allocating a portion of the proceeds into a college scholarship fund. If the well-being of the children participating is at the forefront, then the league should use some of this excess profit to help ensure its players’ continued success. Most of these players do not advance to professional baseball but instead will need to pursue other career options that often require a higher level of education. Reinvesting some of these profits in the playersby offering them college scholarships would make continued education a viable option. The larger and more influential way to allocate these funds is sponsoring baseball initiatives in inner cities and impoverished communities. Sponsoring the growth of Little League baseball in communities that traditionally lack such activities could give kids a healthful, supervised extracurricular activity that could spur community development.

Subsidizing such programs would also promote the initial ideals that Little League baseball stood for — children would be able to learn all about sportsmanship and teamwork. With the recent popularity of inner-city teams such as the Taney Dragons and the U.S. champion Chicago Jackie Robinson West, now is the perfect time to continue to aid these communities. Hopefully a player like Davis can go on to achieve her dream of playing basketball at the University of Connecticut before eventually playing in the WNBA. But if not, the LLWS should be working to aid her growth by supporting her education and using her notoriety to give other children in communities across the country the same opportunities she has been fortunate enough to receive. Andrew Feldman ’15 exclusively taunts professional athletes and can be reached at andrew_feldman@brown.edu with complaints about how your favorite professional team is being outplayed by 13-year-olds.

Question: Carl Stotz began an organisation in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1939 to promote what sport to youth?
Answer: Baseball