Little League® is an international pastime that has been a fabric of societies throughout the world for over 75 years. Since its founding in 1939 by Carl Stotz, Little League has instilled leadership, character, courage and loyalty in all that participate, including the nearly 1.5 million adult volunteers. Little League can be found in more than 80 countries worldwide with more than 2.4 million children participating each year. Little League has celebrated many milestones due to the dedication of its players, parents and volunteers. Below are just a few examples …
- Legacy Begins- June 6, 1939: First Little League Game is played.
- World Series- 1947: First Little League Baseball® World Series is played.
- International Expansion- 1951: Canada charters the first international team.
- First Area Little League- 1952: Little League Baseball is first offered in the North Allegheny area with games played at Vestal Field.
- Little League Pledge- 1954: Written by Peter J. McGovern, late president of Little League Baseball; it first appears in Little Leaguer® magazine.
- New Stadium- 1959: Howard J. Lamade Stadium is built in Williamsport, PA.
- Federal Charter- 1964: Little League receives its Federal Charter.
- Softball- 1974: Little League Softball is founded
- Challenger- 1989: The Little League Challenger Division is established.
- PA State Championship- 1992: Little Leaguers from the North Allegheny area win the Majors Division led by future MLB player Corey Sullivan.
- Urban Initiative- 1999: The Urban Initiative Program is established.
- Stadium Expansion- 2001: Volunteer Stadium is built at the Little League Williamsport complex.
- NALL Chartered- 2010: North Allegheny Little League is formed to continue the Little League program and tradition in the North Allegheny area.
- PA State Championship- 2014: North Allegheny Little League's Junior League All-Stars win the Pennsylvania State Championship.
- NALL Softball- 2015: Little League Softball offered to the North Allegheny community for the very first time.
- IFPLL Formed- 2018: NALL and IFPAA merge to form Ingomar Franklin Park Little League to continue providing Little League baseball and softball to the youth of North Allegheny, forming the largest baseball/softball organization in the area.
From humble beginnings, Little League Baseball & Softball has become the world’s largest organized youth sports program. Today, the basic goals of Little League & IFPLL remain the same as they did in 1939, to give the children of the world a game that provides fundamental principles (sportsmanship, fair play and teamwork) that they can use later in life to become good citizens.