By Richard Carrier
Contributing Writer

With the melody and words of John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” still running through my mind I’ll turn on ESPN at to take in the experience of what I revere as the essence of sports. Forget the Yankees against the Red Sox, this is the real thing: Fairfield Connecticut versus Auburn Washington in the opening game of pool play in the Little League World Series. Eight US teams from Hawaii to Connecticut and eight International teams will compete from August 20 through August 29 for the title of Little League World Champion.

I’m on my annual soapbox preaching the simple joy of playing a game these kids represent. If you have to lay out of work or cut class; make sure and unplug the phone, in order to take in at least one game, Fogerty, Mantle, Stengel, Ruth and the rest of the baseball gods will not only forgive you these transgression, they’ll endorse them and you.

The purity of the experience at this level is revealed by Little League policies and the procedures at Howard J. Lamade Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. All seats for the entire 30-plus-game tournament are free (Lamade Field seats 10,000). Of course, there is no alcohol permitted, no large umbrellas, large coolers, laser pointers, noise makers (the dreaded Vuvuselas are specifically prohibited), liquid containers or and – I think this really sends a message – smokeless tobacco.

To assure that each squad that worked its way through regional play then jumped through untold fund-raising hoops in order to afford the trip to Williamsport (Just imagine how much money it took to get the International and Hawaii teams to Williamsport) gets their days in the sun, each team will play no less than three games. If your team loses its
first two games it is automatically crossed-over to International play, in another expansion of the Little League World Series experience.

Unlike Major League Baseball, the Little League World Series instituted instant replay in 2008. As a method “to overturn an obvious wrong,“ according to Little League Chairman of the Board, Stephen Lewin, questionable home runs and close plays at the outfield fence could be examined.

(At the time the Little League announced this implementation, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig commented that Major League Baseball was looking into the use of instant replay and would possibly have it implemented by the post-season- the post-season of 2008).

This year the Little League has expanded its usage parameters to include force-outs, tags on the base paths, missed bases and hit batters.

Umpires normally call for the replay, but if they fail to, and a Team Manager judges the call was in error, he or she may challenge. Twelve different camera angles should assure that the call is then judged correctly.

While there is no limit on the number the number of challenges a Manager may call for, he or she only gets one unsuccessful challenge during regulation play and one in extra innings.

I personally view the Little League’s World Series adoption of instant replay as its assurance to the youngsters that their efforts will be judged fairly, an unbelievably important assurance for a twelve-year old.