Junior, Senior, and Big League Baseball are divisions of Little League Baseball. |
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| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 |
| TV partner(s) | ABC, ESPN |
| Founder | Carl Stotz |
| Official website | http://www.littleleague.org/ |
Junior, Senior and Big League Baseball are youth baseball divisions of Little League Baseball that are considered more advanced and difficult than younger Little League divisions due to more advanced rules, including the ability to lead-off and steal as the pitcher breaks, along with longer base paths and greater pitching distance. Junior League also includes the use of bats with 2 5/8 inch barrels rather than the transitional 2 1/4 inch barrels of Little League. Junior League also allows the use of metal spikes in cleats in addition to the molded or plastic spikes used in Little League.
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Junior League Baseball is for people age 12 to 14 years old.[1]
Senior League Baseball is for children aged 14 to 16 years old.[2]
Big League Baseball is for children aged 16 to 18 years old.[3]
For the Little League baseball division, there are sixteen regions, whose champions are divided into two brackets (U.S. and International). The eight U.S. regions are: New England, Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest (including Alaska), and West (including Hawaii). The eight international regions are: Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Latin America (Central America and South America), Japan, Asia-Pacific (all other countries in Asia and the Pacific), Europe, and MEA (Middle East and Africa)[4]
For the Junior, Senior, and Big League baseball divisions, there are only five U.S. regions:
The international regions differ in these three divisions.
Unlike the Little League World Series — which has sixteen regions (eight in the U.S. bracket and eight in the International bracket) — the Junior League World Series has only ten regions, whose champions are divided into the United States Pool and the International Pool.[5]
The Junior League has five international regions:
Unlike the Little League World Series — which has sixteen regions, divided into U.S. and International brackets — the Senior League World Series (1) has only nine regions, (2) has a host team (Maine District 3), and (3) the regional champions (plus the host team) are divided into two mixed pools that combine U.S. and international regions (Pool A and Pool B).[6]
The Senior League has only four international regions:
Unlike the Little League World Series — which has sixteen regions (eight in the U.S. and eight international) — the Big League World Series (1) has only ten regions, divided into Pool A (U.S.) and Pool B (International), and (2) has a host team (South Carolina District 1), which plays in the U.S. pool.[7]
The Big League has five international regions:
The distance between the bases is 90 feet, the same as for regulation Major League Baseball fields. The distance between the pitcher's mound to home plate is 60.5 feet, also identical to that of MLB. The minimum outfield distance in the upper divisions is 300 feet, while the maximum for Big League is 425 feet.
A game consists of seven innings (same as in high school baseball) and is official if five innings have been completed.
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| Notable Figures: Carl Stotz Honors: Little League Baseball awards • Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum In Popular Culture: Video games: Little League World Series Baseball Movies: Mickey Well-known Players: Danny Almonte • Aaron Durley • Carolyn King • Maria Pepe Miscellaneous: Little League Elbow • White House Tee Ball Initiative |