Hall of Excellence

Growing up playing on the baseball fields in Trail, British Columbia, Ray Ferraro lived out a dream that every Little Leaguer hopes for – playing in the Little League Baseball World Series. Representing his hometown Trail Little League team, Mr. Ferraro and his teammates lived out the ultimate dream, winning the Canada Region championship to earn a trip to Williamsport in 1976.

Following his memorable Little League experience that saw a 1-2 record in the world’s largest youth sports tournament, Mr. Ferraro went on to an incredible career on the ice after being drafted 88^th overall (fourth pick in the fifth round) in the 1982 NHL Draft by the Hartford Whalers. During his 18-year NHL career, Mr. Ferraro scored 408 goals and 490 assists for a total of 898 points across 1,258 games and was named an All-Star in 1992. During his 1993 season with the New York Islanders that ended with team-leading goals (13) and assists (20), Mr. Ferraro picked up a pair of overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals and eventually went on to defeat the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins before falling to the eventual champion Montreal Canadiens.

After hanging up his skates on August 2, 2002, he quickly turned his attention to the broadcast booth to share his love for the game with fans from all around the world. Since 2021, Mr. Ferraro has served on the ESPN broadcast team as an analyst and has previously served as a commentator for both the 2010 and 2018 Winter Olympics. On November 23, 2015, Mr. Ferraro became the first hockey broadcaster to call a game in which their child was playing, watching his son, Landon, take the ice with the Boston Bruins. Mr. Ferraro currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife, and Hockey Hall of Famer, Cammi Granato.

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Before an astonishing hockey career that saw three Olympic medals and seven World Championship gold medals for Team USA on the ice, Meghan Duggan could be found as a youngster playing Little League in her hometown of Danvers, Massachusetts. After hanging up her cleats, Ms. Duggan went on to play hockey for the University of Wisconsin and spent six seasons of professional hockey that included four years with the Boston Blades in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, winning the Clarkson Cup in 2013 and 2015, and two in the National Women’s Hockey League.

After making her international debut with Team USA at the 2007 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship, Ms. Duggan made her mark on the national team. Just three years later, she was selected to the 2010 U.S. Olympic team, finishing with four goals to capture a silver medal, and was later named the captain for the 2014 and 2018 Olympic games. In 2017, she stood up for the women in her sport, boycotting the World Championships to help bring equable support and conditions for females in the game.

On October 13, 2020, Ms. Duggan officially retired as a player, but less than a year later joined the New Jersey Devils as the manager of player development, a new role within the franchise. Today, Ms. Duggan serves as the Director of Player Development for the organization, and she continues to be an inspiration to women everywhere as she serves as immediate-past President of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Married to the former Canadian women’s hockey player she once competed against, Gillian Apps, Ms. Duggan now has three children and lives in Toronto, Ontario.

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Over the course of the past 50 years, there have been countless girls and women who have led in the movement to help bring opportunities to females within the Little League^® program, but one young girl from Hoboken, New Jersey, truly was a pioneer in bringing a change the world would remember forever.

Born in 1960, Maria Pepe grew up like many girls continue to do today, loving the game of baseball. As a 12-year-old in 1972, she joined her friends and went out to pitch three games for her local Little League Baseball^® team in Hoboken, New Jersey, enjoying the fun and teamwork that came with the Little League experience.

To honor her legacy, Little League International has officially enshrined her into the Hall of Excellence, the highest honor the organization can bestow, making her the eighth woman to earn the honor. The enshrinement ceremony took place on Saturday, June 8, during the welcome ceremony of the 2024 Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series, the first-ever all-female baseball event held at Howard J. Lamade Stadium, named in Maria’s honor.

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One of ESPN’s most iconic personalities of all-time, Stuart Scott (1965-2015), a graduate of Northwest Forsyth (N.C.) Little League, will become the 62^nd person to be enshrined in the Little League^® Hall of Excellence. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 27, prior to the Championship Game of the 2023 Little League Baseball^® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, with Mr. Scott’s daughters, Taelor and Sydni Scott, accepting the honor on their father’s behalf.

“The Little League Hall of Excellence shines a spotlight on the graduates of our program that have gone on to be role models for the millions of children who participate in our program in communities around the world,” said Steven P. Johnson, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman. “Throughout his career, Mr. Scott inspired countless children by captivating audiences through his SportsCenter broadcasts and iconic catchphrases. As his daughters Taelor and Sydni carry on his legacy as ambassadors for the V Foundation and in their professional careers, we are honored to welcome Mr. Scott to the Hall of Excellence.”

Mr. Scott was born in Chicago, Illinois, and he and his family moved to the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina, where he and his siblings quickly got into youth sports playing at Northwest Forsyth Little League. As a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina, he played wide receiver and defensive back for the football team and he started his broadcasting career on the college format radio station WXYC. After six years in local news, Mr. Scott made his ESPN debut on October 1, 1993, on ESPN2, the day the network launched.

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A graduate of the Centennial Little League program in Glendale, California, Ms. Dalton-Hill became familiar with the big stage early on in her career as she had the opportunity to live out her own World Series dream playing in the 1989 Senior League Softball World Series. While her team unfortunately fell in the championship game to the team from Naples, Florida, the memories she took from that experience have lasted her a lifetime.

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A member of the 1998 Little League Baseball World Series Championship team from Toms River (N.J.) East American Little League, often referred to as “The Beast from the East,” Mr. Frazier was nothing short of a hero in Williamsport. Throughout the series, Mr. Frazier hit a home run in every game he appeared in except for one. In the five games his team played, he went 9-for-15 with four home runs (including a grand slam), drove in 10 RBI, and scored 11 runs. In the Championship Game alone, he went 4-for-4 with a lead-off home run and was the winning pitcher. Following his team’s iconic run, Mr. Frazier had the unique opportunity to stand alongside then-New York Yankee shortstop and fellow Little League graduate, Derek Jeter, a photo that would be remembered for years to come.

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While to many it may seem like an individual sport, it takes a lot of teamwork to be a successful NASCAR driver. It’s important to work together with your pit crew and teammates in order to see success on the track. For 2018 Daytona 500 champion, Austin Dillon, that teamwork was instilled with him at a young age during his time on the baseball field playing for Southwest Forsyth County (N.C.) Little League.

“Little League teaches you how to work with a team and put in a lot of hard work and effort,” said Mr. Dillon. “The coach that we had taught us the importance of fundamentals and hard work, and that’s something you can take in everything you do. I still use a lot of those team philosophies that we used in Little League in everything I do today.”

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For many children growing up, Little League® becomes the first introduction to the game of baseball and softball, and for University of Washington Head Coach Heather Tarr, spending time at the Little League field has helped lead to her to an incredible career as a collegiate player, professional player, and now a top NCAA Division I head coach.

“I found my favorite sport playing Little League,” said Ms. Tarr. “Watching my older brother go through it when I was at the youngest level made me aspire to do what he was doing. It’s something I look back on as such an amazing experience to have been a part of.”

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Thomas Tull, graduate of the Maine-Endwell Little League in Endwell, New York, is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Tulco. He made his mark in Hollywood through the production of some of the greatest films of this century. Mr. Tull was the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board for Legendary Entertainment where he produced and executive produced more than 40 films that together grossed of more than $13 billion at the worldwide box office, including Godzilla, Pacific Rim, 42, the Dark Knight trilogy, 300 and 300: Rise of an Empire, The Town, Inception, and Clash of the Titans. He serves on the MIT School of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and the Carnegie Mellon University Board of Directors. He also sits on the boards of the Motion Picture Television Fund, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the National Football Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Players Tribune. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Business School and part of the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers ownership group, where he also holds a board seat.

“Receiving this honor and joining a distinguished group in the Little League Museum all of Excellence is greater than anything I could have dreamed of as a kid growing up on a baseball field in Endwell, New York,” said Mr. Tull. “Before any of my business endeavors, baseball was one of my true passions and still is today. I’m extraordinarily grateful for what baseball has provided me by instilling a true sense of team work and community throughout my life. Little League Baseball is a wonderful experience for kids all over the world and I’m proud to support it.”

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Little League® Baseball and Softball is proud to announce that Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., has officially been enshrined into the Little League Hall of Excellence in honor of his dedication to the growth of youth baseball and softball, his commitment to pursuing excellence, and his positive influence as a role model to aspiring Little Leaguers®. With his enshrinement, Mr. Manfred becomes the 56th member to earn a spot in the Hall of Excellence, the highest honor that Little League can bestow.

“It is an honor to welcome Commissioner Manfred into the Little League Hall of Excellence,” said Hugh E. Tanner, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman. “His commitment to the growth and development of youth baseball and softball in communities around the world, and the support that he has shown for the Little League program during his time as Commissioner, has been greatly appreciated by those of us at the grassroots level. Both of our futures are bright working together.”   

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Angel Macias, the only pitcher to ever pitch a perfect game in the Little League Baseball® World Series final has served as a major influencer in the growth of baseball in Mexico. Being a part of the first Mexican team to play in and subsequently win the Little League World Series put Mr. Macias in a spot where he could help take the growth of youth baseball in Mexico to new heights. He and his teammate from that championship team, Jose “Pepe” Maiz Garcia, were active volunteers in promoting and helping the Monterrey Little League. Mr. Macias was also the director of the Mexican Baseball Academy until his retirement.

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Sydney Leroux grew up in British Columbia, Canada, and played baseball for the Whalley Little League team from 1995 to 2004. In 2002, Ms. Leroux became the first girl to play for a tournament team in the league where she helped lead her team to a Canada Region championship, nearly earning a trip to the Little League Baseball® World Series. Since switching to soccer full time in high school, Ms. Leroux has been highly successful on the pitch. She was the winner of the Golden Boot and Golden Ball award at the 2008 U20 World Cup in Chile and has the most goals scored in U20 history for Team USA. She joined the USWNT in 2011, winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics, and the Women’s World Cup in 2015, the team’s first World Cup title since 1999. Throughout her professional career, Ms. Leroux has since become an advocate for equality and is able to use her platform on the USWNT as a way to inspire young girls like her to follow their dreams. Ms. Leroux became the fifth woman enshrined in the Little League Hall of Excellence and just the second Little Leaguer from Canada to earn the honor.

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Champ Pederson was born with Down Syndrome, a genetic condition caused by the presence of an extra chromosome, but for this graduate of the Little League Challenger Division® at Palo Alto (Calif.) Little League, the condition never once defined who he is as a person. From playing baseball in the Little League program to competing in the Special Olympics, Mr. Pederson has always been actively involved in sports and takes pride in his competitive personality, especially growing up with two brothers and a sister. For Mr. Pederson, and the rest of his family, the concept of “Live Like a Champ” became a way to help share his story and empower others to step up and live a positive life, even on the toughest days. Mr. Pederson and his family have also used it as a platform to raise funds in support of various causes that support individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities. Mr. Pederson is the first-ever graduate of the Little League Challenger Division to earn the honor.

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An accomplished NFL coach and two-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Coughlin grew up playing baseball for Waterloo (N.Y.) Little League. Prior to his coaching career, Mr. Coughlin was a fullback on the Syracuse University football team, sharing the field with Larry Csonka and Floyd Little. His first taste of coaching was at Boston College, where he was the quarterback coach for Heisman Trophy winner, Doug Flutie, before becoming the school’s head coach from 1981 to 1983. In the NFL, Mr. Coughlin was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995 to 2002, leading the team to a pair of AFC Championship games. Mr. Coughlin then became the head coach of the New York Giants, where he spent 12 seasons and won two Super Bowls. Respected for his disciplined and fair coaching style, he ranks No. 12 on the Top 25 NFL Coaching Wins list, compiling 177 victories.

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A five-time MLB All-Star and winner of nine gold glove, Torii Hunter played baseball in the National Little League in Pine Bluff, Ark. Through the Torii Hunter Project, Mr. Hunter has supported the Little League Urban Initiative program. Little League’s Urban Initiative supplies the financial and educational assistance to local leagues to provide all children, from any economic background, the ability to play baseball and softball. Mr. Hunter was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1993, and made his debut with the team in 1997. Throughout his 19-year career, playing for the Twins, Angels, and Tigers, Mr. Hunter hit 353 home runs, drove in 1,391 runs, had a career batting average of .277, won nine Gold Gloves, two Silver Slugger awards, and was named a five-time All-Star.

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Cat Osterman, now a softball coach at Texas State University, played Little League Softball® at Bear Creek Little League in Houston, Texas. After graduating from Cypress Springs High School as the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year, Ms. Osterman joined Team USA Softball, where she went on to be ranked first in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings at 15.4, and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice. During her time as a three-time USA Softball National Player of the Year at the University of Texas, Ms. Osterman became the first NCAA pitcher to register 2,000-plus strikeouts and would then go on to win a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and a silver at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Ms. Osterman was a four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American, and a three-year member of the All-Big 12 Academic Team.

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Mariano Rivera is the first Panamanian to be selected for the Little League Hall of Excellence. Mr. Rivera, who played in the Barrio Colón Little League in La Chorrera, Panama, pitched 19 seasons for the New York Yankees. He retired in 2014 as Major League Baseball’s career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952). His signature pitch, the cut fastball, was described by one MLB hitter as “the single best pitch ever in the game,” and he is recognized by many as the best relief pitcher in baseball history. Mr. Rivera and his wife, Clara, operate or support numerous faith-based charities in Panama and the New York City area.

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Joining Little League® at the age of eight and playing until he was 15, Mike Mussina pitched his first game ever for the Johnny Z’s Restaurant team in the Montoursville (Pa.) Little League (MLL) at the age of 10. From that fateful day, he embarked on a baseball career that took him from the blue and gold of the Montoursville High School Warriors, to the Cardinal Red of Stanford University, to Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. While his career took him to the highest level of baseball, Little League has always been near to Mr. Mussina’s heart. In 2001, he was elected to the Little League International Board of Directors. His is in his sixth year as a Little League coach and his 17th as an MLL volunteer Board member.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was born in Newark, N.J., in 1962. His family moved to Livingston, N.J., where he played on the Livingston American Little League in the mid-1970s with fellow Hall of Excellence enshrinee, Harlan Coben. A graduate of the University of Delaware (1984) and Seton Hall University School of Law (1987), Mr. Christie was sworn in as Governor of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He earned high praise for his leadership before, during and after Hurricane Sandy hit his home state of New Jersey in October 2012. As a U.S. Attorney from 2002 to 2008, he drew national attention for his efforts in battling political corruption, corporate crime, human trafficking, gangs, terrorism and polluters.

Author Harlan Coben has more than 50 million books in print worldwide and his last six novels all debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list. He has won numerous literary awards, including being the first author to win the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award. His work is published in more than 40 languages. Mr. Coben, a 1984-graduate of Amherst College, was born in Newark, N.J., in 1962. His family moved to Livingston, N.J., where he played first base and outfield on the Livingston American Little League in the mid-1970s with his friend Chris Christie. Since their days as Little Leaguers®, the two men have remained close friends.

Dick Vitale, one of college basketball’s top analysts and ambassadors, joined ESPN soon after the network’s 1979 launch following a successful college and professional basketball coaching career. In 2008, Mr. Vitale, a successful author and a member of 11 halls of fame, received the sport’s ultimate honor with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A member of the V Foundation Board of Directors, and recipient of the prestigious Humanitarian of the Year Wayman Tisdale Award and John Wooden Pyramid of Success Award, as well as an honorary alumnus degree from Notre Dame University, Mr. Vitale’s knowledge, preparation and enthusiasm are unparalleled. His “Vitale-isms” such as: “Awesome, Baby!,” “PTP’er” (prime-time player), “Rolls Roycer” (a flat out superstar), “and diaper dandy” (freshman star) have become household catchphrases. Mr. Vitale is a graduate of Garfield (N.J.) Little League.

Ron Ricks, the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer of Southwest Airlines, started with the company in 1981, when it was a small regional passenger carrier. Today, Southwest Airlines has over 52,000 employees and services more than 100 million customers annually. Fifty years ago, Mr. Ricks played in the Little League Baseball World Series as a member of the 1962 South Region champions from Val Verde County Little League from Del Rio, Texas. He has served on the Advisory Board for the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development of the MITRE Corporation and the Advisory Board for Methodist Hospital of Dallas.

According to official reports, on Dec. 4, 2006, Pfc. Ross McGinnis and his platoon were on patrol in Adhamiyah, Iraq, to restrict enemy movement and quell sectarian violence. During the patrol, an insurgent positioned on a rooftop threw a grenade into Ross’s vehicle, a Humvee. Without hesitation or regard for his own life, Pfc. McGinnis threw his back over the grenade, pinning it between his body and the Humvee’s radio mount. He shouted “grenade” to others in the vehicle, then absorbed all lethal fragments and the concussive effects of the blast with his own body – giving his life to save his four comrades. Ross was posthumously promoted to Specialist, and was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star. His family was presented with the Ross’ Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush in a ceremony at the White House on June 2, 2008.

Kyle Petty is an eight-time winner on the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) circuit. Mr. Petty played Little League Baseball in the Southern Little League, Randleman, N.C. He began his professional racing career in the ARCA RE/MAX Series at age 18 and became the youngest driver to win a major-league stock car race in 1979. Mr. Petty, now a NASCAR television analyst, has hosted the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, a 3,800-mile motorcycle trip with the proceeds benefiting Victory Junction, a camp for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. His sportsmanship, compassion and teamwork skills have earned him many awards over the years, including recognition as the USG Person of the Year; NASCAR Illustrated’s Person of the Year; and as winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Myers Brothers Award.

The second Little League graduate to become Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden played in the Green Ridge Little League in Scranton, Pa. He attended the University of Delaware and received a law degree from Syracuse University. He served as a public defender, and as a city councilman in New Castle, Delaware. He was elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of 29, and won re-election six times, serving for 36 years. After an accident claimed the life of his first wife and their daughter, Sen. Biden’s family devotion was evident as he commuted three hours each day on the train from his Delaware home to Washington, D.C., so that he could care for his sons. As Senator, he was recognized for his work on justice issues, particularly the 1994 Crime Bill and the Violence Against Women Act. From 2009-2017, he served as the 47th Vice President and assumed the office of the President of the United States in 2021.

Former captain and current Assistant General Manager of the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers, pitched the Trumbull (Conn.) National Little League team to victory in the 1989 LLBWS Championship Game against Chinese Taipei. It was the first World Series won by a team from the United States since 1983. A 10-year NHL veteran, Mr. Drury has played for the Colorado Avalanche, winning Rookie of the Year honors during the 1998-99 season, as well as the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames. He won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche during the 2000-01 season. Mr. Drury, was a member of the United States hockey team at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games and in 1998, earned the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s best hockey player. He is the first player to be selected as college hockey’s best player and the NHL’s top rookie.

Ozzie Newsome, General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Baltimore Ravens, is considered one of the top executives in the National Football League (NFL) and was the architect of the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV Championship team in 2000. During a 13-year Hall of Fame NFL career, highlighted by three Pro Bowl selections (1981, 84-85), he became the league’s premier tight end. With 662 career receptions and nearly 8,000 yards receiving, Mr. Newsome concluded his career as the fourth – leading receiver in league history. In 2002, former Ravens’ owner Art Modell promoted Mr. Newsome, who played in the Muscle Shoals Little League in Alabama, to General Manager, making him the first African American to hold that position in NFL history.

Dusty Baker played Little League Baseball in Riverside, California. Mr. Baker played 19 years in Major League Baseball, winning a World Series as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981. Mr. Baker has enjoyed a 20-year managerial career that includes time with the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. During that time, he has made multiple playoff appearances, including leading the Giants to the 2002 National League pennant.

Pierre Turgeon played Little League Baseball in Rouyn, Quebec, Canada, and was a member of the Canadian National Championship team that played in the 1982 Little League Baseball World Series. In 19 National Hockey League seasons, Mr. Turgeon has scored more than 500 career goals. He is the first Canadian-born enshrinee into the Hall of Excellence.

Lloyd McClendon played for Anderson Little League (Gary, Ind.) in the 1971 Little League Baseball World Series where he earned the nickname “Legendary Lloyd” after a dominating performance in three LLBWS games where he recorded five home runs, 10 RBI, and five intentional walks in 10 plate appearances. More importantly, Mr. McClendon went on to become a role model for children during his long career as a Major League player, manager and coach.

Jose Maiz Garcia, a civil engineer, businessman, and owner of the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League, played in 1957 for Monterrey’s Industrial Little League, the first non-U.S. team to win a Little League Baseball World Series championship. Learning “discipline, teamwork, obedience, and how to win and lose,” from Little League, Mr. Garcia has generously given back to the program and to his community. He heads one of the largest construction firms in Mexico, and is the first non-U.S. person to be enshrined in the Hall of Excellence.

Krissy Wendell, the first girl to start at catcher in a Little League Baseball World Series game, played in Williamsport in 1994 for Brooklyn Park (Minn.) American Little League, and would go on to become one of the best women’s ice hockey players in U.S. history. She led the U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team to a silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In 2004, she won the most outstanding player award in the NCAA tournament as a member of the national champion University of Minnesota Women’s Hockey Team.

Nancy dosReis, a detective in the Providence (R.I.) Police Department, played softball for six years in the North Providence West Little League, and was a member of her league’s world championship team in the 1979 Little League Softball World Series, played in Waco, Texas. Detective dosReis, who earned a master’s degree from Roger Williams University, made national headlines in 1996 when she and her K-9 partner were credited with the arrest of a convicted murderer who had escaped from a maximum-security prison.

Cathy Gerring, a professional golfer, played Little League® Senior Division Baseball in the Times Corners of Fort Wayne, Ind. After earning All-American honors at Ohio State University, she became a professional golfer in 1983, winning three events on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA) tour, and she climbed to No. 4 in tour winnings in 1990. Severe burns from a 1992 accident and a serious head injury in a 2002 fall dealt setbacks to her career, but she was able to return from both injuries to play golf professionally again.

Wilbert Davis played Little League in Tampa, Fla., and helped the 1975 Belmont Heights Little League team to reach the Little League Baseball World Series. On April 3, 2003, while en route to Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the U.S. Army Third Infantry Division, Staff Sgt. Davis perished when his Humvee came under fire and overturned into a canal. Now, Headstone 7867 in Section 60 at Arlington National Cemetery marks the final resting place of Sgt. Davis, alongside thousands of this nation’s heroes. Robert Davis, Wilbert’s brother, said the two things his brother valued in life were “Little League baseball and the military.” Sgt. Davis is the first U.S. military person enshrined posthumously into the Hall of Excellence.

Peter Pace played in the Teaneck (N.J.) Southern Little League in the 1950s. In 1968, as a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, his first assignment during the Vietnam War was to help lead about 2,500 Marines in dislodging an enemy force four times their strength in the city of Hue. He subsequently served assignments in Japan, Somalia, Europe and many places in the U.S. Gen. Pace is the sixth officer (and the first Marine) to become Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs – the second-highest attainable position in the U.S. military. Of his Little League lessons, Gen. Pace said, “Over time I learned if I wanted play, I had to go to practice and practice on my own, and do all the things I needed to be successful.”

Michael Cammarata, who was last seen rushing into the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001, played in the 1991 LLBWS for South Shore Little League of Staten Island, N.Y. He is the first person to receive Little League’s highest honor posthumously and the first firefighter so honored. His willingness to sacrifice his own safety for the safety of others made him the very embodiment of all three words in the Little League motto: character, courage and loyalty. After graduating high school, Mr. Cammarata attended college on a hockey scholarship. He left college to pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter in New York City. In a note he left in case he were to perish in the line of duty, he asked his family to “make my spirit live on.” Little League hopes it has played a small part in memorializing the spirit and life of a true hero.

In the weeks following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, this former New York City mayor’s compassionate leadership helped the city and, by extension, the nation stay focused on remembrance and recovery. Mr. Guiliani played in the Garden City South Little League in Long Island, N.Y. He graduated from Manhattan College and earned a law degree from New York University Law School. He became U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and in 1993 was elected to the first of two four-year terms as mayor. Under his guidance, the city reasserted its position as one of the world’s great hubs of culture, history, commerce and diplomacy. New York City statutes did not allow Mr. Giuliani to seek a third consecutive term as mayor. But the performance of his public duties in one of our country’s darkest hours earned him the unofficial title “America’s Mayor.”

Defense was the specialty of George W. Bush when he played in the Central Little League of Midland, Texas, during the 1950s and he has cited Little League as providing his fondest childhood memory. After attending Yale University and Harvard Business School, he served as an F-102 pilot for the Texas Air National Guard, then moved into the energy business from 1975 until 1986. After working on this father’s successful 1988 presidential campaign, he led a group that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. He was elected the 46th Governor of Texas in 1994 and was re-elected in 1998. In 2000, he became the first Little League graduate to be elected as President of the United States. His “Tee Ball on the South Lawn” program was launched in May 2001, giving Little Leaguers a chance to play ball on the grounds of the White House.

Dr. Stratta considers pitching in the 1967 LLBWS Championship Game, for North Roseland Little League of Chicago, one of the high points of his life. “By achieving this lofty goal at the age of 12, I always believed that no goal was beyond my reach.” His goals these days involve saving lives and teaching others to do the same: He’s been a transplant surgeon and professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee-Memphis since 1997. Dr. Stratta, who attended college on a baseball scholarship, isn’t shy about crediting Little League and the sport of baseball with enabling him to accomplish so much in life. “I played baseball for the competition and sheer joy of the sport. But in the end it allowed me to travel around the country, paved the way for my higher education, and taught me how to effectively compete in the ‘game’ of life.”

In 1955, Mr. Hunter led his Delaware Township (N.J.) Little League team to the finals of the LLBWS. Along the way, he made lifelong friends, earned a hero’s welcome in his hometown and met people from all walks of life. “It was phenomenal, a high point in my life,” says the man who later captained the Syracuse University football team and played professional football. While still in the pros, he earned a law degree. After retiring, he practiced law, becoming United States Prosecutor for Northern California in 1976. In 1996, he was selected executive director of the NBA Players Association. His advice for young players is simple: “Children today have to be children, to take their time and savor the moment. Embrace every opportunity, not just on the field, but off it. Meet people and learn how to be a role model, because your reputation is the most important thing you have.”

With American classics like “Dances With Wolves” and “Field of Dreams” to his credit, this Academy Award-winning director and actor knows how important the entire team is to the success of any project. It’s one of the lessons Mr. Costner learned as a star pitcher in the Saticoy Little League of Ventura, Calif. “You learn how you have to depend on teammates, because even on no-hitters there’s someone behind you making a play.” As a Little Leaguer, he had his share of pitching success, striking out as many as 16 opponents in one game, tossing no-hitters and shutting down rallies. The most important lesson he learned, though, was to make his best effort every day. “Once you learn your place on the team, did you give it your best shot? I’m a filmmaker and an actor. I know that hits aren’t going to happen every time…but I honestly believe I’ve given it my best shot.”

“Friends, fun and teamwork” are the three adjectives that spring to Brian Sipe’s mind when he remembers his Little League days. A member of the 1961 Little League World Series Championship team, Northern Little League, El Cajon, Calif., Brian went on to a highly successful career as one of the National Football League’s best quarterbacks. A member of the Cleveland Browns and chosen as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1980, he demonstrated a rare combination of athletic grace and leadership.

When asked what playing at Shenandoah North (Pa.) LL meant to him, Michael Pladus replied “Little League provided me with more than positive recreation, it provided me with opportunities to learn lessons from which I have benefited throughout my life.” Those lessons helped Mr. Pladus to a successful career as an educator at Interboro High School where he became a teacher and eventually a principal, earning the 1999 National High School Principal of the Year honor. Mr. Pladus would then go on to become a superintendent in the Interboro School District for two years and Upper Dublin School District for 10 years before retiring in 2014. He is such a positive force for his students that he was named 1999 National High School Principal of the Year. It was his dedication to his students and his drive to help them succeed that led to his Principal of the Year award.

In 1952, Don and his teammates proudly represented the Southern Region during the Little League Baseball World Series for the Mooresville (N.C.) Little League. Now, as an owner of several minor league baseball teams around the country and a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, this highly respected businessman still holds pitching in the World Series as his most cherished moment throughout all of his sporting activities. Don Beaver is a role model for all Little Leaguers; a respected businessman, dedicated community leader and lifelong fan of America’s Pastime.

Dave Barry fondly recalls when “Little League dominated his life in late spring and early summer.” Now a best-selling author, syndicated columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner, he still remembers his Little League career in Armonk, N.Y., as a time when he “learned a lot; what it feels like to have to perform under pressure; how to be a part of, and have obligations to a team; how to win, and how to lose. Little League was my first, and best, exposure to organized sports.” Dave Barry’s community involvement includes working with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Fellowship House, Children’s Home Society and the Tactical Speech Project.

Tony Dungy, is accomplished on and off the playing field. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, he went on to lead a successful career in the National Football League. First as a player, and then as a head coach, he brings lessons learned on the Little League field at Southeast Little League of Jackson, Mich., to his team: sportsmanship, teamwork, and a dedication to excellence. A former NFL representative for the United Way and a representative for the National Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Tony Dungy helps other athletes become positive role models worthy of emulation.

Bruce Springsteen once commented that “Little League has a big, positive impact in my life.” He often talks about his Little League days in Freehold, N.J. during concerts. His impact on other people’s lives has been big and positive as well. Winner of 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, an Academy Award and a 1999 inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bruce’s focus is to “make sure something is revealed at the end of a song, some knowledge is gained. That’s when I figure I’m doing my job.” His efforts to help others is demonstrated frequently by donating income from T-shirts and other merchandise sold at his concerts to selected soup kitchens, veteran’s groups and homeless shelters.

Dan O’Brien is World Record holder and 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist in the Decathlon, giving him the unofficial title of world’s best athlete. Perhaps with lessons learned on the Little League fields at South Suburban Little League in Klamath Fall, Ore., Dan has taken failure in stride. Failing to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Team, due to three missed pole vault attempts, he came back to win the 1993 world championship (setting the world record along the way) and the Olympic Gold three years later. Dan’s winning spirit is also seen through his efforts for children, and his work with many other agencies and foundations such as Wendy’s Foundation, United Way, Ronald McDonald House and the Orphan Foundation of America.

Cal Ripken, Jr., a shortstop and a pitcher as a 12 year old, advanced all the way to the Little League Baseball Southern Regional in 1973 for the West Ashville (N.C.) Little League. Twenty two years and one month later, the eyes of the baseball world were on him as the Baltimore Orioles shortstop shattered one of baseball’s most important records – Lou Gehrig’s 2,130 consecutive games played. If anyone was going to come close, it had to be someone with the rare combination of ability, stamina, and perseverance. Cal Ripken, Jr. is also one of the finest gentleman in the game. He and his wife Kelly are active in promoting literacy in the Baltimore area.

Like many children, Robert Sloan played Little League just for “something to do.” But Little League became one of the forces that drove him to success. The graduate of Western Little League in Abilene, became President of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “In a way, all the basic elements of life are in baseball and Little League,” said Dr. Sloan. “You have to show up at a certain time. If you’re late, you let the team down. And just like life, there are isolated individual performances that stand out. But in the end, it’s what the team did that really matters.” Dr. Sloan, a Little League coach from 1984-1990, has authored two books and more than 50 articles.

When Leonard Coleman dreamed of professional baseball as a Little Leaguer in Montclair, N.J., he probably never considered he would rise to the rank of President of the National League. Mr. Coleman became the 14th President of the league in 1994, prepared with more than two decades of exemplary professional and community service. Mr. Coleman has achieved tremendous success while retaining the values and character he developed as a child on a Little League field. Mr. Coleman’s community involvement includes work with the Little League Foundation, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, N.J.

A graduate of the Tualatin Little League in Portland, Ore., Dale Murphy won five consecutive Golden Glove Awards. He was selected as a National League all – star seven times. In 1983 he became the youngest of only four players to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards. He was presented Major League Baseball’s Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1985 as the player who best exemplifies the image and character of a Hall of Famer.

Dr. Fortanasce is a Board Certified Psychiatrist and Neurologist as well as a clinical professor at the University of Southern California School of Medicine where he was twice named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. A member of the 1964 US Olympic Weight Lifting Team, Dr. Fortanasce is a member of the Los Angeles County Medical Association Board of Ethics. He played in the Elmont Little League, Queens, N.Y.

Dr. Musgrave is a NASA Astronaut who has flown more than 17,000 hours in more than 160 types of aircraft including five missions on the Space Shuttle. Dr. Musgrave, who was instrumental in the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope, has three bachelors degrees and five masters degrees in addition to a Doctorate in Medicine. Dr. Musgrave played Little League in Boston, Mass.

Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer is a graduate of the “Beverly Hills, Calif., Little League”. In his 19 – year Major League career he won three Cy Young Awards and was the first pitcher ever to post a World Series victory in each of three decades. He also distinguished himself as an analyst and commentator for ABC Sports. Jim Palmer completed his career with more than 2,200 strikeouts and a 2.86 earned run average.

Hale Irwin was a scholar/athlete at the University of Colorado where he excelled at football. He is considered one of the most successful members of the PGA. A graduate of the Baxter Springs (Kan.) Little League, he has won three U.S. Open Championships, was a member of the U.S. World Cup Team twice and was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team five times.

Kareem Abdul – Jabbar is the former all-time leading scorer in National Basketball Association history and member of the NBA Hall of Fame, played Little League Baseball in the Inwood Little League in New York City where he was awarded his team’s sportsmanship award. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been on six NBA championship teams and has been named NBA Most Valuable player six times. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

George Will, a graduate of the Champaign (Ill.) Little League, is a nationally syndicated columnist, political analyst and best-selling author. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1977. His book, “Men At Work,” reached the top of the New York Times Best Seller List and is widely regarded as the best “nuts and bolts” book about baseball book of the decade.

Major League Baseball’s all-time strike out record holder is a graduate of the Alvin Little League in Alvin, Texas, where his children also played Little League. Nolan Ryan was the 1990 recipient of the Sporting News Man of the Year Award, United Press International’s Male Athlete of the Year Award and the United States Sports Academy/USA Today Professional Sportsman of the Year Award. He retired from Major League Baseball following the 1992 season with an unprecedented seven no-hit games and twelve one-hit games. Nolan Ryan ranks among the all – time leaders in games started, innings pitched, shutouts, and earned run average, and was the 18th pitcher to win 300 games.

Mike Schmidt is a graduate of the North Riverdale Little League in Dayton, Ohio. During his stellar 18-season career with the Philadelphia Phillies, he earned three National League Most Valuable Player Awards and was awarded the Gold Glove 10 times. Mike Schmidt retired from Major League Baseball in 1989 having hit 548 home runs and driving in 1,595 runs and collecting 1,015 extra-base hits.

Tom Selleck was an all-star pitcher with the Pioneer Little League of Sherman Oaks, Calif. This multi-talented actor has earned both an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for his work. His highly successful series “Magnum, PI” enjoyed eight seasons as one of network television’s most popular programs. Tom Selleck has also starred in several hit movies.

Vice President Dan Quayle played second base in the Hoosier Little League of Huntington, Ind., during the mid-1950’s. He was the first Little League graduate elected to the nation’s second highest office. A special enshrinement ceremony was held for Mr. Quayle in the Indian Treaty Room of the Old Executive Office Building (now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building) at the White House complex in Washington, D.C. At his enshrinement, Mr. Quayle donated his Little League glove to the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum, where it displayed today.

Bill Bradley, a graduate of the Crystal City (Mo.) Little League, personifies the principles of sportsmanship, responsibility and discipline. He has demonstrated an exceptional balance of superior academic and sports accomplishments through his illustrious professional basketball career with the New York Knicks and into his leadership position as a U.S. Senator for New Jersey. He distinguished himself as a Rhodes Scholar at Princeton University where he was an All-America basketball player and captain of the 1964 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team.

Tom Seaver, a graduate of the Spartan Little League “Fresno, Calif.” and one of Major League Baseball’s most accomplished pitchers is the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum Hall of Excellence charter enshrinee. Throughout his 19-year career he accumulated 311 wins, a no-hit game, three Cy Young Awards, the National League Rookie of the Year Award, and a World Series Championship with the New York Mets. He was awarded baseball’s highest honor, selection into the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1992. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern California in 1974, seven years after his Major League career began.