Starting this summer, participants at the Little League Baseball® World Series will have access to a brand-new multipurpose playing facility within the Dr. Creighton J. Hale International Grove thanks to the generous support of Musco Lighting, the Official Sports Lighting System of Little League.
The facility, which is one of Musco Lighting’s proprietary Mini-Pitch Systems™, will be known as the “Little League® Playground,” and is a custom-built structure that offers players the opportunity to play a variety of sports during their time in Williamsport, including soccer, basketball, pickleball, and more. As part of the facility, participants will also have the unique opportunity to play Baseball5, a fast-paced version of the classic game of baseball and softball that can be played anywhere and only requires a rubber ball. Launched in 2017 as part of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation, an organization that Little League works closely to throughout the year to help grow the game of baseball and softball, Baseball5 has since grown to receive global attention and is played in nearly 100 countries around the world.
“Having the opportunity to hang out and play games with the other kids participating in the Little League Baseball World Series is one of the unique aspects of the Williamsport experience, and we are excited for the additional opportunities this new installation will provide,” said Dan Velte, Little League Senior Operations Executive. “We are grateful to our partners at Musco Lighting for making this a possibility and look forward to watching the kids make new memories this summer on the Little League Playground. Being at the Little League World Series is all about having fun, and this is a great way for our players to enjoy their time in Williamsport.”
The new facility directly aligns with Little League’s belief in multi-sport participation, rather than specialization, and provides participants of the event an opportunity for free play, creating fun and memorable experiences with other kids from around the world.
“The Little League World Series is a life changing experience for young players from all over the world,” said Eduardo Zamarripa, Musco’s Director of Youth Sports Market Development. “Obviously players and teams want to compete and win, but the Williamsport experience is about more than baseball. It’s about opportunities to connect, grow, learn from one another, and make new friends. The ‘Little League Playground’ is going to provide an excellent outlet for that, and we appreciate the dedication of our long-time partners at Little League for making it happen.”
From the time they arrive at the Little League International Complex until the time they depart, all the participating teams will have access to playing equipment and resources to enjoy their time playing on the Little League Playground, including educational materials and a demonstration from USA Baseball around how to play Baseball5.
The Little League Playground is located just outside the Dining Hall within the Grove, replacing the swimming pool that was previously located there as part of the complex’s multi-year facility enhancements to improve the overall experience.