I just finished watching the Little League World Series. I have seen some amazing baseball. It is hard to imagine that these are twelve and thirteen year old youngsters. They emulate their heroes and their champions. They adopt the mannerisms of the great stars of the game. Every now and then, though, their youthfulness comes out. They revert to their true age and play like twelve and thirteen year old kids. When that happens, one sees errors. One sees batting mistakes, base running errors, and blown calls by the umpires. But I have also witnessed some of the most entertaining baseball I have ever seen. I’m torn as I watch, though. On the one hand I enjoy watching the little kids play their hearts out and on the other hand it breaks my heart when I see one of them make a mistake that ultimately costs them a game. It invariably leads some of them to tears. Such is life and such is Little League baseball. Whoever said that there is no crying in baseball surely didn’t mean to include Little League.

March 30, 2005 - The big leaguers aren't the only players using the spring weather in Arizona to ready themselves for the upcoming baseball season. Throughout the Northwest, thousands of little leaguers are dusting off the batting gloves and breaking out the pine tar.

Pima County Sheriff's Office deputies have arrested a man following a Little League game where witnesses said he yelled at some of the baseball players, attempted to start a fight and had a confrontation with a 16-year-old girl.

July 20, 2005 - With the Frontier All-Stars down to their final strike in the championship game of the 9- and 10-year-olds' Arizona District Five Little League Tournament on July 14 at Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde, a wry smile came across Jacob Matthews' face.

Dec. 29, 2004 - AHEAD OF THE GAME: Pack Attack

No charges were filed against two dads apparently involved in an altercation during a CDO Little League game on April 28 at James Kreigh Park.

The 2011 Little League West Region Junior Softball Tournament will begin on Thursday, Aug. 4 in Marana. 

Three all-star teams from the Canyon del Oro Little League competed in their District 5 tournaments against teams from a dozen leagues across the Tucson region north of Speedway.

July 19, 2006 - Arizona District 5 Little League wrapped up its All-Star baseball and softball tournaments on July 15 and if this year's champions are any indication, the future of baseball in the area is bright.

If Derek Daly can make it in New York, he can make it anywhere.

June 22, 2005 - Kirk Walters sat behind the bench at St. Gregory's High School, folding all of his 6-foot, 11-inch frame into the narrow passage separating the players from the fans, to take in Day 2 of Tucson's premier summer hoops league program.

On May 27, 8-year-old Logan Cole had the opportunity to participate in the Aquafina Pitch, Hit and Run Team Championship Competition at Chase Field in Phoenix.

I write this column with little joy. Major League Spring Training in Pima County is dead.

There's nothing about baseball that Gabriel Gordon doesn't like, according to his father.

Ten-year-old Derek Daly admitted to feeling “really, really nervous” during his debut at Phoenix’s Chase Field, before he set the butterflies aside and threw six pitches.

(BPT) - Cringing at bumps, falls, trips and nudges is a common response among parents of young athletes. Seventy-two percent of parents of children ages 6 to 17 report that they are highly concerned about their child experiencing a head injury on the sports field, according to a recent survey conducted by NMI Research and DSM Nutritional Products, and their concern is not unwarranted. In fact, data indicates that emergency room visits of school-age athletes for serious injuries like concussions have significantly increased in recent years.

Oro Valley’s Coronado Little League held its opening ceremony April 2, complete with a carnival, appearances by UA mascot Wilbur the Wildcat and Tucson Padres mascot Kino Bambino, and lots of fun Little League competition. For more about the league, including its game schedule, visit www.coronadoll.org.