Carl Stotz

Carl E. Stotz (February 20, 1910 – June 4, 1992) was the American founder of Little League Baseball.

Stotz was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He got a job as a lumberyard clerk. In the summer of 1938 Stotz started to discuss his dream with local children from the neighborhood. He was always set on adult supervision to stop bickering on the sandlot. He officially started up the league. The bases were placed 60 ft apart and the pitchers mound was placed 40 ft from home plate.

The next step was for him to apply to local businesses for sponsorship and donations. He also appealed to parents for help with the organization of the league. A year later in the summer of 1939 they had three teams set up. Each team was managed individually by Stotz, his brother George, and Bert Bebble. The first game was played on June 6, 1939, with Lundy Lumber defeating Lycoming Dairy 23–8. The first Little League World Series was played in the summer of 1947.

Stotz was commissioner of the league until 1956. He left due to a lawsuit he filed due to the expansion of the league. After the suit was settled out of court Stotz left Little League permanently.

External links

* [http://www.littleleague.org/media/2005stotzawards.asp Carl Stotz and Little League Baseball]
* [http://www.kbsb.com/kborg/ Carl E. Stotz Field : The ORIGINAL Birthplace of Little League Baseball ART PRINT] - by the artist Kathleen B. Bonnell.