Little League® International is pleased to announce the launch of the first-ever Girls Baseball Event to be held at Howard J. Lamade Stadium and complex on June 7-9, 2024, as part of the organization’s year-long Girls with Game 50 Celebration. Named after one of the program’s original Girls with Game, the “Maria Pepe Little League Baseball® Legacy Series: A Girls with Game Experience” will bring together nearly 100 female baseball players (League Ages 10-12, based on the Baseball Age Determination Date) together for a weekend of fun, excitement, competition, and most of all a celebration of female baseball players across all generations.
NOTE: Registration for the event has officially closed. Little League International is currently reviewing all applications and will be identifying the 96 selected individuals to participate in this year’s event. All applicants will be notified whether they have been selected or not.
The registration fee for those 96 selected individuals is $50 and will cover housing, meals, and the games and activities for the players. Assistance is available for individuals unable to pay the $50 registration fee. NOTE: The registration fee will not be charged unless you are selected as a participant for this event.
The 96 selected players will be provided with housing accommodations in the dorms at the Dr. Creighton J. Hale International Grove, with chaperones provided by Little League International. As part of the overall experience, participants will also have access to other activities on the complex and will be provided meals during their stay at the event.
The event will kick off with an opening evaluation clinic on Friday, June 7, and following the clinic, the 96 registered players will be divided into eight teams for the weekend’s event. Teams will play a minimum of three games each from Friday evening through Sunday, with games being held in both Howard J. Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums.
Event Schedule (Subject to Change):
- Friday, June 7: Arrival, Check-In, and Evaluation Clinic
- Saturday, June 8: Games (2 games per team)
- Sunday, June 9: Games (1 game per team) and Departure
About Maria Pepe
An inspiration to hundreds of thousands of females across generations, Ms. Pepe helped spearhead a movement in the 1970s that would lead to girls having the opportunity to participate in the Little League Baseball program, changing the game forever and opening the doors to provide opportunities that had never been available before. A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, where her Little League journey first began, Ms. Pepe’s name is inscribed on the community’s batting cages, cementing her name in history as she remains committed to inspiring girls all around the world to get involved with sports.
“I am so grateful that Little League will be hosting this event for girls who just love playing baseball and that I will be able to be there to support them,” said Ms. Pepe. “Playing baseball at Lamade Stadium is surely going to be a wonderful memory for those girls who will get to participate and I appreciate the Little League leadership, coaches, umpires, and support staff who are committed to making this event a success.”
Thanks to the perseverance that Ms. Pepe showed over the past 50 years, girls from all around the world continue to shine on their community’s Little League Baseball field each year which has resulted in a total of 22 individuals who have gone on to compete at the highest stage in the Little League Baseball World Series, including in each of the last four events. Inspired by her efforts, this event is one of the many examples of Little League’s continued strategic efforts to encourage and empower the girls and women within its program, with an ultimate goal of providing equal participation opportunities for girls by 2032. The 2024 Maria Pepe Little League Baseball Legacy Series also marks an expansion of the Girls with Game Experience that is held in October, bringing Division I collegiate softball teams to Lamade Stadium for an afternoon of exhibition games and youth clinics.
“Change takes time, and over time we all arrive at a place where everyone can enjoy just doing what they love without limitations and with all the support they need to succeed and be happy,” said Ms. Pepe. “As I look back over the past 50 years and how far we have come, I am thankful for so many who came to support me. Now, I look forward to the next cycle of years with confidence that the girls will continue to show the world they can play ball – baseball, softball, all of it – and I look forward to being alongside Little League to support them.”
Those interested in learning more about Maria’s experience and the lasting impact she has had on the Little League program are also encouraged to check out the exhibit on display within the World of Little League® Museum.