On the day our treasured Bowman Field was to be filled with happy Little Leaguers and excited fans about to witness the fourth annual MLB/Little League Classic game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, the revered city landmark on West Fourth Street stood silent. The same condition existed at LLB’s Lamade and Volunteer stadiums. The lights had been turned out and the party declared over months earlier as this year’s Little League World Series suffered the same fate as so many other summer activities — cancellation.

But there was plenty of Little League news on this late August Sunday that both boosted LLB’s public relations stature and assured local baseball fans that Major League Baseball will be seen in our community for another decade.

In a joint announcement released by LLB and ESPN/ABC, the entities reached an agreement on an eight-year contract extension, through 2030, that will mark the second-largest sports media rights partnership, surpassed only by the Masters Golf tournament televised by CBS.

“There is perhaps no broadcast relationship in all of sports as synonymous as Little League and ESPN and ABC,” stated Steve Keener, Little League International President/CEO. “With this extension, ESPN will be showcasing the amazing plays, inspirational stories, and exemplary sportsmanship of our Little League tournaments spanning eight decades. This relationship has allowed our organization to provide direct financial support to our 6,500 community-based programs, and we are grateful that we’ll be able to continue in these vital efforts. We are looking forward to a bright future with our partners at ESPN.”

ABC began broadcasting the Little League World Series in 1963. ESPN first began televising Little League games in 1983 and has done so each year since 1987. Under the terms of the contract extension ESPN will carry more than 300 Little League live events, including games from every baseball and softball World Series tournament. Financial terms of the contract were not released.

As significant as those financial rewards may be to LLB, Little Leaguers and baseball fans should be thrilled by the announcement from MLB that the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians will be the participants in the 2021 MLB/Little League Classic to be played at Bowman Field, August 22.

While neither of these teams can boost the significant local fan following, as the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets (teams. along with the St. Louis Cardinals that have played in the previous three games), in particular, the Angels will be bringing top star-power that Little Leaguers should be thrilled to meet and interact with.

MLB has received criticism for its failure to market its star players (in a way the NBA and NFL have done) to attract the interest of young fans. But, by bringing in the Angels, almost all the participants in the LLB Series will be aware of Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtany, Albert Pujols and Anthony Rendon.

Trout, an eight-time all-star and three-time American League MVP, is generally regarded as the best player in the game. Recently, his rookie baseball card sold at auction for 3.94 million, the highest price ever paid for a baseball card. Ohtani, the Japanese sensation pitcher/hitter, is known throughout the game; Pujols, from the Dominican Republic, is a sure-fire Hall of Famer ranking second on the career RBI list and needing one more home run to tie Willie Mays at 660 for fifth on the all-time list. Rendon, from Texas, was a member of the 2019 Washington Nationals which won the MLB World Series. The backgrounds of these four players will play well with the Little Leaguers gathered here next year.

On the same day as these announcements, another type of baseball thrill was experienced by Montoursville’s Rob Thomas. Many of you would recognize his voice, as he has served as the Williamsport Crosscutters public address announcer for many years (in addition to similar duties at the Little League World Series). Since 2017, he has added to his Crosscutters role, serving as a team host for Crosscutters players.

Among the players he has housed have been three Philadelphia Phillies first-round draft picks: Spencer Howard, 2017; Alec Bohm, 2018; and Bryson Scott, 2019. Both Howard and Bohm are currently on the Phillies big league roster.

“I kiddingly refer to myself as their Host Grandfather. All the players I have housed have been great and we have continued to communicate since they have left Williamsport,” Thomas said. “I have seen them play in Spring Training and gone to some of their games with other Phillies affiliates. But so far, the high point was seeing Alec crush his first Major League home run against Atlanta (which occurred August 23).

“It makes this HG very proud and kinda gives me bragging rights! Hey, did you see one of MY BOYS hit his first home run in the Major Leagues? I know that Alec and Spencer and some of the others will have great success on the baseball fields in years to come. To have been able to share the beginnings of their baseball careers here in Williamsport and see them reach the Major Leagues has really been a neat thing for me.”

No doubt, as word of Thomas’s successful house guests gets out, he will be in great demand by future players beginning their professional baseball lives in Williamsport seeking a place to stay. Indeed, it is not just Little League Baseball that provides local baseball memories.