All-American Girls Professional Baseball League plate, closer even than in regulation softball and much closer than the baseball distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Pitchers threw underhand windmill, like in softball, and the distance between bases was 65 feet, five feet longer than in softball but 25 feet shorter than in baseball. Major similarities between the AAGPBL and baseball included nine player teams and the use of a pitcher's mound (softball pitchers throw from flat ground). By 1948 the ball had shrunk to 10 3/8 inches, overhand pitching was allowed, and the mound was moved back to 50 feet. Over the history of the league,
Little League Baseball Europe to play in the Little League World Series. The series is broadcast live for the first time on ABC. Little League has grown to 27,400 teams in more than 5,500 leagues. 1961: Brian Sipe, future quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, plays for the series champions from El Cajon, California. 1962: Jackie Robinson attends the Little League World Series. President John F. Kennedy proclaims National Little League Week. 1967: A team from West Tokyo, Japan, is the first team from Asia to win the Little League World Series. 1969: Taiwan begins a dominant era that would see them win 17