10 Surprising Celebrities That Played Little League Baseball
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It's the purest form of sport there is. No salaries, no contracts, no trades, no scandals, no rumors, just baseball. Just a bunch of 12 and 13-year-old boys (and GIRLS!) playing their hearts out with their friends for the love of the game. It's the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA and it begins on Thursday.
Here are ten surprising familiar names that once played Little League baseball.
Chris Christie
Christie, the current Governor of New Jersey, was elected in the Little League Hall of Excellent in August of 2013. Christie played catcher for Livingston American Little League team in the mid 1970's. Baseball is a Christie family tradition as his late mother's family excelled on the baseball field and his eldest son, Andrew, plays for the Princeton varsity team. Pretty shocking consider Christie is fairly rotund now.
Kareem Abdul-Jabar
The all-time leading scorer in NBA history and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, wasn't just a basketball player (and an actor). Abdul-Jabbar also played Little League Baseball in New York City's Inwood Little League. Can you imagine the size of that strike zone?
Jason Aldean
You didn't expect this one, right? Yup, the Grammy-nominated country music singer one played Little League baseball. In fact, Aldean had a chance to pursue his dream of playing in the Majors, but turned it down.
Brent Musburger
You might associate Musburger as the voice of the Little League World Series (or the reason for Katherine Webb's success), but Musburger actually played Little League baseball way back when. Musburger is 75-years-old.
Adam Sandler
Probably, no definitely, the funniest person to ever play Little League baseball. Sandler was born in Brooklyn, but his family moved to New Hampshire when he was five-years-old.
Dick Vitale
Another guy who you associate with calling the games, rather than playing them, but Dicky-V is a member of the Little League World Series Hall of Excellence. I wonder if Dicky-V was a PTP-er on the baseball diamond?
Bruce Springsteen
The Boss! It's always surprising to hear about musicians that are, or were, also good athletes. They just don't mix. Nevertheless, Springsteen, who grew up in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, played Little League baseball and often talks about his experiences during his concerts.
President George W. Bush
Bush played for Midland, Texas in the Central Little League during the 1950's, and has called Little League his fondest childhood memory. Bush was elected the 46th Governor of Texas in 1994, re-elected in 1998, and became President of the United States in 2000.
Elizabeth Banks and Julia Stiles
In honor of female pitcher Mo'Ne Davis of Philadelphia's Taney Dragons, we have two notable actresses that played Little League baseball. Banks, who grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, actually broke her leg sliding into third base while playing in Little League. Stiles, born in New York City, also played Little League baseball.
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