Every summer toward the end of August, the best of the best teams in Little League baseball head to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to compete in the Little League World Series. Despite being from Pennsylvania, I have never made the trip to the games before this year.

My mom and I made the 3.5-hour drive from home to Williamsport on Wednesday to be ready for a day full of games on Thursday. Unfortunately, it rained heavily all day Thursday, so the games were canceled and moved to Friday. Instead, we went to Little League World Series Museum. If you are heading to the LLWS this year or in the future, the museum is a must. You’ll learn about how Little League started, the history behind the sport, about the creator, why it’s in Williamsport, teams that have played and won in the past, the professional athletes and other famous people who played in the LLWS, and much more.

Luckily, our Thursday tickets were still honored on Friday, so we got up early and went to the first game. With more games than normal, there were two games at a time, and the games started earlier in the day. We got to the complex a little after the first games started and obviously had to stop at the gift shop to get LLWS merchandise — what’s a trip to an iconic event without getting merchandise? The store had general LLWS merch as well as jerseys and gear for each individual team. After we were shopped out, we headed to the stands to catch some of the game.

We went to the game at the main field, Lamade Stadium, and caught the last couple innings of the Mountain vs. Great Lakes game. It was a close game; in fact, going into the last inning, the teams were tied at 5–5 and it was starting to look like it was going to go into extra innings, but Mountain had a walk-off to win the game.

Visitors at Lamade Field have two interesting traditions. The first: In the outfield, there is a very steep hill, and adults and kids alike bring cardboard boxes to slide down the hill. With all the rain from the day before, the kids were having a field day. Some were even sliding down without cardboard boxes! I was tempted to try, but, knowing me, I would somehow injure myself. The second tradition involves sitting on a different hill in the outfield. Everyone says, “The best seats are on the hill.” Part of this tradition includes bringing lawn chairs to sit on, but there is one thing particular about these lawn chairs. The back legs are cut off so the seats are level with the hills. Check out the picture below for a visual.

Once that game ended, we had some time before the next games started, so we decided to check out the different booths and the Fan Zone. Big names were present, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, T-Mobile, Adidas, Gatorade, Rawlings, Easton, IHOP, Smucker’s, Oxy Clean and more. Each booth had a fun activity for both kids and adults to enjoy, as well as fun giveaways.

One thing we learned while there is pin trading is a big thing. Kids and adults like to collect all the different pins and trade with each other. All the local shops sell their own pins; the umpires, police, security and workers in the complex have their own; and each brand does special pin drops throughout the day. Apparently there are some really cool and rare collectibles out there. I got a couple pins but didn’t get involved in the trading part. The whole thing was really cool to witness; it brought together a community of baseball lovers.

After wandering around, we wanted to catch a game at the other field, which happened to be Japan versus Curaçao. We expected this to be a pretty good game, as each team is typically a good contestant in the tournament. The vibes of both international teams were unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The parents, families and fans had coordinated cheers for each player and each inning, and the players were just happy to be there. This game happened to end in a no-hitter for Curaçao, with them winning 6–0. At the same time, the game on the other field ended in a no-hitter, as well, so it was a historic day at the LLWS complex.

We had a long drive ahead of us, so we only stayed for those two games. There were still more in the afternoon, but, sadly, we had to depart. I can’t wait to continue following these teams and see who comes out on top as champions.

If you are a baseball fan and have been wanting to make the trip to the Little League World Series, I highly recommend it. The experience was truly one-of-a-kind. Plus, the tickets are free!

— Mary Melnick, digital content producer