Before the fame: These celebrities and MLB stars got their start in the Little League World Series

So many of us have played Little League baseball that it is almost seen as a rite of passage for young Americans. Little League baseball is as red-blooded as it gets, together with mom and apple pie. Some of the biggest names in the world played Little League Baseball, like President George W Bush, Adam Sandler, and Kareem Abdul-Jabar.

Singer Jason Aldean played little league and was offered a baseball scholarship, turning it down to pursue a singing career. Bruce Springsteen and Brent Musberger both recount little league as some of their fondest memories. And if you think that little league is only for boys, think again, with stars Julia Stiles and Elizabeth Banks both playing little league baseball in their youth.

Of course, not everyone who plays little league makes it all the way to the world series. That list gets whittled down pretty quickly, but there are still a few notable names outside of baseball who have played on that biggest of little league stages.

National Football League players Matt Cassel, Jake Fromm, Gale Gilbert, Billy Hunter, Jack Losch, Trey Quinn, Turk Schonert, Brian Sipe, and Julian Vandervelde all made an appearance in the LLWS when they were young.

The National Hockey League is represented by players like Chris Drury, Ray Ferraro, Stephane Matteau, and Pierre Turgeon who have all taken the field at Williamsport.

Mo’ne Davis was one of two girls who played in the 2014 Little League World Series and was the first girl to earn a win and to throw a shutout in Little League World Series history. The 18th girl overall to play and the sixth to get a hit, Mo’ne was the first Little League baseball player ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a Little Leaguer.

NASCAR champion driver Austin Dillon played in the 2002 World Series when he was on the team representing Forsyth County, North Carolina.

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Former US women’s national hockey player and current scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Krissy Wendell was the first girl to start as a catcher when she played for Brooklyn Park, Minnesota in the 1994 World Series.

By far, though, the names that you will know from the LLWS are those who went on to play in the MLB. Interestingly, there are only three players who have ever appeared in the Little League World Series, the College World Series and the MLB World Series: pitcher Ed Vosberg, outfielder Michael Conforto, and catcher Jason Varitek

Here is a list of notable MLB players who got their start in the Little League World Series