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I can only think of three people who have played in the Little League World Series. (1) Cody Webster, who in 1982 led his team to the first Little League World Series Championship in more than a decade for an American team. (2) Danny Almonte, who in 2001 threw the first perfect game in the Little League World Series and was subsequently the focus of controversy when it was discovered that he was actually 14-years-old (two years older than the maximum age allowed). And (3) Mo’ne Davis, who in 2014 became the first girl to earn a win and pitch a shutout in Little League World Series history becoming a national phenomenon.
Cody Webster ended up opening a baseball academy after struggling with his fame (and opposing teams’ parents). Almonte is an assistant baseball coach at a high school in New York City (and also went through many struggles post-LLWS).
Mo’ne Davis, on the other hand, seems to be handling her post-Little League World Series success quite well. In fact, she’s doing great.
She’s a three-sport star at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, playing soccer, basketball and, yes, softball.
After expressing interest in playing Division I basketball, Davis announced in December that she will attend Hampton University next fall and play softball, according to The Undefeated.
“When she was younger, there was a chance that she’d be good enough,” said Mike Flynn, a national talent evaluator and a member of the McDonald’s All-American selection committee. “But things have changed. She’s older now, and the kids who were with her then, skillwise, have passed her. She’s still a Division I-caliber player, but not necessarily the type of player that UConn would be interested in.
“While she’s been playing baseball, many of the kids she was with skillwise four years ago have continued to play and concentrate solely on basketball,” he added. “That’s not a knock on her, it’s just something that happens.”
Davis, who aspires to be a broadcaster, doesn’t take the criticism personally.
“I understand,” she said. “I’m not concentrating on just one sport. I play four sports: baseball, basketball, soccer and softball. I don’t have as much time as somebody who concentrates on just one sport.”
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This week, Overtime’s Rachel DeMita caught up with Davis (and some of her classmates) to talk about fame, sports, and her future.
Check it out. It’s very cool.