The changes to the Little League age determination chart in 2015 allow players born from May 2005 to August 2005 to be the same league age as players born from May 2006 to August 2006. I started this petition because they have unfairly put many children in a position where they will be forced to compete with other children that are up to 16 months older than them for their entire Little League career. They will never catch up. They will also lose their 12 year old season of Little League baseball due to the recent changes.

If the parents of children born May 2005 to August 2005 were able to convince the league to change the chart, then we can too. The league's ruling affects children for their entire Little League career. Please sign and share this petition to let Little League know they cannot ignore these kids.

Under the current rules, players born from May to August 2005 will have a natural advantage for the next three years over players born from May to August 2006 because they will always be at least one year older, and yet be considered the same league age until 2018. In 2018, the 2005 born players will almost all be 13 years old for tournament play, and the 2006 born players will almost all be 11 years old for tournament play. All things being equal (including baseball ability), the older child will almost always be selected over the younger child. It’s human nature.

In 2018, the 2005 born players will be in 7th grade (junior high), and the 2006 born players will be in 6th grade (elementary school). This is directly contrary to the intended purpose of having kids “play with their classmates” and other kids in their same grade level. This is directly contrary to the intended purpose of making little league “truly a 12 and under program – ensuring that no child playing in the Little League/Major Division will turn 13 years old at any point during their final season in that division.” Finally, this is directly contrary to the intended purpose of making sure that “no child will lose their 12-year-old season of Little League Baseball.”

The league's website explains in great detail how to calculate the league age of children born from May 2005 to August 2005, but it contains no explanation for children born from May 2006 to August 2006. This is because once explained, their ruling has clearly placed these children at a disadvantage. Here is a simple explanation based upon the same wording used on their website:

For players born between May 1, 2006 and August 31, 2006: The new age determination date of August 31 became effective starting with the 2015 Little League Baseball Season. For the 2016, 2017, 2018 season, these players will use the same age determination date as those players born between May 1, 2005 and August 31, 2005.

This doesn't make sense. The rule needs to be changed so that players born from May 2006 to August 2006 have a fair shot at competing with other players in their division.

Little League should grandfather the May-August 2006 kids like it did for the 2005 kids and older, or at least give them a fair chance to play postseason by grandfathering them for All Star purposes.  Little League could also instruct local administrators to form two All Star teams for this age group. 

Do something! Little League created this mess because it doesn't want a small handful of 13 year olds playing in the Little League World Series, but what about the thousands of kids across the country that were negatively impacted.  These kids ARE disappointed.  Don't turn your back on them Little League!