Cubs vs. Pirates Announced for 2019 Little League Classic in Williamsport

Adam Wells @adamwells1985Featured ColumnistAugust 20, 2018

The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals line the baselines, and the 16 Little League teams from around the world participating in the Little League World Series line the infield before the Little League Classic baseball game between the Pirates and the Cardinals at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Major League Baseball will return to the Little League World Series for a game in 2019.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced on Sunday that the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates will play in the Little League Classic on August 18, 2019.

Next year's game between the Cubs and Pirates will mark the third Little League Classic. The series was first adopted in 2017 as part of a joint agreement between MLB, the MLB Players Association and Little League International.

BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, serves as the host for the game. The stadium is also the official home of the Class A Short Season Williamsport Crosscutters.

The Pirates were the home team for the first Little League Classic in 2017. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 thanks to Josh Bell's four-RBI game.

Pittsburgh is the Cubs' oldest rival with 2,510 games played between the two teams. The Pirates lead the all-time series with a 1,276-1,216 record that also includes eight ties.

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