Little League World Series 2011: Why Story of Cody Webster Cannot Be Forgotten

Huntington Beach's Nick Pratto has become a Little League hero after knocking in the game-winning single in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday in California's 2-1 win over Japan in the Little League World Series championship game.

But while Pratto and his teammates should be lauded for a tremendous accomplishment, it's important to keep the Little Leaguers' performance in perspective.

Nearly 30 years ago, Kirkland's Cody Webster was deemed such a hero after the Washington-based Little Leaguers upset heavily-favored Taiwan. Webster, then 12 years old, towered over his opposition at 5-foot-7, 175 pounds, and his two-hitter against Taiwan, complete with 75-mph fastballs and a knee-buckling curve, was the difference. He also hit a 280-foot home run in the first LLWS broadcast on TV.

After the win, Webster was paraded around Kirkland in a Corvette convertible, appeared on "Good Morning America," met Gov. John Spellman, received a congratulatory telegram from President Reagan and got a chance to throw out the first pitch at Shea Stadium.

But things began to turn for Webster when people started projecting him as baseball's next star, even as a kid who had yet to hit puberty. For each step up in the level of competition, from Little League to high school to college, Webster continued to be looked at as a superstar, complete with the outlandish pressure that came along with it.

For every failure, he was mocked. For every mistake, he was criticized. "Little League hero" became a term fans in the stands threw around to mock him. He was even spat on at one point.

Said Webster, via ESPN:

"

"I was good when I was 12. I was average when I was 18.

"It's hard when people meet you and say, 'Well, what happened to you?' I'd say, 'What do you mean? I'm standing right here.' You get tired of that stuff. It beats you down. I'd be happy to sit in a room and having no one know. I just want to be Cody."

"

"I just want to be Cody."

Those words should serve a lesson to us all, those who will undoubtedly expect Pratto and his teammate Hagen Danner to become the next big thing in baseball. Folks, these kids just want to be themselves; they just want to be kids. They should be applauded for their victory, but anyone who says they can project a 12-year-old as a major leaguer is delusional. Not even the best MLB scouts can legitimately say that.

Nick just wants to be Nick.

Let him be that, and applaud him for the person he is, without the pressure Webster had to endure.

Nobody should ever have to live through what Cody Webster did.