BY RED MULCAHY Special to Beacon Athletics — Every year in August, close to 500,000 people from all over the world descend upon South Williamsport, Pennsylvania for perhaps the purest expression of baseball: the Little League World Series.

Teams from every U.S. state and over 80 foreign countries compete for the chance to play at Williamsport, with 8 U.S. teams and 8 international teams earning the right. Getting there is every kid’s dream, and the excitement of the whole experience goes way off the charts — for kids, coaches, family and friends, umpires, vendors, you name it. It’s hard for anyone to maintain their composure.