"Natch"

In Little League baseball, as psychiatrists have gravely observed, the eight-to twelve-year-old players can get so emotionally involved in the game that they end up as neurotic as any adult. But it never occurred to the team from Levittown, Pa. that baseball was anything but fun. Even when Levittown landed in the world series tournament in Williamsport, Pa., the kids still acted like kids. They swirled through free-for-alls, were sent to their rooms for pinching each other on the neck ("cow bite") or on the calf ("shark bite"). Said Little League Research Director Dr. Creighton Hale: "We've never seen anything like this light-hearted Levittown team."

Winning with ease. Levittown made the finals last week and faced the sobering task of playing a Fort Worth team that was the most solemn and mature club in the tournament. The prospect gave Levittown a bundle of laughs. During batting practice. Third Baseman Julie Kalkstein grabbed the microphone of the public-address system and rattled off a series of gags about the efforts of his buddies.

When the game began, Levittown Pitch-Joey Marmello, a husky twelve-year-old (5 ft. 2 in., 117 Ibs.). proceeded to put on one of the greatest shows in Little League history. At bat. he hit a 225-ft. home run over the centerfield fence to drive in two runs. On the mound, he cut loose a big league fastball. By the end of the six-inning game. Joey had pitched a no-hitter, struck out 16 men and won the championship 5-0. Son of a former St. Louis Browns' farm hand, Joey has fanned 110 of his last 123 batters, looks as promising as any of the three former Little Leaguers* who are now in the majors. What does Joey want to be when he grows up? "A baseball player, natch."

-*New York's Bob Turley and Bill Skowron, Milwaukee's Joey Jay.

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