WVIA Earns W. Howard Hartman Little League Friendship Award

WVIA has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 W. Howard Hartman Little League Friendship Award, one of Little League International’s highest honors, recognizing the organization’s longstanding commitment to the Little League community and its dedication to sharing the stories of Challenger Division athletes with audiences nationwide.

The honor comes as WVIA prepares to produce the 25th Little League Challenger Division Exhibition Game, Presented by Eggland’s Best, a beloved tradition of the Little League Baseball World Series that celebrates inclusion, perseverance, teamwork, and the joy of playing the game. 

WVIA will be recognized for the award during an on-field ceremony at Howard J. Lamade Stadium on Saturday, August 29, prior to the International Championship Game. 

Established in 1988 in memory of W. Howard Hartman, one of Little League’s most devoted supporters, the Friendship Award is presented annually to individuals and organizations whose service embodies the spirit of friendship and commitment that defined Hartman’s legacy.

For fifteen years, WVIA has produced and nationally distributed the Challenger Division Exhibition Game, bringing the inspiring athletes, families, coaches, and volunteers of Little League’s Challenger Division into homes across America. This year’s broadcast will once again be shared by more than 28 public media stations nationwide, in addition to digital streaming platforms.

“This recognition is deeply meaningful because it celebrates something much larger than a television broadcast,” said Carla McCabe, President & CEO of WVIA. “Every year, we have the privilege of sharing stories that remind us what sports, and public media, are truly about: inclusion, community, perseverance, and belonging. We are incredibly honored that Little League has entrusted WVIA with helping bring these remarkable athletes and their families into homes across America.”

The 2026 Challenger Division Exhibition Game will feature the Berwyn-Paoli Area Little League Challenger Division of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and the East County Little League Challenger Division of Oakley, California. The teams will take the field at Volunteer Stadium in Williamsport on Saturday, August 29, at 10:30 a.m. ET, celebrating the athletes and communities who make Challenger Division baseball possible.