FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, baseball might be America's national pastime, but in the little league ranks the game is taking a decidedly Russian twist. This week in Pennsylvania a Russian team is playing in the little league world series. Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty has more on the pint-size players and their dreams of making it big in the big league. (</s>BEGIN VIDEOTAPE JILL DOUGHERTY, MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: The Russians are coming to the little league world series. Fresh from acing the all-European championship, Moscow's Hovrino team will be back in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania for the third time. Quite a feat for a country where baseball didn't even exist a little over 15 years ago. Most Russians still have never heard of it. But kids like Zhenya, the team's pitcher, have big dreams.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I want to get into the major leagues. Atlanta Braves.</s>DOUGHERTY: The dream paid off for Oleg Korneyev, who signed with the Seattle Mariners.</s>OLEG KORNEYEV, BASEBALL PLAYER: Right now I see a lot of kids' team getting better, like kids playing much higher levels than when I play.</s>DOUGHERTY: Being a little league parent in Russia takes dedication. Some of them are learning the game along with their kids. Equipment's hard to find and expensive. Some is donated by American and European teams. The parents now are looking for funding for a new stadium. When it's not snowing, the boys practice three to four hours a day five days a week. Baseball may still be a foreign word for most Russians, but these little leaguers are giving the competition a run for its money. Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Russian Little League Team Makes World Series