An uplifting baseball first took place on Sunday night, as the Cardinals and Pirates took part in the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Penn. Williamsport is of course the site of the ongoing Little League World Series, and for the first time two big-league teams went at it at in BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. Speaking of which, check out this excellent exterior: 

The Pirates prevailed by a score of 6-3 (box score), but that was just part of the story. Let's have a look at some takeaways from this certifiable baseball celebration: 

1. The uniforms looked excellent 

After hanging out with Little Leaguers all day on Sunday and watching some LLWS action ... 

The Cards and Buccos got down to business. And they looked good doing so ... 

And ... 

That's an advance look at the unis these two teams will brandish during Players Weekend next week, Aug. 25-27. Best of all, players will wear nicknames on their jerseys for Players Weekend. The Cards and Pirates also did that for the Little League Classic ... 

Davehuman? Davehuman, people. 

2. The Little Leaguers got to be on the field for pregame introductions 

Sixteen teams are in Williamsport for the LLWS, and every player for every team was on the field for the player introductions ... 

And needless to say they stuck around for the game ... 

3. The ceremonial first pitch was really cool 

Given the unique nature of this event, you had to figure the ceremonial first pitch would be, you know, unique. And indeed it was ... 

Yep, one member from each of the 16 LLWS teams lined up for a relay, which culminated in the ceremonial first pitch (strike, we'll call it). That's a great idea that involves a lot of the kids and calls upon some baseball skills. That's something those 16 young men will never forget. 

4. The game featured three players who played in the Little League World Series

Yep, three rostered big leaguers in Williamsport on Sunday night. On the Cardinals, we've got outfielder Randal Grichuk and right-hander Lance Lynn ...

For the Pirates, infielder Max Moroff made the LLWS back in 2005 ...

He caught that way-cool ceremonial pitch noted above. All three of these alums were honored on Sunday ... 

Oh, and before we take leave of this sub-topic ... 

5. Josh Bell hit the first home run in the Little League Classic 

The first dinger in Little League Classic history? It comes courtesy of Pirates first baseman Josh Bell ... 

That's Bell's 21st home run of the season. 

6. Yep, there was a handshake line 

In true Little League form, the Cardinals and Pirates following the last out queued up and and busted out the sportsmanship, just like the kids do after every game ... 

Good show, men.

7. Josh Harrison and Tommy Pham had the best shoes 

As implied above, the Players Weekend vibe on display allows players to add some personal flourishes to their on-field looks. Suffice it to say, Harrison and Pham made the most of the opportunity. First up, Harrison's cleats ... 

And Pham's ... 

Nicely done and very much in keeping with the spirit of the day. 

8. This must become an annual event 

During his third-inning appearance on the ESPN broadcast, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred offered some encouraging words for those who (rightly) thought this was a terrific addition to the schedule ... 

Amen to that. The interactions among the Little Leaguers and big leaguers was the highlight, but the game itself was compelling just on atmospherics alone. That had much to do with this ... 

The intimacy was something to behold. Every ball off the bat sounded like a rifle report. You could see cars driving in the background. You could see neighboring rooftops, mountains in the distance. The best baseball players in the world were leaning along the dugout railing all game long, taking it in. 

Mostly, though, it was fun, and that's what baseball's supposed to be. On Sunday night, it was as fun as it has been in a long time.