Mo'ne Davis makes Sports Illustrated cover, first Little League player to do so

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 20 (UPI) —

Taney Dragons ace pitcher and Little League World Series star Mo’ne Davis just can’t stop making history, becoming the first active Little Leaguer to earn the coveted title of Sports Illustrated cover athlete.

"Last week, this week, maybe next week, she’s owned the sports conversation," Sports Illustrated manager editor Chris Stone explained on SI’s website.

"How often do you get to say this about a 13-year-old girl? It’s the easiest type of story to identify as a cover story."

Since the Taney Dragons of Philadelphia began their Little League World Series run, Davis and her teammates have captured the attention of baseball fans — and just about everyone — around the United States.

"The writer, Albert Chen, said it perfectly in the story," Stone said.

“‘She’s a lot of things to a lot of different people, all of them good things: a totem for inner-city baseball, a role model for your 10-year-old niece, a role model for your 10-year-old nephew.’

Most of all, she’s a laid-back kid just having a really good time.”

As for the attention, Mo’ne is playing it cool and even offered some healthy criticism for her more tenured fans.

"People were like, ‘Oh, there are going to be people running up to you taking pictures’ and I thought it was going to be a bunch of little kids. But it’s grown-ups! And that’s, like, creepy," she said.

Whirlwind Tues. for Mo’ne as she becomes the 1st LLer on a SI cover + UConn greats reach out http://t.co/RkrH7a2tZF pic.twitter.com/VerNWyCIzbâ € ” Philly Daily News (@PhillyDailyNews) August 20, 2014

When asked to compare herself to major leaguers, Mo’Ne Davis shows she has style all her own. http://t.co/plsozzdsUP pic.twitter.com/FmGaSOGnDJâ € ” SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 15, 2014