Little League World Series

From BR Bullpen

The Little League World Series is an annual international championship tournament of Little League Baseball held in Williamsport, PA. It began as a tournament made up only of teams from Pennsylvania in 1947. In 1958 the Little League announced that four foreign teams will play in its tournament; one of those teams, representing Monterrey, Nuevo León in Mexico, would win that year's championship. Later, teams from around the world would compete, and win the Little League World Series.

In 1992, the Little League World Series expanded to its current sixteen team format. Each team plays in one of four round robin pools. There are two American pools and two international pools. The top two teams from each pool then move on to single elimination play. Currently, all 31 games are televised in the United States by the ESPN networks.

The tournament's main stadium is Howard J. Lamade Stadium, built in 1959 while a second stadium Little League Volunteer Stadium was opened in 2001. The first 12 LLWS were played at Carl E. Stotz Field which was built in 1939.

Traditionally, the Little League World Series final is played on the last Sunday in August. All games are six innings in length.

1 Tournament Format
2 Championships by Country
3 Results
4 Feats
5 Players

[edit] Tournament Format

Currently, the LLWS is broken up into two brackets: the United States Bracket and the International Bracket. Each bracket is further divided into eight divisions, and each division is reresented by one team. For the competition, there are two pools within each bracket, and four teams per pool. In the opening days of the tournament, the teams compete round robin within their own pool. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals, where the 1st place team from one pool competes against the 2nd place team from the other. The respective winners advance to play in either the United States or International Finals, whose winners then advance to compete in the Little League World Series Championship Game: the top American team versus the top International team.

The eight regions which compete in the United States Bracket are as follows, with tournament locations:

Northwest Region (San Bernardino, CA): Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming
West Region (San Bernardino, CA): Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern California, Southern California, and Utah
Southwest Region (Waco, TX): Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas East, and Texas West
Midwest Region (Indianapolis, IN): Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
Great Lakes Region (Indianapolis, IN): Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Southeast Region (Gulfport, FL): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Mid-Atlantic Region (Bristol, CT): Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
New England Region (Bristol, CT): Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

The eight divisions which compete in the International Bracket are as follows:

Canada
Mexico
Caribbean
Latin America
Pacific
Asia
Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA)
Transatlantic

There is considerable territorial overlap between the Transatlantic and EMEA regions. The leagues within the so-called "Transatlantic" region generally consist of children and other dependents of American expatriates, typically Armed Forces personnel, international organization members, and oil company workers. The leagues within the "EMEA" region, conversely, generally consist of players native to the league's own country.

[edit] Championships by Country

United States: 30 (1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Chinese Taipei: 17 (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996)
Japan: 6 (1967, 1968, 1976, 1999, 2001, 2003)
Mexico: 3 (1957, 1958, 1997)
South Korea: 2 (1984, 1985)
Venezuela: 2 (1994, 2000)
Netherlands Antilles: 1 (2004)

[edit] Results

Year	Champion	Score	Runner-Up	Notes
1947	Image:FlagUSA20.png Maynard Williamsport, PA	16-7	Image:FlagUSA20.png Lock Haven Lock Haven, PA
1948	Image:FlagUSA20.png Lock Haven Lock Haven, PA	6-5	Image:FlagUSA20.png St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL
1949	Image:FlagUSA20.png Hammonton Hammonton, NJ	5-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Pensacola Pensacola, FL
1950	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Austin, TX	2-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT
1951	Image:FlagUSA20.png Stamford Stamford, CT	3-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png North Austin Lions Austin, TX
1952	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Norwalk, CT	4-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Optimist Monongahela, PA
1953	Image:FlagUSA20.png Southside Birmingham, AL	1-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Schenectady Schenectady, NY
1954	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Schenectady, NY	7-5	Image:FlagUSA20.png Lions Club Colton, CA
1955	Image:FlagUSA20.png Morrisville Morrisville, PA	4-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Delaware Township Merchantville, NJ
1956	Image:FlagUSA20.png Lions Honda Roswell, NM	3-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Delaware Township Merchantville, NJ
1957	Image:FlagMEX20.png Industrial Monterrey, Nuevo Leon	4-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png La Mesa Northern La Mesa, CA	Angel Macias throws a perfect game.
1958	Image:FlagMEX20.png Industrial Monterrey, Nuevo Leon	10-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Kankakee Kankakee, IL
1959	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Hamtramck, MI	12-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png West Auburn Auburn, CA
1960	Image:FlagUSA20.png American Levittown, PA	5-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png North East Optomist Fort Worth, TX
1961	Image:FlagUSA20.png Northern El Cajon, CA	4-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png El Campo El Campo, TX
1962	Image:FlagUSA20.png Moreland San Jose, CA	3-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Kankakee Kankakee, IL
1963	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Granada Hills, CA	2-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Stratford Original Stratford, CT
1964	Image:FlagUSA20.png Mid Island Staten Island, NY	4-0	Image:FlagMEX20.png Pequena Obispado Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
1965	Image:FlagUSA20.png Windsor Locks Windsor Locks, CT	3-1	Image:FlagCAN20.png Stoney Creek Stoney Creek, ON
1966	Image:FlagUSA20.png Westbury American Houston, TX	8-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png American West New York, NJ
1967	Image:FlagJPN20.png West Tokyo West Tokyo, Japan	4-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png North Roseland Chicago, IL
1968	Image:FlagJPN20.png Wakayama Osaka, Japan	1-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Tuckahoe Richmond, VA
1969	Image:FlagTPE20.png Taipei Taipei, Taiwan	5-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Briarwood Santa Clara, CA
1970	Image:FlagUSA20.png American Wayne, NJ	2-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Campbell Campbell, CA
1971	Image:FlagTPE20.png Tainan Tainan, Taiwan	12-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Anderson Gary, IN
1972	Image:FlagTPE20.png Taipei Taipei, Taiwan	6-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Edison Hammond, IN
1973	Image:FlagTPE20.png Tainan City Tainan City, Taiwan	12-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Cactus Tucson, AZ
1974	Image:FlagTPE20.png Kao Hsiung Kaohsiung, Taiwan	12-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Red Bluff Red Bluff, CA
1975	Image:FlagUSA20.png Lakewood Lakewood, NJ	4-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1976	Image:FlagJPN20.png Chofu Tokyo, Japan	10-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Campbell Campbell, CA
1977	Image:FlagTPE20.png Li-Teh Kaohsiung, Taiwan	7-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png Western El Cajon, CA
1978	Image:FlagTPE20.png Pin-Kuang Pin-Tung, Taiwan	11-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png San Ramon Valley Danville, CA
1979	Image:FlagTPE20.png Pu-Tzu Town Hsien, Taiwan	2-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Campbell Campbell, CA
1980	Image:FlagTPE20.png Long Kuong Hua Lian, Taiwan	4-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1981	Image:FlagTPE20.png Tai-Ping Taichung, Taiwan	4-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1982	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Kirkland, WA	6-0	Image:FlagTPE20.png Po-Tzu Town Hsien, Taiwan
1983	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Marietta, GA	3-1	Image:FlagDOM20.png Liquito Hernandez Barahona, DR
1984	Image:FlagKOR20.png National Seoul, South Korea	6-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Altamonte Springs, FL
1985	Image:FlagKOR20.png Naitonal Seoul, South Korea	7-1	Image:FlagMEX20.png Mexicali Mexicali, Baja California	Mexicali played in California's District 22 in the Southern California and represented the Western Region of the United States after winning that region's tournament.
1986	Image:FlagTPE20.png Tainan Park Tainan Park, Taiwan	12-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png International Tucson, AZ
1987	Image:FlagTPE20.png Hua Lian Hua Lian, Taiwan	21-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Northwood Irvine, CA
1988	Image:FlagTPE20.png Tai Ping Taichung, Taiwan	10-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Pearl City Pearl City, HI
1989	Image:FlagUSA20.png National Trumbull, CT	5-2	Image:FlagTPE20.png Kang-tu Kaohsiung, Taiwan
1990	Image:FlagTPE20.png San-Hua Tainan County, Taiwan	9-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Shippensburg Shippensburg, PA
1991	Image:FlagTPE20.png Hsi Nan Taichung, Taiwan	11-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png San Ramon Valley Danville, CA
1992	Image:FlagUSA20.png Long Beach Long Beach, CA	~~15-4~~ 6-0	Zamboanga City Zamboanga, Philippines	Long Beach was declared a 6-0 winner after it was discovered that Zamboanga City used players from outside its city limits and some that were overage.
1993	Image:FlagUSA20.png Long Beach Long Beach, CA	3-2	Image:FlagPAN20.png David Doleguita David, Panama
1994	Coquivacoa Maracaibo, Venezuela	4-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Northridge City Northridge, CA
1995	Image:FlagTPE20.png Shan-Hua Tainan, Taiwan	17-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Northwest 45 Spring, TX
1996	Image:FlagTPE20.png Fu-Hsing Kaohsiung, Taiwan	13-3	Image:FlagUSA20.png Cranston Cranston, RI
1997	Image:FlagMEX20.png Guadalupe Guadalupe, Nuevo León	5-4	Image:FlagUSA20.png South Mission Viejo Mission Viejo, CA
1998	Image:FlagUSA20.png Toms River Toms River, NJ	12-9	Image:FlagJPN20.png Kashima Kashima, Japan
1999	Image:FlagJPN20.png Hirakata Osaka, Japan	5-0	Image:FlagUSA20.png Phenix Phenix City, AL
2000	Image:FlagVEN20.png Sierra Maestra Maracaibo, Venezuela	3-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png Bellaire Bellaire, TX
2001	Image:FlagJPN20.png Kitasuna Tokyo, Japan	2-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png Apopka National Apopka, FL
2002	Image:FlagUSA20.png Valley Sports American Louisville, KY	1-0	Image:FlagJPN20.png Sendai Higashi Sendai, Japan
2003	Image:FlagJPN20.png Musashi-Fuchu Tokyo, Japan	10-1	Image:FlagUSA20.png East Boynton Beach Boynton Beach, FL
2004	Pabao Willemstad, Curaçao	5-2	Image:FlagUSA20.png Conejo Valley East Thousand Oaks, CA
2005	Image:FlagUSA20.png West Oahu Ewa Beach, HI	7-6	Pabao Willemstad, Curaçao	The game lasted seven innings.
2006	Image:FlagUSA20.png Columbus Columbus, GA	2-1	Image:FlagJPN20.png Kawaguchi City Kawaguchi, Saitama
2007	Image:FlagUSA20.png Warner Robins Warner Robins, GA	3-2	Tokyo Tokyo, Japan	Dalton Carriker hits the game-ending homer in the bottom of the 8th in a dramatic extra-inning contest.

[edit] Feats

There have been four perfect games thrown in the history of the LLWS. The first was by Fred Shapiro (Delaware Township) in 1956 in a semifinal game. The second was by Angel Macias (Industrial, Monterrey) the following year's championship game. In 1976 Kiyoshi Tsumura of the Chofu team (Japan) pitched one versus the team from Kaiserslautern, Germany. Four Musashi-Fuchu (Japan) pitchers, Shigeki Umeda, Masato Komuro, Ippei Endoh and Yuutaro Tanaka, threw a four-inning perfecto versus the Saudi Arabian team in 2003. In 2001, Danny Almonte threw a perfect game versus eventual runnerup Apopka National, but his records have been expunged from the tournament's history due to his ineligablity.

In 1979, Chao-An Chen (Pu-Tzu Town, Chinese Taipei) struckout 18 batters in the team's semifinal six-inning game. In 2005, Kalen Pimentel (Vista, California) matched the feat by striking 18 Owensboro, Kentucky players.

There have been three occasions of a player hitting three home runs in a game. Roger Miller of Tuckahoe, VA in 1968, Chih-Hsiang Lin of Shan-Hua, Chinese Taipei in 1995 and Tetsuya Furukawa of Kashima, Japan in 1998. The record for most home runs hit in a single tournament is owned by Chin-Hsiung Hsieh of Fu-Hsing, Chinese Taipei who hit 7 in the 1996 tournament (five games). Lloyd McClendon hit five in the 1971 Series, which had only three games, and was walked the rest of the series.