Current season, competition or edition:![]() | |
Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 1947, 77 years ago |
No. of teams | 20 |
Countries | International |
Most recent champion(s) | ![]() |
Most titles | ![]() |
Official website | LittleLeague.org |
The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children (primarily boys) aged 10 to 12 years old, held in the Eastern United States. [1] [2] Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. The Series was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania; [3] while the postal address of the organization is in Williamsport, the Series itself is played at Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Volunteer Stadium at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport.
Initially, only teams from the United States competed in the Series, but it has since become a worldwide tournament. The tournament has gained popular renown, especially in the United States, where games from the Series and even from regional tournaments are broadcast on ESPN. Teams from the United States have won a plurality of the series, although from 1969 to 1991 teams from Taiwan dominated the series, winning in 15 out of those 23 years. Taiwan's dominance during those years has been attributed to a national effort to combat its perceived diplomatic isolation around the world. [4] From 2010 through 2017, teams from Japan similarly dominated the series, winning five of those matchups.
While the Little League Baseball World Series is frequently referred to as just the Little League World Series, it is actually one of seven World Series tournaments sponsored by Little League International, in different locations. Each of them brings community teams from different Little League International regions around the world together in baseball (four age divisions) and girls' softball (three age divisions). [5] The tournament structure described here is that used for the Little League Baseball World Series. The structure used for the other World Series is similar, but with different regions.
In the summer months leading up to the Little League World Series, held each year in August, Little Leagues around the world select All-Star teams made up of players from each league. It is these All-Star teams that compete in district, [6] sectional and/or divisional, and regional tournaments,[ citation needed ] hoping to advance to Williamsport for the Little League World Series. How many games a team has to play varies from region to region. In the United States, the tournaments at the lowest (district) level lack nationwide standardization. Some use pool play or double elimination, while others use single elimination.
In the United States, the fate of district winners varies widely from state to state. In some larger states such as Pennsylvania, New York, and California, the district winners advance to one of many sectional tournaments. [6] The winners of each sectional tournament then advance to a state or divisional tournament, the latter only being held in Texas and California and are similar to the state tournaments held in less populous states. [6] Most smaller states lack competition at the sectional level and go straight from district to state tournaments. A handful of states are composed of only one district, and the district champion is the automatic state champion. [6]
With two exceptions, every state as well as the District of Columbia crowns a state champion, [7] and sends that team to represent it to one of ten regional tournaments. The exceptions involve California and Texas. Because of their large geographic and population sizes, California and Texas send two representatives to their regional tournament; Northern California and Southern California in the West region tournament and Texas East and Texas West (whose areas encompass more than the geographical areas of East Texas and West Texas, splitting roughly along the I-35/I-37 corridor) compete in the Southwest region tournament. [6] Up through 2018, the Dakotas had one district spanning the two states, and its winner became the joint champion when advancing to the Midwest region tournament. [6] However, beginning in 2019, North Dakota and South Dakota are represented by individual teams in the regional tournament — creating an odd number of teams first in the Midwest Regional and then (beginning in 2022) in the Great Lakes Regional.
The state champions (as well as the Northern California, Southern California, Texas East, Texas West, and District of Columbia teams) compete in one of ten different regional tournaments (increasing from 8 in 2022). Each regional tournament winner then advances to the Little League World Series. A comprehensive breakdown of current and historical US regional tournament locations, participants and results is available online. [8] Since the geographical boundaries of the District of Columbia are exactly the same as the capital city of Washington, this District is usually identified specifically as "Washington, DC."
Other countries and regions pick their own way of crowning a champion. [6] Little League Canada holds tournaments at the provincial and divisional level to field six champions (four provincial and two divisional) at the national tournament: Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, the Prairie Provinces (Saskatchewan and Manitoba), and the Atlantic Provinces. [9] The host site of the national tournament varies from year to year, and the host team gets an automatic berth as the seventh team. The tournament is played as a round robin and uses the Page playoff format. The winner of the national tournament earns the right to represent Canada at the Little League World Series.
Beginning with the 2022 tournament, 10 regional tournament winners compete in the United States bracket of the Little League World Series. The states those regional champions could possibly hail from are as listed below using U.S. state abbreviations. There are 53 total U.S. entrants that compete in the 10 regional tournaments: two from Texas, two from California, one each from the remaining 48 U.S. states, and one from the District of Columbia.
There are eight international divisions, which provide 10 teams to the international bracket of the tournament. This is due to Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico receiving automatic bids to the LLWS on a rotating basis—annually, two teams receive a bid while the other plays through its regional tournament (Cuba or Puerto Rico through the Caribbean region; Panama through Latin America region). [10]
The above regions reflect various historical realignments, including those implemented in 2013 and 2022. [11] [10] Historical detail is provided in articles about the individual regions.
Divisions which compete in the United States bracket represent 96% of worldwide players in Little League with over 2.2 million participants, while the divisions in the International bracket represent the remaining 4% (less than 130,000 participants).[ citation needed ]
Currently, the Little League World Series consists of 20 teams: 10 from the United States, and 10 from other countries. The U.S. and international teams play in separate brackets, in a double-elimination format. The winners of each bracket then play each other for the LLWS championship game.
From the inaugural 1947 tournament through 1956, there were predominantly U.S.-based teams, usually eight, competing in a single-elimination format. One Canadian team played in 1952, and one in 1953. Regions were introduced in 1957, and that tournament included the first non-U.S. champion, Monterrey, Mexico, although they represented the U.S. South region. International regions were added in 1958. From 1962 through 2000, the eight teams in the tournament came from four U.S. and four international regions:
Through 1975, all teams competed in one bracket. That year, the tournament was held with only the teams from the U.S. regions. [12] The international teams returned in 1976, [12] when two brackets were established, one with U.S. teams, and the other with international teams. The U.S. bracket winner and the international bracket winner would then meet in the championship game, [12] an arrangement that has continued to the present, independent of subsequent changes made to early rounds of the tournament.
In 2001, the number of regions was doubled to 16. The tournament started with eight U.S. teams, randomly assigned into two four-team pools; and eight international teams, also randomly assigned into two four-team pools. Teams competed round-robin within their own pool, with the top two teams of each pool advancing to single-elimination play for a spot in the U.S. final or international final, followed by the U.S champion and international champion meeting in the World Championship game.
In 2010, round-robin play was replaced by a double-elimination bracket in each four-team pool. The winners of each pool advanced to a single-elimination U.S. championship or international championship game, with those winners advancing to the World Championship game. Additionally, each team in the tournament played a minimum of three games, as any team that lost its first two games would play in a consolation U.S. vs. international game. [13]
In 2011, pools were eliminated, with the eight U.S. teams continuing to compete in one bracket and the eight international teams in another bracket. The tournament is double-elimination until the U.S. championship and international championship games, which remain single-elimination, with those winners advancing to the World Championship game. Each team in the tournament still played a minimum of three games, via consolation games as noted above. [14] [15]
In August 2019, organizers announced that the tournament would expand to 20 teams in 2021, by adding two U.S. participants and two international participants. [10] However, the expansion was delayed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence of this expansion, crossover consolations games that had previously been played between 0–2 teams have been eliminated.
Two venues host World Series games: Howard J. Lamade Stadium and Little League Volunteer Stadium. Lamade Stadium has hosted games since 1959 and added lights in 1992. [16] Volunteer Stadium opened in 2001 when the field expanded to 16 teams. Prior to 1959, the Little League World Series was held at Original Little League on West Fourth Street in Williamsport. [17]
Both fields have symmetrical fences, with a distance of 68.6 m (225 feet) from home plate to each of the outfield positions. That distance had been 62.5 m (205 feet) before 2006.
Admission to all LLWS games is free for all spectators. However, stadium seats for the championship game are distributed in a random drawing of all interested parties due to high demand. Some early round games, mostly games with Pennsylvania teams, will use first-come, first-served admission if a big crowd is to be expected. [18] Lamade Stadium has a berm beyond the fences that has allowed the facility to hold up to 45,000 spectators.
From 1947 to 2005, the age limit for players was set at children who turned 13 on August 1 of that year or later. In 2006, the age limit was loosened to include players who turn 13 after April 30. As the Series takes place in August, this led to many of the players having already turned 13 before the Series started. In 2014 Little League voted to change the age cutoff from April 30 to December 31. However, this caused outrage by parents because the players born between May 1 and August 31, 2005 would have lost their 12-year-old season because they would be considered to be 13 years old even though they have not reached their 13th birthday. Effective November 2015, a new implementation plan was established, which "grandfathered" players born between May 1 and August 31, 2005 as 12-year-olds for the 2018 season, using April 30 age determination date for the 2018 season. Since 2019, a new determination date of August 31 is used, banning 13-year-old players from participating in the Series.
Through the 2024 tournament, a total of 23 girls have participated in the Little League Baseball World Series: [19]
Year | Name | State/Country |
---|---|---|
1984 | Victoria Roche | ![]() |
1989 | Victoria Brucker | ![]() |
1990 | Kelly Craig | ![]() |
1991 | Giselle Hardy | ![]() |
1994 | Krissy Wendell | ![]() |
1998 | Sayaka Tsushima | ![]() |
1999 | Alicia Hunolt | ![]() |
2001 | Tatiana Maltseva | ![]() |
2002 | Sanoe Aina | ![]() |
2003 | Merced Flores | ![]() |
2004 | Meghan Sims | ![]() |
Alexandra Bellini | ![]() | |
2008 | Brielle Meno | ![]() |
2009 | Katie Reyes | ![]() |
Bryn Stonehouse | ![]() | |
2013 | Eliska Stejsklova | ![]() |
2014 | Emma March | ![]() |
Mo'ne Davis | ![]() | |
2019 | Maddy Freking | ![]() |
2021 | Ella Bruning | ![]() |
2022 | Falynn Randall | ![]() |
2023 | Stella Weaver | ![]() |
2024 | Emma Gainsford | ![]() |
‡ Forfeits due to ineligible players:
Rank | Team | Titles | Years |
---|---|---|---|
– | ![]() | 39 | 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, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
1 | ![]() | 17 | 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996 |
2 | ![]() | 11 | 1967, 1968, 1976, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 |
3 | ![]() | 8 | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992‡, 1993, 2009, 2011, 2023 |
4 | ![]() | 4 | 1947, 1948, 1955, 1960 |
![]() | 1951, 1952, 1965, 1989 | ||
![]() | 1949, 1970, 1975, 1998 | ||
![]() | 2005, 2008, 2018, 2022 | ||
8 | ![]() | 3 | 1957, 1958, 1997 |
![]() | 1983, 2006, 2007 | ||
![]() | 1984, 1985, 2014 | ||
![]() | 1954, 1964, 2016 | ||
12 | ![]() | 2 | 1950, 1966 |
![]() | 1994, 2000 | ||
![]() | 1959, 2021 | ||
15 | ![]() | 1 | 1953 |
![]() | 1956 | ||
![]() | 1982 | ||
![]() | 2002 | ||
![]() | 2004 | ||
![]() | 2019 |
This section needs additional citations for verification .(May 2023) |
The first broadcast of the Little League World Series on television was on ABC Sports (now ESPN on ABC) in 1963. For years, only the championship game was televised. Since the late 1980s, when the tournament was reorganized, both the U.S. and international championships, the "semifinals", have been shown. As the years passed, more telecasts were added on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. In 2006, 28 of the 36 games were televised on the three networks. In addition, several regional tournament games, which are qualifiers for the LLWS, are televised on ESPN during the days leading up to the LLWS.
The 2006 world championship game was to be the last telecast on ABC Sports before ESPN's complete takeover of the sports division and name change. However, the final was postponed one day because of rain and was shown by ESPN2.
In January 2007, it was announced that ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC had extended their contract with the Little League organization through 2014. [31] That year, every game of the LLWS was scheduled to be televised for the first time, with all but one game live on ESPN, ESPN2, or ABC. (The other game was to be available online at ESPN360, then shown on ESPN2 the next day.) In addition, a number of games were to be shown in high-definition on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. The championship games in all other divisions, as well as the semifinals and finals of the Little League Softball World Series, was scheduled for either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. [31]
In June 2011, it was announced that ESPN would add 17 games to its schedule on ESPN 3D. [32]
Coverage of the qualifying games has increased substantially in the US within the past decade: as of 2018, all regional group games (with the exception of the Southwest region) are available via subscription online through the ESPN+ platform, with the last three games of each regional tournament on an ESPN network. The aforementioned Southwest regional games are aired in full on the Longhorn Network (itself owned by ESPN). The increased level of participation, competition, and publicity of the Little League World Series in recent years has established a trend in the opposite direction of many other preteen sports.
Most LLWS games are broadcast live on local radio station WRAK 1400AM, which is owned by iHeartMedia. The radio broadcasts are also streamed online at the LLWS page at littleleague.org. Beginning in 2025 Fox Sports and Fox Sports 1 will be getting coverage as part of a new 7 year deal.
After discontinuing their big league divisions in 2017 due to low participation levels over the previous 15 years, [33] seven of the remaining eleven divisions of Little League Baseball has its own World Series format (including three in girls' softball).
Little League Baseball and Softball is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States, that organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
The 1992 Little League World Series took place between August 24 and August 29 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The team representing the Zamboanga City Little League, the Filipino representative in the Far East Region, won the International Championship while Long Beach, California, the United States West Region representative, won the U.S. Championship.
The 2007 Little League World Series was a baseball tournament held August 17 through August 26 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Eight teams from the United States and eight from throughout the world competed to decide the winner of the 61st installment of the Little League World Series. On August 26, the U.S. champion from Warner Robins, Georgia, defeated the international champion from Tokyo, Japan, 3–2 in 8 innings on a walk-off home run by Dalton Carriker. This was the second straight year that a team from Georgia won the championship.
The 1993 Little League World Series took place between August 23 and August 28 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The United States was represented by the defending series champion and West Region winner, the Long Beach, California Little League. The Latin American Region winner, the David Doleguita Little League of David, Chiriqui, Panama, won the International Championship.
The 1987 Little League World Series took place between August 25 and August 29 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Hualien Little League from Hualien, Taiwan, defeated the Northwood Little League of Irvine, California, in the championship game of the 41st Little League World Series. The 21 runs scored by Taiwan, and the winning margin of 20 runs, remain LLWS championship game records.
The 1982 Little League World Series took place between August 24 and August 28 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Kirkland National Little League of Kirkland, Washington, defeated the Puzih Little League of Chiayi County, Taiwan, in the championship game of the 36th Little League World Series.
The 1975 Little League World Series took place between August 20 and August 23 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Lakewood Little League of Lakewood, New Jersey, defeated the Belmont Heights Little League of Tampa, Florida, in the championship game of the 29th Little League World Series. Only three games were played in the tournament, consisting of two semi-final games and the championship game, as the third-place game was forfeited.
The 1974 Little League World Series took place between August 20 and August 24 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Kaohsiung Little League of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, defeated the Red Bluff Little League of Red Bluff, California, in the championship game of the 28th Little League World Series.
Qualification for the Little League World Series in Mexico, whereby teams based in Mexico compete to select a champion to participate in the Little League World Series (LLWS), has occurred since 2001. In 2001, when the LLWS expanded to 16 teams, the Mexico Region was created as one of eight international regions, resulting in Mexico's Little League champion receiving an automatic berth in the LLWS. Mexico previously competed as part of the Latin America Region, from 1958 to 2001, whereby the champion from Mexico had to compete against teams from other countries in order to secure a berth in the LLWS.
The 2010 Little League World Series was held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It began on August 20 and ended on August 29. Eight teams from the United States and eight from throughout the world competed in the 64th edition of this tournament. In the championship game, the international champions from Tokyo, Japan, defeated the United States champions out of Waipahu, Hawaii. It was the seventh LLWS championship for Japan overall, and the first since 2003.
The 2011 Little League World Series took place in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, between August 18 and 28. Eight teams from the United States and eight from elsewhere in the world competed in the 65th edition of this tournament. Ocean View Little League of Huntington Beach, California, defeated Hamamatsu Minami Little League of Hamamatsu City, Japan, in the championship game. Nick Pratto hit an RBI single to clinch the title for Ocean View.
The 2013 Little League World Series was held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, from August 15 until August 25. Eight teams from the United States and eight from throughout the world competed in the 67th edition of this tournament. The Musashi-Fuchū Little League of Tokyo, Japan, defeated the Eastlake Little League of Chula Vista, California, 6–4 in the championship game. For the country of Japan, this was their ninth LLWS championship overall, second consecutive, and the third in four years. This was the last World Series to feature players born in the 20th century.
The 2014Little League World Series, held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, started on August 14 and ended on August 24, 2014. Eight teams from the United States, and eight from the rest of the world, competed in the 68th edition of the tournament. This was the first LLWS to feature entire rosters of players born in the 21st century.
The Far East East Region was one of four international regions that competed in the Little League World Series from 1962 to 2000. Far East qualifiers won a record 23 titles — 17 from Taiwan, four from Japan, and two from the Republic of Korea.
The 2017 Little League World Series was held from August 17 to 27. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 71st edition of the tournament. Tokyo Kitasuna Little League of Tokyo, Japan, defeated Lufkin Little League of Lufkin, Texas, in the championship game by a 12–2 score. It was the 11th time that a team from Japan won the tournament. Tokyo Kitasuna became the first league to win the tournament four times.
The 2018 Little League World Series was held from August 16 to August 26 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 72nd edition of the tournament. Honolulu Little League of Honolulu, Hawaii defeated South Seoul Little League of Seoul, South Korea in the championship by a 3–0 score. It was the third championship for a team from Hawaii, having won previously in 2005 and 2008.
The 2019 Little League World Series was held from August 15 to August 25 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 73rd edition of the Little League World Series. Eastbank Little League of River Ridge, Louisiana defeated Pabao Little League of Willemstad, Curaçao in the championship by a 8–0 score.
The 2021 Little League World Series was held from August 19 to August 29 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was limited to US-based teams only. The most recent prior edition of the tournament contested without international teams had been 1975. Taylor North Little League of Taylor, Michigan, defeated West Side Little League of Hamilton, Ohio, in the championship by a 5–2 score. It was the first championship for a team from Michigan since 1959.
The 2022 Little League World Series was a youth baseball tournament which took place from August 17 to August 28 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Ten teams from the United States and ten teams from other countries competed in the 75th edition of the Little League World Series (LLWS). Honolulu Little League of Honolulu, Hawaii, defeated Pabao Little League of Willemstad, Curaçao, in the championship game by a 13–3 score; the game ended in four innings due to the run rule.
The 2023 Little League World Series was a youth baseball tournament taking place from August 16 to August 27 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Ten teams from the United States and ten teams from other countries are competing in the 76th edition of the Little League World Series (LLWS). El Segundo Little League of El Segundo, California, defeated Pabao Little League of Willemstad, Curaçao, in the championship game by a 6–5 score on a walk-off home run by Louis Lappe. It was the first championship for a team from California since 2011, and 8th overall, the most of any US state.
The Unpage website is dedicated to providing you with current and historical coverage of Little League Baseball state and region tournaments in the major baseball (11–12 years old) division.
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