1991 Junior World Championship

The 1991 Junior World Championship was the 11th Junior World Championship and the first won by Canada, which also hosted the event (in Brandon, MB). It was played from July 26 through August 4, 1991.

Canada went 7-2 in the round-robin with a 70-32 run differential then topped Taiwan 5-2 in the Gold Medal game. The team included Stubby Clapp and Jason Dickson. The 1991 Canadian National Junior Team was later inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Taiwan went 8-1 in the round-robin (73 runs, 23 allowed) but fell in the Gold Medal game. Their only loss before the finals came to the US's Kenny Henderson in a 19-strikeout, 3-hitter. The team included Lien-Hung Chen, Jui-Chang Chen, Cheng-Hsun Hsieh, Chien-San Kao and Hung-Yuan Lin.

The US won Bronze, going 7-2 (76 R, 23 RA) and topping Australia 6-5 in the Bronze Medal game. Future big leaguers included C A.J. Hinch (.440, 10 RBI), 2B Aaron Boone (.289, 11 R, 9 RBI, 7 BB) and P-IF Carlton Loewer (1-0, 2.19, 17 K in 12 IP; .273 average). Ryan Kjos (2-1, 0.45, 22 K, 10 H in 20 IP) led the staff while Hinch and OF Brandon Pico (.417, 12 R, 10 RBI, .583 SLG, 6 BB, 5 SB) led the offense.

Australia was 6-3 (75 R, 39 RA) in the round-robin before their Bronze Medal game near-win.

Cuba disappointed, going 6-3 with a 71-19 run differential. Despite the best pitching of the tournament, they failed to make the Gold Medal game for the first time. Prominent future players included Pedro Luis Lazo and Daniel Lazo.

Brazil (4-5, 47, 54) and Mexico (4-5, 69, 36) tied for 6th.

The Netherlands (2-7, 37, 62) was 8th, followed by Italy (1-8, 33, 80). A distant last was Nigeria (0-9, 6, 189), the African representative.

Source: 1992 Baseball Almanac