1999 World Junior Championship

The 1999 World Junior Championship was the 18th World Junior Championship. It had been two years since the 1997 World Junior Championship, marking the switch from the event being annual (from 1981-1997) to biannual. The event was held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from August 6 to August 15, 1999. It was plagued by heavy rains, which caused several cancellations. The event was won by the USA.

Playing in Pool A were Cuba (5-0), Taiwan (4-1), South Korea (3-2), South Africa (1-3), the Czech Republic (1-4) and the Netherlands (0-4). In Pool B were Panama (4-1), the US (4-1), Japan (3-2), Australia (2-3), Venezuela (1-3) and Guatemala (0-4). In the semifinals, the USA edged Cuba, 3-2, on a solo homer in the 8th by Travis Wong while Taiwan beat Panama. With 20,000 fans backing the home team, Taiwan battled the USA in a dramatic 10-9 game. The USA twice recovered from being down three runs to win. The big hit was two-run single in the 8th by Jeff Baker.

Among those appearing in the event were Chih-Sheng Lin, Ssu-Chi Chou, Yu-Chieh Shen and Da-Hung Cheng for Taiwan and Roel Koolen for the Netherlands. US players included future major leaguers SS Baker (.481, 12 RBI in 27 AB), OF Dave Krynzel (.440, 8 SB, 6 2B, 7 R, 7 RBI), 2B Drew Meyer (.423, 7 SB, 10 R), C Joe Mauer (3 for 9 backing up Scott Heard), OF Carlos Quentin (.231) and Carmen Pignatiello (1-0, 1.64) as well as a few first-rounders who never made the majors in Matt Wheatland (.400; 0-1, Sv, 15.43), Joe Torres (2-0, 2.16) and Heard (.412, a team-high 2 HR).

Primary Source: 2000 Baseball Almanac