Little League World Series

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.

The tournament was a single elimination tournament with eight teams from 1948 to 1991. International teams claimed half the bracket starting in 1960. Pool play was introduced in 1991, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to a single elimination semifinals and finals. In 2001, the tournament was expanded to sixteen teams, eight from the U.S. and eight international, broken into 4 pools. The top two teams in each pool advanced to single elimination quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. In 2010, the tournament was broken into 4 double elimination pools, two U.S. pools and two international brackets. The four winners advanced to a single elimination semifinals and finals. In 2011, the format was changed again to include two double elimination brackets, one for the U.S. and one for international. Finally in 2022 the field was expanded to twenty teams.

In 2022, the Little League World Series expanded to its current twenty team format. Each team plays in one of two double elimination brackets. There is one American bracket and one international bracket. The top team from each bracket then moves on to the championship game.

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 unless they go to extra innings. In 2017, Major League Baseball marked the holding of the tournament by hosting the first MLB Little League Classic on its margins. In 2020, however, the tournament was cancelled as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. It returned in 2021, but with only U.S. teams participating. The tournament was back in its traditional format in 2022.

Tournament Format

Currently, the LLWS is broken up into two double elimination brackets: the United States Bracket and the International Bracket. Each bracket is further divided into ten divisions, and each division is represented by one team. The winners then advance to compete in the Little League World Series Championship Game: the top American team versus the top International team.

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

• Northwest Region (San Bernardino, CA): Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
• West Region (San Bernardino, CA): Arizona, Hawaii, Northern California, and Southern California
• Mountain Region (San Bernardino, CA): Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming (added in 2022)
• Southwest Region (Waco, TX): Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas East, and Texas West
• Midwest Region (Whitestown, IN): Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
• Great Lakes Region (Whitestown, 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, and Pennsylvania
• New England Region (Bristol, CT): Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont
• Metro Region (Bristol, CT): Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island (added in 2022)

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

• Canada
• Mexico
• Caribbean
• Latin America
• Asia-Pacific
• Japan
• Europe-Africa
• Australia
• Cuba/Puerto Rico/Panama (2 of 3 alternating; the other is in the Caribbean or Latin American qualifier)
• Cuba/Puerto Rico/Panama (2 of 3 alternating; the other is in the Caribbean or Latin American qualifier)

Championships by Country

•  United States: 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)
•  Chinese Taipei: 17 (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996)
•  Japan: 11 (1967, 1968, 1976, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)
•  Mexico: 3 (1957, 1958, 1997)
•  South Korea: 3 (1984, 1985, 2014)
•  Venezuela: 2 (1994, 2000)
•  Netherlands Antilles: 1 (2004)

Results

Year	Champion	Score	Runner-Up	Notes
1947	United States Maynard Williamsport, PA	16-7	United States Lock Haven Lock Haven, PA
1948	United States Lock Haven Lock Haven, PA	6-5	United States St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, FL
1949	United States Hammonton Hammonton, NJ	5-0	United States Pensacola Pensacola, FL
1950	United States National Austin, TX	2-1	United States Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT
1951	United States Stamford Stamford, CT	3-0	United States North Austin Lions Austin, TX
1952	United States National Norwalk, CT	4-3	United States Optimist Monongahela, PA
1953	United States Southside Birmingham, AL	1-0	United States Schenectady Schenectady, NY
1954	United States National Schenectady, NY	7-5	United States Lions Club Colton, CA
1955	United States Morrisville Morrisville, PA	4-3	United States Delaware Township Merchantville, NJ
1956	United States Lions Honda Roswell, NM	3-1	United States Delaware Township Merchantville, NJ
1957	Mexico Industrial Monterrey, Nuevo Leon	4-0	United States La Mesa Northern La Mesa, CA	Angel Macias throws a perfect game.
1958	Mexico Industrial Monterrey, Nuevo Leon	10-1	United States Kankakee Kankakee, IL
1959	United States National Hamtramck, MI	12-0	United States West Auburn Auburn, CA
1960	United States American Levittown, PA	5-0	United States North East Optomist Fort Worth, TX
1961	United States Northern El Cajon, CA	4-2	United States El Campo El Campo, TX
1962	United States Moreland San Jose, CA	3-0	United States Kankakee Kankakee, IL
1963	United States National Granada Hills, CA	2-1	United States Stratford Original Stratford, CT
1964	United States Mid Island Staten Island, NY	4-0	Mexico Pequena Obispado Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
1965	United States Windsor Locks Windsor Locks, CT	3-1	Canada Stoney Creek Stoney Creek, ON
1966	United States Westbury American Houston, TX	8-2	United States American West New York, NJ
1967	Japan West Tokyo West Tokyo, Japan	4-1	United States North Roseland Chicago, IL
1968	Japan Wakayama Osaka, Japan	1-0	United States Tuckahoe Richmond, VA
1969	Chinese Taipei Taipei Taipei, Taiwan	5-0	United States Briarwood Santa Clara, CA
1970	United States American Wayne, NJ	2-0	United States Campbell Campbell, CA
1971	Chinese Taipei Tainan Tainan, Taiwan	12-3	United States Anderson Gary, IN
1972	Chinese Taipei Taipei Taipei, Taiwan	6-0	United States Edison Hammond, IN
1973	Chinese Taipei Tainan City Tainan City, Taiwan	12-0	United States Cactus Tucson, AZ
1974	Chinese Taipei Kao Hsiung Kaohsiung, Taiwan	12-1	United States Red Bluff Red Bluff, CA
1975	United States Lakewood Lakewood, NJ	4-3	United States Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1976	Japan Chofu Tokyo, Japan	10-3	United States Campbell Campbell, CA
1977	Chinese Taipei Li-Teh Kaohsiung, Taiwan	7-2	United States Western El Cajon, CA
1978	Chinese Taipei Pin-Kuang Pin-Tung, Taiwan	11-1	United States San Ramon Valley Danville, CA
1979	Chinese Taipei Pu-Tzu Town Chiayi, Taiwan	2-1	United States Campbell Campbell, CA
1980	Chinese Taipei Long Kuong Hua Lian, Taiwan	4-3	United States Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1981	Chinese Taipei Tai-Ping Taichung, Taiwan	4-2	United States Belmont Heights Tampa, FL
1982	United States National Kirkland, WA	6-0	Chinese Taipei Po-Tzu Town Chiayi, Taiwan
1983	United States National Marietta, GA	3-1	Dominican Republic Liquito Hernandez Barahona, DR
1984	South Korea National Seoul, South Korea	6-2	United States National Altamonte Springs, FL
1985	South Korea National Seoul, South Korea	7-1	Mexico 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	Chinese Taipei Tainan Park Tainan, Taiwan	12-0	United States International Tucson, AZ
1987	Chinese Taipei Hua Lian Hua Lian, Taiwan	21-1	United States Northwood Irvine, CA
1988	Chinese Taipei Tai Ping Taichung, Taiwan	10-0	United States Pearl City Pearl City, HI
1989	United States National Trumbull, CT	5-2	Chinese Taipei Kang-tu Kaohsiung, Taiwan
1990	Chinese Taipei San-Hua Tainan County, Taiwan	9-0	United States Shippensburg Shippensburg, PA
1991	Chinese Taipei Hsi Nan Taichung, Taiwan	11-0	United States San Ramon Valley Danville, CA
1992	United States Long Beach Long Beach, CA	15-4 6-0	The Philippines 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	United States Long Beach Long Beach, CA	3-2	Panama David Doleguita David, Panama
1994	Venezuela Coquivacoa Maracaibo, Venezuela	4-3	United States Northridge City Northridge, CA
1995	Chinese Taipei Shan-Hua Tainan, Taiwan	17-3	United States Northwest 45 Spring, TX
1996	Chinese Taipei Fu-Hsing Kaohsiung, Taiwan	13-3	United States Cranston Cranston, RI
1997	Mexico Guadalupe Guadalupe, Nuevo León	5-4	United States South Mission Viejo Mission Viejo, CA
1998	United States Toms River Toms River, NJ	12-9	Japan Kashima Kashima, Japan
1999	Japan Hirakata Osaka, Japan	5-0	United States Phenix Phenix City, AL
2000	Venezuela Sierra Maestra Maracaibo, Venezuela	3-2	United States Bellaire Bellaire, TX
2001	Japan Kitasuna Tokyo, Japan	2-1	United States Apopka National Apopka, FL
2002	United States Valley Sports American Louisville, KY	1-0	Japan Sendai Higashi Sendai, Japan
2003	Japan Musashi-Fuchu Tokyo, Japan	10-1	United States East Boynton Beach Boynton Beach, FL
2004	Netherlands Antilles Pabao Willemstad, Curaçao	5-2	United States Conejo Valley East Thousand Oaks, CA
2005	United States West Oahu Ewa Beach, HI	7-6	Netherlands Antilles Pabao Willemstad, Curaçao	The game lasted seven innings.
2006	United States Columbus Columbus, GA	2-1	Japan Kawaguchi City Kawaguchi, Saitama
2007	United States Warner Robins Warner Robins, GA	3-2	Japan Tokyo Tokyo, Japan	Dalton Carriker hits the game-ending homer in the bottom of the 8th in a dramatic extra-inning contest.
2008	United States Waipahu Waipahu, HI	12-3	Mexico Matamoros Matamoros, Tamaulipas
2009	United States Chula Vista Chula Vista, CA	12-3	Chinese Taipei Taoyuan Taoyuan County
2010	Japan Tokyo Tokyo, Japan	4-1	United States Waipahu Waipahu, HI
2011	United States Huntington Beach Huntington Beach, CA	2-1	Japan Hamamatsu Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
2012	Japan Kitasuna Tokyo, Japan	12-2	United States Goodlettsville Goodlettsville, TN
2013	Japan Tokyo Tokyo, Japan	6-4	United States Chula Vista Chula Vista, CA
2014	South Korea ? Seoul	8-4	United States Jackie Robinson West Chicago, IL	USA team later stripped of national title due to using players outside the district
2015	Japan Kitasuna Tokyo, Japan	18-11	United States Red Land Lewisberry, PA
2016	United States Maine-Endwell Endwell, NY	2-1	South Korea East Seoul Seoul
2017	Japan Kitasuna Tokyo, Japan	12-2	United States Lufkin Lufkin, TX
2018	United States Honolulu, HI	3-0	South Korea Seoul
2019	United States Eastbank River Ridge, LA	8-0	Curacao Pabao Willemstad
2020				Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
2021	United States Taylor North Taylor, MI	5-2	United States West Side Hamilton, OH	Only teams from the USA participated
2022	United States Honolulu Honolulu, HI	13-3	Curacao Pabao Little League Willemstad
2023	United States Taylor North El Segundo, CA	6-5	Curacao Pabao Little League Willemstad

Feats

There have been eight 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 1973, Ching-Hui Huang of Taiwan tossed a perfecto against Bitburg Air Base (Germany). 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 2012, Felix Diaz, Sebastian Cuellar and Joel Turrubiates combined on a four-inning perfect game against Uganda. 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 ineligibility. Three Taiwanese pitchers combined on one against Canada in 2023.

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. In 2008, Jesus Saucedo of Matamoros, Tamaulipas (Mexico) retired all 12 Italian hitters he faced for a perfect game.

There have been five 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, Tetsuya Furukawa of Kashima, Japan in 1998, Lorenzo Butler of Goodlettsville, TN in 2012 and Noriatsu Osaka of Tokyo in the 2012 finale. 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.

Players

Many Little League World Series participants have gone on to careers in professional sports, among them:

• Wilson Alvarez (1982)
• Jim Barbieri (1954)
• Jason Bay (1990)
• Derek Bell (1980-1981)
• Cody Bellinger (2007), 2017 National League Rookie of the Year
• Dante Bichette, Jr. (2005)
• Larvell Blanks (1962)
• Matteo Bocchi (2008)
• Sean Burroughs (1993)
• Matt Cassel (1994), NFL Pro Bowler
• Cheng-Hsien Chang (1979)
• Chen-Wei Chen (2010)
• Chin-Feng Chen (1990)
• Chi-Hung Cheng (1996)
• Kun-Yuan Chuo (1982)
• Jeff Clement (1996)
• Michael Conforto (2004)
• Billy Connors (1954)
• Hagen Danner (2011)
• Chris Drury (1989), former NHL Rookie of the Year
• Drew Ellis (2008)
• Ray Ferraro (1976), former NHL player
• Stephen Fife (1999)
• Jeff Frazier (1995)
• Todd Frazier (1998)
• Chris Garia (2004-2005)
• Randal Grichuk (2003)
• Ty Griffin (1980)
• Charlie Hayes (1977)
• Yonny Hernández (2011)
• Chris Holba (2009)
• Ed Howard (2014)
• Chi-Hung Hsu (2004)
• Chin-Chih Huang (1989)
• Shih-Hao Huang (1995)
• Ken Hubbs (1954), 1963 National League Rookie of the Year
• Erik Johnson (1978)
• Scott Kingery (2006)
• Kotaro Kiyomiya (2012)
• Craig Kornfeld (1970)
• Ming-Jen Kuo (1994)
• Keith Lampard (1958)
• Carney Lansford (1969)
• Josh Lester (2006)
• Adam Loewen (1996)
• Vance Lovelace (1975)
• Ming-Tsu Lu (1977)
• Lance Lynn (1999)
• Angel Macias (1957)
• Jason Marquis (1991)
• Stephane Matteau (1982), former NHL player
• Lloyd McClendon (1971)
• Kevin Merrell (2008)
• Lastings Milledge (1997)
• Bobby Mitchell (1967)
• Max Moroff (2005)
• Dennis Neuman (2002)
• Zach Osborne (2002)
• Jim Pankovits (1968)
• Yusmeiro Petit (1994)
• Marc Pisciotta (1983)
• Boog Powell (1954), 1969 American League MVP
• Nick Pratto (2011)
• Jurickson Profar (2004)
• Guillermo Quiroz (1994)
• Ceddanne Rafaela (2012)
• Colby Rasmus (1999)
• Ademar Rifaela (2007)
• Yoshinori Sato (2002)
• Turk Schonert (1968), former NFL player
• Jonathan Schoop (2004)
• Darren Seferina (2005, 2006)
• Gary Sheffield (1980)
• Brian Sipe (1961), 1980 NFL MVP
• Carl Taylor (1954)
• Rubén Tejada (2001)
• Clete Thomas (1996)
• Hector Torres (1958)
• Bobby Treviño (1958)
• Han-Chou Tseng (1990)
• Pierre Turgeon (1982), former NHL player
• Jason Varitek (1984)
• Dave Veres (1978)
• Ed Vosberg (1973)
• Kuang-Shih Wang (1980)
• Wei-Chung Wang (2004)
• Krissy Wendell (1994), Olympic Silver Medalist
• Gillian Wernet (2011)
• Dan Wilson (1981)
• Rick Wise (1958)
• Chao-Kuan Wu (1996)
• Sung-Hsien Yang (1990)

Further Reading

• Dylan Hornik: "Top 10 championship games in LLWS history", mlb.com, August 26, 2017. [1]
• Cole Jacobson: "The story of the best rivalry in international baseball", mlb.com, August 13, 2023. [2]
• Cole jacobson: "20 stars who went from the LLWS to the big leagues", mlb.com, August 18, 2023. [3]
• Mark Kanter: "Philadelphia Area Teams that Have Participated in the Little League World Series", in Morris Levin, ed.: From Swampoodle to South Philly: Baseball in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, The National Pastime, SABR, 2013, pp. 227-229.