Passionate baseball fans from all over the globe traveled to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania last week to cheer on prized pre-teens in the 58th edition of the Little League World Series — an American tradition still way better than most.
Every August mobs of families descend upon the iconic town of Williamsport to celebrate the LLWS, an event that has become a fitting harbinger of the culmination of summer and the arrival of autumn. During this time, 11 and 12-year-olds exhibit an intensely pure spirit (still untainted by the almighty dollar) that, once combined with the amazing abilities and skills of the modern-day little leaguer, make this sporting event one of the best of the best in family friendly, athletic theater.
This year, a scrappy squad from Florida survived four elimination games before beating Texas, 10-7, in the semis and advancing to the championship round to face traditionally powerful Chinese Tai Pei.
Celebrating its 33rd appearance in this cherished event and chasing its 18th title, Tai Pei, who defeated Venezuela, 4-1 in the other semi-final game, owned a tidy 17-3 record in the finals and was seeking to claim its first LLWS crown since 1996.
Oh, the delightful sounds of the LLWS – plink! plink! and hey batter! hey batter! schwing! hey bat…
… The year was 1978, and I was an 11-year-old, pie-eyed alternate, repping Jr. Deputy’s Little League All Star Team. Sporting fresh, yellow jerseys and hats, we kicked off the tournament in grand style by shutting out and shutting down an overmatched group from Greers Ferry. Big Chad Staples pitched his usual gem, and we scored a mess of runs early and often on the yokels. Up next was some outfit outta North Little Rock by the name of Burns Park.
The next day, late afternoon to be exact, Leroy Coleman, jr., a pitcher armed with an OK fastball and a deceptive change up, took to the hill for us. Unfortunately, neither his fastballs were fast enough nor his off-speed pitches covert enough on that fateful day, and we were beaten like drums. The scoreboard read 15-1 after 4 innings, as it was over before it began.
Talk about tater city!
Eventually, word made it back to us that that very Burns Park team had advanced to the semi-finals of the LLWS. Wow! They came up one victory shy of advancing to the championship game, playing the international team on live TV and securing certain fame. This was long ago, when channels were scarce and quality programming even scarcer; therefore, only the final game of the LLWS was broadcast on the telly, while the rest of it was up to the memories and imaginations of the journalists and spectators who witnessed it.
This began a run of baseball dominance by them over us that lasted my entire childhood career. Always losing to Burns Park, every Summer, every time. Why? Was it something in the… wait, where was I?
Oh yeah, 2024 LLWS. Tai Pei scored an early run and held onto the thinnest of leads until the bottom of the sixth and final inning. Then, Florida, down to its last out, poked a lazy, bases-loaded, seeing-eye, line drive over the shortstop’s head to tie the score and extend the game.
After both teams stranded a coupla runners in their share of the seventh, the US laid a beautiful bunt down the first base line, drawing the first baseman away from his bag and leaving it uncovered. This resulted in a wild toss out into rightfield, allowing the runner from second to score and secure the victory. This set off a rowdy celebration for the kids from the Sunshine State, as they reveled in their first-ever LLWS title.
Kudos Florida. Way to go!
The mighty Razorbacks tee up the Golden Lions of UAPB on Thursday evening, and my wish is for everyone’s health to be as good after the game as it was before it.
GoHogs!