The 78th Little League World Series has begun in Williamsport, Pa., as 20 teams from around the globe will battle to determine the best Little League team in the world.
While the tournament has taken many forms over the years, it has become a truly global affair with an international audience and games televised on ESPN. That is a far cry from the tournament's humble beginnings.
What follows is a look at the history of the Little League World Series and how it came to be played in Williamsport.
Why Is the Little League World Series Played in Williamsport?
The first Little League World Series took place in 1947 and was played at Original Field at Memorial Park in Williamsport. Fittingly, a team from the Maynard League in Williamsport won the championship, beating Lock Haven, Pa. Four teams from Williamsport were among the entrants, there were 11 teams total from Pennsylvania and one from New Jersey.
The tournament was held in Williamsport as a nod to how Little League got its start. Carl E. Stotz founded the Little League program in 1939. At the time, Stotz was an oil company clerk in Williamsport.
History of the Little League World Series
Within a few years of Stotz founding the program, Little League was being played in 48 states. International leagues began popping up in 1950, and it expanded to Hawai'i that year as well.
Initially, the Little League World Series was an all-American affair. That changed in 1957 when Industrial Little League of Monterrey, Mexico, was allowed to compete. The league wound up winning the title, beating a team from La Mesa, Calif., 4–0 in the championship. After that, Mexico had a regional spot in the tournament every year, and Industrial Little League went back-to-back, winning in 1958 as well.
In 1959, the tournament added a European region, while expanding the Mexico region to encompass all of Latin America, replacing the previous setup. The tournament continued to expand from there.
In 1976, the format changed into a split bracket. Now the U.S. teams face each other, while the international teams also play each other. Then the winners of each bracket play each other for the championship.
In 2022, the most recent expansion occurred to bring the tournament to 20 total teams, 10 from the United States and 10 international squads.
Who Has Won the Most Little League World Series Titles?
The United States has won 40 Little League World Series championships, while International teams have won 37 times.
California leads the way with eight championships, the most recent in 2023. Hawaii, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are all tied with four. California also has the most runner-up finishes with 16, while Florida is second with eight.
On the international side, Taiwan has won 17 championships, with the most recent coming in 1996. Japan is second with 11, while Mexico and South Korea are tied with three each. Japan has finished runner-up the most times with five second-place finishes, while Curaçao has four.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Reason Why the Little League World Series Is Played in Williamsport Is Fascinating.
