Little League World Series Winners Throughout the Years
Every year, kids aged 10 to 12 compete in the Little League World Series, a prestigious and competitive youth baseball competition.
Each August, Teams from all over the world go head-to-head in the double-elimination competition in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where it has been held for over 70 years.
Since 1947, the Little League World Series (LLWS) has taken place annually and is now one of the most famous junior sporting competitions in the world, particularly in the United States where it’s broadcasted on ESPN bringing in millions of viewers.
In this article, we'll take a deeper look at some of the Little League World Series' most successful squads as well as how the league has evolved to become more inclusive throughout the years.
We will also cover the format for the tournament as well as some specifics regarding age requirements, venues, and notable events.
What are the most successful Little League teams?
In the early years of the Little League World Series, only teams from the United States competed, but one of the most successful teams in the history of the league is actually the Chinese Taipei team.
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) has won the competition 17 times in total, with its most recent success occurring in 1996.
The Chinese Taipei teams are renowned for their focused, methodical approach to the game, and their excellent pitching and defense.
As a result of their success, they were tournament favorites for many years in the Little League World Series, but in recent years have not performed as well as their historic stretch in the 1970s.
The Japanese team is another successful team in the history of the Little League World Series. Japan has won the competition a total of 11 times with the most recent victory being in 2017.
Japan is noted for its fast and aggressive playing style, as well as its outstanding pitching and hitting.
They have become a tournament force to be reckoned with and are always one of the top contenders for the championship.
The United States leads the league with the most titles across countries, with 38 championships won.
7 of those have come from the California team with wins spanning from 1961 to 2011.
Mexico and South Korea also have 3 titles as Little League World Series Champions.
Who were the Little League World Series winners in 2023?
A total of 20 teams participated in the 2023 Little League Worlds Series, with 10 teams hailing from the US, and 10 teams coming from other countries.
The series was held from August 16 to August 27 in South Williamsport, PA.
The winner of the 2023 Little League World Series was El Segundo Little League from California, who defeated the Pabao Little League from Curacao 6-5.
Who were the Little League World Series winners in 2022?
The 2022 Little League Worlds Series included 20 teams, an increase from previous years.
The series took place from August 17th to August 28th and the winner was Hawaii, who beat Curacao.
The West Region team from Honolulu had an impressive series run, outscoring their opponents in a total of 60-5. They beat Curacao 13 to 3 within four innings.
Who are the Little League World Series winners by year?
For the first 10 years, only U.S.-based teams competed besides several appearances by Canadian teams.
International teams and regions were implemented in 1957.
Below is a list of every Little League World Series winner by year:
1947: Williamsport, Pennsylvania
1948: Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
1949: Hammonton, New Jersey
1950: Houston, Texas
1951: Stamford, Connecticut
1952: Norwalk, Connecticut
1953: Birmingham, Alabama
1954: Schenectady, New York
1955: Morrisville, Pennsylvania
1956: Roswell, New Mexico
1957: Monterrey, Mexico
1958: Monterrey, Mexico
1959: Hamtramck, Michigan
1960: Levittown, Pennsylvania
1961: El Cajon, California
1962: San Jose, California
1963: Granada Hills, California
1964: Staten Island, New York
1965: Windsor Locks, Connecticut
1966: Houston, Texas
1967: West Tokyo, Japan
1968: Wakayama, Japan
1969: Taipei, Taiwan
1970: Wayne, New Jersey
1971: Tainan, Taiwan
1972: Taipei, Taiwan
1973: Tainan City, Taiwan
1974: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
1975: Lakewood, New Jersey
1976: Tokyo, Japan
1977: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
1978: Pingtung, Taiwan
1979: Chiayi, Taiwan
1980: Hualien, Taiwan
1981: Taichung, Taiwan
1982: Kirkland, Washington
1983: Marietta, Georgia
1984: Seoul, South Korea
1985: Seoul, South Korea
1986: Tainan Park, Taiwan
1987: Hualien, Taiwan
1988: Taichung, Taiwan
1989: Trumbull, Connecticut
1990: Tainan County, Taiwan
1991: Taichung, Taiwan
1992: Long Beach, California
1993: Long Beach, California
1994: Maracaibo, Venezuela
1995: Tainan, Taiwan
1996: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
1997: Guadalupe, Mexico
1998: Toms River, New Jersey
1999: Hirikata, Japan
2000: Maracaibo, Venezuela
2001: Tokyo, Japan
2002: Louisville, Kentucky
2003: Tokyo, Japan
2004: Willemstad, Curaçao
2005: ‘Ewa Beach, Hawaii
2006: Columbus, Georgia
2007: Warner Robins, Georgia
2008: Waipahu, Hawaii
2009: Chula Vista, California
2010: Tokyo, Japan
2011: Huntington Beach, California
2012: Tokyo, Japan
2013: Tokyo, Japan
2014: Seoul, South Korea
2015: Tokyo Japan
2016: Endwell, New York
2017: Tokyo, Japan
2018: Honolulu, Hawaii
2019: River Ridge, Louisiana
2021: Taylor, Michigan
2022: Honolulu, Hawaii
2023: El Segundo, California
Curious about the most World Series wins? We got perfect article for you: Most World Series Wins: Baseball's Dynasties and Legends
Who are the Little League World Series winners by country?
1957 was the first year that international teams were allowed to enter the tournament, and Mexico won the series that year.
Teams from the United States have won 38 times, and in 2021 they claimed another title by default as all 16 teams enrolled in the tournament were from the States.
Below is a list of the world series winners by country:
United States: 39
Chinese Taipei: 17
Japan: 11
Mexico: 3
South Korea: 3
Venezuela: 2
Curaçao: 1
Who are the Little League World Series winners by U.S. State?
The United States has won more titles than all other countries combined.
Here is a breakdown of which states have won the series:
California: 8
Connecticut: 4
Hawaii: 4
New Jersey: 4
Pennsylvania: 4
Georgia: 3
New York: 3
Michigan: 2
Texas: 2
Alabama: 1
Kentucky: 1
Louisiana: 1
New Mexico: 1
Washington: 1
When is the 2023 Little League World Series?
The 2023 Little League World Series will take place from August 16th-27th.
It will be held at the Little League International Complex at the Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums.
As of the writing of this article, the schedule has not yet been released as qualifying tournaments are still taking place.
Once it has been decided the schedule can be found here.
337 games are set to be aired on ESPN channels.
What is the Little League World Series format?
With a focus on sportsmanship and fair play, the Little League World Series structure is specially created tournament to provide young athletes with the opportunity to face up against some of the top players in the world.
Teams of players aged 10 to 12 years old who have advanced through their local and regional competitions are eligible to compete in the Little League World Series.
The event is split into the United States Division and the International Division.
Each division features 8 teams competing in a double-elimination tournament style.
The top 2 teams from each division then progress to the semifinals, which are single-elimination play.
The semifinal game winners progress to the title game, which is also a single-elimination style.
In the past, there has been round-robin play as well as four-team pools which were discontinued in 2011.
Read our related article, Is the Little League World Series Double Elimination? for more information on the tournament's format.
Consolation games
The "consolation game" is one of the Little League World Series' other distinctive features.
The two teams that lose in the semifinal round square off in this game, giving them a chance to battle it out one last time before the tournament is over.
The third-place trophy is given to the victor of the consolation game, which is contested in a single-elimination style.
Pitch count limits
The Little League World Series format includes pitch count limits, which is another noteworthy aspect.
Little League Baseball has set tight pitch count limits for each game in an effort to safeguard the well-being and security of young pitchers.
These restrictions are determined by the pitcher's age and the number of days since their previous time on the mound.
Pitch count violations can lead to fines or disqualifications, so tournament organizers keep a close eye on them.
The spirit of good sportsmanship
The Little League World Series format also encourages sportsmanship and fair play.
Teams must follow a precise code of conduct that specifies acceptable behavior both on and off the field.
Respect for opponents, officials, and the game itself is encouraged among the players.
The Jack Losch Little League Baseball World Series Team Sportsmanship Award is also given out during the competition to the team that best exemplifies the spirit of sportsmanship.
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What are the Little League World Series age requirements?
From 1947 through 2005, kids who were 13 on August 1st of that year or later were eligible to play.
The Little League World Series age limit was changed in 2006 to include participants who turn 13 after April 30.
Due to the August date, many of the players had already reached the age of 13 when it began so, in 2014, it was decided to move the age cutoff from April 30th to December 31st.
Players born between May 1st and August 31st, 2005, would have forfeited their 12-year-old season since they would be regarded as 13 years old (though they had not yet turned 13 years old), which upset the parents.
Read our related article where we share the Little League Softball Age Chart 2023.
Girls in the Little League World Series
Over the years there have been 21 girls who have played in the Little League World Series, many of whom have had great success within the tournament and later on in other sports endeavors.
That said, girls have not always been allowed to play in the tournament and it was nearly 40 years after the first World Series that a girl finally played in the tournament.
1974 was officially the first year that girls were allowed to play in the Little League World Series, but it was not until 1984 that Victoria Roche became the first girl to play.
Since then, 20 other girls have played, listed below:
1989 – Victoria Brucker (San Pedro, CA, US)
1990 – Kelly Craig (Trail, BC, Canada)
1991 – Giselle Hardy (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
1994 – Krissy Wendell (Brooklyn Center, MN, US)
1998 – Sayaka Tsushima (Osaka, Japan)
1999 – Alicia Hunolt (Ramstein, Germany)
2001 – Tatiana Maltseva (Moscow, Russia)
2002 – Sanoe Aina (Waipahu, HI, US)
2003 – Merced Flores (Agana, Guam)
2004 – Meghan Sims (Owensboro, KY, US) and Alexandra Bellini (Ottawa, ON, Canada)
2008 – Brielle Meno (Yona, Guam)
2009 – Katie Reyes (Vancouver, BC, Canada) and Bryn Stonehouse (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)
2013 – Eliska Stejsklova (Moravia, Czech Republic)
2014 – Emma March (Vancouver, BC, Canada) and Mo'ne Davis (Philadelphia, PA, US)
2019 – Maddy Freking (Coon Rapids, MN, US)
2021 – Ella Bruning (Abilene, TX, US)
2022 – Falynn Randall (Santa Clara, UT, US)
It was in 2014 that the Little League created a separate girls' division.
However, there have been some girls who played in the boys' division that have garnered fame for their outstanding play, particularly Mo'ne Davis.
When Davis was 13 years old, she was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Taney Dragons Little League team, and she gained notoriety for her outstanding outings on the mound as the team advanced to the 2014 Little League World Series.
Davis pitched a full-game shutout in her opening game of the competition, allowing just 2 hits and striking out 8 hitters.
Davis went on to pitch in two more games in the tournament, including a victory over the Las Vegas squad, which pushed her team to the US championship game.
Although the Taney Dragons were unable to win the tournament, Mo'ne's remarkable performance made her a household name and an inspiration to other girls across the country.
Watch the video below to see Mo’ne Davis's amazing pitch:
Read our related article: Little League Softball World Series. Here's everything you need to know about the Little League Softball World Series!
What are the Little League World Series venues?
The series has been played at the Little League International Complex on the west branch of the Susquehanna River since 1959.
The facility features multiple fields, including Howard J. Lamade Stadium, which serves as the series' major site.
The final game will be played at Lamade Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 3,300.
Volunteer Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 5,000 and is utilized for additional games during the series, is another Little League field at the site.
In addition to the two main stadiums, the complex has several other fields for practice and warm-ups.
Significant dates and events in LLWS history
1952: A Canadian team became the first international team to play in the series.
1957: Pitcher Miguel Macias threw a perfect game in a championship game, pushing the Mexico team to win the title, which has not occurred since.
1975: Due to accusations of teams from Taiwan using players from out of the district, international teams were banned from the series this year.
1993: Long Beach, California becomes the first team from the U.S. to win back-to-back titles.
2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was canceled for the first time in its history.
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Frequently asked questions
Who won the first Little League World Series?
The Williamsport, PA Maynard Midgets team won the inaugural Little League Baseball World Series in 1947.
The team, which had players between the ages of 8 and 12, defeated the Lock Haven All-Stars 16-7 in the final.
Is the Little League World Series held every year?
Yes, the Little League World Series has been held every year since 1947 except for the exception of 2020 when it was canceled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Is there a Little League World Series for 14-year-olds?
Players who are 12 to 14 years old can compete in a different competition called the Junior League World Series.
Similar to the Little League World Series, this competition is run by Little League International and has teams from all over the world playing for the championship.
Who are some notable participants from the World Series?
Over the years, the Little League World Series has included a number of prominent players, including the following:
Jason Varitek: The former Boston Red Sox catcher represented Florida's Altamonte Springs in the 1984 LLWS.
Todd Frazier: The former MLB third baseman represented Toms River, New Jersey, in the 1998 LLWS and helped his team win.
Gary Sheffield: The former MLB outfielder represented Tampa, Florida in the 1980 LLWS.
Lance Lynn: The MLB pitcher represented Brownsburg, Indiana in the 1999 LLWS.
Colby Rasmus: Represented Phenix City, Alabama, in the 1999 LLWS as an ex-MLB outfielder.
Warner Robins: The 12-strikeout performance of Georgia's Dalton Carriker in the 2008 LLWS helped his club win the title game.
Mo'ne Davis: A Philadelphia-based pitcher with the Taney Dragons in 2014, became the first female pitcher to win an LLWS game.
Cody Bellinger: A first baseman for the MLB, represented Chandler, Arizona, in the 2007 LLWS.
Bryce Harper: The MLB outfielder represented Las Vegas, Nevada, in the 2003 LLWS.
Khalil Greene: Former MLB shortstop represented Edmond, Oklahoma, in the 1992 LLWS.
Conclusion
For more than 70 years, the Little League World Series has served as a showcase for the top young baseball players around the globe.
The competition has expanded from its modest beginnings of just 17 teams in 1947 to a worldwide sensation, with teams from all over the world fighting for the championship every year.
Several memorable events and exceptional athletes who went on to have successful careers in professional baseball have been produced by the tournament.
Some of the most powerful teams in the history of the competition are represented on the list of winners, including the storied Taiwanese teams, who won the title 17 times between 1969 and 1996.
Despite the tournament's competition and intensity, the Little League World Series has always been founded on sportsmanship and fair play.
Because the participants are trained to respect their opponents and play the game with integrity and honor, the event is held in high regard worldwide.
Jeff Tipper is an avid sports fan who has a strong passion for basketball. A graduate of the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor's Degree in Operations Management, Jeff has experience in operations and claim processing and spends his free time writing articles and blogs focused on sports and various business topics.
