Every year, the world of Little League Baseball descends on the quiet town of South Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the famed Little League World Series. A popular tradition since 1947, the Little League World Series represents the culmination of the Little League season and is steadily growing in popularity thanks to the growing global appeal of Little League Baseball itself. Little League players, parents and coaches alike should take a few moments to learn more about the Little League World Series, its rich history and its impact on youth sports around the world today.
Little League Baseball was established in 1939 in Pennsylvania. Enjoying steady growth in its early years, the organization decided that a formal championship event should be established to decide the overall winner of the league. Accordingly, the first Little League World Series was held in August 1947 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of Little League. Initially known as the National Little League Tournament, the event was at first open only to teams based in the United States but eventually opened up to leagues from every corner of the globe. Today the tournament boasts 16 teams from all around the world, including the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico and many others.
The winner of the inaugural Little League World Series in 1947 was, fittingly enough, the Williamsport, Pennsylvania team. In 1949, a team from Hammonton, New Jersey became the first team from outside of Pennsylvania to win the tournament while a team from Monterrey, Mexico became the first international team to win in 1957, just a decade after the establishment of the event. The most recent winners were a team from Musashi Fuchu, Japan who won the 2013 Little League World Series while Taiwan boasts the most overall titles of any country with 17 total.
From its rather humble beginnings back in 1947 to its global reach today, the Little League World Series has truly grown by leaps and bounds over the years. Its mix of thrilling competition, sportsmanship and global appeal makes it unique for a youth sports tournament and among the most popular of all youth sports tournaments in the entire world.
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