2001 Little League World Series Explained

Dates:August 17–August 26
Num Teams:16
Champion Other:Kitasuna Little League
Tokyo, Japan
Second Other:National Little League
Apopka, Florida

The 2001 Little League World Series took place between August 17 and August 26 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Kitasuna Little League of Tokyo, Japan, defeated Apopka National Little League of Apopka, Florida, in the championship game of the 55th Little League World Series. This tournament saw the expansion of pool play to 16 teams, eight from the United States, and eight from around the world. This was the first LLWS to use Little League Volunteer Stadium; it was built to accommodate games added to the pool stage and to host the tournament's consolation game for third place.

Age controversy

Following the conclusion of the tournament, Danny Almonte, a pitcher from the Bronx, New York, team representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, was the center of a scandal when it was discovered that he was not eligible to play in the tournament because he was two years over the maximum age limit. Because of this, the Mid-Atlantic team was retroactively assessed a forfeit for each game they won in the tournament. The team's statistics, including a perfect game thrown by Almonte, were also invalidated.[1]

Qualification

See main article: article and 2001 Little League World Series qualification.

Between five and twelve teams take part in 16 regional qualification tournaments, which vary in format depending on region. In the United States, the qualification tournaments are in the same format as the Little League World Series itself: a round-robin tournament followed by an elimination round to determine the regional champion.

Pool APool BPool CPool D
Lincoln, Rhode Island
New England
Lincoln Little League
Bronx, New York
Mid-Atlantic
Rolando Paulino Little League
Santiago de Veraguas, Panama
Latin America
Santiago de Veraguas Little League
Hagåtña, Guam
Pacific
Guam Little League
Oceanside, California
West
Oceanside American Little League
Bainbridge Island, Washington
Northwest
Bainbridge Island Little League
Willemstad, Curaçao
Caribbean
Pariba Little League
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
Calgary West Little League
Brownsburg, Indiana
Great Lakes
Brownsburg Little League
Davenport, Iowa
Midwest
Davenport East Little League
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Transatlantic
Arabian-American Little League
Moscow, Russia
Europe
Khovrino Little League
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Gulf States
South Lake Charles Little League
Apopka, Florida
Southeast
Apopka National Little League
Tokyo, Japan
Asia
Kitasuna Little League
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Mexico
Matamoros Little League

Pool play

The top two teams in each pool moved on to the elimination round.

United States

Pool A
RegionRecord
Indiana3–0
California2–1
Louisiana1–2
Rhode Island0–3
Pool B
RegionRecord
Florida2–1
Washington1–2
Iowa0–3
New York0–3
Bronx, New York, won all three of their pool games, but were
later assessed forfeits due to their use of an ineligible player.[1]
Bainbridge Island, Washington, was retroactively placed second
in Pool B due to the Bronx forfeits.
August 17
Rhode Island 0–8California
Indiana2–0Louisiana
August 18
New YorkForfeitFlorida
Washington4–3Iowa
Rhode Island 1–5Indiana
August 19
Florida2–0Washington
California5–2Louisiana
August 20
IowaForfeitNew York
Rhode Island2–5Louisiana
Indiana2–1California
August 21
WashingtonForfeitNew York
Florida10–3Iowa

International

Pool C
RegionRecord
Curaçao2–1
Japan2–1
Saudi Arabia1–2
Panama1–2
Pool D
RegionRecord
Guam3–0
Mexico2–1
Canada1–2
Russia0–3
August 17
Transatlantic2–4Asia
August 18
Mexico5–6Pacific
Caribbean3–2Latin America
Europe1–5Canada
August 19
Transatlantic3–10Caribbean
August 20
Canada5–6Mexico
Europe0–5Pacific
Asia1–6Latin America
August 21
Pacific6–5Canada
Mexico2–0Europe
Asia4–2Caribbean
Transatlantic11–0
(5 innings)
Latin America
† Game ended by "mercy rule" (at least 10-run difference through 5 innings)

Elimination rounds

The 2001 Little League World Series was the first edition that had a female umpire call the championship game: Flora Stansbury from Seneca, Missouri. U.S. President George W. Bush, himself a little leaguer as a child, was also in attendance at the championship game. Nobuhisa Baba's single in the bottom of the sixth drove in the winning run.[2]

Champions' path

The Kitasuna LL reached the LLWS with an undefeated record of four wins and no losses.[3] In total, their record was 9–1, their only loss coming in the LLWS qualifying round against Santiago de Veraguas LL of Panama.

RoundOppositionResult
All-Tokyo Tournament
Opening RoundRyuugasaki LL 11–4
QuarterfinalsSuzaka LL 6–1
SemifinalsMatsusaka LL 12–8
Japan ChampionshipNagoya Kita LL 5–4

Notable players

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: It's true: Almonte is age 14—Bronx must forfeit Little League wins . . . . B1 . September 1, 2001 . May 31, 2023 . newspapers.com.
  2. News: Baba rallies Japan to 2001 title . . August 26, 2001 . May 31, 2023.
  3. Web site: Japan Tournament Results. Unpage.com. September 28, 2010.