(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images).
The 75th Little League Baseball World Series begins today in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Four new regions were added this year bringing the total to 20 teams. International teams make their return to the tournament for the first time since 2019.
The four new regions are the Metro Region, Mountain Region, Panama Region and Puerto Rico Region. The double-elimination tournament will culminate with the LLBWS championship game on Sunday, August 28.
Little League Fun Fact #1
Making its first ever Little League Baseball World Series appearance is the state of Utah (Snow Canyon, LL). They are the winners of the first Mountain Region championship.
Entering this year, Utah was one of eight states, along with Washington, D.C., that had never reached the LLBWS. The team is led by Falynn Randall, who will be the 21st female to play in the LLBWS. She led the team with four hits in regionals.
Little League Fun Fact #2
Hawaii has had a great deal of success in it's recent Little League Baseball World Series appearances. Teams from Hawaii have reached the U.S championship round in each of their previous LLBWS appearances. They won 4 of the six. Two by Honolulu, this year's Hawaii representative.
Little League Fun Fact #3
Expect big crowds for the Pennsylvania games this year. Hollidaysburg Area Summer Baseball LL, the Mid-Atlantic Region Champion is only about 100 miles southwest of Williamsport.
Little League Fun Fact #4
The Shemon and Sheppard Show is well represented, at least regionally. Middleboro, Massachusetts plays this afternoon vs. Nolensville, Tennessee, the Southeast Region Champ. Tampa, Florida went 1-2 and got eliminated before the regional final.
Craig Shemon meanwhile is represented by Hagerstown, Indiana. They won the Great Lakes Region. If Massachusetts wins their first 2 games and Indiana gets by Davenport, Iowa then look out! Massachusetts would play Indiana on August 22nd.
