LAKE MARY, Florida. – Over the next two weeks, the Lake Mary All-Stars will try to accomplish something no Florida team has ever done before: win the Little League World Series.
In the 77-year history of the event, Florida won five U.S. championships, but never the World Cup.
Two Central Florida teams are among the Sunshine State’s five state champions. That’s an impressive percentage! Meanwhile, another team from the region was just two wins away from the state finals.
As the Lake Mary All-Stars become the fourth team from Central Florida to make it to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, let’s take a little stroll down memory lane and look back at the other hometown teams that earned a coveted trip to the Little League World Series.
1984
President: Ronald Reagan
No. 1 film at the US box office: Ghostbusters
On the Billboard Top 100 Charts: “Breakin…There’s No Stoppin’ Us” (Jerry and Ollie)
At the Little League World Series: Altamonte Springs
In 1984, the Little League World Series celebrated its 37th anniversary and featured a team from Central Florida for the first time. Led by future Boston Red Sox legend Jason Varitek, the Altamonte Springs Little League team was unstoppable at the 1984 U.S. championship of the venerable tournament in Williamsport.
At that time, only eight teams worldwide made it to the Little League World Series. Altamonte Springs was one of the four teams from the USA that secured the Golden Ticket.
The Central Florida baseball players played three games, defeating California 5-1 and then Indiana 8-1, earning the right to call themselves “national champions.”
However, in the World Series championship game, South Korea was too strong, defeating Altamonte Springs 6-2. As Central Florida’s first LLWS representative, Altamonte Springs was the team that showed the region’s baseball players what was possible.
2001
President: George W. Bush
No. 1 film at the US box office: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
On the Billboard Top 100 Charts: “Where The Party At” (Jagged Edge)
At the Little League World Series: Apopka
It took 17 years for the Central Florida baseball club to produce a sequel to the fairytale summer of 1984 in Altamonte Springs and once again compete in the Little League World Series. In 2001, Apopka was the place to be at the party!
The Apopka Little League team was the star of the town when it won the Southeast Region and secured its ticket to Williamsport, PA. By 2001, the LLWS field had grown to 16 teams, eight from the United States and eight from around the world.
The tournament format began with group play and then elimination games. Apopka won two of its three games in group play to advance to the quarterfinals. In the survival games that followed, Apopka excelled, defeating Indiana 6-1 in the World Series quarterfinals and then sweeping a team from the Bronx, NY* 8-2, thanks in part to a 3-run home run by Brandon Brewer.
That victory secured the title of national champion. Then Apopka took the field at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport in the final game of the Little League World Series against a team from Tokyo, Japan, and the eyes of the nation (and not just the nation) were upon them.
President George W. Bush, once a Little League player himself, was in attendance and threw the ceremonial first pitch. Apopka scored first thanks to an RBI single by Jeff Lovejoy.
However, Japan tied the game, making for a thrilling finale. With the Little League World Series final tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Japan clinched the title with an RBI single. Still, there were many heroes from Apopka that August, including Will Blankenship, who hit four home runs in the two weeks of the tournament, and the parents and friends of Apopka who provided tireless support.
2005
President: George W. Bush
No. 1 film at the US box office: Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
On the Billboard Top 100 Charts: We Belong Together (Mariah Carey)
At the Little League World Series: Maitland
Four years after Apopka’s memorable run, it was time for Episode III: Central Florida in the Little League World Series.
In 2005, the Maitland Little Leaguers made their way to the baseball world far, far away in Williamsport, PA. Maitland was a star-studded team in the dugout and on the field. Former Major League Baseball players Dante Bichette and Mike Stanley coached the team.
Future Major League Baseball player Max Moroff was on the team. Maitland came back with momentum, defeating its first group opponent, Iowa, 7-3, and then its next group opponent, Pennsylvania, 3-1.
Despite a 10-0 loss to Hawaii in the group finals, Maitland had accomplished enough to advance to the elimination round. However, California eliminated the team from Orange County, FL in the quarterfinals by a score of 6-2. Hawaii went on to win the Little League World Series.
EXTRA, EXTRA!
California dreams: California is the leading state in the USA with 8 LLWS championships, including the 2023 champion, El Segundo.
Great Taiwan: For decades, Taiwan was the team to beat in Williamsport. The country’s 17 world championships are second only to the United States’ 39. Taiwan won consecutive titles from 1971 to 1974, 1977 to 1981 and 1986 to 1988.
A Bronx Story*: In 2001, sensational pitcher Danny Almonte of the Bronx, NY team was the talk of Williamsport after he pitched a perfect game in his first LLWS start. It happened to be against Apopka. However, Almonte and the Bronx went from famous to infamous after it was discovered that Almonte was 14 years old, two years older than the age allowed by the LLWS. All of the Bronx’s results were nullified.
The headlines of the day in a few minutes with Your Florida daily newspaper:
Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
