USA wins the Little League World Series!

[MarathonMike]

The New York Little League team goes 24-0 through the entire tournament! The South Korean team was loaded with huge kids and three pitchers that throw 75 mph. I didn't think they had a chance to beat them, but the US pitcher was a boss and won 2-1.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Well done, lads!!!

 

[DGS49]

Good for them.

My problem with the LLWS is that 12-years-old is a transitional age where some kids are successful simply because they physically mature earlier than other kids. You have 12-year-olds who are near 6' tall and others who are 4'11", and yet, by the time they are 16 they will be pretty much the same size. But the big kid dominates in LL, which proves nothing.

Also, at that age, a "12-year-old" covers a lot of ground chronologically. Many (if not most) of the "stars" in the LLWS turned 13 in early August, and are almost a year older than other kids who are also classified as "12-year-old." At 12, that difference can be huge.

And based on many years of observation, most "12-year-olds" who can throw a ball 75mph are lying about their age. It almost never happens in the U.S., where birthday verification is reliable. In my son't league, for example, we never had a kid who could throw over 65, with several years of personal observation covering a thousand or so kids.

The Pony League WS (held in Washington, PA) is a gooder event with more meaningful results.