Little League World Series in Mexico
| Most recent season or competition: 2024 Little League World Series qualification | |
| Formerly | Latin America Region |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Country | Mexico |
| Most recent champion(s) | Matamoros Little League, Matamoros, Tamaulipas |
| Most titles | Matamoros Little League, Matamoros (7) |
Qualification for the Little League World Series in Mexico, whereby teams based in Mexico compete to select a champion to participate in the Little League World Series (LLWS), has occurred since 2001. In 2001, when the LLWS expanded to 16 teams, the Mexico Region was created as one of eight international regions, resulting in Mexico's Little League champion receiving an automatic berth in the LLWS. Mexico previously competed as part of the Latin America Region, from 1958 to 2001, whereby the champion from Mexico had to compete against teams from other countries in order to secure a berth in the LLWS.
Mexican teams have won three LLWS championships (1957, 1958, 1997) and have been runner-up three times (1964, 1985, 2008). The country currently has about 450 active leagues, making it the third-largest country in terms of Little League participation.[1]
Mexican championships
Finals
Since 2001, when then Mexico Region was created.
| Year | Host | Winner | Result | Runner up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Monterrey | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 3–0 | Villahermosa (Ciudad Juárez) |
| 2002 | Monterrey | Country (Monterrey) | 6–3 | Niños Heroes (Reynosa) |
| 2003 | Hermosillo | Olmeca (Mexico City) | 3–2 | Guaymas Sector Pesca (Guaymas) |
| 2004 | Monterrey | Linda Vista (Guadalupe) | 4–0 | La Mala Torres (Guadalupe) |
| 2005 | Reynosa | Seguro Social (Mexicali) | 5–2 | Olmeca (Mexico City) |
| 2006 | Monterrey | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 10–0 | Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina) |
| 2007 | Mexico City | Seguro Social (Mexicali) | 11–0 | Beto Ávila (Boca del Río) |
| 2008 | Monterrey | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 5–1 | Guaymas Sector Pesca (Guaymas) |
| 2009 | Reynosa | Guadalupe Treviño Kelly (Reynosa) | 12–0 | Maya (Mexico City) |
| 2010 | Monterrey | Oriente (Nuevo Laredo) | 3–1 | Satellite (Ciudad Juárez) |
| 2011 | Mexicali | Seguro Social (Mexicali) | 4–1 | Mitras (Monterrey) |
| 2012 | Monterrey | Oriente (Nuevo Laredo) | 10–7 | Santa Catarina (Santa Catarina) |
| 2013 | Reynosa | Municipal De Tijuana (Tijuana) | 11–5 | Beto Ávila (Boca del Rio) |
| 2014 | Monterrey | Linda Vista (Guadalupe) | 12–6 | Félix Arce (Mexicali) |
| 2015 | Matamoros | Seguro Social (Mexicali) | 13–7 | Conno de Hermosillo (Hermosillo) |
| 2016 | Monterrey | San Nicolas (San Nicolas de los Garza) | 6–5 | Norte de Hermosillo (Hermosillo) |
| 2017 | Sabinas | Guadalupe Treviño Kelly (Reynosa) | 3–1 | Matamoros (Matamoros) |
| 2018 | Monterrey | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 5–3 | Guadalupe Treviño Kelly (Reynosa) |
| 2019 | Sabinas | Mala Torres (Guadalupe) | 3–1 | Matamoros (Matamoros) |
| 2022 | Matamoros | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 3–2 | Municipal de Tijuana (Tijuana) |
| 2023 | Monterrey | Municipal de Tijuana (Tijuana) | 4–0 | Villa del Refugio (Matamoros) |
| 2024 | Monterrey | Matamoros (Matamoros) | 5–4 | Swing Perfecto de Chihuahua (Chihuahua) |
Regions
|
|
Region 1: Nuevo León
Region 2: Tamaulipas
Region 5: Chihuahua
Region 6: Ciudad de México
|
Mexico in the Little League World Series
The table below lists the records of teams from Mexico that have competed in the LLWS in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Participation before 2001 was inconsistent (for example, only one appearance during the 1970s), as teams from Mexico had to qualify via the Latin America Region. Since 2001, Mexico receives an automatic berth in the LLWS, with the exception of 2020 (when no LLWS was held) and 2021 (when the LLWS was restricted to teams based in the United States) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, teams from Mexico have twice represented regions of the United States in the LLWS:
- In 1957, Industrial Little League of Monterrey represented the South Region of the United States. The team defeated Biloxi LL, 13–0, and Owensboro LL, 3–0, in the regional final.[2] Monterrey then defeated teams from Connecticut and California to win the LLWS.
- In 1985, Mexicali Little League of Mexicali represented the West Region of the United States. Because of its proximity to the El Centro/Calexico area in Southern California (the potential players from that region could have played for that city's leagues), Mexicali competed in and represented California's District 22 in the Southern California division and won the West Region tournament. They defeated Green Valley LL, 10–0, Fairbanks LL, 8–0, Raleigh Hills LL, 10–0, and finally Danville LL, 2–0, in the regional final.[3] Mexicali went on to become the United States champion, and was LLWS runner-up to the international champion (National Little League, Kaohsiung, Taiwan). After the 1985 Series, Mexicali Little League was shifted from California leagues to Mexico leagues.
| Year | League | City | Region | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Industrial | Monterrey | South | Champions | 2–0 |
| 1958 | Industrial | Monterrey | Latin America | Champions | 3–0 |
| 1960 | Industrial | Monterrey | Latin America | 4th place | 1–2 |
| 1961 | Industrial | Monterrey | Latin America | 3rd place | 2–1 |
| 1962 | Del Norte | Monterrey | Latin America | 4th place | 1-2 |
| 1963 | Obispado | Monterrey | Latin America | 5th place | 1–2 |
| 1964 | Obispado | Monterrey | Latin America | Runner up | 2–1 |
| 1966 | Cuauhtemoc | Monterrey | Latin America | 6th place | 1–2 |
| 1967 | Linares | Linares | Latin America | 4th place | 1–2 |
| 1973 | Mitras | Monterrey | Latin America | 6th place | 1–2 |
| 1981 | Unidad Modelo | Monterrey | Latin America | 7th place | 1–2 |
| 1985 | Mexicali | Mexicali | West | Runner up | 2–1 |
| 1990 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Latin America | 5th place | 1–1 |
| 1997 | Linda Vista | Guadalupe | Latin America | Champions | 5–0 |
| 1998 | Linda Vista | Guadalupe | Latin America | Group Stage | 0–3 |
| 2001 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | Quarterfinals | 2–2 |
| 2002 | Contry de Monterrey | Monterrey | Mexico | Group Stage | 1–2 |
| 2003 | Olmeca | Mexico City | Mexico | Quarterfinals | 2–2 |
| 2004 | Linda Vista | Guadalupe | Mexico | 4th place | 3–3 |
| 2005 | Seguro Social | Mexicali | Mexico | Group Stage | 1–2 |
| 2006 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | 3rd place (Shared) | 3–2 |
| 2007 | Seguro Social | Mexicali | Mexico | Group Stage | 1–2 |
| 2008 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | Runner up | 5–1 |
| 2009 | Guadalupe Treviño Kelly | Reynosa | Mexico | 3rd place | 5–1 |
| 2010 | Oriente | Nuevo Laredo | Mexico | Group Stage | 2–2 |
| 2011 | Seguro Social | Mexicali | Mexico | 3rd place (Shared) | 3–1 |
| 2012 | Oriente | Nuevo Laredo | Mexico | Int'l Semifinal | 3–2 |
| 2013 | Municipal De Tijuana | Tijuana | Mexico | 3rd place | 4–2 |
| 2014 | Linda Vista | Guadalupe | Mexico | Int'l Semifinal | 3–2 |
| 2015 | Seguro Social | Mexicali | Mexico | 4th place | 4–3 |
| 2016 | San Nicolás | San Nicolás de los Garza | Mexico | Int'l Semifinal | 3–2 |
| 2017 | Guadalupe Treviño Kelly | Reynosa | Mexico | 3rd place | 5–2 |
| 2018 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | Round 2 | 1–2 |
| 2019 | Epitacio Mala Torres | Guadalupe | Mexico | Round 2 | 1–2 |
| 2022 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | Int'l Semifinal | 2–2 |
| 2023 | Municipal de Tijuana | Tijuana | Mexico | Int'l Semifinal | 3–2 |
| 2024 | Matamoros | Matamoros | Mexico | Round 4 | 3–2 |
Summary
As of the 2024 Little League World Series.
| State | WS | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Wins | Loss | %W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baja California | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 13 | .581 |
| Nuevo León | 18 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 30 | .516 |
| Distrito Federal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| Tamaulipas | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 19 | .627 |
| Total | 37 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 84 | 64 | .568 |
Notable players
- David Cortés – later played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with Atlanta, Cleveland, and Colorado.[4] (1985 LLWS)
- Héctor Torres – son of Epitacio "La Mala" Torres, and MLB player between 1968 and 1977. (1958 LLWS)
- Carlos "Bobby" Treviño – played in MLB during 1968 with the California Angels, and played 13 season in the Mexican League. (1958 LLWS)
World champions
1957 Liga Pequeña Industrial
Roster[5]
- Angel Macías
- Enrique Suárez
- Norberto Villarreal
- Ricardo Treviño
- Baltasar Charles
- Rafael Estrello
- Gerardo González
- José Maiz García
- Jesús Contreras
- Mario Ontiveros
- Alfonso Cortez
- Roberto Mendiola
- Fidel Ruiz
- Francisco Aguilar
Manager
- Cesar L. Faz
Coaches
- Harold Haskings
- José González Torres
1958 Liga Pequeña Industrial
1997 Liga Pequeña Linda Vista
Roster
- Rafael Hinojosa Coronado
- Everardo Ordoñez Garza
- Javier de Isla Villarreal
- Adrian Luna Soto
- Juan de Dios Garza Zambrano
- Ricardo García Alejandro
- Alejandro Robles Treviño
- Pablo Torres Reyes
- René Hinojosa Garza
- Alejandro Guajardo Peña
- Omar Rios Pérez
- Luis Robles Obregón
- Daniel Baca Marcos
- Gabriel Alvarez Sevilla
Manager
- Jaime Luna Gómez
Coaches
- José Angel Valadez Guerrero
- Julio Garza de la Garza
References
- ^ "Regions Realigned for 2014: MEA to Play in Little League Baseball World Series" (Press release). Little League Baseball. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
- ^ "South Region Tournament 1957". Unpage.org. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- ^ "West Region Tournament 1985". Unpage.org. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
- ^ Young, Matt (August 17, 2018). "Every big leaguer who played in the Little League World Series". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ "Boletín Electrónico #59 Exposición Ligas Pequeñas". Salon de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano. May 30, 2007.
External links
- Fundación LLB México (Ligas Pequeñas de Beisbol en México) (Little League Baseball in Mexico) official website (in Spanish)
- LPB Región UNO (Region 1, Little League Baseball in Mexico) official website (in Spanish)