Little League World Series 2014 Preview: Teams to Watch, News, TV Schedule and Live Stream Info
It's that time again.
The Little League World Series starts this week in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and looks to be one of the more competitive 'series' in recent memory. 18 teams of 11- to 13-year-olds will descend upon the town that has been the site of the competition since 1947, and each will be looking to claim youth baseball's most coveted championship.
What: Little League World Series
Where: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania
When: Aug. 14 - Aug. 24th
TV Info: ESPN
Live Stream Info: Watch ESPN
According to Bleacher Report, the tournament will begin August 14th with pool play, and every team will play at least three games in this initial round. There are two divisions: the United States Division, and the International Division. Pool play will take place within each division, and the division winners will face-off for the tournament championship.
Check out this tournament schedule from Bleacher Report of the first two days of play, and be sure to tune-in to catch the action. For a full schedule of the entire tournament click here.
AMERICAN TEAMS TO WATCH
If you don't already have a team to root for this year, Jackie Robinson West from Chicago, Illinois is a great place to start. JRW advanced from the Great Lakes region and their roster is an all African-American squad who defeated an Indiana team 12-7 on Saturday to advance to the LLWS.
Teams like JRW are seen as a sign that baseball's popularity could be resurging among African-Americans, whose numbers in Major League Baseball have been on the decline in recent decades. According to Bleacher Report "the mere presence of the kids from Chicago in the LLWS could positively influence the future diversity of the game. It doesn't matter whether they win or lose."
Another big story coming out of the American division this year is the pitching of 13-year-old Mo'Ne Davis. Davis' fast ball has been clock as fast as 70 mph. Not bad for a pre-teen. Oh yeah, and Davis is a girl.
And while she isn't the first girl to play in the LLWS (she's actually the second girl playing in the tournament this year!) her exceptional athleticism and dominance from the mound could reshape how Americans view women in athletics--maybe. If nothing else, Davis and her Taney Dragons should be a lot of fun to watch.