1989: The David vs. Goliath Upset
Entering the 1989 championship, the team from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was an absolute juggernaut. International teams, and Taiwan in particular, had dominated the tournament for years. They had won 13 of their last 14 championship games, often by blowout scores.
On the other side was a gritty team from Trumbull, Connecticut. Few gave the American squad a chance. But Trumbull had a future star on the mound in Chris Drury, who would go on to a famed NHL career. In a stunning performance, Drury pitched a complete game and drove in two runs. Trumbull secured a 5-2 victory, ending Taiwan's reign in one of the most significant upsets in LLWS history and becoming the first U.S. champion in five years.
1998: The 'Beast of the East' Slugfest
The 1998 final was a high-scoring affair that introduced the world to a future MLB All-Star. The team from Toms River, New Jersey—nicknamed the "Beast of the East"—was led by a charismatic 12-year-old named Todd Frazier. In the championship game against Kashima, Japan, Frazier put on a show, going 4-for-4 with a leadoff home run and pitching to earn the win. The game itself was a record-setting slugfest with 11 total home runs. But it was a backup player, Chris Cardone, who hit the game-winning two-run homer in the final inning to give Toms River a wild 12-9 victory, capping a magical run for the Jersey Shore kids.
2004: Curaçao's Crowning Moment
The team from Willemstad, Curaçao, was a powerhouse in 2004, featuring future MLB infielders Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop. They faced a formidable opponent in Conejo Valley from Thousand Oaks, California, which entered the final with a 22-0 record. Curaçao's pitcher, Carlos Pineda, was dominant for five innings, and a two-run homer by Profar helped build a 5-0 lead. Though the California team mounted a late rally, Schoop came in to close the door, securing a 5-2 win. It was the first-ever Little League World Series title for the island of Curaçao, a team that had already survived a dramatic extra-inning comeback just to get to the final.
2005: The Walk-Off for Hawaii
One year after their victory, Curaçao was back in the championship game, looking to defend its title against West Oahu from Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The game was a tense, back-and-forth affair that went into extra innings tied at 6-6. In the bottom of the seventh, Michael Memea stepped to the plate. After battling to a full count, Memea launched a pitch over the right-center field wall for a walk-off home run, instantly clinching the championship for Hawaii. It was only the second time in LLWS history that the final game ended with a walk-off homer, creating an iconic moment of pure, unscripted joy as Memea's teammates swarmed him at home plate.
2023: California's Modern Classic
The 2023 championship game delivered another instant classic, once again featuring a powerhouse team from Curaçao. This time, their opponent was El Segundo, California. The California team built a 5-1 lead, looking to be in control. But in the top of the fifth inning, Curaçao stormed back, tying the game with a dramatic grand slam. The stage was set for a hero in the bottom of the sixth. Louis Lappe of El Segundo stepped up and delivered, hitting a towering solo home run to left field for a 6-5 walk-off victory. It was a storybook ending for Lappe, who finished the tournament with five homers, saving his biggest for the final swing.
