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Hawaii defeats Curacao in Little League final

Fred Jeter | 9/1/2022, 6 p.m.
Curacao’s magic carpet ride to the Little League World Series ended with a frustrating finish.
Despite losing to Hawaii in the Little League world Series Final, Curacao’s youthful players were crowned international champs for elimination wins over Italy, Canada, Nicaragua and Chinese Taipei. The Sunday final was their fifth game in seven days.

Curacao’s magic carpet ride to the Little League World Series ended with a frustrating finish.

Having run out of front-line pitching, the all-Black team from the tiny island off the coast of Venezuela lost to Honolulu, Hawaii, 12-1, in Williamsport, Pa.

The Aug. 27 game was telecast live on CBS.

Curacao could not use any of its top pitchers in the championship game due to pitch-count restrictions. Hawaii teed off with the first two players in its lineup socking home runs.

Still, the 11- and 12-years old’s from Curacao’s capital city, Willemstad, were crowned international champs for elimination wins over Italy, Canada, Nicaragua and Chinese Taipei. The Sunday final was their fifth game in seven days.

Hawaii, a team comprised of Pacific Islanders, went undefeated in the 20-team event, outscoring its opponents, 60-5. It was perhaps the most dominant run in League annals dating to 1947.

Curacao in 2004 became the first and still only all-Black team to win the Series. The ’04 squad included current Major Leaguers Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop. Curacao finished second in 2005 and 2019.

In 2014, the all-Black Jackie Robinson Little League of Chicago won the U.S. division and lost to South Korea for the overall title. Later, the Chicagoans were stripped of their honors for roster violations.

The first all-Black team to ever reach Williamsport was Gary, Ind., in 1971. That team featured Lloyd McClendon, who famously hit home runs in five straight at bats. McClendon later played in the Major Leagues.