Record 92 teams compete in Philippine Little League Series

MANILA, Philippines – Traditional powerhouses in Little League baseball and softball will have a tougher time in the 2009 Philippine Little League Series set from April 13 to 19. This as a record field of 92 teams is competing in the weeklong championships which will stake berths to the Asia-Pacific Championships. The large turnout this year broke the premier youth baseball and softball tournament's previous record of 85 teams set in Nueva Ecija in 2002. Out of the 92 teams, 62 will see action in baseball with 36 teams competing in the centerpiece Major League division (kids 11 to 12 years old). Other divisions are Junior League (13-14), Senior League (14-16) and Big League (16-18). A total of 30 teams will slug it out in softball. “We are all excited. Having 36 teams in the Major League shows that a lot of kids are getting involved in baseball. It also shows that Little League program, the largest mass-based grassroots-oriented youth development program in the world, has come of age here," Little League Philippines president Jolly Gomez in yesterday’s SCOOP sa Kamayan in Padre Faura, Manila. The champions of the different divisions will book a ticket to the Asia Pacific Championships later this year. Chinese Taipei will host the Asia Pacific for Major League while Indonesia will be the venue of the three other divisions for baseball. All Asia Pacific Championship in softball will be played in Guam. Gomez mentioned International Little League of Manila (ILLAM), Tanauan, Rizal Province and Bacolod as among the traditional powers in this tournament. But Gomez believes it will be a wide-open race this year with all teams raring to go led by host Manila, which will field five teams. “What’s special for this year is the fact that the teams from Manila will all come from Smokey Mountain, which was once an eyesore, being a dumpsite. Today, Smokey Mountain has been converted into a baseball field and is a source of good players," added Gomez. The Philippine Series will be played in seven different venues all over Manila - the Smokey Mountain field, Luneta Park, University of Sto. Tomas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Pamantasan ng Maynila and the Rizal Memorial Baseball and Track and Field Stadiums. – GMANews.TV