For the 31st time in history and second year in a row, a team from Chinese Taipei will be heading to Williamsport as Kuei-Shan Little League (Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei) was named the Asia-Pacific Region Champion and will compete in the 2023 Little League Baseball® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile.
This will be the 31st time a team from Chinese Taipei makes the trip to Williamsport after Fu-Lin Little League earned the honor in 2022. In its 30 previous appearances, Chinese Taipei holds the record with 17 total World Series Championships while earning runner-up honors three times (1982, 1989, 2009).
While Chinese Taipei lost the championship game of the Asia-Pacific Region Tournament to South Korea, 2-1, the game was held under protest by Kuei-Shan Little League pending review of the Little League International Tournament Committee. After a thorough investigation, the Little League® International Tournament Committee ruled the game a forfeit due to ineligible players on the South Seoul (A) Little League team.
Little League International Tournament Committee Official Statement:
“The Tournament Committee has confirmed that two players participated in the South Korean National Tournament for South Seoul (B) Little League and were then added to the roster of, and participated for, South Seoul (A) Little League in the Asia-Pacific Region Tournament after their team was eliminated from the South Korean National Tournament. As a result of this decision, Kuei-Shan Little League has been declared the champion of the Asia-Pacific Region and will be eligible to participate in the Little League Baseball World Series upon review of all eligibility requirements.”
This will be Kuei-Shan Little League’s third trip to Williamsport after an appearance in 2012 and a runner-up finish in 2009. In its two World Series appearances, the league has combined for a 5-4 overall record in Williamsport.
With its 31 appearances, Chinese Taipei is now tied with Japan for third in international teams represented at the Little League Baseball World Series behind only Canada (61) and Mexico (33). Its 17 World Series championships also makes up for nearly half of the 37 total international championship titles over the course of the event’s 75-year history. Chinese Taipei still holds a number of team and individual records at the Little League Baseball World Series, including the most consecutive appearances in championship games with six (1977-82; 1986-91) as well as two of the tournament’s seven perfect games (1973, 1979). In 1973, the team did not allow a single hit throughout their tournament run and the 1995 championship game between Chinese Taipei and Texas remains tied for fourth all-time in attendance with an estimated 42,000 fans coming to watch.
With the first-round matchups of the 2023 LLBWS announced on June 6, in coordination with the anniversary of the first-ever Little League® game played in 1939, Kuei-Shan Little League will face off against Canada in Game 7 on Thursday, August 17, at 5 p.m. ET in Volunteer Stadium.
The 2023 Little League Baseball World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, is set to take place August 16-27. More information about the 2023 Little League World Series tournaments, including full schedules and downloadable brackets, can be found at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.