There isn't much confidence around town that the Diamondbacks can make it to the playoffs, but there's one baseball team that will be representing our state well. The Chandler National Little League team will be one of sixteen teams to compete in the Little League World Series. It has been almost 30 years since a Phoenix-area team went to the Little League World Series. Many of the dozen 11 and 12-year-old Little Leaguers are from Bogle Junior High School in Chandler.

Little League World Series begins on Friday, August 24 in Williamsport, Pa. Eight U.S. regional champions and eight international regional champions will compete. The eight U.S. teams are: Great Lakes: Tallmadge, Ohio; New England: Saugus, Mass; Southeast: Boynton Beach, Fla; Northwest: Richland, Wash; Southwest: Richmond, Texas; Midwest: Eldridge, Iowa; Mid-Atlantic: Wilmington, Del; and West: Chandler National.

The International teams are: Caribbean: Willemstad, Curacao; Asia: Tokyo; Latin America: Altagracia, Venezuela; Pacific: Agana, Guam; Europe: Moscow; Mexico: Mexico City; Transatlantic: Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; and Canada: Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.

Every team will have at least one game on national television. The Chandler Team is referred to as "West." Here is the entire TV schedule. Please note that all times are Eastern Time!

Friday - August 15, 2003
(1) Great Lakes vs. New England, 3 p.m., ESPN2
(2) Caribbean vs. Asia, 5 p.m., ESPN2
(3) Southeast vs. Northwest, 7 p.m., ESPN

Saturday - August 16, 2003
(4) Latin America vs. Pacific, 11 a.m.
(5) Southwest vs. Midwest, 1 p.m., ESPN
(6) Mid-Atlantic vs. West, 3 p.m., ESPN
(7) Europe vs. Mexico, 4 p.m.
(8) Transatlantic vs. Canada, 6 p.m., ESPN2
(9) Great Lakes vs. Southeast, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Sunday - August 17, 2003
(10) West vs. Southwest, 1 p.m., ESPN
(11) New England vs. Northwest, 3 p.m., ESPN
(12) Caribbean vs. Transatlantic, 4 p.m.
(13) Europe vs. Pacific, 7 p.m.
(14) Midwest vs. Mid-Atlantic, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Monday - August 18, 2003
(15) Pacific vs. Mexico, 1 p.m., ESPN2
(16) Great Lakes vs. Northwest, 3 p.m., ESPN
(17) Latin America vs. Europe, 5 p.m., ESPN2
(18) Southeast vs. New England, 7 p.m., ESPN2
(19) Asia vs. Canada, 8 p.m.

Tuesday - August 19, 2003
(20) Latin America vs. Mexico, 11 a.m., ESPN2
(21) Asia vs. Transatlantic, 1 p.m., ESPN2
(22) Southwest vs. Mid-Atlantic, 3 p.m., ESPN
(23) Caribbean vs. Canada, 5 p.m., ESPN2
(24) West vs. Midwest, 7 p.m., ESPN2

SINGLE ELIMINATION ROUND
Wednesday - August 20, 2003
(25) International - Semi-Final (First-place team from Pool D vs. second-place team from Pool C), 4 p.m., ESPN
(26) United States - Semi-Final (First-place team from Pool B vs. second-place team from Pool A), 7 p.m., ESPN

Thursday - August 21, 2003
(27) International - Semi-Final (First-place team from Pool C vs. second-place team from Pool D), 4 p.m., ESPN2
(28) United States - Semi-Final, (First-place team from Pool A vs. second-place team from Pool B), 7 p.m., ESPN

Friday - August 22, 2003
OPEN DATE

Saturday - August 23, 2003
(29) International Championship, 3 p.m., ESPN
(30) United States Championship, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Sunday - August 24, 2003
(31) United States Runner Up vs. International Runner Up, 1 p.m., ESPN
(32) World Series Championship, 6:30 p.m., ABC

It is estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 kids participate in Little League baseball and softball in Arizona.

Related Resources
Sports and Recreation in the Phoenix Area
Youth Sports


Chandler National Little League News from The Arizona Republic.
Little League Coverage from Williamsport, PA
Little League Coverage from Little League Baseball