The 2008 Philippine Little league tournament will be held at the Alabang Country Club from April 5-13, 2008. With the Muntinlupa Little League under Rally Martinez as the host.
This is the largest gathering of baseball in the Philippines and is an annual tournament consisting of over 1000 players ages 11-18.
Participants this year:
In Little League Baseball: 34 teams
Albay, Agoncillo North and South, Batangas City, Bulacan, Caloocan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Manila, Floridablanca, Gen. Trias, Lipa, Makati, Marikina, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Sta Cruz, Talisay, Tanauan, Tuguegarao, Zamboanga, ILLAM, Muntinlupa, Bacolod East, Bacolod West, Anitpolo, Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Pasig, Los Banos, Taguig
In other divisions:
Junior League Baseball 11 teams (defending champion is ILLAM - who ended up second place in the WORLD SERIES last year in Taylor, Michigan)
Senior League Baseball 7 teams (defending champion is Tanauan)
Big League Baseball 6 teams (defending champion is ILLAM)
In softball:
Little League Softball - 10 teams (largest ever, defending champion ILLAM)
Junior League Softball - 4 teams (defending champion Bacolod)
Senior League Softball - 8 teams (defending champion Sta Cruz)
Big League Softball - 5 teams (defending champion ILLAM)
This year's tournament will have a different format for little league. With six divisions led by six seeded teams based on past year's performance: ILLAM, Marikina, Tanauan, Muntinlupa, Zamboanga, Nueva Ecija. The winner of the tournament will play a total of 12 games in 9 days. A real challenge.
The Big League Baseball will be the tournament to follow in the boys division with strong teams from defending champion ILLAM, challenged by Tanauan, Makati and Bataan
In softball the Senior Division wide open with strong teams from perennial winner Bacolod as well as Rizal, Sta Cruz, Cavite, Muntinlupa.
Big League softball will be a three-way battle between Bacolod, ILLAM and Manila.
Winners in the softball divisions compete in July 5-11 in Guangzhou, China (regional tournament)
Winners in the teenager divisions of baseball compete in June 28-July 5 in Saipan
Winner in the little league division compete in July 18-25 in Disneyland Hong Kong
Winners of the Asia-Pacific Regional Tournaments will compete in the World Series in various locations in the USA.
Games start this Saturday at 12noon and 2pm. The opening is scheduled at 4pm with special guests William (Butch) Ramirez from the PSC, Hector Navasero from PABA and John Henry Lhuillier from ASAPHIL. All the games shall be open to the public and shall be held at Alabang Country Club.
The Philippine little league program is one of the most successful youth programs in the country with several players currently playing in the national team as well as top UAAP teams. It is a volunteer program that has over 2 Million participants worldwide. The Philippines has one of the most successful programs in Asia and has the most participants after Japan.
Little League Philippines wishes to thanks the members of the Sports Media who have been supporting our program for several years. There are many activities planned for the coming years with the objective of growing the sport for boys and girls all over the country.
Congratulations to Little League Philippines. Good luck to all
Posted by: Gabriel M. Eala | April 03, 2008 at 06:04 PM