For the first time in its history, the 2020 Little League baseball and softball World Series has been officially canceled due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Little League CEO Stephen Keener made the announcement via Facebook Live Thursday from the league headquarters in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The league however has not called off the 2020 regular season. Keener stated there should be some optimism that teams could play this spring and summer, depending on restrictions in states and localities.
The event has been held every year since 1947. The 2021 World Series was to be the 75th edition, which will now happen in 2022. Along with the Little League World Series, which is held in South Williamsport, the other events canceled were the World Series of Little League Softball in Greenville, North Carolina; Intermediate (50/70) Baseball in Livermore, California; Junior League Baseball in Taylor, Michigan; Junior League Softball in Kirkland, Washington; Senior League Baseball in Easley, South Carolina; and Senior League Softball in Sussex County, Delaware.
This also cancels the originally scheduled 2020 MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox on August 23. “While the cancellation of the 2020 Little League World Series is extremely disappointing, the health and safety of all of the people involved must be the paramount consideration. We look forward to our return to Williamsport for the 2021 MLB Little League Classic,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Keener went on to say in his statement, “Let me tell the folks in all those communities and all the sites where we have regional qualifying tournaments how disappointed we are to have to do this, but it was inevitable. It would be irresponsible and impossible to bring teams and thousands of people from all over the world into the community of Williamsport as well as those six other communities that have been such great friends and supporters of ours over the years. We will be very amenable to [changing] eligibility requirements and be very flexible to allow as many kids the opportunity to play as possible for whatever can remain of the 2020 Little League season.”
