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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Little League World Series: 5 Best moments from iconic summer baseball tournament
Since 1947, the Little League World Series has been one of the most beloved summer traditions in America. The opportunity to see the best 12U baseball teams from around the world compete for a championship presents baseball in its truest form. The children provide an appreciation for the sport that can sometimes be lost in professional settings. Every moment is exciting. Every hit is enormous. Every run is exhilarating. Every strikeout is monumental. That emotion has captivated audiences for decades, making big moments all the more compelling. Whether it is a walk-off home run, a huge defensive play, or a group of kids achieving their ultimate goal, the Little League World Series has created some incredible moments over the years. Here are our picks for the five most iconic moments in LLWS history. 2025 Little League World Series bracket: Schedule for every game at Williamsport Most iconic Little League World Series moments The highest possible OPS a player can have is 5.000. That mark would mean that a player hit a home run every single time they came up to the plate. Such a feat is impossible, right? RIGHT?! Nope. Lloyd McClendon put on a "Legendary" performance at the 1971 Little League World Series, going 5-for-5 with, you guessed it, five home runs. His team would wind up losing in the championship game to Chinese Taipei. How did Taipei do it? Simple. They didn't let McClendon bat. They walked him every time he came to the plate after he hit a home run against them in the first inning. McClendon's team would not score another run for the rest of the game. Mo'ne Davis's legend is well-known. She wasn't the first girl to compete in the Little League World Series, but she was arguably the most dominant, corralling a complete game shutout win during her team's first game of the tournament. To this day, that remains the only time a female player has earned a win on the mound at the Little League World Series, and it was a shutout. Davis did not do as well in her next pitching performance, but her mark on the tournament had already been left. Despite her team failing to reach the U.S. Championship, many fans still know her name and were excited to see her return to Williamsport in 2021 as an analyst. What's better than leading the LLWS tournament in both home runs and RBIs? How about winning the tournament with a walk-off home run? Lappe did absolutely everything for his California squad during the 2023 tournament, especially in the role of hero. It couldn't have been more dramatic. California was leading Curacao in the championship game, 5-1 after four innings. In the fifth, Curacao hit a grand slam to tie the game. Lo and behold, Lappe led off the sixth inning. Fans leaned forward in their seats. Everyone was dead quiet when the announcer uttered a jinx for the ages, noting that Curacao had not surrendered a home run for the entirety of the Little League World Series. On cue, Lappe sent everyone home with a moonshot to left field. The Japan-U.S. rivalry is well-known in Little League Baseball. Since 1998, the U.S. and Japan have combined for more than 20 titles. The rest of the world has just three. In 2007, that rivalry came to a head as Georgia looked for their second consecutive LLWS title, and second consecutive championship game win over Japan. Despite strong pitching performances from both sides, Georgia's Dalton Carriker was able to take an eighth-inning pitch deep to walk off the game and the tournament. Although Burroughs' and his California team's loss in the 1992 championship was eventually flipped on its head once it was known that the team from the Philippines that won had violated age and residency rules, Burroughs returned for the 1993 Little League World Series looking to avenge the defeat. He was on a mission, and no one was going to stop him. Burroughs would go on to throw no-hitters in both his team's pool play opener against Ohio on August 23 and in the U.S. Championship game on August 26. He did not pitch in the LLWS title game, but his team came through nonetheless. Burroughs would go on to play in the majors between 2002 and 2012. When does the 2025 Little League World Series begin? This year's tournament begins Wednesday, August 13 and runs until Sunday, August 24. Games can be viewed on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, or streamed with ESPN+. Stream the 2025 Little League World Series with an ESPN+ subscription
NBC Sports
16-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Olympic gold medalist John Landsteiner steps away from elite curling
John Landsteiner, an Olympic gold medalist and the longest-serving teammate of skip John Shuster, is stepping away from elite-level curling. Landsteiner, a 35-year-old who competed at the last three Olympics, called it 'a long, difficult, and heartfelt decision' in a social media post. 'As life has progressed during this quad, with the addition of my two young children and my ongoing full-time career as an engineer with Lake Superior Consulting, it has become clear to me that time spent with my family means more than the grind that the run to 2026 will require,' the post read. Landsteiner served as the lead for Shuster's team at the last three Olympics, meaning he threw the first two stones of each end. In 2018, Shuster, Landsteiner, Tyler George and Matt Hamilton won the U.S.' first Olympic curling title. George left elite curling after those Games and was replaced on the team by Chris Plys, who had previously been the alternate on Shuster's team at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Hamilton, who made his Olympic debut in 2018, is still on Shuster's team. Colin Hufman, a 2022 Olympic alternate who played one game in Beijing, has been on the active team Shuster roster the last two seasons with Hamilton and Landsteiner taking turns as alternates at major competitions. This past winter, Landsteiner was the alternate as Shuster's team lost in the U.S. Championship semifinals, its first time being beaten for a national title since 2016. The 2026 Olympic Trials are in November in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The winner will advance to an international tournament in Canada in December to determine the last teams to qualify for the Milan Cortina Games. Shuster, a 42-year-old who made his Olympic debut in Italy in 2006, will bid to make a sixth Winter Olympic team, which would tie the U.S. record across all sports held by retired Nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick. But he will do it without his fellow Duluth, Minnesota, resident Landsteiner, who still plans to play recreationally. 'Curling was the sole reason I went to college and now reside in Duluth, MN,' Landsteiner's post read. 'After my junior career ended, I was fortunate to be asked to play with John Shuster—and the rest was history. Curling has taken me around the world to places I never thought possible and has shaped who I am today.' Nick Zaccardi,
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'It's awkward!': Chelsea Green reflects on her last 2021 release from WWE
Image via WWE WWE superstar recently opened up about her experiences and shared an emotional and revealing account of her 2021 WWE release. Green is one of the famous antics and a top-tier wrestler, who managed to clinch WWE's first US Championship in December 2024. She has revealed her past experiences and why she was let go from the company. To bring some creative changes, WWE goes through a rigorous process of terminating and ending contracts with WWE stars. Chelsea Green was one of the wrestlers who had to face a similar kind of experience of being fired from the company in 2021. However, in a significant development for WWE's women's division, Chelsea Green has reportedly inked a new multi-year contract with WWE, cementing her place again in the company. Let's now take a look at what the WWE star had to say about her last release from WWE. Chelsea Green recalls her last release from WWE Green was fired by the company in 2021 due to the pandemic, but had made her return at the Royal Rumble 2023, and had signed a contract that is supposed to expire this year. Recalling this moment, Chelsea Green shared her experience after parting ways from the company for a brief period of time. WWE CHELSEA GREEN on Women's Evolution PLE, U.S. Championship, Piper Niven, and New Netflix Show Green shared an emotional and revealing account of her 2021 WWE release during an appearance on the Lightweights Podcast . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ductless Air Conditioners Are Selling Like Crazy [See Why] Keep Cool Click Here Undo During the interview, the US Champions title holder said, 'I called WWE and asked if I could be released from my contract early. Normally, we have ninety days, but I asked if I could be released on day sixty or seventy and forego my pay so I could get onto the indies earlier than the group (of other released WWE stars), so I could have more hype.' She further stated, 'That's the problem too, so we're all back on the same day, so a bunch of us would show up on the same show. We'd all be on a TNA pay-per-view, or a Ring of Honor pay-per-view, or whatever, and then who are they gonna talk about? They're gonna talk about the person who does the most flips – it ain't me! I don't leave my feet, so how am I gonna draw attention to myself? Okay, I'm gonna forego my pay, and then I'm gonna get on the indies two weeks to a month early, and everyone's gonna be shocked. It's gonna be truly surprising because nobody's ever done that and WWE said yes.' (source: TJR Wrestling) How did Chelsea Green's husband forewarn her? Moreover, Green revealed that she got the intimation from her husband, Matt Cardona, who warned her timely about the termination. "I got very lucky because Matt called me like three minutes before I was fired and said 'You're about to get fired,'" Green said in the podcast. 'I don't know how [he knew]. I'm so glad he did because it just gave me a split second in my kitchen – I was with Santana Garrett – to regroup and be like 'How am I going to handle this?' She further added, "It's awkward. I'm sitting there with one of my girlfriends, like, is she going to get fired? Is it just going to be me?" she continued. "Either way, it's awkward. If it's just me, that's awkward because now I'm fired in front of my friend who's sitting there having tea with me. Or are we both going to get fired? That's f***ing awkward too, then we're both fired and we both don't have jobs.' (source: WrestlingInc.) Also Read : WWE Night of Champions 2025 preview and streaming details (06/28/25): Full match card, show highlights, how to watch, and more However, overcoming all the odds, Chelsea Green joined WWE back in 2023, and since then, she has never looked back. She became the inaugural Women's U.S. Champion in December 2024 and is now the leader of the stable known as The Green Regime on SmackDown. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Chelsea Green wants a Total Divas comeback, boldly credits show for NXT's women's boom
WWE star Chelsea Green is not one to shy away from a hot take, and her latest comments might be her boldest yet. In a recent appearance on the Lightweights podcast, Green didn't just express hope for a Total Divas revival, she claimed the reality show was responsible for the majority of women currently in WWE's NXT division. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Total Divas is what got 75% of the females in NXT there,' Green said, calling the E! Network series a cultural force that helped introduce women - and families - to professional wrestling. According to her, the show's impact goes far beyond entertainment. 'It attracted those women to wrestling,' she added. 'It brought everyone together.' While the number might raise eyebrows, especially among fans of indie veterans like Asuka or Rhea Ripley - Green stood firm in her belief that Total Divas was a key driver in building WWE's women's division into what it is today. WWE CHELSEA GREEN on Women's Evolution PLE, U.S. Championship, Piper Niven, and New Netflix Show The show, which ran for nine seasons from 2013 to 2019, followed the personal and professional lives of WWE's female superstars, including The Bella Twins, Natalya, Paige, Maryse, and others. Though often dismissed as 'reality fluff,' the series undeniably played a role in elevating female wrestlers into mainstream pop culture. Improvisation in WWE Deserves More Credit Green also opened up about the behind-the-scenes demands of being a WWE Superstar, specifically the need for improvisation. Recalling her Statue of Liberty 'inauguration' promo, she revealed that she wrote the entire 10-minute segment herself. 'There's no one to help you if you forget,' she explained. 'The pressure is crazy.' Her larger point? WWE stars don't get enough credit for how much improv work they're constantly doing, not just in matches but in promos and even at ringside. Her comments subtly challenge the perception that WWE is over-scripted, instead offering insight into how live performance and quick thinking are integral to a wrestler's success. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Zelina Vega vs. Chelsea Green | Women's U.S. Title Match: Saturday Night's Main Event, May 24, 2025 Currently recovering from a broken nose sustained during a match with Zelina Vega, Green hasn't slowed down. She's competing in the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament and recently pitched a bold match idea: a hair vs. hair bout against WWE legend at a potential Evolution event. Meanwhile, Green admitted she's ready to move past her feud with Vega. 'I think they're done with me and Zelina,' she said. 'I don't want them to get bored of that championship.' With her transparency, creativity, and willingness to break character outside the ring, Chelsea Green is emerging as a unique voice in WWE - one focused not just on personal success, but on how wrestling evolves for fans and performers alike. Also Read:
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
WWE Releases 16 Superstars In Surprising Roster Purge–Who's Out?
CINCINNATI, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Dakota Kai enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Heritage Bank ... More Center on February 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Marques/WWE via Getty Images) Check WWE's roster page for your favorite mid-carder and randomly featured NXT Superstar—they may have received some tough news on Friday. According to multiple reports, at least 16 WWE Superstars learned they were being separated from the promotion. Here is a breakdown of the Superstars WWE released in their post-WrestleMania purge. WWE Main Roster Releases NXT Releases The most notable inclusions on this list are Braun Strowman, Shayna Baszler, and Dakota Kai. Strowman is a former Universal Champion and a once key cog in the Wyatt Family faction. Most recently, he feuded with Jacob Fatu, featuring a series of brutal matches. Fatu went over in the feud when he defeated Strowman in a Last Man Standing match in March that elevated him into the U.S. Championship picture. Strowman, 41, had become the still-fierce giant whose primary job was to put over strong up-and-comers like Fatu and Bronson Reed before him. As it stands, Reed (who is currently injured) and Fatu remain while Strowman is out. Baszler, 44, a former NXT Women's Champion and WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, had a strong run in the former as a singles star. Unfortunately, she never found it on the main roster. She was cast in the shadows of real-life friend Ronda Rousey and then relegated to more of a sidekick with Pure Fusion Collective. Her release is noteworthy but not surprising considering she hadn't been featured in anything of note for several months. As the oldest of the Superstars WWE released, Baszler may have the most urgent decision to make about her future in the industry. Dakota Kai, 36, has battled injuries for the past few years, which have robbed her of the opportunity to capitalize on the momentum she had when she came up from NXT in 2022. At her peak, Kai was a member of the Bayley-led Damage Control faction, but she never established much as a singles performer. Kayden Carter, 36, and Katana Chance, 35, are former WWE Tag Team Champions. Their high-energy style produced some memorable in-ring performances, but overall they failed to resonate with the WWE Universe. Like others on this list, Carter and Chance had become scarce on WWE programming. On the NXT roster, the release of Cora Jade and Gigi Dolin were the most notable. At one point, it appeared both had an opportunity to make a splash on the main roster. Several of the released Superstars took to social media to comment on their release, including Cora Jade and Shayna Baszler. The NXT Superstars are believed to have a 30-day non-compete clause, while the performers who were on the main roster have a 90-day non-compete clause. There is a chance WWE may still have more names to add to this list ahead of Monday's episode of Raw as we build toward WWE Backlash in St. Louis on May 10.
