Japan's Tokyo Kitasuna Little League beat America's Apopka National Little League (from Apopka, Florida) to win the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on August 26. This was the fifth Japanese team to win the World Series.

Little League baseball is for boys and girls all over the world between the ages of nine and twelve. With over 1,550 registered teams, it is very popular in Japan.

In the Little League World Series teams are divided into the International Pool and the American Pool. Even after becoming the Japanese champion, Kitasuna still had to fight hard to get to play in America. First, the team played four games to beat Hong Kong and Korea and win the Far Eastern Championships. In the International Championship they lost one game against Panama but won their games against Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Netherland Antilles. In their second game against Netherland Antilles they won again and finally advanced to the World Series.

With over 7,400 Little League programs in over 100 countries, Little League baseball has had many famous people play in it. Probably the most notable member of Little League Baseball, though, is American President George W. Bush. President Bush is the first Little League graduate to become president, having played for four years in Texas in the 1950's.

He threw the ceremonial pitch and enthusiastically cheered for both teams during the hard fought World Series game, a game that saw Apopka ahead 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Japan clinched the title. The game winning hit was a single by twelve-year-old Nobuhisa Baba that scored two runs to give Kitasuna the lead.

Team captain Yosuke Nomura, also twelve years old, scored the game winning run and said, "This is the first time I've ever cried for two days in a row, I'm so happy."

This wasn't the end of the team's adventure, though. The kids from Japan were invited to visit the New York Mets the next day. There they met manager Bobby Valentine and player Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who gave them each signed baseballs.

As if that wasn't excitement enough, when they got back to Japan they paid a visit to Japanese Prime Minister Jun'ichiro Koizumi's house. The Prime Minister congratulated them and gave each one a signed baseball. He even played catch with Yosuke. Afterwards, Yosuke said, "I'll never forget playing catch with the Prime Minister."

The whole summer is sure to be one that the boys never forget, and we'll be looking out for them to become players in the major leagues or maybe even prime ministers someday.

Photos: (From top) One of the Kitasuna batters hits the ball during the championship game. (Little League Baseball Inc.); The Japanese team celebrates the championship-winning run. (Little League Baseball Inc.); U.S. President George W. Bush greets players and spectators before the Little League Championship Game. (PANA); Prime Minister Jun'ichiro Koizumi plays catch with the Tokyo Kitasuna team as they celebrate their victory. (PANA)