[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 10, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CONGRATULATING THE LA MIRANDA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2003

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, on August 16, 2003, the La Mirada 
Junior League baseball team won in its first appearance in the Junior 
League World Series by defeating Santiago, Panama 8-7 for the title of 
2003 Junior League World Champions.
  La Mirada, located 18 miles southeast of Los Angeles, is the fourth 
Junior League baseball team from California to win the World 
Championship.
  The La Mirada team, also the California state champions, started the 
four-team Western Regional Tournament with a 5-3 loss to Scottsdale, 
Arizona, but came back with four straight victories to win the title.
  La Mirada eliminated Aiea, Hawaii, which won the Junior League World 
Series in 2000 and 2001, then beat hosting Union City, California and 
won two straight games over Arizona to arrive at the Junior League 
World Series with a 17-2 overall record.
  Founded in 1981, the Junior League World Series is the older brother 
of the Little League World Series. The Junior League World Series is a 
spectacular weeklong international tournament for the best teams of 13- 
and 14-year-old baseball players from around the world and is played 
every year in beautiful Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan.
  It has blossomed to include teams from around the globe: from Europe, 
Latin America, the Asia-Pacific region, Canada, and the United States. 
To date, participating teams have come from 27 different states in the 
U.S., four Canadian provinces, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Belgium, Saudi 
Arabia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Guam, Poland, Venezuela, Saipan 
and, for the first time in 2003, Russia.
  La Mirada's all-star roster included: Chris Amezquita, Jordyn 
Baldwin, Jason Dovel, Frankie Fichera, George Gonzalez, Jacob Johnson, 
Stephen Kaupang, Michael Le Blanc, Brandon Pesante, Kevin Platzer, A.J. 
Rodriguez and Taylor Seimens with coaches Larry Kaupang and Gary 
Bouchard, and Manager Jim Gordon.
  La Mirada braved rain delays and lack of electricity caused by the 
Nation's largest power outage during the week-long tournament to win 
against regional champions Mansfield, Massachusetts (East); Urbandale, 
Iowa (Central); Bridgewater, Virginia (South); and Sugar Land, Texas 
(Southwest) to become the United States champion.
  The final game of the international tournament between La Mirada and 
Panama may have been the most dramatic with the lead changing hands 
five times.
  La Mirada won the championship game with exceptional pitching, an 
explosive offense and an excellent defense. La Mirada took the lead in 
the 6th inning with a three-run homer and fended off a final inning, 
two-run rally.
  According to everyone involved, the trip to the Junior League World 
Series will be remembered by the players, coaches and their family 
members not only for the games played, but also for their shared 
memories of their time together.

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