[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 153 (Thursday, September 21, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4651-S4652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING EL SEGUNDO LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL--THE 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONS

 Mr. PADILLA. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 2023 
Little League World Series Champions, Southern California's own El 
Segundo 12U All Stars.
  Every year, communities from around the world gather their best youth 
baseball players to assemble an All-Star team with dreams of one day 
making it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. But 
after local, State, and regional tournaments, only 20 teams earn such 
an honor, 10 from the United States and another 10 from around the 
world. In the end, only one team takes home the World Series title--and 
it is no easy road.
  For the El Segundo 12U All Stars in Williamsport, after an opening 
game win thanks to back-to-back homeruns and a high-powered offense, 
the team from Southern California hit a significant hurdle in just 
their second game. They lost 3-1 to a Southwest Region team and were 
quickly sent down to the elimination bracket, facing long odds and a 
rocky road back to the finals, when even one loss would send them home.
  But rather than shrink from the challenge, El Segundo trusted their 
pitching and defense, their great power hitting, and their fearless 
competitiveness to rattle off four straight wins to make it all the way 
to the Little League World Series Championship. Their impressive streak 
included returning the favor and defeating the team from the Southwest 
Region in the U.S. Championship 6-1.
  Finally, on the biggest stage, facing Curacao in the Little League 
World Series Championship, El Segundo got off to an early start, 
jumping to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning. But the winds quickly 
shifted after a Curacao grand slam tied the game heading into the sixth 
and final inning. Yet again, El Segundo refused to back down.
  Manager Danny Boehle turned to No. 14 Brody Brooks to shutdown a hot 
Curacao offense and give El Segundo a

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shot in the bottom of the sixth, which he provided with a standout 
scoreless inning. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, as countless Little 
League baseball fans will now remember for eternity, No. 19 Louis Lappe 
stepped up to the plate--and the rest is history. A shot to deep left 
field sent the crowd to their feet, Lappe around the bases, and a city 
all the way across the country into pandemonium. Lappe's walk-off 
homerun meant California, once again, was on top of the baseball world.
  For one summer in 2023, kids in Southern California weren't just 
imitating Mookie Betts' batting stance or dreaming of throwing across 
the diamond to Freddie Freeman at first base. They were dreaming of 
playing like Brooks and Lappe, Salazar and Green, Boehle and Keldorf, 
Lee and Baker, McRoberts and Parks, O'Connor and Kalish.
  My sincere congratulations to all the players, manager Danny Boehle, 
coaches Tim Abrams and Eddie Lee, and all the parents and family 
members who made this dream possible.
  Congratulations--you have made California proud.

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