Johoku Little League (Tokyo, Japan) has been named the recipient of the 2024 Jack Losch Little League Baseball® World Series Team Sportsmanship Award based on their display of sportsmanship on and off the field.
“For the past 20 years, we have honored teams at the Little League Baseball World Series who go out of their way to showcase sportsmanship on and off the field, and we are pleased to recognize this year’s team from Japan as the well-deserved recipients of this year’s award,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “Throughout the duration of this year’s tournament, the team has displayed respect, integrity, and appreciation for all the other participating teams, volunteers, and staff who make the event possible. We hope their acts of sportsmanship, both on and off the field, serve as an inspiration and reminder for the more than 6,500 local leagues who play Little League each year.”
Voted on by the 20 participating teams, as well as the team hosts, volunteers, members of the media, and the Little League staff, the Jack Losch Little League Baseball World Series Team Sportsmanship Award recognizes the team that exemplifies a tremendous amount of sportsmanship both on and off the field, including the team’s time in the dormitories, dining hall, and interview room as well as their performance on the field.
About Jack Losch and the Team Sportsmanship Award
As a boy, Jack Losch was the center fielder on the first Little League Baseball World Championship team in 1947. As a young man, he established football rushing marks that continue to be in the record books today at the University of Miami where he was an All-American as a senior in 1955. A year later, he became the first Little League Baseball World Series participant to play a professional sport when he was selected in the first round of the National Football League amateur draft by the Green Bay Packers. In 2004, the Jack Losch Little League Baseball World Series Team Sportsmanship Award was established and is presented to a Series team each year that best exemplifies the spirit that Mr. Losch displayed both on and off the playing field.
Previous Recipients
- 2004-Kutno LL, Kutno, Poland
- 2005-Whalley LL, Surrey, B.C., Canada
- 2006-Whalley LL, Surrey, B.C., Canada
- 2007 -Windmills Alpeldoorn (Netherlands) LL
- 2008-Edogawa Minami LL, Tokyo, Japan
- 2009-Hastings Community LL, Vancouver, B.C.
- 2010-Edogawa Minami LL, Tokyo, Japan
- 2011-Hamamatsu Minami LL, Hamanatsu City, Japan
- 2012-Lugazi LL, Lugazi, Uganda
- 2013-Perth Metro Central LL, Perth, Australia
- 2014-Coquivacoa LL, Maracaibo, Venezuela
- 2015-Webb City LL, Webb City, Mo.
- 2016-Maine-Endwell LL, Endwell, N.Y.
- 2017-Hills LL, Sydney, Australia
- 2018-Honolulu LL, Honolulu, Hawaii; Peachtree City LL, Peachtree City, Ga. (co-winners)
- 2019-Cacique Mara LL, Maracaibo, Venezuela
- 2020-No Award Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
- 2021-Honolulu LL, Honolulu, Hawaii
- 2022-Nolensville LL, Nolensville, Tenn.
- 2023- Kuei-Shan LL, Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei
- 2024-Johoku LL, Tokyo, Japan