PONY Baseball and Softball
![]() | |
Sport | Baseball and softball |
---|---|
Founded | 1951 |
President | Abraham Key[1] |
Countries | United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific |
Most recent champion(s) | Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (2019) |
Most titles | ![]() ![]() |
TV partner(s) | MLB.com |
Sponsor(s) | Dick's Sporting Goods |
Official website | http://www.pony.org |
PONY Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Washington, Pennsylvania. Started in 1951,[2] PONY organizes youth baseball and softball leagues and tournaments, as over 500,000 players annually play PONY in over 4,000 leagues throughout the United States and over 40 countries world-wide. The televised Pony League World Series held annually in August at Washington's Lew Hays Pony Field attracts teenage teams from around the world.[3] Membership is open to children and young adults from age 4 to 23 and the leagues are organized in two-year age brackets with "and-under" programs.[2] Hundreds of PONY players have gone on to Major League Baseball careers, including Hall of Fame inductees Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.[4]
Origin of name[]
Children at the Washington, Pennsylvania, YMCA named the organization PONY, which stood for "Protect Our Neighborhood Youth." This later became "Protect Our Nation's Youth."[2]
Levels of play[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/John_Walls_pitching_opening_day_for_the_pony_%22West_Covina_Phantoms%22_in_2008_at_age_14-_2013-12-23_02-06.jpg/220px-John_Walls_pitching_opening_day_for_the_pony_%22West_Covina_Phantoms%22_in_2008_at_age_14-_2013-12-23_02-06.jpg)
Distances shown are for baseball with players pitching; distances for other offerings (such as baseball with machine pitching, fast pitch softball, and slow pitch softball) may vary.
League | Ages | Distances | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bases | Pitching | |||
Shetland | 6 and under | 50 feet (15.24 m) | 38 feet (11.58 m) | [5] |
Pinto | 8 and under | 60 feet (18.29 m) | 40 feet (12.19 m) | [6] |
Mustang | 10 and under | 46 feet (14.02 m) | [7] | |
Bronco | 12 and under | 70 feet (21.34 m) | 50 feet (15.24 m) | [8] |
Pony | 14 and under | 80 feet (24.38 m) | 54 feet (16.46 m) | [9] |
Colt | 16 and under | 90 feet (27.43 m) | 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) | [10] |
Palomino | 18 and under | [11] | ||
Thorobred | 23 and under | [12] |
Pony League World Series champions[]
The Pony League World Series is the flagship tournament of PONY Baseball and Softball. After the creation of the organization in 1951, there were already 505 teams across 106 leagues the following year. This prompted PONY to create the Pony League World Series in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The finals did not have a set location and took place in various states, including California, Nebraska, Texas, Illinois, Iowa, and Washington. In 1981, World Series Tournaments, Incorporated (WSTI) was put in charge of running the tournament and fixed the location to Washington County, Pennsylvania.
The first international team to appear in 1968, when both Venezuela and British Columbia, Canada, made appearances. The first non-Americas team to appear was Japan in 1986. The tournament is now sponsored by Dick's Sporting Goods and the games are streamed on MLB.com,[13] the official site of Major League Baseball. The recent finals can also be found on YouTube.[14]
The format of the tournament has differed; for most years it has been double-elimination, while at least the first tournament (1952) was single-elimination, and the finals were a best of three at least twice during the 1970s.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0d/Pony_League_World_Series_logo.png/170px-Pony_League_World_Series_logo.png)
Year | Winner | Score | Runner–Up | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1952 | ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
[15] |
1953 | ![]() |
7–6 | ![]() |
[16] |
1954 | ![]() |
8–2 | ![]() |
[17] |
1955 | ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() |
[18] |
1956 | ![]() |
9–1 | ![]() |
[19] |
1957 | ![]() |
5–2 | ![]() |
[20] |
1958 | ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() |
[21] |
1959 | ![]() |
8–0 | ![]() |
[22] |
1960 | ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() | |
1961 | ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() | |
1962 | ![]() |
4–1 | ![]() | |
1963 | ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() | |
1964 | ![]() |
8–2 | ![]() | |
1965 | ![]() |
8–0 | ![]() | |
1966 | ![]() |
6–0 | ![]() | |
1967 | ![]() |
2–0 | ![]() | |
1968 | ![]() |
4–1 | ![]() | |
1969 | ![]() |
8–5 | ![]() | |
1970 | ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() | |
1971 | ![]() |
6–5 | ![]() |
[23] |
1972 | ![]() |
2–0, 2–3, 3–1 | ![]() |
[24][25][26] |
1973 | ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() |
[27] |
1974 | ![]() |
11–2 | ![]() |
[28] |
1975 | ![]() |
7–3, 4–3 | ![]() |
[29][30] |
1976 | ![]() |
14–0 | ![]() | |
1977 | ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() | |
1978 | ![]() |
2–0 | ![]() | |
1979 | ![]() |
10–3 | ![]() | |
1980 | ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() | |
1981 | ![]() |
16–10 | ![]() |
[31] |
1982 | ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() | |
1983 | ![]() |
8–4 | ![]() | |
1984 | ![]() |
3–0 | ![]() | |
1985 | ![]() |
7–0 | ![]() | |
1986 | ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() | |
1987 | ![]() |
9–4 | ![]() | |
1988 | ![]() |
15–0 | ![]() | |
1989 | ![]() |
10–0 | ![]() | |
1990 | ![]() |
4–2 | ![]() | |
1991 | ![]() |
8–2 | ![]() | |
1992 | ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() | |
1993 | ![]() |
4–2 | ![]() | |
1994 | ![]() |
6–1 | ![]() |
[32] |
1995 | ![]() |
11–2 | ![]() | |
1996 | ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() | |
1997 | ![]() |
7–0 | ![]() | |
1998 | ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() | |
1999 | ![]() |
9–1 | ![]() | |
2000 | ![]() |
8–3 | ![]() | |
2001 | ![]() |
10–4 | ![]() | |
2002 | ![]() |
10–0 | ![]() | |
2003 | ![]() |
4–3 | ![]() | |
2004 | ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() | |
2005 | ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() | |
2006 | ![]() |
4–2 | ![]() | |
2007 | ![]() |
8–3 | ![]() | |
2008 | ![]() |
3–2 | ![]() | |
2009 | ![]() |
12–1 | ![]() | |
2010 | ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() | |
2011 | ![]() |
10–9 | ![]() | |
2012 | ![]() |
9–7 | ![]() | |
2013 | ![]() |
5–4 | ![]() | |
2014 | ![]() |
5–3 | ![]() |
[33] |
2015 | ![]() |
12–1 | ![]() |
[34] |
2016 | ![]() |
12–2 | ![]() |
[35] |
2017 | ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() |
[36] |
2018 | ![]() |
3–1 | ![]() |
[37] |
2019 | ![]() |
9–1 | ![]() |
|
Year | Winner | Score | Runner–Up | Ref. |
Source: [38][39] (in cases of conflicting records, contemporary news reports have been given priority)
Championship totals[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/08.24_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E6%8E%A5%E8%A6%8B%E3%80%8C2016%E4%B8%89%E7%B4%9A%E6%A3%92%E7%90%83%E5%86%A0%E8%BB%8D%E9%9A%8A%E3%80%8D_%2829117447311%29.jpg/220px-08.24_%E7%B8%BD%E7%B5%B1%E6%8E%A5%E8%A6%8B%E3%80%8C2016%E4%B8%89%E7%B4%9A%E6%A3%92%E7%90%83%E5%86%A0%E8%BB%8D%E9%9A%8A%E3%80%8D_%2829117447311%29.jpg)
By US state or non-US country. Updated through the 2019 championship.
Gallery[]
PONY Headquarters with Flag Plaza in view in foreground
PONY Headquarters dedication plaque, located on building entrance
PONY Headquarters Main Hall / Museum
See also[]
- Amateur baseball in the United States
- Baseball awards#PONY Baseball
References[]
- ^ "Abraham Key". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c "About PONY". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ Crawley, Dave. "Teens Flock To Play Ball In Pony League World Series (August 5, 2016)". KDKA-TV. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "History Of Pony Baseball". ovpb.net. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "SHETLAND 6U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "PINTO 8U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "MUSTANG 10U™ INFORMATION". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "BRONCO 12U™ INFORMATION". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "PONY 14U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "COLT 16U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "PALOMINO 18U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "THOROBRED 23U™ LEAGUE". pony.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ "PONY World Series | 08/14/2018". MLB.com. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
- ^ "PONY Baseball and Softball". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
- ^ "San Antonio Nips Brockton 2-1 for Pony League Title". The Boston Globe. AP. August 17, 1952. p. 47. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pony League Title Won By Fairmont". The Morning Herald. Hagerstown, Maryland. AP. August 22, 1953. p. 12. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Monongahela Wins PONY Title, 8-2". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 21, 1954. p. 9. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Washington Wins Pony League Title". The News-Herald. Franklin, Pennsylvania. UP. August 26, 1955. p. 8. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "PONY Title Goes to Joliet". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 29, 1956. p. 20. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Texans Capture Pony Loop World Series". The Muncie Evening Press. Muncie, Indiana. AP. August 31, 1957. p. 8. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Miami Wins Pony Crown". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. AP. August 28, 1958. p. 19. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pony Loop Title For Long Beach". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. AP. August 28, 1959. p. 20. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Orange Tips Denver 6-5 For Crown". Jacksonville Journal-Courier. Jacksonville, Illinois. August 29, 1971. p. 23. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Monterrey Hurler Cools Honolulu Bats". Tyrone Daily Herald. Tyrone, Pennsylvania. UPI. August 29, 1972. p. 5. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Honolulu Evens Pony Series With 3-2 Win". Tyrone Daily Herald. Tyrone, Pennsylvania. UPI. August 30, 1972. p. 7. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Monterrey Wins Pony World Series On 11th-Inning HR". Tyrone Daily Herald. Tyrone, Pennsylvania. UPI. August 31, 1972. p. 5. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Santa Clara Takes Pony League Series". Indiana Gazette. Indiana, Pennsylvania. AP. August 27, 1973. p. 16. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Ward, Mike (August 29, 1974). "W. Covina Wins the Big One for Baseball Crown". Los Angeles Times. p. VII-1. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Covina Grabs Pony League Series Lead". The Decatur Daily Review. Decatur, Illinois. AP. August 27, 1975. p. 15. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Covina Wins Pony League Baseball Title". The Decatur Daily Review. Decatur, Illinois. AP. August 28, 1975. p. 14. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "West Covina Wins Pony Series". Santa Cruz Sentinel. August 30, 1981. p. 57. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chinese Taipei takes Pony League title". News Record. North Hills, Pennsylvania. August 21, 1994. p. 18. Retrieved August 17, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Pacheco, Josh (August 14, 2014). "Hilo 13-14 PONY All-Stars Win World Series". bigislandnow.com. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ "San Bernardino falls to Chinese Taipei in Pony League World Series final". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Rancho Cucamonga, California. August 13, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ Osher, Wendy (August 10, 2016). "Maui Finishes Runner-Up in Pony League World Series". mauinow.com. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ "Covina rallies for Pony League title". Observer–Reporter. Washington, Pennsylvania. August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ Campbell, Luke (August 15, 2018). "Chinese Taipei, Tien shut down Long Beach to win 9th PLWS title". Observer–Reporter. Washington, Pennsylvania. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ Series, Pony World. "PLWS Records". www.plws.org. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
- ^ Series, Pony World. "All-Time Scores". www.plws.org. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
External links[]
- PONY Baseball/Softball, Inc. official website
- Pony League World Series
Coordinates: 40°9′19.28″N 80°16′58.90″W / 40.1553556°N 80.2830278°W
- Children's sport
- Softball organizations
- Softball in the United States
- Baseball organizations
- Youth baseball in the United States
- Youth baseball
- Baseball in Pennsylvania
- Youth organizations based in Pennsylvania
- Washington County, Pennsylvania
- Sports organizations established in 1951
- 1951 establishments in Pennsylvania