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Curacao Pitcher Shows Strong Character With Kind Gesture Before Little League World Series Celebration

#Little League World Series
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Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Curacao won the Little League World Series.


Curacao won the Little League World Series on Sunday with a victory over Nevada in the championship game. The team’s final pitcher demonstrated strong character with a kind gesture prior to his title celebration.

Stephen Felix hit a Nevada batter in the bottom of the sixth inning. He went over to check on his opponent before throwing his next pitch.

A few moments later, Curacao recorded the final out. It was an act most wouldn’t have performed given the stakes and situation. He put competition aside for a brief moment to prioritize sportsmanship.

Curacao won the Little League World Series.

Curacao is a small nation of less than 200,000 people in the Caribbean Sea. The island has an area of just 171 square miles, about 1/6th the size of Rhode Island.

That size did not prevent it from success at the Little League World Series. Their Little League affiliate breezed through the bracket to hoist the trophy.

Curacao took down Japan, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America on its way to the championship game. It then beat Nevada to secure the title.

That final result was never in doubt. Curacao dominated from start to finish. It won in convincing fashion, 11-2.

The team had to fend off a late rally in the sixth inning. Nevada loaded the bases in a push to close the gap. Curacao would get out of the jam with a flyout to centerfield.

The win provided the country with its first Little League World Series trophy since 2004. A celebration ensued, but a kind gesture prior to the dogpile is making headlines.

Curacao pitcher shows strong character.

Stephen Felix plunked a Nevada batter on a 2-0 pitch in the final frame. The hitter was in obvious pain as he walked down to first base.

Before throwing his next pitch, Felix stepped off the mound to check on the runner. Social media took note.

“That’s what the LLWS is all about,” one viewer wrote after seeing the clip.

The moment highlighted sportsmanship in a world where negative headlines often grab attention. It was appreciated by baseball fans, as well as the Nevada team.

Felix would get the next batter to flyout to end the game. His kindness didn’t go unnoticed.