Little Team That Could

The Little League team from Long Beach, Calif., won the World Series in both 1992 and 1993, the first time an American squad had ever done so. Ex-major leaguer Burroughs, who played 16 seasons for six teams in ``The Bigs,'' was the manager and, writing here with Hennessy of the Long Beach Press-Telegram , he has quite a tale to tell. In 1992, his 11- and 12-year-old U.S. champs were absolutely demolished by the Filipino team at the L.L. World Series at Williamsport, Pa. The Filipino players were much older than the kids from Long Beach and apparently not above cheating. But a Philippine journalist blew the whistle and the Zamboanga coach confessed to breaking the rules, so the American team won by default. The next year, however, they beat the Little Leaguers from Panama with no complications, and Burroughs's son was the star. The authors obviously respect the kids as players, but have no illusions about their off-the-field behavior, which makes Dennis the Menace look like a repressed choirboy. This is a rollicking good story. (June)