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The Delaware State Tournament  (last updated 2017)

Little League Baseball grew rapidly throughout the United States in the years following World War II, and Delaware was quick to join in, forming the state's first charters in the early 1950s. Delaware has the distinction of being the smallest state in the U.S. and is also know as the “First State. Delaware's leagues initially competed against counterparts from New Jersey and Maryland in the early stages of the international tournament, but in 1957, five leagues met in the First State's first-ever state tournament. Newark American Little League won the title, with left-hander Ronnie Hart setting a high standard for excellence by throwing a no-hitter in a 3-0 championship game win over cross-town rival Newark National Little League. As more charters were formed in Delaware, Lower Delaware leagues were placed in a separate district, and Sussex County leagues were further split into a third district in 1996. Today, Delaware's three district champions meet in a double-elimination tournament that determines the state's champion. The Delaware state champion advances to the Mid-Atlantic Region tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, where it competes against champions from neighboring states for the right to advance to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Up to 2000, the state champions from 12 East Region states (Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont) competed to determine the East Region champion that attended the Little League World Series.   Six Delaware teams reached the Eastern Region Championship game (1980-Newark National, 1988-Brandywine, 1989-Brandywine, 1990-Newark American, 1995-Brandywine, and 1998-Georgetown), but no Delaware team won an Eastern Region championship.

In 2001, Little League Baseball expanded the World Series to a sixteen team field, and doubled number of U.S. entrants at the World Series from four to eight. As a result, Eastern Region state champions have been assigned to New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and Mid-Atlantic (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) regions, and the winners from both competitions advance to the Little League World Series.

Naamans Little League in Wilmington became the first Delaware league to reach the Little League World Series when it won the Mid-Atlantic Region championship in 2003.  Newark National Little League reached the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Region Championship but did not advance to Williamsport.  However, in 2013, Newark National returned to the Mid-Atlantic Region Championship and won thereby becoming the second Delaware team to reach the Little League World Series.  In 2014, Newark National again reached the Mid-Atlantic Region Championship but did not reach Williamsport.

There are 29-chartered leagues in Delaware and these leagues are organized into three districts.

Delaware Little League Districts
District and LocationLeagues
District 1
(Central Delaware)
Camden-Wyoming · Dover · Felton · Harrington · Middletown-Odessa-Townsend · Marydel · Milford · Smyrna-Clayton
District 2
(Northern Delaware)
Brandywine · Canal · Capitol · Midway · Naamans · Newark American · Newark National · New Castle · Stanton-Newport · Suburban · Wilmington Optimist
District 3
(Southern Delaware)
Cape Henlopen· Georgetown · Laurel · Lewes · Lower Sussex · Millsboro · Milton · Nanticoke (Seaford) · Rehoboth · Woodbridge

DELAWARE DISTRICT II CHAMPIONSHIPS (By League)
LEAGUENUMBER
Newark National
11
Newark American
11
Brandywine
10
Naamans
8
Wilmington
6
Canal
4
Capitol
3
Midway
2
Suburban
2
Piedmont
2
Stanton-Newport
1

DELAWARE DISTRICT II CHAMPIONS (By Year)
YEARTEAM
 2017Brandywine
 2016Brandywine
2015
Newark American
2014
Newark National
2013
Newark National
2012
Newark National
2011
Newark National
2010
Brandywine
2009
Canal
2008
Naamans
2007
Brandywine
2006
Naamans
2005
Canal
2004
Capitol
2003
Naamans
2002
Newark American
2001
Midway
2000
Naamans
1999
Capitol
1998
Newark National
1997
Newark American
1996
Brandywine
1995
Brandywine
1994
Canal
1993
Midway
1992
Newark National
1991
Newark American
1990
Newark American
1989
Brandywine
1988
Brandywine
1987
Newark American
1986
Piedmont
1985
Newark American
1984
Newark National
1983
Piedmont
1982
Newark National
1981
Canal
1980
Newark National
1979
Stanton-Newport
1978
Naamans
1977
Brandywine
1976
Naamans
1975
Brandywine
1974
Newark National
1973
Newark American
1972
Suburban
1971
Suburban
1970
Newark American
1969
Wilmington
1968
Newark American
1967
Naamans
1966
Newark American
1965
Wilmington
1964
Naamans
1963
Capitol
1962
Wilmington
1961
Wilmington
1960
N/A (combined)
1959
Wilmington
1958
Wilmington
1957
Newark National

DELAWARE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS  (By League)
LEAGUENUMBER
Newark National
9
Nanticoke (Seaford)
7
Brandywine
7
Newark American
6
MOT
5
Naamans
4
Wilmington
4
Georgetown
4
Dover
3
 Milton2
Suburban
2
Canal
2
Capitol
2
Camden-Wyoming
1
Midway
1
Milford
1
Lower Sussex
1
Piedmont
1

DELAWARE STATE CHAMPIONS (By Year)
YEARTEAM
2017Milton
2016Milton
2015
MOT
2014
Newark National
2013
NewarkNational
2012
Newark National
2011
Newark National
2010
Brandywine
2009
MOT
2008
MOT
2007
MOT
2006
Naamans
2005
Canal
2004
Capitol
2003
Naamans
2002
Lower Sussex
2001
Midway
2000
Milford
1999
Dover
1998
Georgetown
1997
Georgetown
1996
Brandywine
1995
Brandywine
1994
Canal
1993
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1992
Newark National
1991
Newark American
1990
Newark American
1989
Brandywine
1988
Brandywine
1987
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1986
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1985
Newark American
1984
Newark National
1983
Piedmont
1982
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1981
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1980
Newark National
1979
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1978
Naamans
1977
Brandywine
1976
Naamans
1975
Brandywine
1974
Newark National
1973
Dover
1972
Suburban
1971
Suburban
1970
Newark American
1969
Camden-Wyoming
1968
Newark American
1967
Georgetown
1966
Georgetown
1965
MOT
1964
Dover
1963
Capitol
1962
Wilmington
1961
Wilmington
1960
Nanticoke (Seaford)
1959
Wilmington
1958
Wilmington
1957
Newark National

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