As a child, Sean became the first American-born player to throw back-to-back no-hitters in the Little League Baseball World Series and went on to lead his Long Beach (Calif.) Little League team to back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993, setting history as the first U.S. league to do so. During both of those historic runs, Sean had the opportunity to experience those memories with his father, Jeff, as his coach. During his 1993 run, Sean recorded a then-record 16 strikeouts as part of his back-to-back no-hitters and went on to hit .600 through the World Series performance. 

“I think the most important thing to remember about Little League is not to take everything too seriously,” he said in a 2013 interview. “Sometimes the kids can get too flashy when they see themselves on TV. That’s part of the fun, I guess, but at the same time, you can’t get away from the most integral part of the game – winning as a team. If you go 0-for-4 and your team wins, that’s what matters.”  

Following his impressive Little League performance, Sean went on to be drafted by the San Diego Padres as the ninth overall selection in the 1998 MLB Draft and was named MVP in the 2000 All-Stars Futures Game. Making his debut with the Padres in 2002, he hit a game-winning single in his first home game and went on to play four seasons with the club.  

In addition to three more seasons played between the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Minnesota Twins, he also helped lead Team U.S.A. to a gold medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.  

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In addition to his volunteerism as a District Administrator, his commitment to service and country was evident when he joined the U.S. Army, where he served with distinction for over 13 years, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. His military career was a testament to his dedication and patriotism, and it shaped the unwavering spirit he carried with him long after his service.

Following his honorable discharge, Richard continued his education, earning an Associate Degree from Philps Jr. College, an accomplishment that spoke to his lifelong love of learning and personal growth. Transitioning to civilian life, he embarked on a career as a truck driver, a role he held until he took early retirement in 1996 due to health concerns.

His enthusiasm for baseball extended beyond the diamond, as he was also a huge Atlanta Braves fan, rarely missing a game and always ready to discuss the latest play or strategy.

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Little League^® International honors the memory of Malcolm Joseph Deason, a coach for the 2017 Southwest Region team at the Little League Baseball^® World Series, who has passed away at the age of 48.

Mr. Deason, a resident of Lufkin, Texas, was very active in his local community and helped coach his son, Malcolm, and the rest of the Lufkin (Texas) Little League team to a Southwest Region championship title and a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

In addition to his volunteer service as a Little League coach, Mr. Deason was the Lufkin Market President at Cadence Bank. Previously, he was the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at Southside Bank.

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Little League® International mourns the passing of Doug Perret, who was a highly respected West Region volunteer umpire, with World Series experience on the field and time served as the Umpire-In-Chief for the Little League Baseball® and Little League Softball® Western Region Tournaments.

Mr. Perret, a resident of Salem, Oregon, at the time of his passing, began his volunteer service to the Little League program with the Parish Little League in Oregon District 7 where he served as the league’s Umpire-In-Chief and groundskeeper.

A prominent instructor and mentor throughout Little League’s Western Region, Mr. Perret’s notable accomplishments also included umpiring in the Little League Baseball Western Region (1994) Little League Softball World Series (1996, 2005), and in the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 2002.

In more than 40 years of umpiring, Mr. Perret’s service to Little League included was also highlighted by time as a member of Umpire Advisory Committee and the video replay staff during the West Region tournaments. He was the West Region’s Little League Softball® Region Tournament U-I-C and served in the same capacity for the Little League Softball World Series during the years the tournament was was played in Portland, Oregon.

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Little League® International remembers, John Roll, former Kentucky Districts 5 and 1 Administrator and the first Little League volunteer from the state of Kentucky to be elected as a Central Region field representative to the Little League International Board of Directors. He was 78.

Mr. Roll, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, was a resident of Greenville, Kentucky, at the time of his passing. Employed by the United Postal Service for many years, Mr. Roll also served in the United States Army Reserve for 28 years.

With more than six decades as a volunteer (64 years) with the Little League program, Mr. Roll’s service began at the local level (3 years as a coach, 10 as team manager; 20 as League President) and concluded with a three-year tenure as Kentucky District 1 Assistant Administrator, and 28 as D.A. Mr. Roll was the Kentucky District 5 Administrator for 10 years (1990-99) and later held the D.A. title for Kentucky District 1 as part of the state’s redistricting. He served as Kentucky 1 D.A. until Nov. 2019. Mr. Roll also attended six International Congresses, including the 25th Congress (2010) held in Lexington.

He was recently inducted into the Muhlenberg County (Kentucky) Sports Hall of Fame and was a prominent figure with the Greenville High School Basketball program as a player and later as the school’s public address announcer.

Mr. Roll is survived by his daughter, Gwen (Jason) Courtney; grandchildren, Justin Courtney, and Jonathan Courtney; brother, Mike Roll; sister, Mildred Ruth “Mimi” Roll; nephew, Michael “Kevin” (Jen) Roll; and niece, Erica (James) Hayes.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Betty Jon Roll; mother, Jewel Roll and father, Henry Brown Roll.

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Little League® International mourns the passing of Thomas “Tom” Dempsey, Sr., the longest-serving member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and longtime supporter of Little League program. He was 93.

Mr. Dempsey, a native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was the son of Bernard and Sadie Dempsey. He was a 1948 graduate of Williamsport Area High School and attended Lycoming College.

Professionally, Mr. Dempsey (R) served eight years as Lycoming County (Pa.) Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts. He was Vice President of the Pennsylvania Prothonotary and Clerks Association and served on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Serving longer than any other Representative in the history of the PA State House (1987-2000), Mr. Dempsey represented the 83rd District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Most notable, he served as Chair of the bipartisan 3rd Class cities caucus and was twice voted Outstanding Legislature of the Year by the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities.

During his many years of public service, Mr. Dempsey was instrumental in securing support for the expansion of the Little League Baseball World Series and the development of Little League Volunteer Stadium, the second of two World Series stadiums on the Little League International complex.

Mr. Dempsey also was highly respected scholastic basketball and football official. He is enshrined in the Pennsylvania West Branch Sports Hall of Fame and the Bethune Douglas Sports Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Lycoming College in 2001.

He is survived by a son, Thomas W. Dempsey, Jr. (Bekki) of Hanover; three daughters, Cheryl Dempsey of Williamsport, Karen (Pat) Logue of Hanover, and Linda Dempsey of Williamsport; four grandchildren, Ryan and Sean Logue, Katie Dempsey, and Jen (Dempsey) Baxter; and six great-grandchildren.

Mr. Dempsey was predeceased by his loving wife of 72 years, Nina (Womer) Dempsey; his parents; his stepmother, Helen (Sommerville) Dempsey; a brother and sister-in law, Bernard “Peanut” and Bernadine Dempsey; and two sisters, Jane and Bernadine Dempsey.

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Little League® International remembers, Bruce Chitwood, former New Mexico District 6 and 2 Administrator. He was 58.

Mr. Chitwood, a native of Grants, New Mexico, was a resident of Carlsbad, New Mexico, at the time of his passing.

A graduate of Silver City High School, he attended trade school at TVI in Albuquerque. After marrying his wife, Dennie, in 1995, the Chitwoods relocated to Carlsbad, where he was employed for 20 years as a Safety Manager with the Rocky Peak Company.

With nearly four decades as a volunteer (39 years) with the Little League program, Mr. Chitwood’s service began at the local level (2 as team manager; 1 as League President) and concluded with a 28-year tenure as New Mexico District 6 Assistant Administrator, and eight as D.A. New Mexico District 6 was dissolved in 2022, and merged with New Mexico District 2. Mr. Chitwood became D.A. of New Mexico District 2 at that time. During all his years of service he continued to volunteer as a Little League umpire.

Mr. Chitwood is survived by his wife of 29 years, Dennie; daughters, Tiffany and Corrina; sons, Eric, Dustin, Trever, and Ariyah; sisters, Darlene and Valerie; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Juanita Chitwood; son, Craig; brother, Curtis; and granddaughter, Aubrey.

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A native of Burlington, North Carolina and resident of Atlanta, Georgia at the time of his passing, Mr. Raiford began his affiliation with Little League in 1989. Along with his wife of 52 years, Iris, Mr. Raiford was a founding member of Harlem (N.Y.) Little League.

A decade later, Harlem Little League and a league in Los Angeles joined together with Little League International to establish the Little League Urban Initiative, a program that Mr. Raiford championed and that continues to offer opportunities to children in under-served communities all around the United States. By 2002, the same league led by Mr. Raiford and dedicated to providing opportunities for children in the community made its first trip to the Little League Baseball^® World Series after winning the Mid-Atlantic Region Championship.

“Dwight holds a special place in the history of Little League, and his contributions to the program are many,” said Stephen D. Keener, President and CEO of Little League. “We console Iris, while celebrating Dwight’s legacy and unwavering belief in the goals and ideals of Little League. Dwight enjoyed a vibrant life, full of enriching and rewarding experiences and he will most certainly be missed. During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with Dwight and Iris’s children, extended family, and many friends.”

Mr. Raiford joined the Little League International Board of Directors as an at-large member in 1994. In 2000, he was elected as the Chairman of the Board, becoming the first African-American to earn that position, where he would serve from 2001 to 2004.

“Dwight’s dedication and commitment to the Little League program has been an inspiration to all of our volunteers, and he provided respected counsel to the Board of Directors,” said Steven Johnson, Chairman of Little League International Board of Directors. “We are grateful for all of the time, effort, and insight that he shared to make the Little League program what it is today. We offer our deepest prayers and thoughts to Iris and the entire Raiford family, as we mourn together this incredible person and his lasting legacy.”

He was one of the first students to integrate his high school during his senior year and then was one of the first classes of dedicated Black students at Yale University. He continued his education at the Harvard Business School, where he earned his MBA. Mr. Raiford spent his professional career in the financial services industry with senior-level positions at global financial institutions, which provided him with valuable experience and input for his role with the Little League International Board of Directors. With that financial background, Mr. Raiford was highly involved with numerous financial operations of the Little League program during his time on the Board.

In his nearly 25 years of service on the Little League International Board of Directors, Mr. Raiford was at the forefront of important advancements of the organization including the expansion of the Little League Baseball World Series from eight teams to 16 and the construction of Little League Volunteer Stadium, the establishment of the Little League Urban Initiative, increased television coverage of the Little League World Series, developments to the Child Protection Program, and more.

In 2018, during departing remarks prior to his retirement from the Board of Directors, Mr. Raiford said: “My 30-year tenure with Little League Baseball and Softball has been among the most satisfying and enjoyable experiences of my life. Meeting the children and their families, working on this mission, and establishing these relationships have had an indelible impact on my life. I leave the Board knowing the governance, management, and reputation of the organization have never been stronger. Go Little League!”

Mr. Raiford’s dedication to the Little League program wouldn’t have been possible, however, if it weren’t for the shared commitment and passion for the organization by his wife. In addition to her service at the local level with Harlem Little League, Mrs. Raiford also played an instrumental part of the Little League Baseball and Softball program at the highest level. In the early 1990s, shortly after Mr. Raiford’s appointment to the Board, Mrs. Raiford became a Trustee for the now-dissolved Little League Foundation.

Just prior to his passing, Mr. Raiford was elected as a Trustee of the Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The family is encouraging those wishing to honor Mr. Raiford to contribute to the Ebenezer Generosity Initiative in Dwight Raiford’s name.

Mr. Raiford is survived by his wife, Iris, son, Joshua, daughter, Leigh, and two grandchildren. He is predeceased by a son, Andrew.

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Little League® International mourns the passing of Waldemar Szymanski, a long-time Little League volunteer, who was among the first to champion Little League in Poland and throughout the Europe-Africa Region.

Mr. Szymanski, a native of Kutno, Poland, helped to form and register the Polish Baseball and Softball Federation in 1978. The Federation continues to operate today. He held various positions with the Federation, including the position of Secretary General.

“Waldemar was the greatest of friends to Little League,” said Beata Kaszuba-Baker, Europe-Africa Little League Region Director. “He promoted the Little League program in Poland, and throughout Europe among the national federations. He was always so passionate about Little League and believed our program was the best program for youth development in the world.”

Mr. Szymanski was instrumental in securing Poland’s first Little League program in 1989. He organized a ceremony in Warsaw, where sitting United States President George H. W. Bush delivered Poland’s first Little League charter certificate.

As Little League International was considering various locations for the construction of the European Leadership Training Center, Mr. Szymanski enthusiastically promoted bringing the project to Kutno, his hometown, and the birthplace of Polish baseball.

Mr. Szymanski is widely credited as one of the founders of organized baseball and softball in Poland.

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Little League® International mourns the passing of James L. Easton, former president and CEO of Easton incorporated, founder of the Easton Foundations, and supporter of Little League for more than 50 years. He was 88.

Mr. Easton, a native of Los Angeles, was a 1959 graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), earning a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.

Professionally, Mr. Easton began his career working for the Douglas Aircraft Company. In the late 1960s, Mr. Easton joined his father’s company (Jas. Easton Inc.), and along with his brother, Bob, was integral in developing the first aluminum baseball bats and other alloy-based sporting equipment. Years later, Mr. Easton assumed the position of chairman, chief executive officer, and president of the Easton company.

For more than 40 years, Easton Baseball/Softball has been the “Official Team Equipment Supplier” of Little League and each year the organization provides equipment to participants at both the Little League Baseball and Softball World Series tournaments.

“Inspired and determined to help others, Jim saw Little League as a vehicle to provide opportunity to children and communities,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “He devoted a generous portion of his life to promoting youth projects and programs. His contributions to our organization, and his dedication and passion for the mission of youth sports has helped us provide memorable experiences to children in communities all around the world and teach life lessons through the games of baseball and softball.”

Mr. Easton helped lead the sports equipment industry to strengthen its focus on the growth and development of youth sports, especially baseball and softball. As a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1994 to 2006, he also helped coordinate the support and international growth of youth sports, including Little League. Mr. Easton sold the Easton company in 2006, but his dedication to youth sports and the Little League program continued through the support of The Easton Foundation which he founded in 2007.

Among the Little League projects impacted by the Easton Foundations were installation of digital scoreboards at each of the Little League’s five regional centers in the United States, and three video boards that have enhanced the fan experience at the Little League Baseball® World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. At the 2022 Little League International Congress, Mr. Easton was honored with the Peter O’Malley Distinguished Little League Ambassador Award.

Pay Tribute to James L. Easton

An avid archer, Mr. Easton served as president of the World Archery Federation from 1989 to 2005. He guided the sport of archery through a competition modernization and was instrumental in establishing the federation’s first professional office.

Mr. Eason is survived by his wife, Phyllis; son, Greg; daughter, Lynn; and brother, Robert. He was preceded in death by his parents.

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