Twelve-year-olds Lorenzo Butler and Brock Myers are making the Southeast proud. After their team, the Goodlettsville All-Stars, won the national Little League National Championships, the sluggers went on to represent the U.S. in the Little League World Series. The players come from a small town about 15 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee.
Butler set a record by hitting a three-run homerun three times in one game. His triumph caused him to be the most popular topic on Twitter at the time. “It feels really good because it’s something you will never forget,” Butler told TIME For Kids.
Myers, who has been playing baseball since age 3, hit at least one homerun in five consecutive games, also breaking a world record.
A League of Their Own
After beating the Petaluma team from California, the Goodlettsville team represented the whole nation on Sunday, August 26, in the final game against Japan. While the world was watching their every play, Myers said it felt just like a friendly game of baseball. “It was fun playing against them,” he says. “They were very nice.” During their downtime the two opposing teams played ping-pong and went swimming.
Japan won 12-2 (it was Japan’s eighth World Series title) but the Goodlettsville All-Stars were welcomed home as heroes, with banners and a parade. Fire trucks sprayed water over their airplane when it arrived home. The fame has been a little overwhelming for the team. They’ve been busy signing autographs, being honored at different events and even appearing in a country music video.
Myers shares some advice with other athletes wanting to pursue their dreams: “Just work hard and never give up.”