Anthony Yaccarine of the USA East regional champions from New Jersey won the annual Best Buy Home Run Derby on Saturday during the Junior League World Series in Heritage Park.
Yaccarine hit home runs on four out of the five swings that each batter takes. Finishing second was Drew Ellis of Central champion Indiana. He broke a tie with third-place Cesar Torres of West champ California.
Harvey Waldron of Santa Ana, Calif., is this year’s recipient of the Chuck McAllister Umpire Award. McAllister was the first director of umpires for the JLWS. He served in that capacity until his sudden death in the winter of 1999. In his memory each year, one member of the crew who best exemplifies the qualities and characteristics of McAllister is selected. Waldron has more than 25 years of Little League baseball umpire experience and is currently umpire in chief for District 30 and an instructor at the Western region. He umpired the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., in 2003. JLWS officials called Waldron the “true epitome of the Little League volunteer.”