HONOLULU (KHON2) — There was a celebratory mood at the Honolulu Country Club on Thursday, Aug. 14 as Hawaii’s 2005 Little League World Championship team was inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame.
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The team was the first in the state to make it to the top as a new generation of boys hope to achieve the same dream.
The game-winning home run was a moment Hawaii sports fans could never forget — Thursday’s induction ceremony was a blast from the past for the boy who hit it.
“It was just like yesterday! Man, seeing all these people, it’s like no one has aged. So, But now that looking back, it’s 20 years later,” 2005 Little League World Champion catcher Michael Memea said.
The manager of the 2005 Little League World Champion team, Layson Aliviado, said he was certainly proud back then but he is even more so now.
“Seeing them as young men now, it’s really emotional because, you see them, they grew up 20 years and now they get families and they get good, they get jobs and it’s, I’m happy to see that they’re doing well,” Aliviado said.
The boys — who are all grown up now — still remember the days of training.
“Us being in really great shape thanks to our coaches, and just riding around miles and miles at the park, just trying to be in shape. All the six, seven days of practice. Just really committed to the team,” Memea said.
The connections made on that 2005 trip still run deep.
“We still keep in touch with the aunty that we stayed home at, stayed at the house with, we were just talking to her. Because every year when the another Honolulu team or Hawaii team makes it, we always call her up,” said longtime Hawaii Little League supporter Debbie Aliviado.
Everyone in attendance hopes history gets a chance to repeat itself. The first pitch of the 2025 Little League World Series will be thrown in Williamsport, Pennsylvania at 1 p.m. Hawaii time on Friday, Aug. 15.
“Good luck to them, hopefully they can bring home the trophy,” Layson said.
“We always root for the team that’s always representing Hawaii,” Debbie said.
There was a lot of focus on the Little League team, but there were also famous members of Hawaii sports that were inducted on Thursday, including former University of Hawaii, National Football League and Canadian Football League wide receiver Chad Owens. Owens had a message for future generations.
“Don’t be defined by what you’ve done or didn’t do right. Be defined by how you show up each and every day, consistently. That’s what should define you,” Owens said.
The ceremony also inducted Olympic silver medalists Mike Rothwell and David McFaull, as well as standout powerlifter Tony Leiato.