The 2023 Little League World Series won't feature bunk beds for players staying in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Little League International announced all beds will be floor-level after one of last year's players was hospitalized after suffering a head injury when he fell out of a top bunk while sleeping:
"Out of an abundance of caution, we placed all beds individually on the floor during last year's World Series, and in preparation for the 2023 Little League International Tournament, Little League decided to provide its participants with single, one-level beds for all of their player housing at each of its tournament locations, including those in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the dormitories can accommodate all 14 single beds."
Easton Oliverson, a pitcher for Santa Clara, Utah, suffered the injury on Aug. 15, 2022. His uncle, Spencer Beck, told Alex Vejar of the Salt Lake Tribune that Oliverson went through a "pretty traumatic surgery," but doctors were "really positive" about his progress.
Beck noted one of Oliverson's teammates heard the fall and immediately sought help.
Nancy and Jace Oliverson, Easton's parents, filed a lawsuit against Little League and the makers of the bunk beds in September. On May 17, Good Morning America reported the doctors said he suffered an epidural hematoma and fractured his skull.
Jace told GMA that doctors at one point told him to "give your son a kiss goodbye" because he was in serious condition and "told me about 20 minutes later, Easton had a 0 percent chance to live."
The 2023 Little League World Series begins on Thursday and runs through Aug. 27.
