The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

'They played their hearts out'

All-Star Little League team returns to heroes' welcome

By Natasha Collins

They may not have come back with the Western Regional title, but the Sunnyvale National Little League All Stars did come back victorious.

"They played their hearts out," said team mom Debbie Perry. "In our eyes they came out as champions."

The All-Star team was only one game away from winning the regional championships and going to the U.S. Little League Playoffs in Williamsburg, Pa. The team lost by one run to South Mission Viejo in single elimination.

"We should have beat them," said Adam Aragon, who plays on the team. "We know we are the best out there and that we could beat them if we played them again."

Not only are the parents and family members proud of the team, but so is the city of Sunnyvale, said Mayor Stan Kawczynski.

"Making it to this level is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement, and this community is proud of their accomplishments and of the hard work that enabled them to reach this point," he said.

The National's win record placed them among the top 20 teams in the world this year, marking the first time that a Sunnyvale team of 11- and 12-year-olds has made it to the regional championships, said league president Robert Rodriquez.

The team was a little smaller than most of the other teams at the series, said team mom Perry, but that did not discourage them. "A lot of the teams thought that Sunnyvale was going to be an easy win," she said. "But the team proved that size is not the determining factor in baseball. The guys had the drive and determination to win."

For the players, being in the Regional Championships in Southern California was an exciting experience.

"It was really fun playing and meeting the other teams," said Robert Perry, who pitched for the team.

Team members were thrilled that the games were being covered by the media, including ESPN.

"We were all really nervous and excited that we were going to be on national TV," said first baseman Brett Bonetti, who hit a home run during the series.

The fans were what pitcher Troy Tulowitzki remembered the most about the games. "I liked being in front of a large crowd," he said. "It made me feel like I was at a higher level than I was. It made me feel like a pro."

Team member Aragon was a real inspiration to teammates. Aragon had been in a bicycle accident and suffered head trauma a short time before the team left for Southern California. He managed to make it to the regionals anyway to cheer on his teammates. The right side of his body was paralyzed for seven days following the accident, and he is just now regaining the use of his arm and leg.

"I still have a limp and get headaches and stuff," Aragon said. "I can throw a baseball, but not as hard as I used to."

Aragon cheered his teammates on from the dugout and enjoyed trading pins with other teams and being with his friends, he said. He hopes to be able to play in the championships next year.

The National All-Star team will be honored by the city of Sunnyvale with a mini-parade and reception today. Team members will caravan through Sunnyvale beginning at 6 p.m. The parade caravan to Del Monte will commence at the Pak N Save parking lot on El Camino Real, proceed north on Mathilda, turn right onto Washington Avenue and finally go left on Murphy Avenue, ending at the Del Monte Building. Everyone is invited to cheer on and support the team.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 27, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.