Peter J Foley Field in Naugatuck, the oldest Little League Stadium in New England, hosted a nine-inning game that gave the players the chance to experience a major league atmosphere.
The special event is the grand prize to a nationwide contest put on by Scotts and Major League Baseball.
“This is what it’s all about,” said 2004 World Series Champion Kevin Millar. “You have the moments and dreams that you’re made of.”
Millar joined five-time World Series champ David Cone to help coach the teams.
“I was excited because I really wanted to meet David Cone,” said 8-year-old Thomas Didato.
“It brings me back to my Little League days and the way I felt,” said Cone. “I never had this opportunity when I was a kid.”
“It’s unbelievable. It’s a little field of dreams,” added Millar. “Looking down, it’s a little slice of heaven.”
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Naugatuck Little League earned this special event by tallying almost one third of the total votes in the nationwide contest.
“Having been here to see the crowd and what the city has done has far and away exceeded my expectations,” said Scotts’ VP of Advertising John Sass.
“It’s a once in a lifetime chance and these kids all love baseball so much and this will be something they remember for the rest of their lives,” said Little League coach John Didato.
It wasn’t just the kids who took home lifelong memories.
“Coaching with David Cone in the home dugout, it’s above and beyond anything I thought was going to come out of this,” said coach Mike Worobel, who submitted the original essay to nominate Foley Field in the contest.
“I think the parents really feel like their hard work pays off on a night like tonight,” added Cone.
It was a team effort to transform Foley Field and possibly just the start of the Little Leaguer’s major league experience.
“Dream big,” said Millar. “I always tell kids you’re not as far away as you think.”
