The Red Bluff Little League All-Stars took to the stage at the Tehama District Fairground Sunday night to accept trophies and proclamations in front of hundreds of family members, friends and fans. It was a fitting place for them, having taken center stage in Red Bluff's collective heart for the past month.
While it may have been one of their last public gatherings together, speakers at Sunday evening's Meet & Greet made note the team's run through the 2011 Little League tournament will have a lasting impact. Red Bluff Mayor Bob Carrel told the players their names will go down in city history and summed up his thoughts over the past few weeks with a simple - "wow!"
The Red Bluff Police Department was represented by Heather Souza, who helped pass out trophies to the players along with certificates of achievement from the offices of the Little League Western Region and Assemblyman Jim Nielsen.
A week after coming within three outs of advancing to the Little League World Series, it was a time to reflect on how they got there or almost how they didn't. Red Bluff manager Donnie Button told a story about the team's first game at the District Tournament in Redding and how their binder containing all of their official paperwork was missing one hour before the first pitch. If the binder couldn't be found, Red Bluff would have had to forfeit. "I thought I was going to have to move out of Red Bluff," Button said.
Of course the binder was found and Button will never have to worry about being the town's goat. His team's legacy will live on as has that of the 1974 All-Star team. Button, who was the same age as those All- Stars, thanked them for the impact they had on Red Bluff's future teams going forward. "They paved the way and made it so we can believe we have a chance - little old Red Bluff," he said.
Button thanked the entire community and said the team knew they had the town's backing while they competed in San Bernardino. He told every Little Leaguer in attendance, whether they were on the All-Stars team or not, to take pride in their accomplishments. Button said the competitiveness of Red Bluff 's Little League program made the eventual All-Stars better players.
The Meet & Greet was sponsored by the Tehama County Marine Corps League Detachment 1140 of Red Bluff, the American Veterans Post 2002 Corning, VFW Post 1932 Red Bluff and the American Legion Mt. Lassen Post 107 Red Bluff. Ashtin Lopeman and Jennifer Peyton sang the national anthem.
After the trophies and certificates were awarded and Button's comments heard, the All- Stars took their celebrity- like place at a long banquet table to sign autographs for all in attendance.
While Button was talking about the impact the All-Stars had on the coaching staff when he said: "They put a lot of joy in all of us." It's safe to say the community spent the last month feeling the same way.
