Thousands of people were in downtown Fairfield on Monday night to celebrate the town’s Little League team, which finished third in the Little League World Series.
The team of 12-year-old boys pulled up to the Sherman green on a firetruck with a police escort. They high-fived hundreds of fans and signed autographs — everything from baseballs to Crocs.
Governor Ned Lamont (D) called them “the pride of Fairfield.”
“We loved what we did when you won, we loved what you did when you hit a home run, and we loved when you looked out for each other, even when you were down,” Lamont said. “You make each other better because you're a team. They’re a great team, aren't they?”
The team lost to Las Vegas on Saturday. They beat Aruba to take the third-place prize.
Manager Brian Palazzolo said the team practiced three hours a day, seven days a week, to prepare for the tournament.
“They are truly one of a kind,” Palazzolo said. “I'm so proud of them.”
It’s the furthest a Connecticut team has gone in the tournament since Trumbull won it all in 1989.
Chinese Taipei took the top prize, with Las Vegas coming in second.
