Moorpark Stands Still : Residents Glued to Televisions for Little League World Series

In living rooms, restaurants, even the town square, Little League was a big deal Wednesday night in Moorpark.

At the residence of Tom and Isabel Scott, about a dozen parents and players assembled to watch Moorpark battle Panama City, Fla., in the final round of pool play of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Just a stand-up double from that gathering, dozens of supporters packed a local Mexican restaurant to root for the Moorpark nine, who came into view on three overhead television screens.

Finally, the start of the weekly meeting of the Moorpark City Council was delayed while city hall staffers and members of the public huddled in front of a large monitor, urging Moorpark to rally from a nine-run deficit.

Ultimately, Moorpark’s emotion-filled season ended in a 10-2 loss, eliminating the West representatives.

“Oh, shucks!” blurted Jim Stueck, president of the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce.

Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.

Mayor Paul Lawrason began the proceedings by telling those in attendance: “They acquitted themselves wonderfully. They played a really tough game tonight and I am really proud of them.”

Lawrason then asked the 25 people in the audience to applaud the players, and the gathering obliged with gusto.

Throughout Moorpark, that feeling was duplicated.

A run that began last week with the Western Regional in San Bernardino and stretched 3,000 miles to Williamsport will conclude Sunday, when the team returns to a heroes’ welcome in Moorpark.

Moments after the final out, parents were discussing plans for a homecoming that will include a limousine escort from the airport, a pep rally at a local park, decorated houses, T-shirts and congratulatory handshakes from city officials.

“We’re going to have a pretty darned big party when we get our hands on those boys,” said Ann Briggs, whose son, Michael, plays catcher for the Reds in the Moorpark league and was a teammate of three of the all-stars in Williamsport. “They deserve it.”

Said Michael Briggs: “I feel really happy for them. I never thought they’d go this far. They had that opportunity that not too many people have. I’m going to remember it as a good season.”

Disappointment? The word barely was mentioned among the team’s followers. Most seemed to agree that the team succeeded simply by qualifying for the national tournament.

“I’m not that disappointed,” said Joseph Scott, a shortstop for the Reds. “It is an honor just for them to get that far.”

Tom Scott, Joseph’s father, said he watched every minute of what he described as “a phenomenal year.”

“We would have liked to have seen it end a different way,” Scott said. “But we’re proud of them. Some people might say it’s disappointing. But for them to go as far as they did, you can’t ask for anything else.”

If anyone had reason to be disappointed, perhaps it was Rick Cordero, a former Moorpark league president who followed the team’s fortunes despite jetting across the country this week on business.

Cordero attended the games in San Bernardino, then watched the action in Williamsport on a hotel television in Chicago. Cordero missed Wednesday’s game while flying to Pittsburgh.

No matter, Cordero figured. Road maps packed in his suitcase, he planned to drive 3 1/2 hours to Williamsport to watch Moorpark play Thursday.

Moorpark won’t be playing, of course. But Cordero, who coached a team composed virtually of the same players as 10-year-olds, will make the trip anyway to be with his former players.

“Too much joy,” Cordero said. “That’s what I’m going to remember about this year. And the kids will too. In a few weeks or a few years they’ll sit back and think about what they accomplished.”

Times correspondent David Baker contributed to this story.