Hometown Cheers Its Champs

Celebrating 12 young ballplayers who pushed Thousand Oaks into the national limelight, about 1,000 residents turned out Thursday for a short parade and an evening of praise.

The jubilant youngsters, wearing their Little League World Series caps and gold medals around their necks, waved from open cars rolling down main street amid high school marching bands, a fire engine and a Chrysler PT Cruiser decorated like a U.S. flag.

The team won the U.S. title on Saturday with its 22nd straight victory, but lost the international crown Sunday. About 7,400 Little League teams and nearly 89,000 players entered postseason play.

“Whether you like baseball or not I don’t think there’s anyone in the city who’s not proud of these kids,” Mayor Bob Wilson Sr. said before the parade.

“They made our city proud.”

After the parade along Thousand Oaks Boulevard, the youngsters squeezed through a cheering crowd to join fans at a park across from City Hall, where former major league baseball players greeted them.

“I think it’s marvelous what they did,” said Sparky Anderson, the only manager in history to win a World Series in both the National and American leagues.

More important than Anderson’s professional success, he said, was winning an American Legion national championship as a teenager in 1951.

Anderson said he and others from that Los Angeles team still get together regularly to reminisce.

“I understand how important this is,” he said. “Those kids will remember this all their lives.”

Retired professional players who honored the Conejo Valley kids included former California Angel Jim Anderson; former Dodger third baseman Ron Cey; Jay Johnstone, who played with the Dodgers and Angels; and former Oakland Athletic pitcher Dave Stewart.

The team received proclamations and resolutions from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger; Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley); Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark); and from the cities of Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and Simi Valley.

Susan Holt, chairwoman of the Conejo Recreation and Park District, which provides facilities for the city’s two Little League organizations, displayed a commemorative plaque bearing the players’ names that is similar to one that will be placed at their home field.

Before the evening festivities, the youngsters returned to school for the first time this summer. “I think what I appreciated most in watching them on TV was their attitude,” said Tim Carpenter, principal at Redwood Middle School, where six of the 12 players attend classes. “They had fun, but they didn’t showboat.”

Students decorated banners -- “Good Job!” and “USA Champs” -- and placed them around the school. The school marquee read “Congratulations CVLL.”

Westlake High School provided one of the bands for the parade. The 100-piece unit played Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Let’s Groove.”

“We’re just playing some fun music to get the crowd pumped up,” said Kyle Luck, Westlake’s director of bands.

The Thousand Oaks team’s U.S. title reflected its performance during 23 playoff games, when it outscored opponents 165-29.

“They played with so much heart and skill,” said Thousand Oaks Councilwoman Claudia Bill-de la Pena. “They truly made Thousand Oaks shine on the world stage.”

The Conejo Valley Little League All-Stars were James Brady, Jordan Brower, Hayden Cronenbold, Derrick Francis, Timmy Ginther, Adam Justiniano, Tyler Karp, Danny Leon, John Lister, Sean McIntyre, Evan Ocello and Cody Thomson.

They were managed by Tom Ginther.

The assistant coaches were Rick Brower, Frank Leon and Jim Barrett.