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CNN Live At Daybreak

NY Little League Gets Special Opportunity

Aired May 20, 2002 - 06:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Manhattan, the Downtown Little League had its season disrupted by last September's terrorist attacks. Their field was used as a staging area, scattering them across the city to other fields. But our Brian Palmer reports that over the weekend the little leaguers got quite a treat.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was cold and it was wet, but the weather hardly mattered to these young ballplayers. The 32 teams of the Downtown Little League have had a tough season. Their field, just a few blocks from ground zero, has been a staging area for the recovery operation. They've been scattered to other fields across the city to practice and play their games.

Putting all that behind them is the reason for this weekend away from New York City at the birthplace of little league baseball, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

LANCE VAN AUKEN, LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: We're standing in Howard J. Lamade Stadium. This stadium has been here since 1959. The first 12 Little League World Series were played in Williamsport proper, and it moved over here to south Williamsport in 1959 and it's been here ever since.

PALMER: The tab for this weekend of non-stop baseball in a really cool park is being picked up by the Little League Organization, the New York Yankees and New York businesses. After September 11, league membership dropped 25 percent. Vito Suppa is trying to build it back up.

VITO SUPPA, MANAGER, DOWNTOWN LITTLE LEAGUE: At a certain point, you say, I need this to end. I need life to get back to normal. And this is a way that we can say this is what being a kid is all about.

PALMER (on camera): What's your impression of the game today?

SARAH SHORE, PLAYER: Well we lost, but it was really fun because it's a different field.

PALMER (voice-over): The Sox (ph) take their 17-11 loss as only kids can. Justin Latocksky (ph) and Luke Shapiro (ph) pitch for the winning Pirates.

(on camera): We want to hear some pitching secrets, Justin (ph). What's your secret? JUSTIN LATOCKSKY (ph): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fast balls.

PALMER (voice-over): Jamie and Matty Galindo (ph) have two sons playing.

(on camera): How does it feel to go from Battery Park City to here?

MATTY GALINDO (ph): It's amazing. I mean its beautiful, it's absolutely beautiful. And I'm sure the kids are enjoying it.

PALMER: I didn't see the intense little league parenting that I was accustomed to when I was little.

JEFF SHAPIRO, MANAGER: Well, we tried to subdue it a little bit. And we try to keep the parents, you know, out of -- this is for the kids.

PALMER (voice-over): But parents definitely have a role. The stadium's massive lights wink on as daylight fades. The kids don't notice. They have too much lost time to make up for on the baseball diamond. Next season they'll get their own field back in Battery Park City.

Brian Palmer, CNN, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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