Wallingford Little League Celebrates 75th Anniversary With Special Event

WALLINGFORD, CT — Wallingford Little League is celebrating its 75th anniversary with an event that honors the past and present, with an eye toward the future.

The league’s Family Day / 75th Anniversary Celebration will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 31 at PNA Park, 171 North Plains Industrial Rd. in Wallingford.

The event, which was postponed earlier this month due to inclement weather, will feature food, games, a DJ, inflatable obstacle course, a dunk tank, and more. The 75th Anniversary ceremony will take place at 6 p.m., and will be followed by the league’s annual player parade.

The event is open to the public, and league alumni are encouraged to attend.

“Family Day is one of the best days of the Little League season,” Wallingford Little League President Larry McClure said. “It's a chance for the whole league to be together and celebrate. This year is extra special as we're celebrating our 75th anniversary.

“We've been planning the celebration for several months. The WLL auxiliary committee, chaired by Maria Secord, puts in a lot of work throughout the season, coordinating our special events – picture day, family day, our graduate game – and other activities.”

Wallingford Little League Vice President Chris Cirri said the celebration is “not just for the kids, but also for parents, grandparents, and families to reminisce about their own Little League days.”

“It’s a heartwarming moment to see everyone come together, honoring the players and the volunteers who make it all possible,” Cirri said. “As a father of three children who are active in baseball, volunteering my time as a coach and as vice president of this league has been incredibly rewarding. Before joining the board, I never realized the immense effort required to create such a positive experience for the kids.

“This event is a chance for us to celebrate our history, enjoy a fun day together, and showcase the strong community we’ve built to those who might be interested in baseball."

Dawn Thomas, who has been involved with the league for more than 10 years as a coach and board member, said being a part of the board has “always been important to me to preserve what Little League is always about, the kids.”

“My son has long graduated out of Little League, but I still love to be involved,” Thomas said. “Not having a child in the game brings a whole new perspective. And even though he doesn’t play anymore for Little League, he certainly is at all the events volunteering right along with me.

“Wallingford Little League provides a wonderful experience for the kids teaching them sportsmanship and the love of the baseball game.”

Thomas helped organize the 75th Anniversary Celebration with Maria Secord, Jessica Santore, and former longtime board member Sue Marchese, who also helped organize the league’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Marchese, who started coaching in the league in 1977 and served on the board until around 1984, said being involved with the league “played a huge part in my life, as baseball was always a part of my life as long as I can remember.”

“I always loved the game and played it as often as I could,” she said. “I wanted to share my skills and knowledge with others while at the same time teaching kids how to play their best while encouraging their teammates to do the same and helping to build self-confidence while practicing sportsmanship at the same time.”

Marchese said getting involved with the planning of the 75th anniversary was “more emotional to me than I realized.”

“It brought back the names and faces of all the coaches and managers I worked with in order to have the league where it is today,” she said. “I was with them working on the two new fields at Cyanimid that are long gone, we lined the fields and had our opening days there. I thought of the many dedicated board members and past presidents, they loved the game too, just like the guys and gals love it now, who play a big part in the league today… My tears are flowing now because I am reminiscing now.

“Names like Jim Parker, Ralph Root, Nate Goldstein, Godfrey Letournrau, Butch Marchese and big thanks to Richard Courtright, who put together a notebook of WLL history since 1949, his wife, Claire, donated it to the league.”

McClure said the league started at Parker Farms in Yalesville.

“As the league grew, Yalesville Little League split off but the original charter stayed with Wallingford Little League,” he said. “In recent years, declining numbers have us considering consolidation, but for now the friendly rivalry continues.

“Even though my boys have long since graduated, I continue to be involved. I often describe Little League as teaching life skills through baseball – how to win and lose with grace, how to fail and learn from it, how to be a better teammate. Our players take these and other skills forward into adolescence and adulthood.”

Cirri said the league’s board has “worked tirelessly to ensure that this event not only honors the legacy of Little League but also brings joy to our community.”

“It’s a day for everyone to come together, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to the future of Wallingford and Yalesville Little League,” he said.