Hamilton West Side wraps historic Little League World Series run
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Hamilton West Side's team photo at the Little League World Series. Photos: Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball
For Boone Treadway, there was a pretty sweet perk to Hamilton West Side's Little League World Series run: Winning meant he didn't have to go back to school.
Why it matters: The trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, did more than extend summer break.
- Players made tournament history and gave the region plenty to rally around.
Driving the news: The team bounced back from an opening game loss to Nevada with five straight wins to keep its World Series dreams alive.
- That run ended just short of a title with a rematch loss to Nevada in Saturday's U.S. championship game.
"We know if we lose one game, we're out, and we have to go back to school," Treadway said with a laugh before the weekend. "And I don't think any of us want(ed) to go back to school."
The big picture: This marked West Side's sixth appearance at the Little League World Series, a record for any American program.
- Manager Tim Nichting's father, Ray, coached the 1991 and 1993 teams. Tim returned in 2007 and 2010.
- Ken Coomer led the 2021 team to the U.S. championship game, the program's deepest run before this year.
The boys didn't dwell on history. When it was game time, they focused on baseball. In between, they had some fun.
Zoom in: Treadway, a pitcher, catcher and shortstop, said the trip brought the teammates closer — and introduced them to kids from around the world.
- They played pickleball, soccer and basketball, hung out with players from Panama and Japan and traded pins.
- The Japanese team taught them a dance where "you fake the dab up and then you kind of twerk," Treadway said.
Back home, Hamilton followed along.
- Bars put games on big screens. Classmates watched. Families gathered around TVs.
- About 100 to 150 Hamilton fans traveled to Williamsport.
What they're saying: "I've been having a bunch of fun seeing all the fans go crazy during those bigger games where we start scoring a whole bunch of runs in the one inning," first baseman and pitcher Josiah Infante, 12, said before the weekend run.
- "It's awesome, and it's crazy."
Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller tells Axios he was with about 20 high school friends Thursday night, and West Side dominated the conversation.
- "This tournament has truly shown the character of that team and our community, and it's very exciting right now in Hamilton, Ohio," he says.
- Moeller says the city plans to celebrate the team with a parade, but details aren't yet finalized.
The bottom line: Now the boys are returning home and have to go back to school. But they'll return after a summer when their hometown seemed to be watching every pitch.
- And what a story they have to tell their classmates.
The last word: "It's actually surreal, no doubt about it," Nichting told Axios of the experience.
- "A lot of pride, a lot of humbleness that my team's made it this far. Just what a great experience for everyone."