Your Humble Narrator

Yours Truly, back when my father was coaching Little League.

Despite being so young then, I nevertheless remember a lot from those days 60 years ago: many of the players (especially Steve Fox and Mike Okura), Cortez Park (I loved it when my dad would let me run the bases!), going to the State Tournament, and especially the parade at West Covina Plaza after the team returned home. The whole spectacle of it was very memorable, even to a little boy who was only just about to turn 3.

It's really quite astonishing to me how quickly the years have passed. And, of course, I feel saddened that my parents and so many of those young players are no longer with us. All the more reason why they deserve to be memorialized now...

 

Dedication

In 1957, the All-Stars of the West Covina American Little League became the first youth sports team from the city to participate in a statewide tournament. Here, I will be telling the story of the All-Stars' unprecedented winning streak, day-by-day, as it happened, 60 years ago.

This blog is dedicated primarily to the manager of the 1957 All-Stars, my father, Ed Shannon, and to my mother, Lillian Shannon, whose meticulous scrapbook-keeping documented this important first in West Covina sports history.

I further dedicate this account to the All-Star players themselves: especially local sports legend Mike Okura, and my personal childhood hero, Steven Fox. May they both rest in peace.

And so, without further ado...

PLAY BALL!