The Pittsfield Babe Ruth All Stars will vie for the national championship.
The mayor greeted each player and asked them about their position and preparation.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Babe Ruth All Stars made a stop at City Hall on Wednesday before they head to Arkansas to play in the national tournament.
The team won the regional tournament and is one of nine teams to play for the national title. Mayor Daniel Bianchi welcomed the team to the City Hall on Wednesday to show them that the whole city is rooting them on.
"I want them to understand that the whole city is rooting for them," Bianchi said after shaking hands with each player. "This will be part of the baseball history of Pittsfield."
The 15-year-old team will travel to Van Buren, Ark., for the tournament that starts on Thursday. Pittsfield plays their first game in pool play on Friday against the host team Van Buren. The top teams in pool play move on to a single elimination tournament.
"Somebody has to win it so it might as well be us," coach Buddy Pellerin said, adding that all of the teams are regional champions so the competition will be tough. "We're as prepared as we're going to be... it's a resilient group."
The team got down early and had to battle back in both the state and regional tournament, Pellerin said, but was able to pull out victory. He said this team has a good chance to do it again in the Babe Ruth World Series.
The players were confident in their own ability but said they have not seen the competition.
"This will be something they'll be talking to their kids about," Bianchi said.
The team received a police escort as they rode to City Hall on a fire truck driven by coach Jim Conant. They were greeted with roaring cheers from onlookers who later broke into "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" accompanied by guitarist Andy Kelly.
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