Historic Artifacts to Return Home to Windsor Locks

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — A seemingly mundane posting last weekend about an eBay listing of a piece of local sports history touched off a frenzy which resulted in the purchase of several items of memorabilia pertaining to the 1965 Little League World Series championship team from Windsor Locks. And the best news of all is the purchasers have stated they intend to donate the items to be permanently displayed as a source of town pride.

In a four-day stretch in late August that year, the 10- to 12-year old players from the small town of barely 10,0000 residents in northern Connecticut captured the biggest prize in youth sports on the world stage in Williamsport, Pa. The Little League World Series was broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports; calling the action were legendary sportscaster Jim McKay and the revered Jackie Robinson, one of the most phenomenal athletes to ever play the game.

Eight teams competed in the quarterfinal round, with four from the United States representing the North, East, South and West Regions. Other quarterfinalists hailed from Canada, Japan, Spain and Venezuela.

Windsor Locks knocked off Venezuela by a 5-3 count to advance to the semifinals, where the boys then shut out Waco, Texas 1-0 to qualify for the championship game. In the finals, Windsor Locks turned back Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada in a 3-1 contest that brought the world title to the town previously only known as home to Bradley Field.

Fast forward 55 years. First Selectman Chris Kervick was perusing eBay last Saturday and came across a listing by a New Jersey-based seller known as showpiecessports. The listing was for a baseball signed by all the members of the 1965 championship team, as well as a lineup sheet and a custom-made bat from the Hillerich & Bradsby Co. of Louisville, Ky., emblazoned with the names of all players and coaches from that team. The asking price? Only $1,495.

After Kervick posted the listing on the Facebook page Windsor Locks Moving Forward, ideas began flying around as to how to go about acquiring the items. On Thursday, after several page members reporting having bids rejected by the seller, came the news everyone was hoping for, when a page user named Rob LaBreche wrote, "I purchased and will donate to town...after I check it out first!"

In response to notes of thanks for community members, LaBreche wrote, "I love WL having grown up there even though I have lived in CA 30 years. I was born the year they won it all so I obviously don't remember it but, WL being as small as it is, we all know someone on the team or a relative. Happy to have the bat and ball go where it belongs! I notified Chris and after I savor it for a few days here in CA, I will send to him to display as the town sees fit."

"Rob contacted me and expressed his interest, so I stepped back and he got it done," Kervick said, adding preliminary plans are to display the items at Town Hall, where the Windsor Locks Athletic Hall of Fame is currently located, then move them to a permanent display case at the historic train station alongside other planned exhibits, including a tribute to former Gov. Ella Grasso.

Several of the custom bats are known to exist, but the signed baseball is believed to be one-of-a-kind. Another item offered by the eBay seller was purchased by Kervick and will be included with the display - a scorebook from the series.

"I purchased the scorebook, which had been kept by a local reporter of the final few games, not just the championship game," Kervick said.

One final item will likely be included, which currently hangs on the wall in the first selectman's office. Following their championship, the team was invited to a major league game at Yankee Stadium, where the players got to meet and present a signed team ball to legendary Hall of Fame slugger Mickey Mantle.

"After that day, Mantle sent an autographed photo thanking the team for the visit, and it currently resides on the wall in the office," Kervick said.