Port Washington community unites at watch party to support Little League team in regional tournament
Jimmy Orr and his son Miles cheer on the Port Washington 12U Little League baseball team during a watch party at Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington on Saturday. Credit: Howard Simmons
The Jeanne Rimsky Landmark Theater in Port Washington traded live music for a big-screen TV on Saturday evening so the community could watch baseball.
That’s because Port Washington’s 12U Little League team, which became the first team in the town’s history to win a New York state championship, began the Metro Region tournament against Rhode Island champion Lincoln in Bristol, Connecticut.
The tournament is a four-team, double-elimination bracket, and the winner will advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The boisterous crowd at the theater saw their hometown team get one step closer as Port Washington beat Lincoln, 10-3.
“It’s great just to see the community come together around a group of kids who have been practicing for this for years,” said Matthew Fernand, a member of the Viking Sports Foundation, the town’s booster club.
At the theater, Fernand sold blue Port Washington baseball shirts, with the proceeds going toward the team’s travel expenses.
During the game, the theater sounded like a live baseball crowd. Fans cheered when Port Washington scored and took mild exception when they thought an umpire missed a call.
The environment was a great way for fans who didn’t make the trip to Bristol to come together.
“Our mission is to serve the community, so we’ve been really focused on broadening what that looks like and bringing in more ways to do that,” said Floryn Stock, the director of programming and marketing for the theater.
Stock, who has an 8-year-old son, said she began watching the team’s games with her son on YouTube. Knowing how impressive the team’s run has been, she thought that hosting a watch party would be a great way to bring the community together.
Deep down, she knows the team is inspiring the community and its next generation of baseball players.
“What I really see is my 8-year-old son and his little baseball team,” she said. “They’re watching what they could be one day, and that’s what gets me.”
Mariann Dalimonte, the councilwoman for the Town of North Hempstead who represents Port Washington, said the Port Washington Youth Activities sent a bus of about 20 people to watch the game in person.
Though Dalimonte wanted to be in Bristol for Saturday’s game and was more than 100 miles away from the team, it didn’t take away from how proud she felt.
“I don’t think they realize what they’ve done,” she said. “They’ve made history. This is something that we’re going to talk about for a very, very long time.
“We’ve never had New York state champs in PYA, so I am so excited for them and so happy for them and proud.”
When the prospect of the team potentially making it to Williamsport was brought up, Dalimonte was at a loss for words. She even got chills.
The Port Washington 12U Little League team already has made history.
Said Dalimonte: “No matter how far they go, I’m proud of them.”
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