Park View little league Homecoming celebration tonight in Chula Vista

The City of Chula Vista will welcome home the World Champion Park View Little League team with a homecoming celebration at 6 p.m. today at Southwestern College’s Devore Stadium.

After thousands unexpectedly showed up at the unofficial homecoming earlier this week, the crowds are likely to be enormous, prmpting city leaders and team officials to change the location of the scheduled rally.

The Park View little league has received unprecedented local and national attention after winning the 2009 Little League World series. Last night the boys appeared on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Check out the interview below:

Locally, the team has received a hero’s welcome. Support has been flooding in from neighbors, businesses, the Padres and Chargers, as well as from the Chula Vista mayor, Cheryl Cox. “The Blue Bombers of Park View Little League have proved to the world that they’re a phenomenal team with strategic pitching, quality at-bats, quick base runs, and superb fielding. Most of all, they’ve inspired us with their sportsmanship. They represented California and the United States, as well as the City of Chula Vista.”

There were plans for a Homecoming celebration regardless of the outcome of the final scores, but plans had to be changed after the team took the title. Mayor Cox said, “Our boys of summer are world champions and we’re going to throw a world-class celebration for them… The World Series Championship win is such a tremendous accomplishment that our staff has worked around the clock to modify our plans in order to accommodate the crowds we anticipate.”

The celebration was moved from Memorial Park and Bowl to Southwestern College’s Devore Stadium in order to accommodate the large crowds that are expected. Gates open to the public at 4 p.m. and parking is available at the stadium.

Plans include a first-class entrance ceremony. The team is said to be arriving on board the Chula Vista Fire Department’s Ladder Truck 57, proudly showing off their championship trophy. Mayor Cox, former Padres Phil Nevin and Randy Jones and Bob Chandler are all on schedule to speak.

Despite all of the recent attention, team members have had to adjust to normal life rather quickly. One team mom said that her main goal was to keep the boys’ feet planted firmly on the ground as school starts again and life returns to normal. Her son, Luke Ramirez, is still responsible for taking out the trash and emptying the dishwasher. As the boys returned to school, Rancho del Rey Middle School, where most of the team is enrolled, held an assembly on Wednesday to celebrate the team’s victory.

The Park View All-Stars, dubbed the Blue Bombers for their explosive offense, won the Little League World Series Sunday, defeating Taiwan 6-3. The welcome home rally will provide fans an opportunity to congratulate Chula Vista’s hometown heroes. Mayor Cox, city leaders and local dignitaries will honor the team in a brief ceremony.

Southwestern College
6:00PM
Admission: Free

900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista