“We hadn’t lost a game and we thought, ‘heck, I guess we never will,’” he said.

Stoney Creek took a brief 1-0 lead in the final but fell 3-1 to suffer their only loss of the season.

Jimmy Vlajkov, a utility player and third base coach for the championship final, shed a few tears upon arrival at the little league diamond last Saturday.

Vlajkov recalled a parade held in the team’s honour in 1965, featuring players smiling and waving from the front seats of convertibles.

Vlajkov said the community of Stoney Creek will always occupy a special place in his heart.

“This is where we were born and raised. You never forget where you came from,” he said.

Rick Ferroni, a shortstop on the ‘65 team, admits he was disappointed that the team could not secure induction to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame or the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame, in time for last Saturday’s reunion.

“Little league’s not about money,” said Ferroni, now a Stoney Creek realtor.

Ferroni said efforts to have the team enshrined will continue in the future.

The 1965 Little League rep team, as well as the 1962 little league Canadian championship squad and 1965 senior little league teams were honoured during Stoney Creek Optimist Little League’s opening day on May 30.

Brian Ostrosser, the only graduate of the Stoney Creek little league program to play major league baseball, was also honoured by having a batting cage named in his honour.

Rob O’Neill, Stoney Creek Optimist Little League director of baseball operations, also announced a $2,500 donation from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, which will help the league purchase new pitching machines for batting practice.

The league recently received more than $35,000 from the Heritage Green Community Trust, which brought two new scoreboards and field improvements to Optimist Park.