MAYOR PEREZ CONGRATULATES

THE CONNECTICUT PIRATES OF HARTFORD

FOR WINNING NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

---NEWS RELEASE---

(July 10, 2007)--- As we celebrate Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, Mayor Eddie A. Perez congratulates All-Stars right here in Hartford!

The Connecticut Pirates of Hartford, a little league baseball team comprised of Hartford youngsters ages 14 and under, has won the Disney’s Salute to Baseball tournament at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.  They beat a team from Michigan 10-4 on Monday in the championship game.  Now the team will be bringing their medals home!  They are scheduled to arrive at Bradley International Airport this afternoon.

Mayor Perez says, “This team beat the odds just to get to the tournament and to compete in the first place.  They were winners from the start.  Congratulations to the kids and to coaches Eddie Ocasio and Gilberto Concepcion for having that winning spirit that has made all of Hartford proud.”

The road to the championship game included playing teams from Puerto Rico as well as the Dominican Republic before winning it all!

A formal congratulatory event will be scheduled in the near future.