World Series champs earn more recognition

World Series champs earn more recognition

Players and coaches from New Orleans Retif Oil Post 125 enjoyed special recognition on the field at AT&T Park in San Francisco during the Major League Baseball World Series. The team was honored in front of a capacity crowd on hand to watch the Giants take on the Detroit Tigers in the match-up of professional baseball’s best.

New Orleans Post 125 was crowned the 2012 American Legion Baseball World Series champion — a title the post hasn’t held since 1960 — at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C., after keeping Brooklawn, N.J., scoreless to claim a 4-0 victory.

Before Game 2 of the MLB World Series got under way, the team gathered on field at AT&T Park to receive the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, which was presented by MLB Executive Vice President of Operations Joe Torre — a former Legion Baseball player. Will Clark, a member of the Giants front office and graduate of Jesuit High School (where the players attend school), also accompanied the team onto the field.

Aside from being recognized in front of thousands of baseball fans, New Orleans Post 125 players had an opportunity to watch the Giants defeat the Tigers. During Game 1, the young men witnessed Pablo "The Panda" Sandoval hit three home runs.

Coach Joey Latino told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that "I felt like a kid again, and my biggest thrill was seeing the look on the faces of all the kids on the team. What I’m most grateful for is that all 18 boys got to go."