RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY
PDT Staff Writer
Artist Charlie Reed has started work on a mural at the New Boston baseball field, commemorating the 1960 New Boston League team that played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Va.
New Boston was the first team from Ohio to advance to the World Series, after beating Portsmouth and playing Canton for the state title. Then New Boston beat all other northern state teams for the regional championship to advance to the National Little League World Series. New Boston represented the northern United States in the Series, Florida represented the south, Texas represented the west, and Pennsylvania represented the east. Teams also played from Europe, Asia, Mexico, Canada, and Hawaii.
Reed called it an amazing story, recalling how one of the kids on the team misread a coach’s call to bunt and swung at the pitch instead. He hit a home run off that pitch, driving in two more runners to win the game that sent the boys to the next level in the series.
Pennsylvania finally won the Series, but New Boston finished fifth in the entire world league.
“It was an unbelievable team,” said Bill Powell, whose son Mike Powell played on the team. “The toughest game we had was the first one, against Portsmouth, and it went extra innings. Then they won 11 straight tournament games. Ten more after Portsmouth.”
Reed, of Portsmouth, is the owner of Reed’s Upholstery on 10th Street in Portsmouth, and donated $3,000 of his own company time to the project.
“It’s just an honor to be able to be part of this. I told the mayor, I’m overwhelmed with what this is about and to actually be part of bringing this to fruition because it’s an amazing story,” Reed said.
Now more than 50 years later, a group of local residents is raising money to memorialize the team with a mural painting at the New Boston ball field. The project will cost between $5,000 and $13,000.
Some of the money has already been raised, and Reed has already begun work on the mural at Millbrook Park in New Boston. The painting is expected to be complete in the next few weeks - if the weather cooperates.
Donations to the project can be mailed to the New Boston Little League Mural Project, c/o New Boston Mayor James Warren, 3980 Rhodes Ave., New Boston, Ohio 45662.
Ryan Scott Ottney can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 235, or rottney@heartlandpublications.com.
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