The West Los Angeles Little League, located at the iconic Bad News Bears Fields (which was the site of the 1976 film The Bad News Bears), kicked off its 65th season last month with a ceremonial first pitch thrown by none other than Chris Paul, the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul, a nine-time NBA all-star and a father of two, has a 13-year-old son who plays in the league.

Such a star-studded moment is perfectly appropriate for the likes of Opening Day, which is perhaps the most exciting day of the entire season over at West Los Angeles Little League (besides the playoffs, of course!). After an entire fall and winter away from the fields, eager parents and children returned to embrace America’s favorite pastime with a morning chock-full of fun, and N/S Wash was proud to be a part of the action by way of its support for the league.

The Morning

Opening Day began bright and early at 8AM with a hearty pancake breakfast for all of the hungry families looking to celebrate the start of another fantastic season of baseball. As the parents chatted with one another and enjoyed the crisp February morning, all of the young baseball players and their brothers and sisters were free to play on an array of bounce houses and obstacle courses that turned the fields into what almost felt like a mini carnival. The morning also saw the introduction of brand new West Los Angeles Little League merchandise to celebrate the occasion.

By the time 10AM rolled around, it was time to let the official Opening Day ceremonies begin. As is tradition, the West Los Angeles Little League recognized last year’s 2015 all-stars and had a parade where every one of the league’s teams and age groups, T-ball through Majors, got to present themselves to all of their proud parents.

Chris Paul Throws the Opening Pitch

But as thrilled as these parents were to see their children in their new team uniforms for the very first time, it was hard to not feel the excitement in the air that was emanating from parents and children alike as basketball superstar Chris Paul stepped up to the pitcher’s mound to deliver 2016’s highly anticipated opening pitch. After saying a few encouraging words to the crowd, Paul delivered a confident pitch that landed right in the catcher’s mitt. The crowd went absolutely wild. Who knew Paul could throw so well? Maybe he learned from playing games of catch with his son, or maybe basketball skills translate into baseball skills better than we might expect (NBA legend Michael Jordan played both sports, after all). What a way to kick off the first day of the season!

N/S Wash is proud to support places like the West Los Angeles Little League, whose positive atmosphere and commitment to the community make Los Angeles a better place.