Little League opening day ceremonies can often be perfunctory. Not this year at Southington Western Baseball Little League. Players, coaches, fans and their families joined together Saturday with two of the men instrumental in getting the league off the ground to celebrate Southington West’s 50th anniversary at its complex off Spring Street.

Technically, last year marked the 50th season, but when the pandemic postponed the 2020 Little League season until summer, Southington West’s anniversary was pushed off to 2021.“It really is an honor to be able to come up here and see what everybody’s done over the years,” said Bill DellaVecchia, one of the individuals instrumental in creating the league.