Former New England Little League heroes reflect on World Series runs

Dario Pizzano was a member of the 2003 Saugus American Little League team that advanced to Williamsport, Pa. (Courtesy photo)

Professional baseball player Dario Pizzano isn’t afraid to admit he may have experienced the pinnacle of his athletic career when he was 12.

That’s the age when Pizzano was on a Cheerios box, when Tom Brady edged him out for an ESPY, and when his hometown of Saugus, Mass., threw him a parade.

Professional baseball player Dario Pizzano isn’t afraid to admit he may have experienced the pinnacle of his athletic career when he was 12.

That’s the age when Pizzano was on a Cheerios box, when Tom Brady edged him out for an ESPY, and when his hometown of Saugus, Mass., threw him a parade.

Pizzano, a 26-year-old outfielder who currently plays in Double A in the Seattle Mariners organization, was a member 2003 Saugus American Little League team that advanced to the U.S. championship game against Boynton Beach, Fla., at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Pizzano remembers that magic summer "vividly" and has no concerns that the experience of going through the disappointment of losing the U.S. championship game in front of a national television audience had a lasting negative impact on his development.