1976 Salinas American Little League Softball All-Star World Champion Team

In 1976, a group of girls aged 11-12, mostly from the east Salinas area, quietly and almost unnoticed, slipped out of town and made history by becoming the city’s first team to claim a Little League World Series title. There were only enough girls for four teams that year in the Salinas American Little League program – 48 girls in all and half of them were 10 or under. From the remaining group of 24, 14 were selected to the All-Star team. They went 4-0 in the single-elimination District 9 tournament, 3-0 in the sectionals and 2-0 in the Western Regionals. From there it was on to the Little League World Series in Portland, Ore. Salinas beat Queens, N.Y. 7-3 in the semifinals then toppled Sturgeon Bay, Wis., 4-0 in the championship game.

Roster: Kristie Sullivan, Tina Hester, Sandy Fuerte, Karre Melchisedech, Leslie Deaton, Hopi Cota, Renita Gachete, Debbie Cortez, Charlene Armstrong, Robin Aman, Stella Garcia, Diana Alvarez, Teresa Ortiz, Clara Mejia. Coaches: Stan Silva, Fred Dilbeck, Kathy Silva.