{"id":20628,"date":"2025-07-26T00:12:23","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T00:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/connie-mack-world-series-marks-60th-year-with-colossal-parade\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T04:04:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T04:04:41","slug":"connie-mack-world-series-marks-60th-year-with-colossal-parade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/connie-mack-world-series-marks-60th-year-with-colossal-parade\/","title":{"rendered":"Connie Mack World Series marks 60th year with colossal parade"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2025
2025 Connie Mack World Series parade on Friday, July 25 downtown Farmington. (Zia Drone Operations\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Downtown Farmington was sizzling and energized Friday morning for the Connie Mack Parade, kicking off the 60th year of the classic summer baseball tournament, bringing 12 teams of some of the country\u2019s top young baseball players to town.<\/p>\n

The American Amateur Baseball Congress<\/a> sponsors the crowd-pleasing Farmington event, held this year on July 25.<\/p>\n

See all the coverage at the Tri-City Record\u2019s Connie Mack page.<\/a><\/div>\n

At shortly after 10 a.m., a Farmington police SUV followed by Farmington Fire Department Engine No. 2, led the parade before the honor guard marched up Main Street past the judges stand near the corner of Main Street and Orchard Avenue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had 81 total entries,\u201d said parade organizer Rachel Tillman in a text.<\/p>\n

\n

Connie Mack 2025 teams<\/h4>\n

Texas TwelveDallas PatriotsMidland SouthwestDublin\u2019s DodgersMidland RedskinsAlbuquerque BaseballPPA White SoxTulsa SandlotUnited BaseballSoCal RenegadesOklahoma ExpressZinger Prospects<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Comments from the crowd<\/div>\n

It shows people getting involved in the community and their love for the sport, said the father of one participant in the parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnbelievable, what a cool experience,\u201d said Judd Burkett, from Keller, Texas, whose son is an outfielder for United Baseball. \u201cThe support, the excitement and all the energy that all the youths have, and all the programs, and it\u2019s just something you don\u2019t see, especially in metropolitan areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raynee Wayne and son Easton, from Aztec, said her daughter Asashlynn, was in the parade with Rise Gymnastics.<\/p>\n

\"2025
2025 Connie Mack World Series host team Albuquerque Baseball Academy baseball team pose for a portrait mid-parade on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Easton, 9, a catcher, said he loves to catch and run the bases. Wayne said they plan to take in a couple of tournament games.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn amazing experience. And I absolutely feel like I\u2019m in the middle of a Hallmark movie, said,\u201d Crystal Bishop from Southern California, who\u2019s son Devin plays catcher and shortstop for the Zinger Prospects.<\/p>\n

\"Dallas
Dallas Patriots baseball team enjoy their time during the Connie Mack World Series parade on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"D-BAT
D-BAT United baseball team interacts with the Connie Mack World Series parade spectators on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cOh, man. A lot of energy. I love that it\u2019s like, a perfect way to, like, celebrate summer,\u201d said Kenzie Rowley from Durango. \u201cIt\u2019s always a big thing for the community here in Farmington. And I love all the families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her husband, Dayne Rowley, said both he and his older brother played in the tournament about 10 to 12 years ago for the Strike Zone Cardinals. Dawson and Kennedy, twins and Addilynn awaited the start of the big parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the coolest part is, Farmington is a pretty little community, really \u2026 but like all the people, come out just to celebrate the host team,\u201d said Dayne Rowley. \u201cAnd, I mean, it\u2019s not uncommon for Ricketts Park to be sold out and packed when the host team is playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brenda Valle, who just moved back to Farmington from Idaho, said it\u2019s really nice to be back for these events.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt (the parade) is like the heart of these events, she said. \u201cThe pride, I think just the romanticizing of how our community can come together and celebrate the collaboration, especially with other people from all over.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely you just have to,\u201d Valle replied when asked about taking in some of the games.<\/p>\n

\"Chicago
Chicago White Sox Scout Team's Holden Hering throws up the peace sign during the Connie Mack World Series parade on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Southern
Southern California Renegades players hand out candy to the Connie Mack World Series parade spectators on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Jeremiah Mescal, from Farmington area, was there with his four children, and planned to take in a few games.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community, people coming together, you know, supporting the players that come to play, and entertaining us,\u201d Mescal said was what he appreciated most about the parade.<\/p>\n

His daughter Chrisette Mescal who plays on the Fireflies softball team, was in the parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cFun,\u201d is how Courtney Gray from Aztec, who brought her daughters Ellie and Emory, described the parade. With visitors from California in town, Gray said they would take in some tournament games.<\/p>\n

As the various teams tossed candy and high-fived children in the crowd, the floats rolled on.<\/p>\n

Randy Castillo, who\u2019s son Matthew is a pitcher on the Albuquerque Baseball Academy team said his older son played in the tournament two years ago.<\/p>\n

\"Farmington
Farmington Fire Department color guard lead the Connie Mack World Series parade downtown Farmington on Friday, July 25. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Midland
Midland Redskins make their way downtown during the Connie Mack World Series parade on Friday, July 25 in Farmington. (Curtis Ray Benally\/Special to the Tri-City Record)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cSo again, Farmington always outdoes itself,\u201d said Castillo. \u201cIt\u2019s really incredible to see the town come together for such a great event, and watching the young kids idolize the kids that are walking by \u2026 reinforces what this is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the Farmington Scorpion band performed for the judges, San Juan County District Attorney Jack Fortner recalled his playing days.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just telling my daughter that when I was 16 we won state in the Mickie Mantle tournament,\u201d Fortner said, adding that both he and his brother Bill, who played with the host team, the Roadrunners, were in the parade with different teams in 1971.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty exciting. see. I mean, this parade is probably twice as big as the Fourth of July light night parade,\u201d Fortner said. \u201cA lot of excitement, lot more people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vibe here, you know, down on Main Street, and getting to kind of see the kids and everybody in the community come together. It\u2019s amazing,\u201d said Adam Ortega. \u201cIt\u2019s a blessing to be able to be in Farmington today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ortega and his wife, Melinda, are a host family for two players<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love that the community comes together and celebrates,\u201d Melinda said. It\u2019s an awesome event for these kids, those players.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s awesome. A lot of happiness. The crowd is going great,\u201d said Mallory Taylor.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Farmington families love baseball and the Connie Mack Parade <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20629,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[2163,799,28,29],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-20628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-connie-mack-fans","tag-farmington","tag-headlines","tag-newsletter"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20628"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21247,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20628\/revisions\/21247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20628"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=20628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}