South Dakota All-Stars pose for an ESPN promo. (Photo Sam Hurst/IDS)

When the South Dakota All Stars rolled into South Williamsport Monday afternoon, they were among the last teams to arrive. Their championship game against Nebraska in the regional tournament had been physically and emotionally draining. They had endured a long plane and bus ride. When IDS caught up with the team Tuesday they were exhausted, and quick to admit that they were right smack in the middle of an overwhelming experience.

By Wednesday morning, after a good night’s sleep, they were full of energy and playful again.

Manager Kasey McGriff has done his best to keep discipline, by practicing every day, but most of Wednesday was taken up with the transformation of 12- and 13-year-old boys into television celebrities.

Dressed in their sparkling new green and orange uniforms, they spent the morning taking team photographs, being weighed, measured, and interviewed by ESPN producers about everything from their favorite songs, to secret team handshakes. They even spent a half hour clowning it up for an ESPN video promotion.

After lunch, it was off to the practice field for an hour workout. But at 6 p.m. the All-Stars mounted a float with the boys from the Japan and joined a huge parade through downtown Williamsport with the other 14 teams in the tournament. It felt like all 35,000 people in this small city along the Susquehanna River turned out to welcome the boys. Everywhere along the route citizens cheered and applauded the Little League teams.

“In most parades, people on the floats throw candy to children on the streets.” Warned their “Host Uncle” Gary Weaver, “In this parade the people on the streets throw candy to you.”

That just about says it all about how these boys are being treated this week.