Cumberland manager David Belisle, center, talks with pitcher CJ Davock, left, and catcher Trey Bourque during the fifth inning of an elimination baseball game against Chicago at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. Chicago won 8-7. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
August 20, 2014 - 6:30 AM
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - A youth baseball coach from Rhode Island who has become an Internet sensation for the inspiring speech he made after his team was eliminated from the Little League World Series says the talk was spontaneous and from the heart.
Players on David Belisle's team from Cumberland were crying after Monday night's 8-7 loss to Chicago in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, when he kneeled down and told them they should be proud.
Belisle told the players they were one of the best teams in the world and they had their hometown and the state of Rhode Island jumping with excitement. One YouTube video of the speech had more than 350,000 views early Wednesday.
Belisle told NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that he wanted the boys to walk off that field as proud as could be.
News from © The Associated Press, 2014