Traditional Halloween little league baseball game kicks off in West Town

CHICAGO (WLS) -- West Town had a special way to celebrate Halloween Sunday.

Families and kids kept up an eight-year tradition of playing a Halloween baseball game while dressed in costumes and eating a good amount of candy at the same time.

"It's an awesome day for baseball," said 8-year-old Max.

Skeletons and pumpkins were on display for the "Field of Screams" as part of little league team Windy City Wildcats' tradition. Max said his favorite part of the celebration is the game itself.

"It might actually be playing baseball," Max said when asked whether his favorite part of the day is eating candy or being on the field. "Because it's what I really love to do."

Joe Glorioso, coach of the Windy City Wildcats, has been coaching for 40 years. He decided to add the annual Halloween game to schedule eight years ago.

"It's awesome when you see Frankenstein throwing Dracula out at third, you know," Glorioso said. "After 32 years, I had to mix it up a little, add a little spice."

Glorioso added that the game creates a "small-town feel."

"Love helping out our community and to see something like this, kind of a small-town feel, is always cool," Glorioso said.

Parents and kids made the most out of the day by creating a makeshift baseball field because the diamonds were filled with mud and puddled with rain but the conditions didn't matter. The families were just happy to celebrate together again, especially after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"After being inside for so long and not being able to play any contact sports, it's really nice for the kids to get together and have a celebration," said parent Cecilia Marchan.