Baseball Day in Orillia is back.
The seventh annual event will take place July 13 at Kitchener Park. It will see Orillia Legion Minor Ball (OLMB) and Orillia Slo-Pitch League members take part in games as well as skills competitions and home-run derbies.
“The original idea was to get the baseball community together for a cause and to celebrate our game,” explained event co-ordinator John Hammill.
This year, the money will be directed to the Orillia Sport Council, to go toward the Orillia Sports Hall of Fame.
The hall of fame has been inducting local athletes since 2015, and it will find a home in the Orillia Recreation Centre when the facility opens.
“We know that there are going to be physical expenses when they move into the recreation centre, so this is our way to contribute to that,” Hammill said.
Money is raised through entry fees paid by participants. The goal this year is to raise $1,500.
The fun will begin at 9:30 a.m., with continuous OLMB games on both diamonds until about 2 p.m. A skills competition and home-run derby for the young athletes will follow, from about 2 to 4 p.m.
Slo-pitch games will then take place, with the Wagner Lawn Care Indians taking on the Studabakers Stallions, followed by a slo-pitch skills competition and home-run derby.
Baseball Day in Orillia, which is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Orillia and OrilliaMatters, is free for members of the public to attend, though donations to the hall of fame will be accepted.
Hammill encourages people to attend to take in “a fun day of baseball.”
The concession stand at Kitchener Park will be open for those who want snacks and refreshments.
Rogers TV will also be covering the day's events.
