Wild Things to host Frontier League All-Star Game

The all-stars of the Frontier League will be coming to Wild Things Park in July.

Both the league and the team announced Monday morning a week-long slate of activities leading up to the all-star game July 20.

“The Washington Wild Things are planning a truly unprecedented minor-league baseball all-star game and related set of festivities for the Washington, Pennsylvania, region,” Frontier League Chief Executive Officer Jon Danos said.

“We view the events as a special community celebration of the long history of the Wild Things, their fans, sponsors and supporters, as well as an opportunity for the team and the Frontier League to express gratitude and excitement for our players and our future.”

Some of the events planned during all-star week include the Three Rivers Celebrity Softball Game on July 16, a professional wrestling show on July 17, and a concert July 19 from the Eli Young Band, a Texas-based country music group who has received national acclaim over much of the past two decades.

“We are honored that the league selected Washington as the site for the 2022 Frontier League All-Star Game,” Wild Things’ team owner Francine Williams said. “This will be the first All-Star Game since the merger of the Can-Am League and the Frontier League, and we are planning a full five days of activity.”

The Frontier League, the country’s largest operating independent baseball league, features 16 teams from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio, as well as Quebec and Ottawa in Canada. It is an official partner league of Major League Baseball.

Gates for the all-star game open at 6 p.m., and first pitch is at 7:05.

The all-stars will wear jerseys of the Negro League teams from their team’s region as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Josh Gibson’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Gibson, a native of Buena Vista, Ga., played 16 years in the Negro Leagues, including tenures with the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays before retiring in 1946.

He passed away in 1947 at the age of 35 and was inducted in the hall of fame in 1972.

“The Josh Gibson family and the Josh Gibson Foundation is proud to have Josh’s memory honored at this year’s Frontier League All-Star Game on each player’s jersey,” Josh Gibson Foundation executive director Sean Gibson said.

“It will be amazing to see the Frontier League players donning replica Negro League jerseys from the historic clubs of their region. We are grateful for the proceeds raised from this initiative being donated to the Foundation! Thank you, Washington Wild Things!”

Tickets to the all-star game now are available.

Lower-seating bowl tickets are $10, and $5 for the bleacher sections (200 level) of the stadium.

For more information, visit washingtonwildthings.com or frontierleague.com.