For 84th time, Old Timers Game to be played at Monmouth Park
MONMOUTH — The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played in 1933, and not long after that, Monmouth began hosting its annual Old Timers Fastpitch Softball Game.
The contest will be played on Sunday, Aug. 14 at Monmouth Park for the 84th time, and it will borrow from the All-Star Game this year, as a special slugging contest will be held during the pre-game warm-up, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
“One of our committee members, Steve Shimmin, has lined up a fun home run derby for part of the normal batting and fielding practice,” said Tom Glenn, who chairs the committee. “It will begin with players 40 years old and over and finish with the 20-40 year olds.”
Glenn said he expects a strong turnout of players for the game.
“We have heard from several old timers from the past few years that they will be returning to play,” he said. “Rumors have it we might even have a Henderson County versus Warren County kind of day.”
Following the home run derby, the rest of the pre-game activities will start at 4:30 p.m. Under the direction of Kevin Ferry, the Monmouth-Roseville High School Madrigal Singers will perform the national anthem, and the American Legion color guard will present colors.
Still leading up to the 5 p.m. game, a memorial bat ceremony will be held at home plate. The ceremony will honor the late Delbert Bush, Leroy Davis, Jim Howe and Tom Parrish, who have all passed away in the last year.
“If any of their family members would like to lay the bat in their honor, please come out to the game by 4:15 p.m. and connect with me,” said Glenn. “Also, if anyone knows of any other deceased player that they would like honored, they can contact me.”
Glenn can be reached at 309-371-6690 or tom@warrecnountyymca.org.
The Honoree of the Year will be announced, a team picture will be taken, and then it will be time to play ball.
“We want to invite the public to come out and enjoy an afternoon and evening of fun summer softball,” said Glenn. “Come relive and share memories of your playing days, and please bring photos to share if you have them. We invite any players from the local area to come play with us that are 45 and over.”
The sponsors for the 84th Annual Old Timers Fastpitch Softball Game include: the Warren County YMCA, Clark & Glasgow Attorneys at Law, the Wise family, Hoover-Hall Funeral Home, County Market, Jamieson Community Center, Legacy Estates, Courtyard Estates, Haase Embroidery, Leary Construction and Carol Shaw Insurance.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Old Timers softball has been running in Monmouth for ages
