Spikes set NYPL All-Star Game event slate
The All-Star Game will be a three-day celebration from Sunday, Aug. 16 to Tuesday, Aug. 18, and will incorporate locations such as Downtown State College, Tussey Mountain, the Mount Nittany Club at Beaver Stadium, and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
All-Star events begin Aug. 16 with the Downtown State College All-Star FanFest on the 200 block of Allen Street between Beaver and Foster Avenues from 1-5 p.m. This free event, being put together with the help of the Downtown State College Improvement District, will bring all of the fun of the ballpark to downtown State College, with inflatable games, carnival attractions, batting cages and a speed pitch machine. Fans of all ages can also test their skills in several different Penn State sports, and take a picture with an array of Penn State championship trophies. Ike the Spike, the Nittany Bank Nookie Monster and Bob the Baseball Dog will also be downtown to meet all of the fans enjoying the great food and music. The flagship radio home of the Spikes, 95.3-3WZ, will also be downtown to help fans get ready for the All-Star Game.
The Aug. 16 schedule continues with a special concert by the traveling cast of Beatlemania at Memorial Field, the home of State College Area High School football. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., and admission is free.
The slate of activities on Monday, Aug. 17, includes the signature event of All-Star Week, the 2009 New York-Penn League All-Star Mountain Bash from 4-9 p.m. at the Tussey Mountain Ski Resort. The Mountain Bash will offer the opportunity to meet and greet all of the All-Star players and coaches, including the chance to meet future Major League Baseball stars. Fans attending the Mountain Bash can also enjoy a fully catered menu of choices, provided by Catering with Style by Dan Rallis, on an all-you-can-eat and drink basis -- and see live musical entertainment on the Main Stage by the Hounds of Soul.
The all-inclusive ticket to the Mountain Bash also includes the chance to see All-Star players and coaches, along with league executives, face off in fun competitions throughout the evening. Tickets to the Mountain Bash are $80 apiece, with limited availability, and can be purchased at the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Box Office, or by calling the Spikes at (877) 99-SPIKES [877-997-7453].
All-Star Week continues on Tuesday, Aug. 18, with a full slate of activities all day long leading up to the All-Star Game. The schedule begins with a clinic for Special Olympics athletes at Spring Creek Park from 10-11 a.m., with All-Star players serving as the instructors. Players, coaches and league executives will then participate in a private Pre-Game Tailgate Luncheon, starting at 12:30 p.m., at the Mount Nittany Club at Beaver Stadium.
The All-Star slate leads up to the 2009 New York-Penn League All-Star Game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Aug. 18, pitting the All-Stars from the NYPL's American League affiliates against those from the National League organizations. Gates will open at 3 p.m., with the American League All-Stars taking infield and batting practice from 3-4:15 p.m. While the American League All-Stars are on the field, the National League All-Stars will be available for autographs on the concourse. The two teams will then switch places, with the National Leaguers on the field for infield and batting practice and the American Leaguers available for autographs from 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Fans will then be able to experience the Celebrity Home Run Derby from 5:45-6:30 p.m., with a star-studded roster of participants joining the NYPL's top sluggers to take their swings. More information on the Celebrity Home Run Derby will be announced at a later date.
The schedule of activities then comes to the centerpiece, the 2009 New York-Penn League All-Star Game. Players and coaches from the American League and National League All-Star clubs will be introduced to the crowd, and the first pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. Fans will also be able to enjoy the antics of Reggy, the Purple Party Dude, and a spectacular All-Star fireworks display.
In addition, the 2009 NYPL All-Star Game will be the first green All-Star Game in Minor League Baseball history, with a host of green initiatives in honor of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park's status as the first LEED-certified ballpark in the United States. The complete list of green activities will be announced at a later date.
For All-Star Game ticket information, please visit the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Box Office, call the Spikes toll-free at (877) 99-SPIKES [877-997-7453], or log on to StateCollegeSpikes.com online.
Complete All-Star week schedule
Sunday, Aug. 16
1-5 p.m.: Downtown State College All-Star Fan Fest on Allen Street
7:30 p.m.: Beatlemania concert at Memorial Field
Monday, Aug. 17
4-9 p.m.: 2009 New York-Penn League All-Star Mountain Bash at Tussey Mountain
Tuesday, Aug. 18
10-11 a.m.: All-Star Player Clinic with Special Olympics athletes at Spring Creek Park
12:30-2:30 p.m.: All-Star Pre-Game Tailgate Luncheon at the Mount Nittany Club at Beaver Stadium (Private event)
3 p.m.: Gates open to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
3-4:15 p.m.: American League infield and batting practice / National League autograph session (3:15-4 p.m.)
4:15-5:30 p.m.: National League infield and batting practice / American League autograph session (4:30-5:15 p.m.)
5:45-6:30 p.m.: Celebrity Home Run Derby
7:15 p.m.: First pitch