Macon Bacon set to host Coastal Plain League All-Star Weekend at Historic Luther Williams Field
The Coastal Plain League All-Star Weekend starts Sunday with a fan fest and home run derby, followed by Monday’s game at Luther Williams Field.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For the first time in franchise history, the Macon Bacon are hosting the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game at historic Luther Williams Field, their home for the past eight seasons.
As festivities start this weekend, team president and owner Brandon Raphael shared what the event means for the organization and the city.
“We’ve been asked by the league to have the All-Star Game before, and the answer was always, ‘Not this year,'” Raphael said. “But with the new ownership coming in, and we were like, ‘Absolutely.’ What better time frame than to have it right now.”
Raphael said the All-Star weekend offers a unique opportunity not only to showcase the city of Macon, but also the Bacon organization and its vibrant game-day atmosphere.
“I think it’s an honor, to be honest with you,” Raphael said. “When you think about having the opportunity to host the All-Star Game at any level in any league, it’s really a cool experience. So our fans are gonna be able to see what we normally do, but we’re gonna have a lot of people coming here from out of town to see the ballpark and see what the Macon Bacon do.”
The weekend will be packed with events, both for fans and players. Raphael detailed the schedule, which begins on Sunday with a private Fan Fest for players to be evaluated by scouts. The public portion starts at 6 p.m. with player autograph sessions, a skills competition and a home run derby.
“All kinds of fun things, and we’ll have some entertainment going on as well,” Raphael said. “Forwarding obviously to Monday, the All-Star Game itself. It’s gonna look like a regular game day. Gates are gonna open at six. We have an All-Star Game, all the cool things happening, capped off by awesome fireworks at the end.”
Beyond the fun, Raphael says the event is important for players chasing their baseball dreams.
“It’s really for the guys,” he said. “They’re doing this to not just come down and have an All-Star Game and relax. They are getting an opportunity to sit in front of 25 or 30 scouts and showcase what they actually can do. Now that is something special for them.”
Raphael also spoke about the broader impact of the game on the city.
“They’re gonna be not just coming to the ballpark, but they’re gonna be eating at our restaurants,” he said. “They’re gonna be visiting our tourist attractions, and they’re gonna stay in our hotels, and that helps everybody.”
With two Bacon players, pitcher Kai Decker and first baseman Billy Ham, being named to the Western Division All-Star team, Raphael said the experience would be especially meaningful for those local athletes.
“You got some of these guys that either played high school ball here or are playing college ball here, and to invite their family and friends out to come to an All-Star Game, outside of winning a championship, that’s the next thing to do,” he said.
Left-handed pitcher Andrew Elkhill from Cummins was selected to the All-Star team last season.
“Man, it’s such an honor,” Elkhill said. “Just the amount of talent that we have and the amount of good dudes that you play with and against, it truly is a blessing to have your name called to be an All-Star and be able to participate in that game, and to do it for Macon, I think, is big too. I’m a Georgia kid, so I think it’s pretty cool.”
Festivities for the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Sunday and continue through Monday night at Luther Williams Field.
