The Pensacola Blue Wahoos made the announcement that Blue Wahoos Stadium was hosting the 2017 Southern League All-Star Game from a most unique locale: team co-owner Bubba Watson broke the news from the Summer Olympics in Rio.
“As co-owner of the Blue Wahoos, I am pleased to announce the Southern League has picked Pensacola to host the All-Star game next year,” said to the entire Blue Wahoos Stadium. “(We) cannot wait to have all the fans from around the league show up and see our great fan experience and enjoy Pensacola hospitality.”
The announcement of this special event took place during Saturday’s game. Believed to be the first time in history an Olympian from the Olympic Games took time to announce the site of an all-star game, Watson made the announcement between rounds from Rio.
Voted the best Double-A ballpark by Ballpark Digest readers, Blue Wahoos Stadium will host the Southern League’s premier event of the year. Top prospects and players will descend upon Pensacola along with team executives, scouts and media from around the nation. Specific events surrounding the festivity will be announced at a later date.
“The Southern League is proud to announce its All-Star Game’s first appearance in Pensacola in 2017,” said Southern League President Lori Webb. “The Blue Wahoos ownership and staff will showcase our All-Stars in an exciting game, plus offer many other fun events that will delight all our great fans.”
The Southern League All-Star game is the highlight to the league’s three-day all-star break. All-Star game festivities will be on Monday, June 19 and Tuesday, June 20.
This marks the first professional all-star game in the city of Pensacola in 55 years. The last professional all-star game in Pensacola was the summer of 1962 when the Pensacola Senators, an affiliation of the Washington Senators, hosted the Alabama-Florida League All-Star Game at Admiral Mason Ballpark.