Major League Baseball today announced the "All-Star Armed Services Classic presented by T-Mobile," a new championship tournament that will feature co-ed softball teams from each of the five United States Military Branches -- U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Coast Guard -- competing for the opportunity to play at Nationals Park during MLB All-Star Week in Washington, D.C. in July. The teams, each of which is comprised of 16 active duty members from each respective branch, will initially compete in preliminary rounds (round-robin style) at Randall Park on Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday, June 3rd to determine the final two teams. The Championship Game, which will stream LIVE on MLB.com, will be played at Nationals Park on Friday, July 13th and is the first major ballpark event of All-Star Week.
Below is the tentative game schedule (weather pending) and location for the round-robin, preliminary rounds. The two teams with the best records following the completion of the preliminary rounds will advance to the Championship Game of the All-Star Armed Services Classic presented by T-Mobile at Nationals Park:
Saturday, June 2
10:00 a.m. -- Army vs. Navy
11:30 a.m. -- Coast Guard vs. Marine Corps
1:00 p.m. -- Army vs. Air Force
2:30 p.m. -- Navy vs. Marine Corps
4:00 p.m. -- Coast Guard vs. Air Force
Sunday, June 3
10:00 a.m. -- Army vs. Marine Corps
11:30 a.m. -- Navy vs. Coast Guard
1:00 p.m. -- Marine Corps vs. Air Force
2:30 p.m. -- Army vs. Coast Guard
4:00 p.m. -- Navy vs. Air Force
Location & Field Information: Randall Park, 555-, 599 S Capitol St SW, Washington, DC 20003
The Championship Game of the All-Star Armed Services Classic presented by T-Mobile will be a free-ticketed event for service members and their loved ones, with tickets distributed among the five U.S. military branches as well as military service organizations throughout the region. Additionally, MLB and the Nationals will invite special government and military dignitaries to attend the Championship Game in July. The Championship Game of the All-Star Armed Services Classic presented by T-Mobile will be open to the public. More information regarding ticketing and access will be announced at a later date.
Following the Championship Game, one pre-selected member of each military branch will compete in a special Home Run contest at Nationals Park. T-Mobile will make a charitable contribution to nonprofits dedicated to helping members of each service. The winner of the contest will step up to home plate during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday, July 16th at Nationals Park for the opportunity to hit a home run alongside the Major Leaguers.
All tournament rules have been determined by, and will be enforced by, USA Softball, the governing body of softball in the United States. Field dimensions for the Championship Game at Nationals Park will differ from the preliminary rounds in order to maintain field integrity leading into the All-Star ballpark events in July, including the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and Legends & Celebrity Softball Game (Sunday, July 15th), T-Mobile Home Run Derby (Monday, July 16th), and the MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard (Tuesday, July 17th).
The All-Star Armed Services Classic presented by T-Mobile will be one of several occasions that Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals will honor the greater military community in Washington D.C. during the 2018 Midsummer Classic this July. Previously, MLB and the Washington Nationals announced the 2018 All-Star Legacy initiative, which will include a renovation project for the USO-Metro Depot at Fort Belvoir. Additional military-inspired support and activities will be announced as All-Star Week approaches.