First Pitch of Summer

Want to see more than 1,000 people "pitch" a baseball three miles across Cleveland? Same here.

An Historic Summer in CLE

So, plan to kick off a rather historic summer of baseball in Cleveland by celebrating the city’s baseball heritage with the community during the First Pitch of Summer, presented by Progressive and KeyBank.

This free event is open to the community and features a festival with music, roaming entertainment, baseball-themed games, vendors, food trucks, health resources, tours of the Baseball Heritage museum and autograph sessions with Indians legends.

Watch a Three-Mile Pitch

The main event will see 1,000 community members “pitching” a baseball from historic League Park to modern Progressive Field, traveling approximately three miles, tossed from one person to the next, to its final destination where it will be used in the ceremonial first pitch when the Cleveland Indians take on the New York Yankees, June 8 at 4:10 p.m.

All along the pitch route, “Bases” will be set up with refreshments, viewing opportunities, event staff, restrooms, entertainment and parking. These pitch relay waypoints will be located at:

• Home Base: League Park (6601 Lexington Ave.)
• First Base: 3rd District Cleveland Police Station (4501 Chester Ave.)
• Second Base: Jakprints (3133 Chester Ave.)
• Third Base: Cleveland State University, Wolstein Center (Corner of E. 21st Street and Prospect Ave.)

Those who wish to participate in this historic Cleveland baseball moment can register here, and will receive an event t-shirt, access to the kickoff festival at League Park and two tickets to a September Cleveland Indians home game. This is a rain or shine event and will only be cancelled in the case of severe weather.