Orioles-Waterville will share bright lights of ‘Town Ball Tour’

New Prague’s Orioles and the Waterville Indians will offer their efforts representing area town baseball when TV station Fox 9 brings its town ball tour to Memorial Park tomorrow, Wednesday, June 5.

The behind-the-scenes planning has been in the works for several weeks. Orioles manager Nick Schoenecker received a call from the TV station earlier this spring asking if his team would be interested in the opening round of the station’s seventh annual Town Ball Tour.

Schoenecker called Waterville, a team New Prague had visited previously for its town ball tour, and the details were worked out for a 7:15 p.m. contest in New Prague. A youth game is slated for a 5 p.m. start, Schoenecker said. At the station’s request, the Orioles have helped choreograph a series of interviews of former players around town during the day. The station will be broadcasting from Memorial Park.

The Orioles are hoping for a big crowd willing to support the team’s concession stand Wednesday, June 5, a fundraiser for improvements planned for the 2026 state tournament. Schoenecker said weather is a concern since Tuesday’s New Prague High School section championship game slated for Tuesday, June 4, in Dundas could be moved to Wednesday if rained-out Tuesday.

The TV station’s town ball tour includes seven dates running through July 17. The tour will make a stop at Fredrickson Field in Elko New Market to see the Express play July 3.