A new partnership will be formed between Labatt Memorial Park, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Beachville District Museum to promote Southwestern Ontario as a destination for baseball heritage.
LONDON, March 16, 2021 – Beginning this summer, Labatt Memorial Park, home of the London Majors and the world’s oldest baseball diamond, will be offering exclusive behind the scenes public tours of this legendary facility. With a history dating back to 1877, Labatt Memorial Park has played an important role on the growth and development of baseball in Canada, and now thanks to support from the Government of Ontario, Tourism London and the City of London, guests will have the opportunity to get behind the scenes, see artifacts and hear firsthand about some of the famous teams and players that have come through this facility, including Satchel Paige, Ty Cobb, Fergie Jenkins, Jesse Owens, Deion Sanders and many more.
Along with Labatt Memorial Park, Southwestern Ontario is home to a number of important baseball sites including the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Marys, ON and the Beachville District Museum, home to one of the first ever recorded baseball games, located just outside of Woodstock, ON. Together with these organizations, the “Southwestern Ontario Baseball Heritage Pass” will be formed, marketing the region as a destination for baseball heritage. This partnership will include a dedicated website, itineraries, travel booking and one ticket into all three attractions, encouraging guests to visit each location and explore the entire Southwestern Ontario region.
“Many people aren’t aware of the incredible history of Labatt Memorial Park, and we look forward to sharing these stories with Londoners and many others. We believe this has the opportunity to become another key attraction for the city by providing a unique, memorable and educational experience. The collaboration with the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the Beachville District Museum to create a regional baseball heritage pass will provide additional tourism opportunities that will benefit each location while also strengthening the entire region.”
Zanth Jarvis – Director - Sport Tourism, Tourism London
“Labatt Memorial Park is a gem in our city and we’re thrilled to be able to begin offering tours to showcase its incredible history. With our recently announced investment, as well as this additional programming, we’re excited for the future of Labatt Memorial Park and we look forward to continually welcoming guests for years to come.
Jon-Paul McGonigal – Division Manager – Culture, Special Events and Sport Services, City of London
For more information on both tours, please visit www.labattparktours.com.
Media Contact:
Zanth Jarvis, Director - Sport Tourism, Tourism London
226.984.8640 | zjarvis@londontourism.ca
About Tourism London
Tourism London, the city’s destination marketing organization since 1996, collaborates to create and promote innovative experiences that make for lasting and unforgettable memories. Working with local and regional partners, Tourism London facilitates the development and marketing of London’s tourism and hospitality industry and economic well-being.
About the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Marys, Ontario exists to honour, preserve and promote Canada's baseball traditions so that Canadians and visitors to Canada value baseball and benefit from our contributions to community and economic development, education and healthy lifestyles. The 32-acre site contains four premier ballfields, a 3500 sq ft newly renovated museum and walking trails. For tickets or more information, please visit http://baseballhalloffame.ca/.
About the Beachville District Museum
Established in 1992, The Beachville District Museum (BDM) is home to a vast selection of historical artifacts from Beachville and the surrounding region. Beachville hosted the first recorded baseball game in North America and here you can see some of that plaques and artifacts that designates this momentous sports event. For more information, please visit https://beachvilledistrictmuseum.com/.
