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Everett To Play In Midnight Sun Game

Today the Everett Merchants announced that they will be making their third trip to Alaska to take on the Alaska Goldpanners and will play in the 116th annual Midnight Sun Game in 2021. They were schedule to participate in the 2020 game but due to COVID-19, the season was cancelled. 

In total, the Merchants will play 6 games in Alaska from June 20-25th.  With the Midnight Sun Game taking place on the 21st. 

The Midnight Sun Game is one of the most iconic events in all of baseball. Baseball America has declared the game one of the “10 Must-See Baseball where as ESPN The Magazine called the event the “#8 Ultimate Baseball Experience Events.

The game is played every summer solstice at historic Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks, Alaska. Because the sun is out for almost 24 hours a day, the game starts at about 10:30 at night and completes around 1:30 the next morning. However, because Fairbanks’s summer time zone differs by about an hour from local solar time, coupled with the state’s observance of daylight saving time, the game may not actually last until solar midnight, at about 1:53.

Famous players who have appeared in the game include Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Barry Bonds, Bob Boone, Brett Boone, Terry Francona, Harold Reynolds, Jason Giambi, and Bill “Spaceman” Lee.

The first game was in 1906. Artificial light has never been used. The sun does dip below the horizon for about an hour. Since 1960, the game has been hosted by the Alaska Baseball League’s Fairbanks-based Alaska Goldpanners.

“This is one of the most iconic events in amateur baseball, and a tremendous opportunity to participate in the game.  It’s something that our players and coaching staff will never forget,” said Merchants coach Mike MacCulloch.

The Merchants previously played in the MidNight sun game back in 2012 falling 7-5 to the Panners.

Team travel dates have yet to be announced.

For information about when tickets for the event will go on sale, please contact the Goldpanners at 907-451-0095 or visit thier websitehttp://goldpanners.pointstreaksites.com/view/goldpanners