The National Baseball Poetry Festival Is Now Open For Submissions

January 21, 2025 - If one's pitching arm needs a rest and is feeling sore, one can take up the pen instead and enter The National Baseball Poetry Festival which is now accepting poetry submissions about America's favorite pastime for the 2025 festival which takes place at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts from May 02nd through May 04th. Polar Park is the home of the Worcester Red Sox, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. And the National Baseball Poetry Festival is a celebration of poetry on the theme of baseball and/or softball.

The National Baseball Poetry Festival has two main categories, the category for students in grades 4 through 12 and Little Leaguers, and the category for college students and adults eighteen years of age or older. For students in grades 4 through 12, the theme this year is baseball and "poetry of the game". The deadline to submit poems for consideration in The National Baseball Poetry Festival is noon on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025. Submissions are rather easy as entrants can submit their poem not exceeding 200 words specifically in the body of an e-mail to baseballpoetryfest@gmail.com. And they must include the poet's name, school, grade, e-mail (if applicable), and the guardian's name and e-mail address. The winners in the school aged category will be notified via e-mail by Friday, April 25th, 2025. 20 winners from each category of elementary school, middle school, and high school aged students, and Little Leaguers will be selected.

For the college/university students and adults eighteen years or older category, the deadline for entries is at noon on Friday, March 28th, 2025. Aspiring poets can submit one poem in Word format which should fit on a single page to the e-mail address of baseballpoetrycontest@gmail.com. The e-mail must also include the poet's name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and category of either Adult or a college/university student. Up to 20 winners will be chosen in each category of either college student or adult and will be published on baseballbard.com. The winners in this category will be notified by Friday, April 11th, 2025 via e-mail.

Baseball and/or softball poems can cover a wide variety of topics such as anything from opening day, uniforms, dugout chatter, first pitch, cracker jack, childhood memories, the playing season, to athletic heroes. Indeed, Alabama has produced a number of famous professional baseball players ranging from Hank Aaron to Frank Lary. And a full list major league baseball players who hail from Alabama can be obtained here: Major League Baseball Players Born in Alabama https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/birthplace.php?loc=Alabama

For those seeking more information about the National Baseball Poetry Festival they can obtain it here: Baseball Poetry Contests - National Baseball Poetry Festival https://baseballpoetryfest.org/baseball-poetry-contests/

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.