In football, we have the Montana East-West Shrine Game to celebrate the best of the best in the Treasure State

This summer, we will have the Montana All-Star Baseball Classic to do the same for the finest players on the Montana diamonds. The state-wide high school baseball game will be played on Miners Field at 3 Legends Stadium in Butte on Saturday, Aug. 16.

Brandon Scown is the president of Northwest Little League in Butte. He worked with several Shriners to start the All-Star game, which will rotate through the three Montana cities with Shrine temples — Butte, Great Falls and Billings — like the Shrine football game.

“I’m excited about it,” Scown said. “I think it will gain momentum and be a pretty cool thing. Baseball, I think, deserves it. It’s nice to have high school ball, and I think we have to celebrate it.”

The game is not associated with the Shriners yet, but Scown said the plan is for it to be in the future. Proceeds from the game will go to the children’s hospital in Spokane.

Players will arrive in town on Aug. 14, and the teams will practice twice on Aug. 15. A banquet will be held later that night.

Details for the game are still in the works as high school baseball grows in Montana. Scown said he is not sure if the game will pit the East vs. the West, but he said eventually that will be the goal.

Each team will roster 25 players, all graduating seniors. Scown said he is working to have college coaching staffs coach each team.

High school coaches will nominate players, and the rosters will be set by the selection committee. The teams for the inaugural game will be announced after the high school baseball season is completed.

“The high school coaches are super excited about it,” Scown said.