Chilton County baseball’s home opener on Saturday will feature a tribute to the school’s 1973 state championship team, Mayor Billy Joe Driver throwing out the first pitch, an improved Jack Hayes Field and fireworks.

Oh, and the Tigers will play Northridge and county rival Jemison.

“We just wanted to kind of have a big day, get everybody excited about baseball,” CCHS coach Josey Shannon said.

Considering the festivities planned, Shannon’s goal will likely be met.

Members of the ‘73 team, which brought home the school’s only state championship, will be recognized at 4 p.m., before the CCHS-Jemison game, the last one of the day.

CCHS will play Northridge at 11 a.m., and Jemison and Northridge will square off at 1:30 p.m.

Driver will throw out the first pitch of the last game, and there will be fireworks following the last pitch.

Fans can also check out the improvements to Jack Hayes Field.

The ballpark this season will sport a new concrete backstop with padding, a new outfield fence, a new scoreboard, a new bullpen area down the right field line and several landscaping touch-ups.

“It’ll be a pleasant surprise when people see it, I imagine,” Shannon said.

Most importantly, Shannon said he thinks it is important the program recognize the team that set the benchmark.

“That’s the biggest tradition we have—that’s what we have to build off of,” he said.