NASHUA – Think it’s easy to put on a Futures Collegiate League All-Star Game?

Guess again.

The Nashua Silver Knights will be hosting their third FCBL All-Star Game next Tuesday, July 21, with a Home Run Derby starting around 4:30 p.m. and the game to follow.

“It’s a showcase event for us for the summer,” Silver Knights owner John Creedon, Jr. said. “That’s the way we’re approaching it. Putting a little extra effort, emphasis, resources and ‘oomf’ into it, to make it extra special, extra memorable, and make sure that everybody that walks away on Tuesday for the All-Star Game, from the fans, to the players, to the Futures League staff, that’ they’re going to remember it.”

With that in mind, the team and the city put together a Host Committee headed by key sponsor Joe Bellavance of Bellavance Beverages that also includes city officials and community leaders.

City/community involvement was a must.

“People within the city that probably have strengths in our blind spots,” Cook said. “I’ve seen a lot of different things at Holman Stadium, but as lont as I’ve been here, my history does only begin here in 2016, and there’a a whole lot of baseball and events that took place here before that.

“And it’s helpful to know we’re doing everything properly, and have all the resources we need.”

For Cook, who was a player with the Silver Knights in 2016-17, and joined the team’s front office in 2019, this is a first.

“I’ve never been part of an All-Star Game here,” he said, noting he played in the 2017 FCBL All-Star Game held in Bristol, Conn. That franchise is still there but now part of the NECBL. The second game Nashua hosted in 2018 was the one year he wasn’t with the team.

“It’s awesome,” Cook said of the opportunity to host it. “It’s fun to kind of put your own spin on things and make it your own, and I think we’ve done a good job of that.”

Special guests include former Nashua Pride manager Butch Hobson and his former Red Sox teammate, Bill “Spaceman” Lee. Lee was a suggestion directly from the Host Committee. Also, Bill Ranauro, author of the recent book on Nashua and the 1946 Dodgers “The Chosen City” will be on hand.

Monkey Boy will perform. There will also be a Beer Garden in left field with samples from several different breweries in the left field picnic area, during much of the Home Run Derby from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

But perhaps the main attraction may be , Jonny Gomes, a key member of the 2013 Red Sox World Series Championship team, who will compete in the Home Run Derby.

The team did a test setup of the Home Run Derby during the annual Silver Knights Kids Camp last week. The setup as of this writing will be outs (no clock or attempts number), and with the TrackMan technology measuring, if someone hits a ball 400 feet, they’ll get an 11th out. There will be rounds, and Gomes will compete in the final round with the top two competitors.

Meanwhile, the workload is incredible in putting everything together.

“It’s a lot,” Cook said. “It’s a juggling act for sure. We get the bid, and you go full tilt with the big items – nailing down Gomes, etc. What’s the logo going to be, what will the teams be named, then the hectic season starts. So each week you chip away a little bit, and then two weeks before the All-Star Game we have summer camp, summer camp, seven or eight home games in that stretch. A brutal, brutal lead-in …”

Detail are down to “goody bags” for the players, the jerseys they’re going to be wearing, the merchandise stand, etc.

“And then you think, oh yeah, we’re gong to need the rosters of who’s on the team,” Cook said. “It sure doesn’t just happen.”

Speaking of which, those were not released by press time, expected to be made public later this week.

Creedon admitted there’s a little “competitive spirit” between the FCBL teams to put on a show that’s equal or could surpass what’s been done in other cities. Last year’s event was in Worcester, with the Home Run Derby held at the Bravehearts home of Holy Cross’ Fitton Field, but the game itself was played the next night at Polar Park, the home of the Worcester Red Sox, Boston’s Triple A affiliate.

“We keep trying to one-up each other in that regard,” Creedon said with a smile.

Creedon oversaw one other FCBL All-Star Game, that in 2016 when he owned the Bravehearts.

“That was a lot of fun,” he said. “It was a packed house.”

The key ingredients, he said are this:

“You just make sure all the pregame ceremonies are hitting the right notes, kind of an expanded pre-game ceremony, there’s the Home Run Derby element to all this …”

The luxury suites at Holman are all sold out for the game, Creedon said, noting “We’re oversold on suites already, there should be a wonderful crowd.”

Cook said the benefit was he’s been able to go to all the ones since 2019 – there was no game in 2020 due to COVID, although there was a truncated season. “Pittsfield, Bristol, Worcester, two in New Britain; Norwich, Vermont,” Cook said. “We’ve seen so many of them. Everyone did a really good job.”

Cook said they’ve all had special guests but the idea of having one involved as Gomes will be in the Derby is a nice twist.

“Yes he’ll sign autographs, etc., but I’m genuinely interested to see how many home runs Jonny Gomes will hit at 45 years old, whatever,” Cook said. “And then the game is actually the easiest part. Forty talented baseball players playing against each other. At that point … it’s usual, to a certain extent.”

The teams as of this writing will be players from Vermont, Nashua and Westfield against players from Lowell, Worcester, New Britain and Norwich.

Creedon says it’s special that the Silver Knights get to host their third All-Star Game. They hosted the FCBL’s first-ever All-Star Game in first under the Drew Weber ownership back in late July of 2012. Nashua’s next one was in mid-July of 2018, in conjuction with the celebration of Holman’s 80th birthday.

“It’s very special,” Creedon said. “It’s an honor for us to be able to do this and we want to show some appreciation for that to everybody in the league. We want to make sure we’re making the league proud as well as making ourselves proud and the community of Nashua proud.”

Creedon noted that there will be fans coming from all over New England for the game, as the league has teams in Massachusetts and Connecticut, plus college coaches and pro scouts, all looking for talent.

“The way Cam and I are approaching it is we’re just the stewards of the event,” Creedon said. “It’s really Nashua’s event.

“There’s going to be a lot of focus and attention on it, so we want to nail it.”

“It’s going to be a really good show,” Cook said.

(Graphic of Tuesday’s FCBL All-Star Game activities at Historic Holman Stadium courtesy of Nashua Silver Knights)