JOLIET — Baseball is returning to one of Joliet’s most iconic landmarks for the first time in more than two decades.
The Joliet Slammers have announced that tickets are currently available following their March 11 release for “The Big House Ballgame,” a one-of-a-kind Frontier League exhibition set to take place April 30, 2026, inside the Old Joliet Prison. The event is part of the city’s official Route 66 Centennial kickoff celebration.
Set against the limestone walls and guard towers of the historic prison at 1125 Collins St., the game will feature the Slammers facing the Gateway Grizzlies of St. Louis in a setting unlike any other in professional baseball.
Night Train Veeck, owner of the Joliet Slammers says,
“This is something truly special for Joliet, The response to ‘The Big House Ballgame’ has been unlike anything we could have imagined – we’ve already received more than 25,000 ticket requests. People want to be part of something historic.”
The event marks the revival of a long-standing but little-known tradition. Organized baseball was first introduced inside the prison in 1914 by Warden Edmund Allen as a way to boost morale and encourage good behavior among inmates. The games continued for nearly a century before the prison closed in 2002, leaving behind a unique chapter in Joliet’s cultural history.
Now, more than 20 years later, baseball is returning to the prison yard.
Due to the constraints of building a temporary stadium within the prison walls, capacity for the event is limited. Fans who secured early access were given the first opportunity to purchase tickets when sales opened March 11, followed by general public availability later that day.
Three ticket options are available for attendees:
General Admission Yard tickets, priced at $15, provide access to the prison grounds and a large videoboard for viewing the game. Fans in this section are encouraged to bring their own seating. Bleacher seating, available for $38, offers assigned seats along the first baseline and in the outfield with direct views of the field. VIP tickets, priced at $100, include access to an exclusive viewing area along with all-inclusive food and beverage options and a commemorative credential.
In addition to the game, the event will feature a lineup of live entertainment, including performances by Chicago blues singer Billie Branch and Joliet native Sheryl Youngblood, along with other acts scheduled before and after the game.
A limited number of pre-sale tickets were also made available to Joliet Slammers full season ticket holders and members of the Joliet Area Historical Museum, further tying the event to the city’s local community and historical institutions.
As part of the Route 66 Centennial celebration, “The Big House Ballgame” is expected to draw attention from across the region, blending sports, history and entertainment into a single experience.
With demand already exceeding expectations and space at a premium, the event is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated local attractions of 2026.
