QUANTICO, Va. -- Staff Sgt. Bobbi Robinson, NCO in-charge of Personnel Management for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Procurement Fraud and Office of Special Projects, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Md., is headed to the inaugural All-Star Armed Services Classic Tournament Championship as a member of the Air Force National Capital Region co-ed softball team.
The title game, pitting the Air Force in a rematch with the Army, is the first major ballpark event of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week. It will be played at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., July 13, 2018, at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.
“I’m extremely excited, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Robinson said in an interview with MLB.com. “When we got the chance to play on this team and to represent the Air Force we all jumped on it."
Robinson and her 15 active duty teammates advanced to the championship game by posting the best record, 3-1, in the preliminary round-robin tournament against teams from the other four military branches. The Air Force edged the Army, 16-15, then routed the Coast Guard 25-10, June 2, 2018. A 19-17 win over the Marine Corps clinched their spot in the championship before dropping their finale to the Navy June 23, 2018.
“We had a big tryout that was pretty competitive,” Robinson said. “It’s such an honor to be part of that and play for my branch and my organization.”
The title tilt is a free-ticketed event for service members and their loved ones with tickets distributed among the five U.S. military branches and military service organizations throughout the National Capital Region. MLB and the Washington Nationals will invite special government and military dignitaries to attend.
Following the Championship Game, which will stream live on MLB.com, one pre-selected member of each military branch will compete in a special home run hitting contest. The winner will hit alongside the Major Leaguers during their Home Run Derby July 16, 2018.
The All-Star Armed Services Classic is one of several events designed to honor the greater military community in Washington, D.C., during the 2018 Midsummer Classic.
“MLB is awesome. Without their support we wouldn’t have this opportunity to play in a major league stadium,” Robinson said. “Competing against players from the other services means a lot to each of us. We don’t have these opportunities very often because we all deploy.”
Editor's Note: In the rematch, the Air Force defeated the Army, 9-2, to take the Championship.