The crack of the wood bat returns to the peninsula this Sunday as the Door County Baseball League (DCBL) officially opens its 2026 season on Mother’s Day, continuing a century-old tradition that defines local summer sports.
The opening day schedule for May 10 features four 1:30 p.m. matchups: Institute at Kolberg, Maplewood at West Jacksonport, Egg Harbor at Washington Island, and Sister Bay at Baileys Harbor.
The marquee matchup of the afternoon takes place at McArdle Field in Baileys Harbor, where the home-team Athletics host the Sister Bay Bays in the legendary "Grudge" rivalry, a fierce Northern Door competition that dates back decades. Fans unable to attend can tune in to 105.1 The GOAT, where Bryan Mazur and Adam Collins will provide live play-by-play coverage, presented by NEW Radio Sports Network and Door County Media Group.
Rooted in town-team traditions reaching back to the 1870s, the DCL modern era began in 1951 when Washington Island claimed the first grand championship.
The league today consists of eight teams, the Baileys Harbor A’s, Egg Harbor Indians, Institute Cubs, Kolberg Braves, Maplewood Mets, Sister Bay Bays, Washington Island Islanders, and West Jacksonport Ports.
In recent years, the league has been dominated by Kolberg and Sister Bay. No other team has won either a league championship or a playoff trophy this decade.
Sunday's games mark the start of a 14-game regular season, with the playoffs scheduled to begin in mid-August.
