Most summertime all-star games featuring graduated high school players in Pennsylvania involve helmets, shoulder pads and goal posts - namely, the Big 33 and East-West games.

This year, a new all-star game has nothing to do with touchdowns or field goals.

The first District 10 vs. District 7 (WPIAL) baseball game will be played Saturday at Jerry Uht Park in Erie, with the first pitch set at 7 p.m.

Brian Fuller, the junior varsity coach at Erie McDowell, will help guide the District 10 team along with Pat Forese of Grove City and Tim McQueeney of Harbor Creek. The District 7 coaches are McKeesport's Tom McCarthy, Bethel Park's Jim Rider and Western Beaver's Dan Mayer.

"It seems like spring sports are always overlooked," Fuller said. "We're trying to change that some with this game."

Unlike American Legion all-star games, which effectively serve as tryouts for college coaches and professional scouts, the District 7-District 10 game will last nine innings. A liberal substitution policy assures all players get to play.

No restriction has been placed on pitchers, but Fuller can't see a player throwing more than three or four innings.

A home run hitting contest with players from each team participating will be held before the game.

"We think this is just a natural for the area and the Erie SeaWolves have helped sponsor the game," Fuller said of Erie's Double-A team. "It will nice for the players whose teams didn't make it to a district title game to get a chance to play in a minor league park."

Fuller is an officer in the Pennsylvania High School Baseball Coaches Association and hopes the District 10 vs. District 7 game will lead more such contests.

"We'd like to see an East-West all-star game for the high school baseball players similar to what they do in football," he said. "You could play it one year at the home of the Phillies and one year at PNC Park, or meet somewhere in between."

Organizers hope to make the District 10-District 7 game an annual affair.