Memorial Day tournament fills Jacksonville sports complex all day Saturday

Future Champions Sports Complex at 5 Kelly Street was the center of Jacksonville’s Memorial Day weekend Saturday, with the Memorial Day Rumble Baseball Tournament running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and bringing A/AA teams, parents and spectators into town for a full day of play.

The tournament ran May 22-24 and was listed as unsanctioned, limited to A/AA teams, with a three-game minimum and pool play followed by bracket play. Pool games began Friday evening at about 6:30 p.m., and the schedule was released Tuesday evening before the event. Tim Culbertson was listed as the contact for tournament questions.

The baseball slate mattered beyond the fences. With the sports complex occupied all day, Jacksonville’s holiday weekend also leaned on close-to-home options for residents who wanted to stay in town. The Jacksonville Area Museum at 331 W. College Ave. was open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, giving visitors a chance to see the MacMurray College archive collection on long-term loan while the museum continues major expansion and remodeling work through late 2026.

A few blocks away, The David Strawn Art Gallery was open from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Art Association of Jacksonville says the organization was formed in 1873, and that Dr. David Strawn deeded the home to the association in 1915 for use as an art gallery. The gallery has held continuous exhibits there since then, with displays that change monthly from September through May and admission that remains free.

Taken together, the Saturday schedule showed a holiday weekend built around sports, history and art in one city. For Morgan County families and Jacksonville businesses, that meant a steady stream of activity around the ballfields and a downtown calendar that gave people a reason to remain local through Memorial Day.