NATCHEZ — Natchez High School baseball coach Brian Kossum will attempt to harken back to the good old days when former players regularly returned to square off against one another.

The school plans to host a NHS alumni baseball game May 25 at Chester Willis Field, and Kossum said he’s already spoken to approximately 30 players who have shown interest. It would be the first time the school had an alumni baseball game since 2004, he said.

“When a lot of the older guys found out I was coaching (the baseball team), they approached me about it,” Kossum said. “This is something they used to do every year, and we’re asking for anyone who graduated from North Natchez or South Natchez high schools to come out and play.”

Pre-registration is now open, and Kossum said registration will begin at 10 a.m. May 25 before the games start at 11 a.m.

“We’ll play until nobody wants to play anymore,” Kossum said. “Hopefully we’ll have concessions and music playing so it will be a good atmosphere.”

Kossum said the excitement that surrounded the old alumni baseball games is why he wanted to start it back up.

“It was fun just to get out there and play against guys you had always heard of and people you respected,” Kossum recalled.

The event will also help raise money toward taking the high school team to a Mississippi Braves game during the summer, Kossum said.

“One of our goals was to make baseball a part of their life,” Kossum said. “I want the kids to pay attention to how the players carry themselves. We can go up there, have a good time and be a team during the offseason.”

Kossum and his brother, Drew, have already begun throwing to try to loosen their arms, Kossum said. He said they both hope to be in playing shape come May 25.

“You kind of think you can jump back out there and do it, but I know from coaching the past two years that you can’t,” Kossum said.

And at age 30, Kossum said he’s hoping there’s still some youth on his side.

“When we played before, we had guys that were 40-plus coming out there,” he said. “I just hope I won’t be one of the older guys there.”

For more information, call Lee Jackson at 601-493-3004.