The 2003 Coastal Plain League All-Star Game was hosted by the Gastonia Grizlies at Buddy Lewis Field at Sims Legion Park in Gastonia, North Carolina. There were two teams, the North CPL All-Stars (dressed in blue and gray) and the South CPL All-Stars (dressed in red and white). Each team featured a roster with 23 All-Star players.
The teams were split into two sides, the North and the South. The North team was comprised of players from Durham, Edenton, Outer Banks, Peninsula, Petersburg, and Wilson. Meanwhile, the South team featured players from Asheboro, Fayetteville, Florence, Gastonia, Spartanburg, Thomasville, and Wilmington. Head coaches and media representatives from the clubs that made up each All-Star team voted on the All-Star players. Then, votes were tallied and the top players, by position, were selected to be All-Stars. Each team featured two players at every position, plus seven pitchers.
The City of Gastonia held a special ceremony prior to the All-Star Game, where they named the baseball field at Sims Legion Park in honor of Mr. John K. (Buddy) Lewis, Jr. Lewis played American Legion Baseball for Legion Post 23 from 1929-1933. He was named to the North Carolina American Legion Baseball All-Star team twice and was a member of the 1933 State Championship team. In 1967 he was elected to the American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame. Lewis went on to play professional baseball for 14 years in the Washington Senators organization, where he was named to the All-Star team twice. In 1947 he started in the outfield for the American League All-Star team alongside Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. His career major league statistics include a .297 batting average, 1563 hits, 71 home runs and 607 RBIs.