Nothing says summertime in the USA more than “Play Ball.” And that’s exactly what hundreds of top college baseball players come to the Cape to do every summer.
Players began arriving last week, and on opening day last Friday, the parking lots and the stands were filled with people eager to see the pros of tomorrow. In fact, 1 in 6 Major League Baseball players are Cape League veterans. And, in the first round of this year’s pro draft, 17 out of the 34 players selected were Cape Cod League alumni.
Jason DiNicola is a long-time fan of the league. He said it’s thrilling to watch the players transition from college to the pros.
“Especially to see the players play here, then you see their names in the draft,” he said. “It’s definitely really cool to see them.”
Chuck Sturtevant is both a fan and a volunteer. He’s been helping out with the league for 30 years. This year, he’s got the biggest job. He’s the new league president, which means his primary responsibility is to keep the league strong and solvent.
“We’re a 2.5 million dollar business every year. We had to restructure our bylaws to help fit the actual way we have to do things now, and it just will make it easier to function going forward.”
The Cape League gets $100,000 dollars from Major League Baseball, but the rest of the money comes from sponsors and boosters. Every year, each team – and there are 10 of them – look to the locals to step up and help.
Mike Carrier is deputy commissioner of the league and general manager of the Bourne Braves. He credits volunteers for opening up their homes, their businesses and even their personal schedules to the League and its players.
“They’re everything. It’s a cliché,” he said, “but the league could not run without the volunteers. Period. It’s everything for this league.”
Molly Ahern is one of those vital volunteers. She opens her home to players as a host family. For the players, that means they have a nice Cape Cod house to stay in. For the host family, there’s a college athlete around to get to know, and, in many cases, by the end of the summer he feels like part of the family.
“The CCBL and the games and the teams really just bring the community together,” she said. “Everyone just comes together, and it’s a really great sight to see.”
Meanwhile, the players themselves become something of local celebrities. And to show their appreciation, Carrier said the players invest themselves in the community, as the community does in them.
“We have raffles, giveaways, autograph nights - so there’s always that connection,” Carrier said. “Our players go out to the community and do reading and clinics, like all the other teams do.”
And there are some new activities this year. For example, the league is hosting a Father’s Day event Sunday, complete with a pie-eating contest in Cotuit. And on Saturday, the Wareham Gatemen players will hop a train from the town depot to take them to their game in Hyannis against the Harbor Hawks.
“They’re gonna pick up people to ride the train as well, so they’ll be able to ride with the players and sign autographs and so on,” said Sturtevant
Even if you already have Father’s Day plans there’s still no need to miss a game. Fans can catch every game from home. Each league game is broadcasted live on the internet from the home team’s website. There’s also a deal with FOX College Sports, in which they’ll broadcast 2 games on their network each week starting in July.
WCAI will be live broadcasting the All Star Game right here on July 23rd.
