Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) is a Summer Collegiate Baseball league whose teams are located mainly in small towns on the Cape Cod Peinsula in Massachusetts. Many college baseball stars play there during the summer. Myriad future Major League Baseball players have played here; during the 2004 MLB season, for example, 197 CCBL alumni played in the majors or were on the injured list. The league is also notable for its continuing use of wooden bats. Because it draws top-tier college players, the level of play is often considered the equivalent of high-A Minor League Baseball.
The CCBL Hall of Fame is being housed at Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts through at least 2008.
The Cape Cod League in Popular Culture[edit]
The Cape Cod Baseball League was the setting for the 2001 movie Summer Catch. In 2002, writer Jim Collins followed the Chatham Athletics for the season and wrote The Last Best League about the team and its players. A documentary film, Touching the Game, chronicled the 2003 CCBL season and explored the league's history.
Like all summer collegiate leagues, Cape Cod Baseball League players are unpaid in order to maintain NCAA eligibility. The CCBL is considered the top tier of Summer Collegiate Baseball Leagues. As of opening day 2007, one out of every seven MLB players came out of the Cape Cod Baseball League, although this figure has probably dropped since then as summer collegiate leagues have multiplied.
Cape Cod League Teams[edit]
| East Division | West Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Location | Team | Location | |
| Brewster Whitecaps | Brewster, MA | Bourne Braves | Bourne, MA | |
| Chatham Anglers | Chatham, MA | Cotuit Kettleers | Cotuit, MA | |
| Harwich Mariners | Harwich, MA | Falmouth Commodores | Falmouth, MA | |
| Orleans Firebirds | Orleans, MA | Hyannis Harbor Hawks | Hyannis, MA | |
| Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox | South Yarmouth, MA | Wareham Gatemen | Wareham, MA | |
Former Teams[edit]
- Chatham Athletics (1963-2008)
- Orleans Cardinals (1963-2008)
- Hyannis Mets (1976-2009)
- Sagamore Canalmen
- Yarmouth Indians
- Yarmouth Red Sox
Championship Series[edit]
Further Reading[edit]
- Ted Berg: "Despite its laid-back vibe, the Cape Cod league is serious business for MLB teams and hopefuls", "For the Win!", USA Today Sports, August 16, 2017. [1]
- Michael Clair: "Why is the Cape Cod League so special? The best prospects play in baseball heaven", mlb.com, July 20, 2021. [2]
- Michael Clair: "Celebrating its centennial, Cape Cod Baseball League eyes future", mlb.com, July 27, 2023. [3]
- Humbert Kilanowski: "cWAR: Modifying Wins Above Replacement with the Cape Cod Baseball League", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 49, Nr. 1 (Spring 2020), pp. 99-105."
- Matt Monagan: "The joy of being a Cape League host family: Late-night ping pong, pounds of deli meat and friendships that last forever", mlb.com, August 3, 2021. [4]
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