The Cape Cod Baseball League
In a time when professional athletes fill huge stadiums, earn even larger paychecks and shuffle from team to team and city to city, fans wonder what has happened to down home, honest-to-goodness baseball. Where the crack of a bat is louder than the roar of the crowd and a family outing won't break the bank.
It's in Chatham.
The Cape Cod Baseball League has been a tradition on Cape Cod for over 40 years, is sanctioned by the NCAA and one of only eight leages in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. Each summer, the best college athletes from across America gather on Cape Cod to hone their skills, delight the crowds and simply play baseball.
But that doesn't mean the baseball is simple. Since the Cape Cod Baseball League attracts the best college athletes, the level of play is on par with the minor leagues. In the 2007 season of Major League Baseball, 200 Cape Cod Baseball League alumni played in the majors.
Boston Red Sox world champions Mike Lowell (Chatham A's '94) and Jason Varitek (Hyannis '91-93) played on Cape Cod fields. The camaraderie felt by fans and players is like a mini Red Sox Nation.
Still, in Chatham, it's all about the Anglers (formerly Chatham A's).
Chatham Anglers and Veterans Field
Beautiful Veterans Field in Chatham is the home park of the Chatham Anglers, and only a few minutes walk from downtown Chatham. Grab a snack and a seat on the bleachers, or climb "The Hill" behind left field for a bird's-eye view. It's Chatham's own Green Monster!
Next to the field as a brand new playground for fans too young to enjoy the game for 9 innings. Rebuilt in 2008, it's all new and was constructed from recycled materials.
The Chatham A's are sponsored by the 400-plus member Chatham Athletic Association, which also supports a wide range of athletic activities in the community.
The Cape League is partially funded by Major League Baseball, and in 1995 there were 105 major leaguers who had competed in the Cape League in previous years. The League season opens in mid-June and concludes in mid-August with playoffs pitting the two top teams in each division.
To play in the Cape League, a prospect must be enrolled in a two or four year institution, and have athletic eligibility remaining. Each player is given the opportunity to work a minimum of 28 hours each week during the league season, and is responsible for his own living expenses. Local families provide rooms in their homes at reasonable cost to players. Local businesses provide jobs for the players. Recruiting among Cape League franchises is highly competitive.
Chatham Anglers Schedule
Games at Chatham start at 7 pm. VIEW SCHEDULE & RESULTS ARCHIVES
The Chatham A's, with the support of the Chatham Rotary Club, sponsor a Baseball Clinic at Veterans Field. It consists of eight (8) one-week periods of weekday sessions.
Summer, the sea and baseball. What's better than that?