Misplaced Pages

#618381

127-667: The Wareham Gatemen are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Wareham, Massachusetts . The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Gatemen play their home games at Clem Spillane Field in Wareham. The Gatemen most recently won the CCBL championship in 2018 when they defeated the Chatham Anglers two games to none to win

254-435: A .395 batting average and set a modern-era league record with 64 hits. The team also featured the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect in ace hurler Brian Denman, second baseman and future major leaguer Gary Redus , and slugger Joe Rietano, who crushed 14 homers on the season. The Kettleers faced Wareham in the playoff semi-finals, and took Game 1, 11–8, getting two homers by Bender and a three-run shot by Redus. Cotuit completed

381-529: A 13-year streak that remains the league record. During the streak, Wareham reached the championship series seven times, winning four times, including back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. In 1990, the Gatemen reached the CCBL finals, but were ousted by the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox . Wareham was led by the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect, Doug Glanville , and CCBL Hall of Famer Mark Smith , who led

508-548: A 15–11 win in Game 2, knocking Y-D for 24 hits in a slugfest that featured three homers by Y-D's league MVP Steve Balboni . The Red Sox battled back to even the series, however, taking Game 3, 10–1, and Game 4, 5–4. In the decisive Game 5 at Lowell Park, the Kettleers found themselves down 3–0 in the third, but starter Kevin Waldrop allowed just two more Y-D hits over the final six innings, and

635-545: A 9–7 win. In Game 4 at Lowell Park, the Kettleers again took an early lead, up 6–0 after three, on their way to an 8–1 win that secured the team's 10th league title. Innis returned for the 1982 season, and was all-league once again, posting a 1.96 ERA with 54 strikeouts. He was joined by CCBL Hall of Famer Terry Steinbach , who led the league with a stunning .431 batting average and was named league MVP. The 1983 Kettleers featured another pair of CCBL Hall of Famers. Outfielder Greg Lotzar practically duplicated Steinbach's feat of

762-417: A July 4 doubleheader against Falmouth in 1904, and repeated the feat in 1905, sweeping Falmouth in another holiday twin bill. It was reported of Cotuit's 1905 team that, "the people of the village and the summer guests in town are well pleased with the various games played here this season," and that team manager David Goodspeed "has been able to give to the public an interesting series of games." In 1923,

889-628: A burly slugger who led the league with a .432 batting average and 12 homers, and was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not! for his feat that season of belting two grand slams in a single inning. Cotuit finished atop the Upper Cape Division standings for the 1949 season's second half, but was downed by first half champ Falmouth in the Upper Cape finals. The Kettleers reached the Upper Cape playoff finals again in 1950, 1951 and 1954, but in each season

1016-614: A complete game in Cotuit's 7–1 victory. Atkins was named playoff MVP of the Kettleers' 14th championship campaign. Garrett Quinn piloted the Kettleers to a first-place finish atop the West Division in 2002, as Cotuit set a new Cape League record by winning its first 13 games of the season, a streak which included a combined no-hitter against Chatham at Lowell Park by Kettleer moundsmen Joe Little, Jarred Stuart, Kevin Ool, and Josh Banks . The club

1143-419: A homer in the decisive Game 3 victory. The win sent Wareham to the Upper Cape finals against the heavily favored Cotuit Kettleers . Led by the hitting of brothers Bruce and Glenn Reed, Wareham routed Cotuit, 14–2, in Game 1 at Lowell Park , then with Bruce on the mound at home in Game 2, Wareham completed the sweep with a 3–0 shutout of the Kettleers. The win was Wareham's only Upper Cape Division championship of

1270-409: A key RBI to propel the Gatemen to victory and even the series. The Gatemen sent Sprowl to the mound for Game 3 and came away with a 4–3 victory, but could only manage three hits in Game 4 as Chatham shut out the Gatemen, 5–0, to knot the series again. Wareham took the exciting back-and-forth Game 5, with Sprowl coming on in relief on short rest to close out the A's and secure Wareham's first CCBL title of

1397-432: A knowledgeable and universally respected figure was needed to unify the newly reorganized Cape League, Silva was chosen and served as the first commissioner of the league's modern era, a position he held from 1962 to 1968. Silva's 1927 Wareham team finished with a respectable 17–18 record, good for third among the five clubs. Wareham was forced to drop out of the league for the 1929 season due to lack of funds, then returned to

SECTION 10

#1732855220619

1524-592: A league record with 48 stolen bases, and was West Division All-Star Game MVP for Wareham in 1993. Wareham's 1996 team boasted league MVP Kevin Nicholson , saves co-leader Clint Chrysler, and CCBL Hall of Famer Lance Berkman , who led the league in batting with a .352 mark. The 1998 Gatemen featured a pair of star moundsmen in CCBL Hall of Famer Ben Sheets and the co-winner of the league's Outstanding Pitcher Award, Phil Devey . In 2000, skipper Mike Roberts , who had managed

1651-474: A losing record, but qualified for the playoffs out of the third place slot in the West Division. After early-round playoff series sweeps of Falmouth and Wareham , the Kettleers met Y-D in the Cape League championship series. In Game 1, Matt Andriese tossed a complete game shutout and Cotuit played small-ball to scratch out a 3–0 win at Red Wilson Field . The Red Sox answered with a 2–1 victory in Game 2,

1778-492: A pair of CCBL Hall of Fame southpaws: Bob Butkus, a 17-year-old from Boston Latin School posted a 4–1 record with a 1.75 ERA, and Boston College 's Bernie Kilroy, who had joined Cotuit the previous season and been named Upper Cape league MVP. Both became perennial CCBL all-stars throughout the 1960s. The '61 team also featured all-star hurler Dick Mayo and fellow all-star Tony Capo, a left fielder from Holy Cross . Cotuit finished

1905-458: A sacrifice fly to win the series. In the finals, Cotuit met East Division champ Chatham , and took Game 1 handily, 16–6. Cressend got touched up for seven runs in Chatham's 9–3 Game 2 win, setting up the Game 3 rubber match at Lowell Park. Coutts sent Gandy to the hill, and the game was tight until the Kettleers erupted for seven runs in the fifth, punctuated by Glenn Davis' three-run bomb. Gandy held

2032-487: A spot in the finals by defeating Falmouth in the semi-final series via consecutive shutouts, 1–0 and 2–0. Wareham faced Brewster in the championship series, and continued its shutout streak in Game 1 at Clem Spillane Field by blanking the Whitecaps, 7–0, behind a complete game gem by Brian McNichol . Brewster put up a better fight in Game 2 and the teams went into the 13th inning knotted at 3–3. Wareham put across two runs in

2159-580: A two-run blast by Austin Byler, and a walk-off 10th inning RBI by Garrett Stubbs . The Kettleers finished off the Commodores with a 5–2 victory at Guv Fuller Field , and went on to meet Bourne in the West Division finals. Byler again went deep in Game 1 at Lowell Park, and Caleb Bryson added a dinger in the 9–2 romp over the Braves. Bourne stormed back in Game 2 at Doran Park , routing Cotuit, 8–1. The Game 3 finale

2286-584: A wild pitch in the fifth that put the Kettleers up by the final 2–1 tally. Cotuit took the decisive final game on the strength of Vaughn's three-run homer in the sixth, claiming its 11th championship crown. Cotuit's playoff hero Vaughn was back in 1985, and took home league MVP honors, batting .343 with 10 homers and 15 stolen bases. The '85 Kettleers also boasted the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect in John Ramos , as well as future major leaguer Rubén Amaro Jr. , and ace hurler Grady Hall. The team finished second in

2413-430: A young Mike Roberts , who went on to manage Cotuit throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Behind the play of future major league all-star and World Series champion Walt Weiss , who set a CCBL record with 19 doubles on the season, Roberts led the Gatemen to the league title series where they were downed by Cotuit. In 1986, Wareham again boasted the league's Outstanding Pitcher, future major league all-star Jack Armstrong , who

2540-750: Is a history museum and hall of fame honoring past players, coaches, and others who have made outstanding contributions to the CCBL. Below are the inductees who spent all or part of their time in the Cape League with Wareham. * There were no postseason playoffs during the period 1927–1932. The regular season pennant winner was simply crowned as the league champion. * Regular seasons split into first and second halves are designated as (A) and (B). (*) - Indicates co-recipient Italics - Indicates All-Star Game Home Run Hitting Contest participant (1988 to present) All 40 Gatemen games, in addition to any preseason and postseason games, are broadcast online on YouTube and Cape League TV, which can be accessed through

2667-503: The Falmouth Commodores , and the Kettleers seemed to be rolling along, taking both Games 1 and 2. The Commodores responded by taking the next two to even the series and send it to a decisive Game 5 at Falmouth. The Kettleers grabbed the crown with a 14–3 romp that featured six Cotuit homers, including two by O'Neill and a grand slam by Barry Butera. With a fourth consecutive CCBL title, McCarthy's Kettleers had matched Hubbard's feat of

SECTION 20

#1732855220619

2794-524: The Great Depression . Wareham was the first new team added to the league, joining for the 1927 season to bring the number of teams to five. In Wareham's inaugural 1927 season, the team was led by player-manager and CCBL Hall of Famer Danny Silva . Silva had played briefly for the Washington Senators in 1919, and after his playing days became a longtime umpire in the CCBL. In the early 1960s when

2921-479: The NCAA . The league would no longer be characterized by "town teams" who fielded mainly Cape Cod residents, but would now be a formal collegiate league. Teams began to recruit college players and coaches from an increasingly wide geographic radius. The league was originally composed of ten teams, which were divided into Upper Cape and Lower Cape divisions. The Kettleers joined Wareham , Falmouth , Bourne and Sagamore in

3048-533: The United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operate from early June to early August. In contrast to college baseball , which allow aluminum or other composite baseball bats , players in these leagues use only wooden bats, hence the common nickname of these leagues as "wood-bat leagues". Collegiate summer leagues allow college baseball players

3175-460: The University of Minnesota . McCarthy had run out of pitchers, so Herbst was flown back to take the mound for the Game 5 finale at Eldredge Park . With the score tied at 1–1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Orleans put a man on second with two outs. The next batter hit a grounder and Herbst, covering first, dropped the throw, then threw home too high to get the runner. Cotuit tied it in the top of

3302-452: The '64 title, Hubbard continued to skipper the Kettleers throughout the 1960s, but the team finished no better than second place, and did not return again to the championship series in the decade. The trio of Butkus, Kilroy and McCarthy was together for one last season in 1965, and Kilroy continued to twirl for Cotuit through 1967. CCBL Hall of Famer Bob Hansen starred for the Kettleers from 1966 to 1968, an all-star first baseman/outfielder, he

3429-437: The '73 title team. Facing first place Wareham in the semifinal playoffs, the Kettleers dropped Game 1, 5–0, and seemed primed for an early exit. But Cotuit bounced back at home with Reardon on the mound, winning 6–2. In the Game 3 series finale at Clem Spillane Field , Driscoll tossed a six-hitter and the Kettleers prevailed in a tight 3–2 contest, moving on to face Orleans in the best-of-five title tilt. Cotuit took Game 1 of

3556-450: The 1930 Cape League title, it was noted that Noznesky "has the college connections to select the best players obtainable and is also on friendly terms with managers and officials of several big-league teams who turn over likely looking prospects to him." Another of the first Wareham players to go on to play major league baseball was pitcher Al Blanche , a Somerville, Massachusetts native who played for Wareham in 1931, and went on to play for

3683-417: The 2001 finals at Clem Spillane Field featured no shortage of controversy. A's skipper John Schiffner and shortstop Drew Meyer were tossed in the fifth by CCBL Hall of Fame umpire Nick Zibelli in the aftermath of a disputed fair ball call on Murton's long fly down the left field line. The Gatemen prevailed, 8–3, and headed to Chatham for Game 2 eyeing a sweep, but Chatham stifled the Wareham offense and knotted

3810-527: The 2003 Gatemen boasted the league's hits leader in CCBL Hall of Fame third baseman Warner Jones. Jones returned to Wareham in 2004 and led the league again in hits, as well as in doubles and extra-base hits. CCBL Hall of Fame closer Justin Masterson went 3–1 for the 2005 Gatemen, recording 10 saves with a 1.15 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. The team experienced a playoff drought from 2003 to 2009, qualifying for postseason play only once in seven seasons when

3937-572: The 2006 team reached the finals and was downed by Y-D . Longtime Gatemen President and General Manager John Wylde died in February 2009 after a battle with liver cancer. The Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Famer was the force behind the Gatemen for 25 years. In the early 80s, the Wareham Gatemen franchise was in financial trouble with very little local support and was on the verge of collapse. Wylde stepped in as president and General Manager and turned

Wareham Gatemen - Misplaced Pages Continue

4064-503: The 5–3 win that sent Cotuit to the championship series in search of its 17th league title. The 2019 CCBL finals pitted the Kettleers against the Harwich Mariners . Game 1 at Whitehouse Field was a marathon five-hour affair, featuring 6 scoreless innings of relief in extra innings by pitcher Richard Brereton. Gonzales ended the stalemate in the top of the 15th with an RBI single to put Cotuit up 7–6, and closer Kyle Nicolas came on in

4191-560: The Anglers' defense faltered and was responsible for three unearned Wareham runs that propelled the Gatemen to a 5–3 victory. Game 2 at Veteran's Field was played in two parts due to a Chatham fog-out, but Wareham's timely hitting and a clutch home run robbery by Gatemen right fielder Isaac Collins led Wareham to the title-clinching 9–3 victory. Third baseman Austin Shenton hit .522 with three home runs and 12 RBI to claim postseason MVP honors, and

4318-619: The CCBL crown five times. The 1971 club featured a trio of star moundsmen in Rick Burley, who won seven with four shutouts and tossed a no-hitter, University of Rhode Island star Brian Sheekey, who struck out 96 in 96 innings, and Don Douglas, who won nine games and posted a 1.70 ERA in 90 innings. McCarthy's 1972 squad finished the regular season in a three-way tie for first place with Falmouth and Orleans . The team featured Florida State University 's Tim Sherrill, who batted .354, Rice University slugger Joe Zylka, who bashed 14 long-balls on

4445-510: The CCBL left fielder, then came on in the final inning to pitch in relief, preserving the CCBL's one-run victory over the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League . In 1981, the Kettleers starred CCBL Hall of Famer Jeff Innis , who led the league with a 2.34 ERA and eight saves. The team finished the regular season in fourth place with a mediocre record, but upset first place Wareham in the playoff semifinals. After splitting

4572-591: The Cape Cod Baseball League was formed and originally included Falmouth , Chatham , and two teams representing villages from the town of Barnstable: Osterville and Hyannis . After the 1930 season, Osterville and Hyannis merged to form a single "Barnstable" town team. In addition to being represented in the CCBL by this town team, the village of Cotuit also fielded its own team in the Upper Cape Twilight League. The Cape Cod Baseball League

4699-490: The Cape League championship series against Orleans was the Bernie Kilroy show. Kilroy did the mound work and also drove in three runs on three hits to help his own cause in Cotuit's 5–4 win at Lowell Park. Game 2 at Eldredge Park saw the Kettleers bang out a 7–1 victory on five hits and 14 walks to give Hubbard's crew their third consecutive Cape League crown. Hubbard's 1964 squad returned McCarthy, Butkus and Kilroy, who

4826-481: The Cape League title series, where the Kettleers were shut down by perennial Lower Cape powerhouse Orleans . Perkins was the team's player-manager in the 1956 and 1957 seasons. Burlingame left to pitch for Barnstable in 1956, but returned to Cotuit in 1957 and 1958. CCBL Hall of Fame fireballer Donald Hicks joined the Kettleers in 1956. Hicks was the star of the 1948 CCBL champion Mashpee Warriors , and had been Upper Cape league MVP for Mashpee in 1950. After

4953-529: The Chatham bats at bay, and Kevin Sheredy came on in relief to get the final five outs and secure the crown for the Kettleers. Gandy and Paul shared playoff MVP honors. Coutts' 1996 Kettleers returned hurlers Cressend and Gandy, and both had memorable seasons. Cressend improved on his impressive prior season's marks, going 7–0 with a 1.89 ERA, and Gandy tossed a no-hitter in a 1–0 victory over Wareham . Tom Walter took over for Coutts in 1997 and 1998, but Coutts

5080-445: The Gatemen into a model franchise. On June 13, 2008, the Cape Cod Baseball League and the Wareham Gatemen honored him during special ceremonies. In 2007, Wylde was inducted into the Cape Cod Baseball League's Hall of Fame. The 2012 Gatemen won only seven of their 22 home games, but finished second in the West Division. The team starred CCBL Hall of Fame slugger Tyler Horan, a Middleborough, Massachusetts native who crushed 16 homers in

5207-480: The Gatemen's website. All home games feature live video/audio broadcasts, while away games consist of only live audio. The Gatemen play-by-play broadcasters for the 2024 season are Ethan Eibe and Kyle Marchak. The New Bedford Standard Times ("SouthCoastToday"), The Cape Cod Times and Wareham Week (warehamweektoday.com) cover the Wareham Gatemen regularly. Collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in

Wareham Gatemen - Misplaced Pages Continue

5334-536: The Indians in Game 1, but it wasn't enough as the Kettleers took a tight 3–2 loss at home. Cotuit bounced back in Game 2 with a 5–0 Kilroy shutout at Yarmouth. The Kettleers sent Butkus to the mound for the pivotal Game 3 at Lowell Park, and the home team came away with a 7–2 win, clinching Cotuit's first CCBL championship. The 1962 Cotuit club returned outfielder Capo and hurlers Kilroy, Butkus and Mayo, and added CCBL Hall of Fame catcher Jack McCarthy. McCarthy, like Butkus

5461-412: The Kettleers faced Chatham , and went down to a 4–3 defeat in Game 1. Cotuit bounced back with an 8–1 win in Game 2 at home behind the mound work of Hall and an offensive explosion that included a two-run dinger by Vaughn. In the decisive Game 3 finale at Chatham, the Kettleers got a complete game gem from Steffan Majer, Amaro blasted a three-run homer, and Vaughn added a solo shot in Cotuit's 5–2 win. Hall

5588-416: The Kettleers got a homer from Matt Mervis , and Casey Schmitt twirled the final five innings of two-hit shutout relief in the 4–1 win. In Game 1 of the West Division finals at Falmouth , Cotuit moundsmen Trey Holland and Bo Hofstra combined for a 5–0 shutout win. The Kettleers completed the sweep at home in Game 2 behind a two-run blast by league MVP Nick Gonzales , and a solo shot by Parker Chavers in

5715-458: The Kettleers scratched their way to an 8–3 win to claim the league crown. The title was the fifth in six years for McCarthy's club. CCBL Hall of Famer George Greer , who had been a player for Chatham in the 1960s, took the Kettleer helm in 1979. He skippered the club for nine seasons, qualifying for postseason play in all nine campaigns, and winning three league titles. In Greer's first season,

5842-500: The Kettleers starred CCBL Hall of Fame second baseman and future major leaguer Tim Teufel , who hit .351 and set league records with 16 homers and 52 RBI's. Greer's 1980 club featured CCBL Hall of Famer Ron Darling , who batted .336 with six home runs while posting a 4–3 mark on the mound, and was named the league's MVP and Outstanding Pro Prospect. At the CCBL All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium , he singled, doubled and homered as

5969-517: The Lower Cape Division champion Chatham in the CCBL title series. Cotuit sent Weber to the mound at home for Game 1, and came away with a 4–0 shutout. Weber allowed only three hits in the win, and the Kettleers got a pair of RBI's each from McCarthy and Huebner. In Game 2 at Veterans Field , Kilroy took the hill and Butkus came on in relief in a 6–3 Kettleers' win that gave Cotuit an unprecedented fourth consecutive league championship. After

6096-469: The Mashpee team dissolved following the 1955 season, Hicks joined Cotuit and played for the Kettleers through 1960. CCBL Hall of Famer Jim Hubbard joined the Kettleers in 1959 after winning a CCBL title with Yarmouth the prior season. Hubbard played for Cotuit for three seasons, serving as player-manager in 1961, and then as full-time manager throughout the rest of the 1960s. Hubbard's 1961 Kettleers featured

6223-485: The Red Sox emerged with a 5–1 win to even the series. The decisive Game 3 at Y-D was an all-time classic. The Red Sox looked to be closing in on a championship, leading 5–2 as the game moved to the final frame, but CCBL Hall of Famer Kyle Schwarber had other ideas. Schwarber smashed a homer in the ninth and the Gatemen pushed across two more to tie the game. With the Red Sox crowd in stunned disbelief, Schwarber came up again in

6350-428: The Upper Cape Division. In 1963, the Kettleers continued to ride their success into the newly-reorganized league, returning many of the same faces, including McCarthy, Kilroy, Mayo, Helzel, Sikorsky, and Butkus, who was the league's Outstanding Pitcher with a minuscule 1.04 ERA. All-American basketballer Cotton Nash of Adolph Rupp 's Kentucky Wildcats joined the Kettleers as a pitcher/outfielder. Cotuit finished

6477-491: The Wareham nine. Wareham's player-manager in 1930 and 1931 was Georgetown University pitcher Harry Noznesky. Noznesky had played for Falmouth in 1928 and 1929, and brought several key players with him to Wareham from the 1929 pennant-winning Falmouth team, such as ex-Falmouth all-CCBL catcher Gene Connell of the University of Pennsylvania , who went on to catch for the Philadelphia Phillies . Upon leading Wareham to

SECTION 50

#1732855220619

6604-584: The ability to compete using professional rules and equipment, giving them experience and allowing professional scouts the opportunity to observe players under such conditions. To find a collegiate summer team, players work with their college coaches and prospective teams' general managers. They report to summer leagues after completing their spring collegiate season with their NCAA , NAIA , NJCAA , CCCAA , and NWAC teams. Some players arrive late due to their college team's postseason play, which sometimes runs into early June. In some cases, players are drafted during

6731-567: The award. Newell, an outfielder from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , batted .340 and led the CCBL with 11 homers in 1973. He was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2017. CCBL Hall of Fame skipper Bill Livesey took the helm at Wareham in 1976. Livesey had previously managed Falmouth to five league titles, including four consecutively from 1968 to 1971, and he promptly brought his winning ways to Wareham. The 1976 Gatemen featured future major leaguers Joe Lefebvre and CCBL Outstanding Pro Prospect Bobby Sprowl . Wareham finished third in

6858-412: The best of three championship series. The title was the eighth in team history, including back-to-back championships in 2001–2002. In 1923, the Cape Cod Baseball League was formed and included four teams: Chatham , Falmouth , Hyannis and Osterville . This early Cape Cod League operated through the 1939 season and disbanded in 1940, due in large part to the difficulty of securing ongoing funding during

6985-498: The bottom of the frame to strike out the side and preserve the Kettleer win. Game 2 at Lowell Park saw Schmitt, who was named playoff MVP, blast two home runs then come in to pitch the ninth inning in relief in a 10–3 rout of the Mariners that secured the crown for Cotuit. The 2019 title brought the Kettleer championship count to 15 in the modern era and 17 overall, a record that is unmatched among CCBL franchises. The 2020 CCBL season

7112-545: The bottom of the ninth with the Cardinals clutching a slim 2–1 lead. It looked as though the series would be headed back to Orleans for Game 3 after the first two Gatemen made outs, but Murton poked a single that started a championship rally. Murton moved to third on a David Murphy single, and came home on an Orleans error to tie the score. With the Clem Spillane crowd in a frenzy, Brown University 's Matt Kutler promptly thumped

7239-404: The club for 14 years, the team's all-time longest-tenured manager. In his first year with the team, Farris' Gatemen club was loaded with talent, and finished the 2001 regular season in first place atop the West Division. The team featured league MVP and CCBL Hall of Famer Matt Murton , and the league batting champ, Eric Reed (.365), who also swiped 22 bags on the season. The Gatemen dominated on

7366-420: The collegiate summer season. These draftees can remain with their collegiate summer team until they sign a professional contract. During the season, players are housed by volunteer host families and bussed to and from road games. The leagues vary greatly in their attendances, quality of play, and ability to attract scouts. The Alaska Baseball League (ABL) and the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) are considered

7493-489: The decisive game. In the finale, Thoden tossed a complete game four-hitter at Clem Spillane Field, Rich Samplinski knocked in the go-ahead run, and the Gatemen overcame two potentially disastrous fielding errors in the ninth to edge out the Cards and claim the crown by a tally of 3–2. Thoden shared playoff MVP honors with Vaughn, who went 11-for-20 at the plate in the postseason. Wareham made the playoffs every year from 1990 to 2002,

7620-508: The eighth, and Herbst found his redemption at the plate in the ninth. With one out, he bashed a triple, then came home with two out on a ball through the second baseman's glove. In a most improbable season, an improbable hero had earned Cotuit its third consecutive league title. In 1975, the Kettleers returned Reardon and O'Neill, who led the league with a .358 batting average and was named league MVP. McCarthy's club also featured future major league hurler Joe Beckwith , and faced Orleans in

7747-430: The eighth, when Cotuit blew it open with four runs on an Orleans error and a two-run knock by Nolan Clark. The Kettleers prevailed, 6–2, to sweep the title series and claim the crown, with Zimmer taking playoff MVP honors. The Kettleers retired uniform number "1" in 2016, in honor of the passing of Cotuit legend Arnold Mycock, whose decades of service and contribution to the team and league were unparalleled. 2017 saw

SECTION 60

#1732855220619

7874-530: The era. Wareham went on to face the Lower Cape champion Orleans Red Sox in the Cape League finals, but Orleans prevailed in two straight. In 1963, the CCBL was reorganized and became officially sanctioned by the NCAA . The league would no longer be characterized by "town teams" who fielded mainly Cape Cod residents, but would now be a formal collegiate league. Teams began to recruit college players and coaches from an increasingly wide geographic radius. The league

8001-500: The field manager, general manager, and league representative for the Gatemen. Wareham qualified for the playoffs in 1963, and defeated the Bourne Canalmen in the first round series before being bounced by Cotuit . In 1965, Clem Spillane Field hosted the CCBL All-Star Game, which was won by the Upper Cape Division, 10–9. CCBL Hall of Famer Jim Prete joined the Gatemen in 1966. Prete, a '66 graduate of Bourne High School where he

8128-414: The final frame of Game 1, but couldn't hold the lead as the Gatemen pushed across two to take the opener, 3–1. Game 2 provided more late-inning drama as Josh Gandy tossed seven scoreless innings and Cotuit won it in the 10th on Brandon Berger 's two-run dinger. Cotuit's Ryan Lynch pitched brilliantly in Game 3, and the game was scoreless until the eighth when the Kettleers pushed across the game's only run on

8255-456: The finals at Orleans, 6–2, but the Cardinals stormed back to take Games 2 and 3. The Kettleers got back on track in Game 4 at Lowell Park, as Driscoll spun a two-hitter, and the Kets walked off an exciting 3–2 win in the ninth as O'Neill came home from second on a bunt single and throwing error. Prior to Game 5, an emergency call went out to Herbst, who had left the team several days earlier to return to

8382-536: The first round of the Upper Cape playoffs. Butkus tossed a two-hitter for the 2–1 Game 1 win, and the Kettleers finished the Bourne sweep in Game 2 with a 5–1 Kilroy three-hitter powered by longballs off the bats of Helzel and McCarthy. Cotuit managed another sweep in the Upper Cape finals, disposing of Sagamore in two straight, including a 15–4 Game 1 pasting of the Clouters. The Cape League championship series against Harwich

8509-482: The first two games of the series, Cotuit took the decisive Game 3 on a masterful three-hitter by Doug Swearingen. In the best-of-five Cape League finals against Orleans , the Kettleers dropped Game 1 at Eldredge Park , but came back to take a tight Game 2, 9–8 in 10 innings. Cotuit sent Swearingen to the mound for Game 3, and jumped out early, taking a 3–0 lead after only four Orleans pitches. The Kettleers walloped four homers, two of them by Billy Dees, and came away with

8636-456: The game-winner off the left-field fence, bringing in Murphy and securing Wareham's second consecutive league crown. For his title-clinching poke, Kutler was named playoff MVP. Wareham's 2003 team featured pitchers Wade Townsend , the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect, and CCBL Hall of Famer Jeremy Sowers , who posted a 1.20 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. Along with their wealth of pitching,

8763-475: The glut of high-level prospects in the league that year, Knoblauch was judged tops, receiving the Outstanding Pro Prospect Award. Knoblauch batted .361, and he and Vaughn tied for the league lead in doubles with 17. Vaughn and Knoblauch went on to be inducted to the CCBL Hall of Fame as part of the hall's inaugural and second classes respectively. The Gatemen finished the 1988 regular season with

8890-516: The league in 1930 and remained in the league through the 1932 season. Wareham won the Cape League championship in 1930, finishing two games ahead of Chatham to take the pennant. The town celebrated its champions in grand style with a "motor parade" through downtown Wareham led by the town band, followed by a banquet given by the town's chamber of commerce. Dignitaries including United States Representative Charles L. Gifford and Massachusetts Senator Donald W. Nicholson were on hand to pay tribute to

9017-470: The league voted to admit Wareham to replace Barnstable for the second half of the season. Wareham has been a member of the Cape League ever since. Wareham made a deep playoff run in 1957, beginning with a first round defeat of Otis Air Force Base , two games to one in the Upper Cape playoffs. In the series, Wareham rode the stellar pitching of Tom Eccleston, who threw a two-hit shutout in Game 2, and Bruce Reed, who gave up just five hits and helped himself with

9144-411: The league with 11 homers, 21 extra-base hits, and a .565 slugging percentage. The Kettleers reached the league championship series in 2008, but were downed by Harwich . In a season highlighted by Chad Bell 's no-hitter against Chatham , Roberts again led the 2009 Kettleers to the league championship, but the club was shut down by Bourne . Roberts' 2010 Kettleers finished the regular season with

9271-467: The league with a .321 batting average and was honored with the league's Sportsmanship Award. Joining Merloni were league MVP Rick Ellstrom, and the CCBL Outstanding Pitcher, John Kelly. The talented '92 squad returned to the league championship series, but was shut down by Chatham . First-year manager Mike Coutts led Cotuit to another first-place finish in 1995. His club's unquestioned star

9398-475: The league with a .408 average and hit six homers on his way to being named league MVP. For the Red Sox, it was their second consecutive title under CCBL Hall of Fame manager Don Reed. After defeating the Gatemen for the 1990 title, Reed switched sides and became Wareham's field boss in 1991. Reed continued to pilot the Gatemen through 1999, winning another pair of league titles to match his two with Y-D. Reed's first title with Wareham came in 1994. The Gatemen earned

9525-423: The league with an impressive 28–14 record, and met Harwich in the playoff semifinals. The Kettleers got a three-run dinger from Amaro, and Hall got the win on the mound as Cotuit took Game 1 at home by a 6–3 final. Games 2 & 3 were played as a doubleheader, with the Mariners taking the Game 2 front end, 1–0. Cotuit bats erupted in the Game 3 finale, taking the series with a 10–2 win. In the championship series,

9652-414: The league's 1984 playoffs were contested in a four-team double-elimination round-robin format. The tournament came down to a final pair of games between Cotuit and Wareham , a team skippered by a young Mike Roberts . The first game was a must-win for Cotuit, and hurler Joe Lynch was up to the task. Lynch spun a two-hitter, and CCBL Hall of Fame slugger Greg Vaughn doubled and scored the game-winning run on

9779-402: The league's Outstanding Pro Prospect. The 2019 Kettleers finished the regular season with a .500 record, and appeared primed for an early playoff exit after a 10-inning 8–7 loss in Game 1 of the opening round of playoffs at Wareham . Cotuit responded with an offensive eruption in Game 2, pummeling the Gatemen, 22–2, behind a five-RBI performance by Kettleer Oraj Anu. In the decisive Game 3,

9906-426: The league's all-time winningest manager. In six years with Wareham, Lyons' teams finished atop the league in first place twice, and qualified for the playoffs four times. Lyons' 1971 Wareham team featured league MVP Joe Barkauskas and the league's Outstanding Pitcher, Bob Majczan. Wareham again boasted the league MVP in 1973 and 1974 with Steve Newell and Phil Welch, making it four years out of five that Gatemen took home

10033-494: The league's top record, and disposed of Hyannis in the semi-final playoffs. The title series was a match-up of the Gatemen and the Orleans Cardinals . Orleans starred future Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas , a powerful long-ball hitter who had slammed three home runs in one game at Wareham in the regular season. Wareham took Game 1 at home, 5–3, but the Cardinals took Game 2 by the same score at Eldredge Park to set up

10160-448: The league, and disposed of second place Cotuit in a two-game semi-final series sweep, putting an end to defending champ Cotuit's run of four consecutive titles. In the best-of-five title series, the Gatemen faced first place Chatham , who had posted an impressive 30–11–1 record in the regular season. Chatham took the opener, 3–2, in ten innings, but Wareham answered in Game 2 as Bangor, Maine native Brian Butterfield came through with

10287-427: The major league Boston Braves . 1932 Wareham twirler Emil "Bud" Roy went on to play briefly for Connie Mack 's Philadelphia Athletics . After a hiatus during the years of World War II , the Cape League was reconstituted in 1946. Wareham first fielded a team in the new league in 1952. In June of that year, the league's Barnstable Barons had impulsively withdrawn from the league after a disputed forfeit ruling, and

10414-425: The modern era (1963–present) and seventeen overall is unmatched among CCBL franchises. The team has been led since 2004 by field manager Mike Roberts . Baseball in the village of Cotuit dates back to the early days of the sport on Cape Cod . The Cotuit team split a home-and-home series with a team from Osterville in 1883, and defeated West Barnstable in a July 4 baseball game in 1888. Cotuit took both ends of

10541-494: The modern era. CCBL Hall of Famer John Morris starred for Wareham in 1981. The league MVP batted .410 with a .527 on-base percentage and 17 stolen bases, and set a league record with 50 runs scored. The Gatemen featured the CCBL's Outstanding Pitcher in 1983 and 1984 in Dennis Livingston, the winning pitcher of the 1983 CCBL All-Star Game at Fenway Park , and 1984 recipient Bill Cunningham. The 1984 Gatemen were skippered by

10668-481: The mound as well, boasting the CCBL Outstanding Pitcher Chris Leonard, who posted a 6–0 record with an 0.98 ERA. Ben Crockett, who returned from the 2000 club, was the inaugural winner of the league's Outstanding New England Player Award, recording 74 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA. The Gatemen defeated Bourne in the semi-final playoff series, and went on to face Chatham for the title. Game 1 of

10795-706: The mound, 6–2. Game 2 at Yarmouth was tied 6–6 after 11 innings and had to be called. The Red Sox took the following game to knot the series, but Cotuit took the next two to claim the crown. Plagued by injuries, the 1974 Kettleers eked into the playoffs as a fourth-place team with a record just above the .500 mark. The team featured two CCBL Hall of Famers in Boston College third baseman Paul O'Neill and pitcher Jeff Reardon , who went on to amass 367 big league saves. The team also featured Stanford University 's Bob Hampton, who clouted 10 homers, Harvard University hurler Don Driscoll, and pitcher Ken Herbst, who returned from

10922-447: The offensive highlight coming in the third with a three-run blast by Atkins. Cotuit met Chatham in the finals for the third time in the decade, having split the previous two meetings. The teams split the first two games of the 1999 title tilt, setting up a decisive Game 3. The Kettleers sent 6-foot-7 righty Mike Schultz to the hill, and staked him to an early 4–0 lead on an RBI single and homer by Atkins. Schultz made it hold up, tossing

11049-411: The only Cotuit run coming on an eighth inning homer by James McCann . In Game 3, Cotuit got a homer and a single from Mike Yastrzemski and three hits from Joey Hainsfurther, while Nick Tropeano was shutting down the Red Sox on the mound. The Kettleers rolled to a 6–0 victory for the team's 15th CCBL title and first under Roberts. Jordan Leyland was named playoff MVP, hitting .461 with six RBI's in

11176-466: The organization in 1949, and became the team's general manager the following year, a post he held until 1995. Mycock's organizational skills, energy and vision were instrumental not only in making Cotuit a model franchise, but also as "the singular driving force behind the Cape League’s success." Cotuit got its first taste of postseason action in 1949. The team was led by CCBL Hall of Famer Jim Perkins,

11303-450: The passing of another Kettleer mainstay in superfan Ivan Partridge, who began attending Kettleer games in the 1950s, and whose booming encouragement for batters to "Have a hit!" became a signature call at Lowell Park. Kettleers took home top honors in 2017 as Greyson Jenista was named league MVP, and Griffin Conine , son of former major leaguer and Orleans Cardinal Jeff Conine , was named

11430-432: The playoff semi-finals. In Game 1, Beckwith went the distance, and Boston College 's Al Bassignani provided the clout with two homers and five RBI's to go with his ninth-inning home run robbery of a Roger LaFrancois drive with two men on, as the Kettleers took the opener, 7–1. Reardon got the start in Game 2, and Cotuit came away with a 5–2 win to sweep the series. The best-of-five Cape League finals matched Cotuit against

11557-551: The postseason. Cotuit's Victor Roache was the CCBL's Outstanding Pro Prospect in 2011, and in 2012, the Kettleers' Dan Slania won the league's Outstanding Relief Pitcher award. CCBL Hall of Famer Patrick Biondi flirted with the .400 mark in 2012 and finished tops in the league in batting average for Cotuit with a .388 mark. Roberts' boys were back in the championship series in 2013. After dropping Game 1 of its opening round playoff series with Falmouth , Cotuit bounced back with an exciting 10-inning 5–4 victory at home, powered by

11684-415: The power-hitting Zylka, and also featured future major leaguers Jack Kucek and Danny Goodwin , a CCBL all-star who tied the Cotuit team record with six triples. The team finished the regular season in second place and swept Wareham in the playoff semi-finals, getting wins from Ken Herbst and lefty Rob Klass. The Kettleers faced Yarmouth in the best-of-five CCBL title series, and took Game 1 with Kucek on

11811-416: The powerful Sagamore Clouters prevented Cotuit from advancing to the Cape League finals. The 1955 Kettleers featured the big bat of Jim Perkins and the mound work of fellow CCBL Hall of Famer Cal Burlingame, considered by many to be the best Cape League player of the era. Facing old nemesis Sagamore in the Upper Cape playoff finals, Cotuit finally broke through to claim the Upper Cape crown and advance to

11938-405: The previous season, joined the team as a 17-year-old Boston Latin School student. The '62 Kettleers boasted ten batters with season averages over the .300 mark, including McCarthy, Capo and Mayo, as well as the infield quartet of Jeff Helzel (1B), Bill Prizio (2B), Paul Morano (SS) and Stan Sikorsky (3B). The team finished another dominant regular season with a record of 25–5, and met Bourne in

12065-423: The previous year, leading the league in batting with a lofty .414 mark, and being named league MVP, while also setting a league record with 33 stolen bases. Future major leaguer Will Clark hit .367 with 10 homers as the Kettleers' first basemen. The talented 1983 team reached the CCBL title series, but was downed by Harwich . The 1984 Kettleers finished the regular season in third place, and in an unusual move,

12192-401: The prior decade, and brought Cotuit its eighth championship overall. The Kettleers' streak was stopped in 1976 by a talented Wareham team that bounced Cotuit in the playoff semifinals and went on to take the league title. McCarthy's boys rebounded quickly, finishing in first place in 1977 with a team that starred CCBL Hall of Famer Del Bender, an all-league left fielder who led the CCBL with

12319-459: The regular season atop the West Division for the first time since 2001. In the postseason, Wareham swept Cotuit in the first-round series and did the same to Falmouth in the semi-final round. In the championship, the Gatemen faced off against East Division champion Chatham . Game 1 at Spillane Field was a back-and-forth battle between aces Ryan Garcia for Wareham and Austin Bergner for Chatham, but

12446-467: The regular season first in the West Division, and after a two-game semi-finals sweep of Bourne , faced Harwich for the title. In the championship series, Wareham took Game 1 at home, 9–4. The Gatemen completed the title sweep in Game 2 at Whitehouse Field by a tally of 6–2, with playoff MVP Kevin Hodge's three-run blast in the sixth sealing the victory. Other notable 1990s Gatemen included Roy Marsh, who set

12573-429: The regular season with a 28–4 record and first-place finish in the Upper Cape Division, and earned a bye in the first round of playoffs. The Kettleers met Wareham in the Upper Cape finals, but dropped Game 1, 1–0, for the hard-luck loser Butkus, who had tossed a two-hitter. Cotuit bounced back to take Game 2 by a 3–1 tally, and Butkus got his revenge in Game 3 as he pitched the Kets to a 5–2 series-clinching win. Game 1 of

12700-439: The regular season with a dominating 24–4 record, and dropped Barnstable in the first round of the Upper Cape playoffs. In the Upper Cape finals, the Kettleers swept Falmouth in two straight, with Mayo tossing a one-hit shutout in the Game 2 clincher. In the Cape League title series, Cotuit was matched up against the Lower Cape champion Yarmouth Indians , who had won CCBL crowns in two of the previous three seasons. Mayo one-hit

12827-547: The regular season, tying the CCBL wood bat record, and took home the league's Outstanding New England Player Award. In the postseason, Wareham swept Falmouth in the first round, then swept Bourne in the West Division final. In the championship, the Gatemen met Y-D in a rematch of the 2006 title series. The Gatemen took Game 1 in Yarmouth by a score of 5–4 on a go-ahead ninth inning home run by catcher Tyler Ross. Y-D pitching shut down Wareham's attack in Game 2 at Spillane Field, and

12954-457: The season, and ace hurler Ken Schultz, who won eight games for Cotuit, striking out 89 in 86 innings. The Kettleers took the semi-final series against Falmouth, two games to one, and met fourth-place upset winner Chatham in the best-of-five Cape League title series. Cotuit came away with a three games to one series victory over the A's, winning the Game 4 finale 5–4 on two homers by Sherrill and another by Rick Burley. The 1973 Kettleers returned

13081-463: The semi-final series and met Orleans in the championship round. The star of Game 1 was 6-foot-4 Gatemen righty Kevin Guyette, who tossed a five-hit complete game and allowed just one run in Wareham's 5–1 victory at Eldredge Park . The late-inning fireworks in Game 2 began when Cards manager Carmen Carcone and pitching coach Kelly Nicholson were tossed in the eighth for arguing a balk call. The game went to

13208-477: The series with a 2–1 victory. The decisive Game 3 in Wareham went to the ninth even at 3–3. Gatemen closer and CCBL Hall of Famer Pat Neshek set down the A's in order in the top half of the frame. In the home half, Keith Butler led off with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground out. With two down and two strikes, Gatemen shortstop Paul Henry chopped a spinner along the third base line that A's pitcher Zane Carlson bobbled as Butler slid home with

13335-403: The series-winning run. Wareham second baseman Aaron Hill , who batted .400 in the postseason, took home playoff MVP honors. Farris' 2002 Gatemen returned 2001 MVP Murton, who was out with a broken hand during the first half of the season. He returned to hit .400 in 16 games in the second half, and also won the league's All-Star Game Home Run Derby. In the playoffs, Wareham disposed of Cotuit in

13462-413: The sweep in Game 2 as Redus stole three bags and scored three runs in the Kettleers' 12–1 shellacking of the Gatemen. The best-of-five championship series matched the Kettleers with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox . Game 1 seemed to portend a lopsided series, as the Kettleers ran roughshod over the Red Sox, banging five homers and getting five RBI's from Bender in a 19–3 rout. The Cotuit bats exploded again for

13589-450: The team sixteen years earlier, returned to Wareham and led the team to a first-place finish in the West Division. Roberts' squad starred league MVP Mike Fontenot , Harvard fireballer Ben Crockett, who was co-recipient of the league's Outstanding Pitcher Award, and ace reliever Jonathan Gonzalez, who posted a microscopic 0.43 ERA. As in 1984, Roberts' second stint with the team lasted only a year, as Cooper Farris took over in 2001 and piloted

13716-430: The tenth and belted a two-run dinger as Wareham struck for three more runs to go ahead, 8–5. Y-D managed a solo homer in the bottom of the tenth to make it 8–6, but Wareham held on to claim the crown with Schwarber taking home playoff MVP honors. Clem Spillane Field hosted the CCBL All-Star Game festivities in 2015, and the hosts took home top honors as Gatemen Logan Sowers was home run derby champ, and hurler Ian Hamilton

13843-513: The terms of sale involving the exchange of a brass kettle . The inaugural 1947 team featured first baseman Manny Robello and his twin brother, player-manager Victor Robello. Manny went on to serve for many years as president of the Cotuit Athletic Association, and was known as the "original Kettleer". At his passing in 1986, the league established an annual 10th Player Award named in his honor. CCBL Hall of Famer Arnold Mycock joined

13970-466: The top of the frame and allowed just one in the bottom to escape with the 5–4 victory and complete the title series sweep. Reed's boys were champs again in 1997, led by CCBL Hall of Fame slugger Carlos Peña . The sure-handed first baseman won the league MVP and Sportsmanship awards, and led the CCBL in homers (8) and RBI (33) while batting .318. The team also featured future major league all-star and Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito . The Gatemen finished

14097-490: The two premier collegiate summer leagues. This list is organized by federation. Source: Chicago Suburban Baseball League Cotuit Kettleers The Kettleers most recently won the CCBL championship in 2019 when they defeated the Harwich Mariners two games to none to win the best of three championship series. The title was the team's seventeenth overall, including two separate strings of four consecutive titles (1961–64 and 1972–75). Cotuit's record of fifteen titles in

14224-415: The video of Collins' grab made national headlines and was the top play on ESPN 's SportsCenter . The crown was Wareham's eighth in the modern era, and the team was the first to sweep the CCBL postseason since the playoffs expanded to three rounds. The 2019 Gatemen featured the league's Outstanding Pitcher, Ian Bedell , who posted an 0.58 ERA in 30.2 innings, striking out 36 while walking only two. Bedell

14351-475: The village of Cotuit. The Cotuit Athletic Association was formed in 1947 with the primary objective of sponsoring the village's new Cape League franchise. The team played at Lowell Park , and soon came to be known as the "Kettleers", a nickname credited to Cape Cod Standard-Times sports editor Ed Semprini, who used the moniker in his coverage of the Cotuit team. The term recalls a legendary local land transaction between early area settlers and Native Americans ,

14478-401: Was CCBL Hall of Fame catcher/outfielder Josh Paul , who won the league's batting crown with a .364 mark, and slugged .652 on his way to being named both the league MVP and Outstanding Pro Prospect. The team also boasted CCBL Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Cressend , who went 7–1 with a 2.44 ERA for the Kettleers. In the playoff semifinals against Wareham , Cressend had the Kets tied 1–1 going into

14605-455: Was a star infielder, hit .319 for the Gatemen on the season. Prete returned to Wareham in 1967, but played for Bourne in the 1968 season, and missed the 1969 season due to injury. He returned to the Gatemen in 1970, when he had his best year, batting .336 and being named the league's MVP. In the early 1970s, Wareham was piloted by CCBL Hall of Famer Ed Lyons. Lyons managed four different Cape League franchises over his long career, and retired as

14732-430: Was back in 1999 and led the team to another first-place finish. The '99 team starred CCBL Hall of Famer Garrett Atkins , an all-star infielder who had batted .383 for the Kettleers in 1998, and returned to have another all-star season in 1999. Cotuit met Wareham in the playoff semifinals, and swept the Gatemen in two straight. The Game 2 finale was a masterful 5–0 complete game two-hit shutout by pitcher Andy Warren, with

14859-535: Was led by league MVP Pete Stonard, who led the league with a .348 batting average, and third baseman Brian Snyder, who took home All-Star Game MVP honors for his home run and 3-for-4, 3-RBI performance in the West's 4–1 victory. Skipper Mike Roberts took the Kettleer helm in 2004, and became the longest-tenured manager in team history. First baseman and CCBL Hall of Famer Justin Smoak was league MVP for Cotuit in 2006, leading

14986-413: Was named West Division co-MVP in the West's tight 1–0 loss. Wareham boasted the league's batting champ in three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017. CCBL Hall of Famer Andrew Calica's lofty .425 mark in 2015 is among the tops in league history. Cole Freeman took the crown in 2016, and Tanner Dodson in 2017. In 2018, the Gatemen won their first 4 games and never lost more than two games in a row, finishing

15113-501: Was named playoff MVP, and Greer had his second consecutive title and third overall. The 1986 Kettleers featured the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect, Cris Carpenter , and reached the league title series for the fourth consecutive season, but fell to Orleans . Skipper Roger Bidwell led the Kettleers to a first-place finish atop the West Division in 1992. The team starred CCBL Hall of Famer and Framingham, Massachusetts native Lou Merloni , an infielder from Providence College , who led

15240-472: Was originally composed of ten teams, which were divided into Upper Cape and Lower Cape divisions. Wareham joined Falmouth , Cotuit , Bourne and Sagamore in the Upper Cape Division. Wareham's team was skippered by Wareham's "Mr. Baseball", CCBL Hall of Famer Steve Robbins. Robbins had played baseball for Wareham High School and later in the Wareham Twilight League, and served at various times as

15367-428: Was played as a Labor Day doubleheader. In Game 1, the Kettleers dished out a 14–0 clubbing at Lowell Park, with Butkus tossing the two-hit shutout. Kilroy was almost as good in Game 2 on the road, allowing only four Harwich hits. Helzel's three-run homer was all Kilroy needed in a 3–0 victory that secured Cotuit's second consecutive Cape League title. In 1963, the CCBL was reorganized and became officially sanctioned by

15494-568: Was revived in 1946 after taking a hiatus during World War II , and was originally composed of 11 teams across Upper Cape and Lower Cape divisions. Barnstable's entry in the 1946 Lower Cape Division played at the Barnstable High School field in Hyannis. The following season, the Barnstable team moved to the Upper Cape Division, where it competed against a newly-formed second Barnstable team from

15621-470: Was the West Division All-Star Game starter, but it was Gatemen teammate Matt McLain who took home All-Star Game MVP honors for the West, having hit a homer and single with three RBIs. The 2020 CCBL season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic . Following the 2021 season, CCBL Hall of Famer Harvey Shapiro took the helm as the club's field manager. The CCBL Hall of Fame and Museum

15748-545: Was the league's Outstanding Pitcher with a 1.44 ERA and 72 strikeouts with only 16 walks in 62.1 innings. To this championship core, the Kettleers added outfielder/pitcher and league MVP Ken Huebner, as well as 1964 All-American hurler Keith Weber , who pitched later that summer for the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan . The Kettleers finished the regular season with an astonishing 31–3 record, and faced

15875-581: Was the winning pitcher at the CCBL All-Star Game at Shea Stadium . The 1988 CCBL season boasted perhaps the greatest single-season aggregation of future major league talent in league history. Manager Stan Meek's Gatemen had more than their share of the talent, and rode it to another league title. In addition to CCBL Hall of Famer John Thoden, who posted a 9–1 record and was the league's Outstanding Pitcher, Wareham featured future major league all-star infielder Chuck Knoblauch and future Boston Red Sox fan favorite and American League MVP slugger Mo Vaughn . Amid

16002-466: Was tied, 3–3, in the eighth when Kettleer Drew Jackson poked the game-winning RBI to give Cotuit the series win, and send the Kettleers to the title series to face the Orleans Firebirds . In Game 1 of the 2013 championship, Bryson bashed a two-run first inning homer and Bradley Zimmer belted a two-run single to give Cotuit the 4–2 victory in the opener. Game 2 at Eldredge Park was tight until

16129-795: Was voted to the CCBL's 1960's all-decade team, and went on to play in parts of two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers . The 1967 Kettleers pitching staff included Jim Courier and Doug Smith, both of whom tossed no-hitters for Cotuit, as well as Bill Richardson , who went on to become the Governor of New Mexico and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations . Longtime Kettleer star Jack McCarthy succeeded Hubbard as skipper in 1970. The Kettleers qualified for postseason play in eight of nine years under McCarthy's leadership, and claimed

#618381