Cape Cod Baseball Fun By Laurie Wilson Freelance Travel Writer
The Cape Cod Baseball League, a competitive collegiate summer league that dates to 1885, is the reason many travelers visit Cape Cod every summer.
They come to watch baseball players from around the country play for one of the ten teams on the Cape. Officially formed in 1923 (although it got its start in 1885), the Cape Cod Baseball League has nurtured, groomed and paved the way for thousands of young college kids realize their potential as Major League Baseball players, including the top selection in four of the past five MLB Drafts and 377 players during the 2022 MLB season. Yes, Aaron Judge. Yes, Jason Varitek. Yes, Thurman Munson. The list goes on and on. Every summer is big for baseball on the Cape, but this summer the league is celebrating 100 years of baseball, of life-changing experiences and not just for the players who go on from here to the Big Show, but for all the little kids and adults who will forever remember watching a game of summer baseball on Cape Cod.
Baseball Clinics
And it’s not just about the free games. There are so many endearing qualities to the Cape’s summer baseball league—the cheap hot dogs, the sound of the ball hitting off the wooden bats and watching it sail through the saltkissed air for a home run and the fog that often curls under the bleachers, sometimes suspending play. And what truly puts Cape baseball in a league of its own—the weekly baseball clinics. Each team hosts morning summer clinics/ camps, led by the players and held at the same stadiums and fields where the games are played. When my son was young, Evan Longoria was his baseball clinic counselor one sum-94- | ExtendedWeekendGetaways ~ July, 2023
mer; Longoria played for Chatham. Clinic attendees have opportunities to work on hitting, base running, infield/outfield play, as well as pitching and catching. Coaches and players also hold chats to bat around conversations about sportsmanship, academics and teamwork.
All-Star Game
Every mid-summer, the league puts on an all-star game. It’s attended by scouts from all MLB teams, as well as many fans. This year’s All-Star Game takes place July 22 at Whitehouse Field, home to the Harwich Mariners. It will be a special star-studded game this summer as the league celebrates its 100th. For more info, visit https://www.capecodbaseball.org
Home Base
There are a roster of hotels throughout the Cape that are ideal spots to stay all summer. Here are some at the top of the lineup.
The Old Harbor Inn, Chatham
This gorgeous 12-room dates to 1932, and has one of the best locations for baseball lovers in Chatham. It sits pretty, across the street from Veterans Field, home of the Chatham Anglers; this ballpark has been the home for Chatham teams since the inception of the Cape Cod Baseball League 100 years ago. In fact, you can hear the games from the inn’s front yard. The inn is also a bat swing away from Chatham’s lovely Main Street and within hitting distance of beaches, too. “Our guests love going to the games and are always excited to learn about the history of the