Looking for a way to make your stay in one of the gorgeous Cape Cod vacation rentals a grand slam? Why not take in a ball game? Cape Cod is host to the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL for short), an amateur league that has been playing since 1885. The NCAA officially sanctioned the league in 1963. In 1985, CCBL became the first-ever collegiate summer league to use wooden bats.
The League
Major league scouts like to pay close attention to this league of dedicated athletes, who, in 2019, played a 44-game season, best-of-three quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship series. Each year, CCBL hosts an All-Star game. In 2018, there were over 300 CCBL alumni playing in the big leagues, which is a huge accomplishment for the league after 134 years of success.
The Teams
If you are staying in one of the Orleans rentals, you can catch a game from the home team, the Orleans Firebirds. Of course, there are other teams in the league – ten, to be exact. Joining the Firebirds in the league are the Bourne Braves, Harwich Mariners, Brewster Whitecaps, Hyannis Harbor Hawks, Chatham Anglers, Cotuit Kettleers, Wareham Gatemen, Falmouth Commodores, and Y-D Red Sox. They are divided into two divisions. The East Division includes the Firebirds, Anglers, Red Sox, Mariners, and Whitecaps. The West Division is home to the Commodores, Gatemen, Kettleers, Braves, and Hawks.
These teams begin their season in early June and play hard until August when the championships are held. Each team trains hard in the off-season. In fact, they remain pretty busy in the postseason. This is also the time when CCBL alumni are in the hunt for October with the National and American Leagues.
During the on-season, you can watch games live or, if you do happen to miss one, check the stats online with either an Android or iPhone app. Of course, there is nothing quite like taking in a game.
So, how did these teams fare in the 2019 season? In the East Division, the Chatham Anglers finished with 24 wins, 18 losses, and 4 ties. The West Division saw the Falmouth Commodores wrap up the season with 27 wins, 15 losses, and 2 ties. The Wareham Gatemen has 24 wins and 18 losses.
The CCBL Playoffs of 2019 were absolutely exciting, with the Mariners leading the East Division with 4 wins and 2 losses. Leading the West Division, the Cotuit Kettleers came out with 6 wins and 1 loss. In the final game, the Kettleers defeated the Mariners and claimed their 17th championship title.
In the All-Star Game of 2019, the East beat the West Division in a thrilling game.
The Schedule
While planning your stay in Cape Cod, keep the CCBL’s seasonal schedule in mind. In 2019, the season started on Monday, June 10. During the season, there were a few games that got rained out, which is nothing out of the ordinary for Cape Cod in the summer. Make-up games were played on Mondays.
The All-Star Game was played in Orleans, at Eldredge Park, on June 21. Playoffs started just a few weeks later on August 8. Round 1 lasted from August 8-4, and Round 2 went from August 5-7. The Championship series was three games long, starting on August 8 and ending on August 10.
As you can see, the CCBL has a jam-packed season that is full of excitement. Be sure to plan your trip accordingly so that you can catch the game(s) that you are most anxious to see. Taking in a game is a great way to spend time with the kids and/or grandkids, as these games are fun for the whole family. At the end of the day, enjoy more quality time with your loved ones in our Orleans rentals.
