the cape cod baseball league started in 1885.
the cape cod baseball league started in 1885.
when did the cape cod baseball league start?
1885
the cape cod baseball league (ccbl) is a collegiate summer baseball league located on cape cod in the u.s. state of massachusetts. founded in 1885, the league consisted largely of local and regional college players until 1963, when it became officially sanctioned by the ncaa. in 1985, the league moved away from the use of aluminum bats, and became the only collegiate summer league in the nation at that time to use wooden bats. this transition began a period of significant growth in the league's popularity and prestige among major league baseball (mlb) scouts, as well as among college players and coaches. the league continues to be one of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, receiving significant financial support from major league baseball, and boasting well over 1,000 alumni who have gone on to play in the major leagues. during the 2018 mlb season alone, 303 ccbl alumni played on major league teams.
cape cod baseball league
the cape has nine amateur baseball franchises playing within barnstable county in the cape cod baseball league. the wareham gatemen also play in the cape cod baseball league in nearby wareham in plymouth county. the league's beginning is unsettled, even fanciful. without any basis whatsoever, some claim a start date of 1875. however, the first cape cod league formed in sandwich in 1910. it did not last. three years later - in 1913 - another cape cod baseball league organized. this venture lasted two years. in 1916, a third attempt at league play barely got off the ground. then, in 1923, an initial four teams met in hyannis and started a successful federation along the lines of the present league. outstanding players from throughout the region competed until the war effort led to a shutdown in 1940. in 1946, the local town teams from the prewar county twilight league and lower cape cod league organized under the cape cod baseball league banner. as the years passed, local players were moved aside by outside college stars. finally, in 1963, the league became a wholly summer collegiate circuit sanctioned by the national collegiate athletic association with some major leagues financial support. the current teams in the league are the bourne braves, brewster whitecaps, chatham anglers (formerly the chatham athletics), cotuit kettleers, falmouth commodores, harwich mariners, hyannis harbor hawks (formerly the hyannis mets), orleans firebirds (formerly the orleans cardinals), wareham gatemen and the yarmouth–dennis red sox. mlb scouts frequent the games in the summer, looking for stars of the future.
cape cod