Cape Cod - Index

Cape Cod - travel_guide_2008 - Index

“Playing baseball every day against great
competition gives you a taste of what real life
is like in pro ball,” says Gordon Beckam,
shortstop for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox,
who won the league championship in 2007.
Beckam, who attends the University of
Georgia, says players get into a routine. “You
play, you practice, you work out and you
sleep. That’s what life is like. There’s not
much time to do anything else. You don’t
party. You don’t go out much.”
House parent Keenan agrees. “Our boys were too
tired to stay out late. None of these guys has ever played so
much baseball in so few days.” On top of everything else,
Keenan says some players may experience homesickness.
“I think this was the first time that these guys were truly
on their own–not at home or in a college dorm. It can take
some time to adjust.”
‘DON’T YOU JUST LOVE
THIS LEAGUE?’
Volunteers are the lifeblood of each team.
“Volunteers are incredibly important,” says John
Wylde, president and general manager of the
Wareham Gatemen. “The stronger your volunteer base,
the better off you’re going to be. A well-organized franchise can help
you attract strong players. If parents know that their sons are being
well looked after, that’s going to have a positive impact.”
Sheri Gay knows first-hand. For the past 10 summers, she’s been
a house parent, vice president of housing, jobs and special events,
secretary and a member of the budget committee. Last summer, she
coordinated much of the preparation for the annual All Star game
held at Wareham’s home park, Clem Spillane Field.
“It was a big job,” she says. “I hadn’t done anything like that
before. I tried to keep calm and go with it. It took a lot of planning
and a lot of support from everyone, but it worked out in the end.”
Wylde is more succinct: “Wareham volunteers carried the day at
the All Star game. They were magnificent.”
The number of active volunteers varies from franchise to
franchise. Wareham depends on about 20. Larger organizations like
Falmouth and Hyannis depend on upwards of 50. They keep the
wheels turning by soliciting ads for the team’s souvenir guidebook,
passing the hat at games, selling 50/50 tickets and staffing the
Top: Chatham A’s pitcher Charles Brewer (right) with catcher Gregg Glime of
Aurora, Calif., a sophomore at Baylor. Middle: Jermaine Curtis, Charles Brewer and
Allan Dykstra pause for the national anthem. Right: Chatham A’s pitcher Bryan
Shaw of Livermore, Calif., a junior at Long Beach State, rolls out the batting cage.
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