Cape Cod Baseball League

These were devoted players! History tells that in the 1870s, games were actually played on the ice on Mill Pond in Sandwich!!

Over the next century, the league grew and transformed itself from a local league into what is now the premier collegiate summer league in the country.

These guys are the best of the best, from top schools all across the country.

They come to the Cape by invitation, to live, work and play baseball for the summer.

And hopefully to catch the eye of one of the Major League scouts who come to the games in search of the next Babe Ruth.

(No, "The Babe" didn't play in the CCBL. But Thurman Munson did. As did Carlton Fisk. And current-day Major League stars Mark Teixeira, Jason Bay, Evan Longoria, Tim Lincecum ...)

Adults lounging in folding chairs or sitting in the bleachers, watching the game and chatting with friends.

Little kids with their baseball bats and gloves, playing on the lawn.

And teenage guys watching all the teenage girls watching all the the hunky young baseball players.

What could be better than that on a warm summer evening???

With teams in 10 different towns from one end of the Cape to the other, it's always easy to find a game nearby.

And since most games don't start until 5 p.m. or after, there's no need to make that tough choice: "Beach or ball game?"

You can have a great day splashing in the surf, then head out to the local ballfield in plenty of time to catch the game.

At some fields they'll "pass the hat" for donations. (Baseball caps, actually. Caps are passed along through the crowd, and we toss our donations in.)

The teams are non-profit organizations, so they appreciate donations to help pay for bats, balls and other team necessities.

FYI: The cap-passing is a totally no-pressure thing. If you can give a few dollars or so, great! If not, that's perfectly okay, too.

Just come on out and have fun!!!