Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Brian Butler

The annual Cape Cod Baseball League First Pitch Brunch was held Saturday morning at the 99 Restaurants location in West Yarmouth. The brunch was attended by many members of the league staff, as well as team officials, each of the ten league managers, and the members of the 99 Restaurants family who worked to facilitate the event. The brunch was kicked-off by celebrating many of the league officials in attendance, followed by a short history of the early years of the Cape League in honor of the upcoming 100th Anniversary season. John Garner introduced the league’s new commissioner, Andrew Lang, who introduced many of the team and league officials. After Lang spoke, Garner introduced 99 Restaurants Director of Operations Daniel Ceurvels, who acknowledged the staff who helped organize the brunch and the existing relationship between the league and 99 Restaurants. Following Ceurvels presentation, Garner announced many of the awards that will be presented to long-tenured team and league officials, as well as the Peter Gammons Award. Following the awards announcement, they presented the 2022 Cape League Championship banner to the Bourne Braves team officials who were in attendance, and congratulated them on their incredible season and postseason success. The banner will soon be displayed in Doran Park in celebration of the Braves’ second league championship. Before everyone broke for a brunch provided by the 99 Restaurants staff, Garner officially announced the 2023 Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame class, headlined by former Wareham Gatemen and 1996 CCBL batting champion Lance Berkman of Rice University. Berkman went on to become a first round pick of the Houston Astros, as well as a key component of Houston’s “Killer B’s” lineup of the 2000s, alongside fellow CCBL alumni Jeff Bagwell. Following a break for everyone to enjoy the meal, each of the Cape League managers spoke briefly about the relationships and lifelong friendships that the league has helped them to foster. Each manager celebrated the incredible history of the league and the friends that they have made during their respective managerial and coaching tenures. The event provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate the history and future of the Cape Cod Baseball League and some of the people and sponsors that have allowed it to flourish in recent years.