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Manager of the Year: Kelly Nicholson

08/19/2005 1:40 PM

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18 August 2005

THIS WEEK IN THE CAPE LEAGUE
2005

MIKE CURRAN AWARD
MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Kelly Nicholson

 

ORLEANS- Kelly Nicholson was unsure he would return to the Orleans Cardinals’ coaching staff in 2005 after friend and field manager Carmen Carcone resigned at the end of last season.


Kelly Nicholson, Orleans Cardinals
SportsPix 2005

     Nicholson, pitching coach for the Cardinals since 2001, was asked to take over the reigns as field manager for the 2005 season.

     With Nicholson as their leader, the Cardinals enjoyed a tremendous season. The Cardinals won the East Division regular season and playoff series against arch-rival Chatham and played Bourne in the 2005 Cape League Championship Series.

     As they say, all things happen for a reason and the first-year field manager was presented with the Mike Curran Manager of the Year Award for the 2005 Cape Cod Baseball League season.

     Under the leadership of Nicholson and his coaching staff, the Cardinals set a team record for wins, going 30-14 in the 2005 season. Also, the team set an ERA pitching record with a 2.22 mark. 

      A math teacher at Loyola High School of Los Angeles, Nicholson also coached the Loyola High School Cubs for 11 seasons and in that time, led the Cubs to one league title. Coach K also was on The Loyola Marymount pitching staff for three seasons and each season the team won the WCC title. 

     In his second season with the Cardinals in 2002, Nicholson’s pitching staff had a 2.11 ERA and in 2004 led the CCBL with 2.37. When the Cards last won the CCBL title Nicholson’s pitching staff carried a 2.36 ERA with a league leading 397 strikeouts in 401 innings pitched.

     The Mike Curran Manager of the Year award was not the first award Nicholson has earned in his five seasons in the CCBL. In 2004, Nicholson and Coach DeBlasi shared the Hossfeld Spirit Award. About receiving the award Coach K was very grateful, “I’m humbled by it,” said Nicholson.

     Nicholson credits the Cardinals success this season to his coaching staff, “The only reason I received that award was because of the amazing coaching staff we have. All the credit goes to them,” said Nicholson. 
Stefanie Falco, CCBL Intern, [email protected]


John Garner, Jr.
CCBL Director of
Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394 [email protected] 

Interns:  Stephanie Falco, Jason Itzkowitz, Jenna Kubesch, Michael Kydd, Nicholas Mucci, Colin Reed