Photo: Samantha Frank
Article By: Josh Schwam
For the first time since 2019, the Cape Cod Baseball League hosted an All-Star game, honoring the best players in America’s premier summer baseball league at Spillane Field, home of the Wareham Gatemen. The league strives to create an unforgettable atmosphere for fans, coaches, players, and all spectators alike.
Upon entrance to Spillane Field, fans were greeted by a plethora of sponsor tables, highlighting the organizations that support the Cape League. Milton CAT, the title sponsor, was thrilled to partner with the CCBL on the ASG.
“We’re thrilled to be partnered with the Cape Cod Baseball League,” said Dean Swartz, Communications Director for Milton CAT. “We’ve had a great day so far and it’s great to see all of the fans enjoying it.”
Just in front of sponsorship setups, players held autograph signings for several hours before the game. The line backed up from the middle of the outfield grass all the way to home plate.
“I mean, look at these kids standing here waiting to meet the guys,” said Max Fecske, Assistant Coach for the Orleans Firebirds who took in the experience as a fan. “This shows how awesome an experience the fans are getting here today.”
The fan experience is the primary concern of Chuck Sturtevant, a CCBL veteran and current President of the Cape Cod Baseball League who is retiring after 36 years with the league this season, “I’m just so happy we have this back,” Sturtevant said.
“I even told the Falmouth guys that if they are able to host the All-Star Game next year, I’ll come out of retirement to run the event. I’ve done it four times before and I love the All-Star Game and what it means to the community.”
None of yesterday’s festivities would have been possible without the effort of the hosts, the Wareham Gatemen. Spillane Field hosted an exceptional show, “The crowd is good and I’m happy with the turnout,” said team President Andrew Lang. “I’m glad it was our turn to host.”
The home run hitting contest was won by Lyle Miller-Green of Chatham, who launched a total of 31 home runs in four minutes, including 15 in the finals, to take the overall victory.
Cape League Senior Writer Ethan Kagno joined the masses in the outfield, chasing home run balls with local children, “I haven’t been in the outfield since high school baseball,” Kagno said. “It felt nostalgic to when I used to go to Chatham games as a kid. The kids today loved the experience and having this event back on Cape made for an incredible atmosphere.”
As for the game itself, CCBL Commissioner Eric Zmuda. Standing atop a perch just outside the Gatemen Press Box in the second inning, he smiled at the on-field product, “The All-Star Game is a part of the CCBL experience,” Zmuda said. “I’m glad we were able to bring it back to the fans.
As for the game itself, the East was able to pull out a 4-1 victory spearheaded by an RBI double by MVP Grayson Tatrow (Brewster/Abilene Christian), “All these guys are great and the whole night was an amazing experience,” Tatrow commented minutes after receiving his MVP bat courtesy of Milton CAT. “To be here with all these guys and have a great game, it’s awesome.”
The 2022 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game Presented by Milton CAT was a massive success and the fans who attended were treated to one of the most impressive spectacles in amateur athletics.
