SUMMER STARS 3 Still a Summer Catch Chatham’S John Schiffner Chases History by MATTHEW M
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The Enterprise’s all League e Cod Baseb to the Cap ur Guide Vool.l. 22,, ##22 Yoour Guide to the Cape Cod Baseball League JJuneune 221,1, 22007007 INSIDE: Reeviewview: WWhitehousehitehouse FFieldield HHousingousing: AAllll IInn TThehe FFamilyamily DDickick BBrescianiresciani RRemembersemembers CChathamhatham CCoachoach CClosesloses IInn OOnn HHistoryistory PRESORTED STANDARD U.S Postage Paid Falmouth Publishing Co. It’s A Pitcher’s League It does take a while for the wood bats to catch up, but the Cape League has always been a pitcher’s league. Opening Day Bobby Gagg (12-2), a starter at Coastal Carolina, pitched four perfect innings of relief in nailing down a 6-3 victory for the Yarmouth- Dennis Red Sox over the Hyannis Mets. Brewster Whitecaps right-handed Ryan Cook (USC) struck out 11 Orleans Cardinals in his Cape League debut in six innings, while giving up just one hit and no walks. Steve Dodson (Georgia) pitched seven innings of one-hit baseball to lead the Red Sox over the Cha- tham A’s as Y-D continued it’s title defense. Bourne held on to defeat Cotuit 7-6 behind the six innings DAN BROWN/ENTERPRISE of three-hit, one-run baseball pitched by Mitch Har- Father’s Day at Guv Fuller Field. ris (Naval Academy), then exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning to defeat Falmouth 15-8 the next day, as right-handed Jeff Richard (Central Michigan) held the Commodores to one hit over the fi nal three Coach frames. John Schiffner Dan Hudson (Old Dominion), Evan Crawford (Au- Shares Cape burn) and Matt Fervert (Missouri State) allowed the League History Wareham Gatemen just two hits over nine innings in Page Three a 3-0 win for the Mariners. The Cape League is a pitcher’s league with many former pitchers now in the major leagues. This year once again promises more outstanding performanc- Cash: Fighting For es as some of the best players in collegiate base- An MLB Spot ball go head-to-head for the next eight weeks. It’s Page Six defi nitely worth a trip to the park. Dan Crowley, Editor Dick Bresciani The Face of the CCBL Recalls His Time With The Cape 3 League Page Ten 4VNNFS MATTHEW BURKE/ENTERPRISE 5IF& OUFSQSJTFT Family Friendly Whitehouse Field Page 7 S 6OL *UNE B 9OUR'UIDET U OTHE#APE#OD"ASEBALL, 4 EAGUE Cape League Hits A Home Run With ).3)$% Opening Day 22EVIEW (OUSING(OU EVIEW SING 7HITEHOU7HITEHOUSE&IEL Pages 8-9 !LL)N4HE!LL)N4HE&AMILY SE& Florida State Uni- &AMILY IELDD versity sophomore $ICK"RESCIA Players Become A Part Of The Family Buster Posey likes the 2EMEMBERS NI Pages 13 Cape. Last year he won a Cape Cod League #HATHAM#OACH Look for this issue online @ championship, as a member of the Yarmouth- #LOSES)N/N(ISTORY Dennis Red Sox. This spring when Team USA www.capenews.net 02%3/24%$ 34!.$!2$ 530OSTAGE0AID offered him a roster spot, the talented short- &ALMOUTH 0UBLISHI NG#O stop turned catcher elected to return to Cape On The Cover: Y-D’s Gordon Beckham. Cod, and the Red Sox. This year Posey was Photo by Don Parkinson selected to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference fi rst team. He is a fi rst team All-American and one of three fi nalists for the Johnny Bench Award that recognizes the top college catcher publisher project manager design services manager in the nation. This spring, with the Seminoles, William Hough Chuck Borge Christine Stutzman he hit .382, ranking fi fth in the ACC. Last sum- sports editor sales manager design services mer, with Y-D, Posey hit .289 with a wood bat. Dan Crowley Linda Stewart He began his college career as the starting Chris Avis photo editor Jill Spencer shortstop for FSU, receiving Louisville Slugger Julia Balducci All-American honors and selection to the ACC sales Don Parkinson All-Academic team. Last summer he played Danielle Guay design & layout press supervisor 35 games at short and fi ve at third base for Dawn Mitchell Elisabet K. Rodrigues David Pittman Y-D. He also made four appearances on the Trisha Herlihy Rebecca Whittingdon mound for the Red Sox, and one his freshman 50 Depot Avenue Nancy Medeiros Enterp year for the Seminoles. In 2004 Posey played e ri Falmouth, MA 02540 Esther Buchanan h s in Taiwan as a member of the 2004 USA Junior e 508-548-4700 • 1-800-286-7744 Pam deLala T Olympic team where, as a pitcher, he record- Falmouth • Mashpee • Bourne • Sandwich Fax: 508-540-8407 ed a 1.23 ERA. Thursday, June 21, 2007 SUMMER STARS 3 Still a Summer Catch Chatham’s John Schiffner Chases History BY MATTHEW M. BURKE since 1974. I know an awful is a college league, you’re John Schiffner has a repu- lot about the history of the not going to be a head tation for being gruff, and he league and to be included coach.’ I said, ‘Okay, I’ll try. plays the part, looking more in that group already, to me, I’ll do my best and if that’s like someone you’d expect it’s humbling … Sometimes the case that’s the case, and to pull up to you at a stop- I wonder wow, how lucky I I’ll make a decision at that light riding a Harley than a am to be in that position. If point.” baseball coach. it happens, it happens, if it Schiffner said that when he His trademark mustache doesn’t that’s fi ne. I’ve had a entered the Cape League it and thick physique can, at great run here. For me, just was in stiff competition with times, be a bit intimidating. to coach one year was the the Alaskan League. In the For those who have never goal.” early 80s, the CCBL chose met him, seeing him in the Schiffner smiles, because wood bats over aluminum. corner of the dugout with he was passed up for head This move brought energy to his arms crossed, looking coaching positions in the the league he says. He also sternly at the fi eld as he ana- CCBL at least eight times, said the quick path to the lyzes the game, only adds to interviewing for many dif- Major Leagues by several this misconception. ferent positions, before Cape League alumni brought However, spend fi ve Chatham stepped up to the league to prominence. minutes with the man, and the plate and gave him a This led to sponsorships and quickly you will see that he shot. The naysayers told an infl ux of talent, something is funny, laid back, kind, him that because he was a that Schiffner absolutely and passionate about the high school baseball coach, loves. game of baseball. He drives and the CCBL is a college Continued on Next Page two hours from his home league, he wasn’t qualifi ed in Connecticut to games to become a head coach. SHOP AT HOME and practices for the fi rst Furthermore, he says that two weeks of the season people doubted his recruit- because, as a high school ing abilities. teacher, he is obligated to Schiffner has proven be at work everyday until them all wrong. He won the end of the year. He has league championships in :063$0.1-&5& a home in Chatham and 1996 and 1998, coaching %&$03"5*/($&/5&3 often stops there on the in fi ve total title games. way home for a meal or Schiffner guided the A’s to h.OBODY$OES)T"ETTERv a shortened night’s sleep the playoffs in eight straight KITCHENS • COUNTERS CABINETS TILE WOOD before making the trip back seasons and was awarded home for class. the Mike Curran Award He is an outdoorsman who MATTHEW BURKE/ENTERPRISE for Manager of the Year in enjoys fi shing and hunting; John Schiffner, Head Coach of the Chatham A’s. 1999. He says that his fi rst his father raised bird dogs championship felt vindicat- when he was a kid. On the ing. baseball fi eld, he is intense 313 wins, after opening the Chatham dugout at the end “Everybody asked me, and so happy to be there season with two losses to of an A’s practice, several ‘What are you going to do?’” that when he steps onto the Harwich and Y-D. He is 21 days prior to the start of the he recalls looking out onto '6--%&4*(/ fi eld, it is evident that he is wins shy of the record held season. “Because I’d like the fi eld, under overcast 4&37*$&4 truly at peace. by Don Reed, the legendary to consider myself a minor skies; the fi eld is now empty. Schiffner, who grew up in Y-D and Wareham skipper. historian of the Cape Cod “I said, ‘Well, I want to be a "7"*-"#-& northern New Jersey, fi ts Schiffner has become the League, since I’ve been here head coach,’ and everybody the mold of what all Cape face of the Cape League pretty much without a break said, ‘Well, you can’t be, this League coaches should be, in recent years, fi rst be- )JHIPO2VBMJUZ because he says that he ing portrayed in the book )JHIPO4FMFDUJPO gets the most enjoyment “The Last Best League: out of being a coach from One Summer, One Season, 6ISIT3UMMER3TARSONTHE7EB -PXPO1SJDF seeing his players develop One Dream” by Jim Collins into stars, on both the high and later by Brian Dennehy MASHPEE: school and Cape League in the 2001 major motion FEATURING 106 Falmouth Road, levels.