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Cape League's Red Shirt Friday will honor military
Jan 28, 2010
Author: Don Sherlock

CAPE COD —

The Cape Cod Baseball League won’t be playing exhibition games against the Military All-Stars next season, but in a show of appreciation for those serving in the armed forces it has announced plans to honor troops with Red Shirt Friday.

Plans call for the home teams to wear red uniforms on Fridays throughout the season to demonstrate support for the troops and recognize servicemen and their families.

The league previewed its promotion at Sunday’s March of Dimes Telerama when almost two dozen volunteers representing all 10 teams wore the uniforms during “Rowdy Hour.” The CCBL and its teams also contribute financially.

The proposal was made at the league’s Dec. 8 meeting at the Comfort Inn in Hyannis by Advanced Embroidery, which will contribute a ,000 sponsorship to the ,200 total cost (40 shirts per team at per shirt). Eye Health Services matched that contribution.

The shirts will have a ribbon flag on one sleeve and AE’s logo on the other. The team name and CCBL logo will be on the front and the Eye Health Services name will be on the back of the shirt.

Damon Collins of Advanced Embroidery says the company started and became aware of Red Shirt Friday two years ago from a local firefighter. “The movement started within that group in Boston and New York. We service over 95 fire and 30 police departments. .... We [at AE] have observed and wear the color every Friday, willingly with every staff member. In the beginning it was tough to explain the concept, it was to show support for the troops, not for war in general, which was a misconception by many in the last election year; it was almost perceived to be a political statement.”

“No matter how anyone feels about the [Iraq and Afghanistan] wars, we want to support the men and women in the service,” says Randy Shepard of Eye Health Services. “We’ve been one of the league’s corporate sponsors for 10 years. Whatever Judy [Scarafile] says is what I do. My wife and Judy control my checkbook.”


Around the horn


Yarmouth-Dennis won the Cape Cod Baseball League 2009 Commissioner’s Trophy, and with it a ,000 prize. The team contributed the money to the Needy Fund, March of Dimes and Yarmouth Recreation Commission to rebuild Flax Pond.

The Red Sox are also making plans to honor the 1990 Cape League championship team on the 20th anniversary of that title.

The team will continue its field improvement work through the 5,000 grant from the Yawkey Foundation. With about ,000 of that money remaining, the team has ordered a new scoreboard and is working on the final touches of a new multi-use facility to handle the concession stand, bathrooms and more. That building is expected to be built for the 2011 season.

Y-D President Bob Mayo has retired after 40 years with Coca Cola Bottling.

“Retirement is good, I don't have to worry about voice mails, messages, telephone calls, etc, but I do miss seeing my friends and customers at work.” Mayo and his wife, Nadine, who is the team’s corresponding secretary, will be heading for a six-week vacation in Florida March 1 and plan to take in some professional and college baseball games.

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The Bourne Braves will celebrate Opening Day, their first ever as league champions, by honoring the 1965 Sagamore championship team. New Jersey Devils President Lou Lamoriello, who was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in November, was on that 1965 team and may attend if the National Hockey League playoffs don’t conflict. The Braves opener is June 14 against Falmouth.

For the first time, the Braves will have a Scholarship/Tool award dedicated to an Upper Cape Tech student. Braves’ Treasurer Barry Motta, former UCT Superintendent, made a strong pitch for the ,000 award, which will be given this spring. UCT students built the new field and do much of its upkeep. The Braves will continue to award a 0 scholarship to a Bourne High School student.

The Braves will have two new assistant coaches — Jason Walck, an assistant at the University of New Orleans and Aracelio Rivera, an assistant at DeAnza College, Calif. Josh MacDonald returns to field manager Harvey Shapiro’s staff from the 2009 championship team and will do clinics.

The Braves Golf Tournament is scheduled for Friday, May 21 at the Falcon Club at Otis Air National Guard Base.

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When Cotuit joined its local Chamber of Commerce in the fall, it marked the first time in Cape League history that all 10 franchises and the league are members of their local Chambers of Commerce.

“Here on the Cape, the Chambers play a critical role in the business community, so it’s a natural for teams to join the local organization. This is win-win situation for everyone,” said league president Judy Scarafile.

Article from The Register