04/10/2005 10:11 AM Article By:
for immediate release: 10 April, 2005
Cape League To Host U.S. Military All-Stars During
“Red, White, And Blue Tour” Of New England
McKeon Park, Hyannis, Saturday, 11 June at 2 p.m.
HYANNIS, Mass - Already named host of the 2005 Cape League All-Star Game, July 30, McKeon Park in Hyannis will also serve as the site for (a historic) pre-season exhibition game between a team of U.S. Military All-Stars from around the globe against a squad of players from the Cape Cod Baseball League on Saturday, June 11 at 2 p.m.
U.S. Military All Star Roster
This exhibition game against the Cape League is part of the first Red, White and Blue Tour of military personnel in history.
"We're very excited about the outstanding support we have received from the Cape Cod Baseball League for our historic Red White and Blue Tour of New England," said U.S. Military All-Stars Director, Lieutenant Commander Terry Allvord, stationed at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego. "Our goal is to link our past military baseball heritage with the present, while promoting the awareness of Americans in support of our Armed Forces serving around the world. The tour will provide a unique and patriotic experience to the organizations and communities who have come forward in support of our tour and the top collegiate and military players honored to participate. The Red, White and blue Tour is something very special. We encourage everyone on the Cape to come out and be a part of history, while watching some great baseball."
Friendly’s Restaurants and Bayside Chiropractic have already stepped forward as sponsors of the CCBL’s exhibition game against combined players from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.
Nine of the ten Cape League teams will provide a minimum of two players (one pitcher and one positional player) to the CCBL pre-season squad. Wareham will also be playing an exhibition game that same evening.
CCBL Deputy Commissioner Sol Yas will serve as on-site coordinator of the Cape League squad, while Scott Pickler of the defending champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox will be field manager. Lt. Commander Allvord of the U.S. Navy, head coach and coordinator of the touring U.S. Military All-Star Team, will oversee the military player selection and lead the All-Stars between the lines.
There will be a special pre-game ceremony honoring our Armed Forces before the first pitch.
Background
Similar to the Cape Cod Baseball League, the origin of United States armed forces baseball has been traced back to the Civil War (1860-1865). Over nearly a century and a half, military baseball has been utilized as a successful tool to improve recruiting efforts, increase visibility, and morale of the Armed Services and American citizens.
Following World War I, when major league stars such as Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson served their country and played on teams overseas and at home, military baseball reached the peak of popularity during WWII (1941-1945). Baseball legends Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Greenburg and Bob Feller headed the list of major leaguers playing for service teams. Military baseball served as a conduit to post-war reconstruction efforts and international relations.
The last official efforts to support organized military baseball occurred during the “Vietnam Era”. Program support was extremely limited in scope during the Korean War (1950-1952) and finally, the Vietnam War (1965-1974), when American politicians and military leaders began the systematic dismantling of our military infrastructure and personnel force strength. Military baseball was phased out and went dormant along with the decline of our armed forces.
In 1990, this country experienced a renaissance of organized military baseball in the “Modern Era”. Determined re-organization efforts by a U.S. Navy program was founded in Pensacola, Florida. That initial Navy program launched nearly two decades ago, led to establishing the growth of successful teams in all services around the world.
Proposal
With tensions in the Middle East, the current war in Iraq, and the Global War on Terrorism continuing to be a factor in our everyday lives, a historic “joint” effort has provided a unique, patriotic arena for Americans to support their armed forces at home and abroad.
The Military baseball team offered the opportunity for all services and the Coast Guard to nominate staff and players to create the most talented combined military baseball team in the world. This All-Star team represents the armed forces for the first time in history to promote a historic "Red, White and Blue Tour of the U.S. Military Baseball All-Stars” across the United States to raise awareness and donations for national charities.
Selection Process
Players and staff will be nominated by their respective service team’s General Manager and Head Coach no later than May 1, 2005. All packages will be organized, reviewed and prepared for initial screening of a committee consisting of service General Managers and Head Coaches who will make the final selections based on experience, talent, and roster requirements. An equal number of roster spots are available, however adjustments may be required to ensure we have the most talented personnel along with the proper representation at critical positions, such as pitchers. The goal is to provide the chain of command and host organizations with complete roster information and high quality action photographs at least three weeks before the tour to support promotional items and other printed materials.
Personnel Challenges
Past experiences during a time of war confirm the Military Team will be unable to select the absolute finest personnel due to operational necessity. This direct impact on roster selections to support the “Red, White and Blue Tour” is not viewed as a critical barrier to building a competitive team. It is anticipated a final roster will include over 90 percent of the players recently returned from one or more tours of duty in numerous global war zones. This is an added benefit to the tour, because they have experienced the challenges first hand, and are best suited to represent the Armed Forces currently at the “Tip of the Spear”.
Cape Cod Times Wins Awards For Baseball Coverage
Veteran Cape Cod Times columnist Rob Duca won third place in the national AP Sports Editors’ contest for his game story on the Boston Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series.
This is one of the most prestigious contests for sports writing in the country and Duca's work was judged among entries in the 40,000 to 100,000circulation category
The Cape Cod Times ' 20-page commemorative edition recounting the Red Sox winning the World Series was selected among the top 10 Special Sections in the 40,000-to-100,000 circulation division. The section was produced by sports editor Bill Higgins, copy editor Bob Bradley, writers Rob Duca and Eric Gongola, designers Dhyana Sansoucie and Tina Kleuker and photographers Vince DeWitt, Ron Schloerb, Paul Blackmore and Dan Cutrona.
CCBL To Host Baseball Factory’s High School Classic
The Baseball Factory and Team One have announced that the inaugural Cape Cod High School Classic will take place in Wareham, July 29, 2005 at 11 am. The High School Classic will showcase the most talented high school rising seniors and juniors from across the nation and around the world. The Cape Cod Baseball League will serve as official host for the game, providing a historic setting for this event.
The Cape Cod High School Classic will precede the CCBL All-Star Game which will take place on July 30 in Hyannis, MA at 3 p.m. By hosting the High School Classic at the Cape Cod League, scouts will be able to watch the best high school players followed by the best college players on consecutive days. All High School Classic players will be honored during the opening ceremonies at the Cape All-Star Game.
The Cape Cod High School Classic teams will be selected by scouts from Team One and Baseball Factory. Thirty six players will form two teams that will face off in front of numerous scouting directors and influential decision makers within Major League Baseball. Players will also be run through a series of drills to showcase their skills, including the 60 yard dash, batting practice, and defensive workouts.
Terrance Allvord
Lt. Commander, General Manager, U.S. Navy Baseball Club
John Garner, Jr.
CCBL Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394 [email protected]
