Jump to content

Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Railfan2103 (talk | contribs) at 18:02, 18 February 2016 (Logo update and other tidying up). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox

The Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox, or Y-D Red Sox, is a collegiate summer baseball team based in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division. The Red Sox play their home games at Red Wilson Field on the campus of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School in South Yarmouth.

The Red Sox most recently won the Cape Cod Baseball League championship in 2015 when they defeated the Hyannis Harbor Hawks two games to one to win the best of three series. Y-D also won league titles in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2014, and has made the playoffs nine times since 2000.

The team is currently led by Cypress College head coach Scott Pickler. He has been with the team since 1997.

History

The Pre-Modern Era

Baseball in the towns of Yarmouth and Dennis dates back to the early days of the Cape League. The Yarmouth Indians won the Cape League title in 1958 after beating Sagamore in the championship series four games to three.[1] The Indians won the series again in 1960, just three years before the beginning of the Modern Era.

The Modern Era

Yarmouth's first appearance in the league championship series in the Modern Era came in 1973, despite the team posting a losing record in the regular season. Yarmouth beat the regular-season champion Chatham Athletics before losing to the Cotuit Kettleers in the championship series in five games.

The team's next appearance came four years later, in 1977 after again beating Chatham in the semi-finals. The now Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox would once again fall to Cotuit in the championship series three games to two.

Y-D would not return to the championship series until 1987. Despite losing the championship series to the Harwich Mariners that year, the 1987 season marked the beginning of a four-year stretch in which the Red Sox would make the playoffs every season until 1990. During this span, Y-D would win three consecutive Eastern Division titles between 1988 and 1990 and would finally earn their first league championship in 1989 by sweeping the Hyannis Mets in two games. The Red Sox would repeat this feat a year later, knocking out the Wareham Gatemen two games to one in the championship series.

The Red Sox have enjoyed much success in the 21st century, winning five championships since 2004. They defeated the Falmouth Commodores to sweep the 2004 and 2007 championships two games to none, and came back to beat Wareham in 2006 two games to one after dropping the first game of the series at home.[2] The 2007 team featured 2008 top-ten draft picks Jason Castro, Buster Posey, and Gordon Beckham. Y-D once again won back-to-back league championships in 2014 and 2015 with series victories over Falmouth and Hyannis.

In October, 2008, the Red Sox announced that despite a licensing agreement between Major League Baseball and the Cape Cod Baseball League, they would not be changing their team name. This is most likely due to a deep-rooted connection between New Englanders and the Red Sox team name.

In 2009 and 2010, the Red Sox qualified for the playoffs, but were eliminated both times by the Cotuit Kettleers. Cotuit knocked out the Red Sox in the League semifinals in 2009, which was highlighted by an 18-4 Kettleers victory in the deciding game three of the series at Red Wilson Field. Y-D returned to the Championship Series the following season for the first time since winning the title in 2007, but lost the series to the Kettleers, two games to one, giving Cotuit its first Cape League championship since 1999.

Red Sox in Media

The Red Sox hosted the 2006 All-Star Game, which was broadcast on National Public Radio on Cape Cod. The game was broadcast by the team's play-by-play announcer, Dan Rubin, and the League's Director of Public Relations, John Garner. The Red Sox hosted the All-Star Game in 2013, which was aired live across the country on Fox College Sports.

In the 2001 movie Summer Catch, scenes where the Chatham A's play on the road at Y-D were filmed at Red Wilson Field.

Famous alumni

Fan Culture

Red Wilson Field is the official home of the Sinker Burger, the Hurler Burger, and the Boston Screamer. Introduced during the 2004 season, the Sinker is a hamburger served on a lightly toasted cake doughnut, with three varieties: inside, down-the-middle, and outside (cinnamon, powder, and plain). The Hurler, also introduced in 2004, is a hamburger patty served between the halves of a jelly doughnut, finished with a squirt of canned cheese. The Boston Screamer, which made its official debut in 2010, is a hamburger served on a Boston cream doughnut. On July 19, 2011, the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox served their 6000th "upgraded" hamburger.[3][4][5]

References