Chatham Athletics

The Chatham Athletics, more commonly referred to as the Chatham A's, are an amateur baseball team based in Chatham, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division. Chatham currently plays its home games at Veteran's Field in the town of Chatham. The A's have been operated by the non-profit Chatham Athletic Association since 1963 [1998 Cape Cod Baseball League Official Yearbook, p. 14] . Like other Cape League teams, the Chatham Athletics are funded through merchandise sales, donations, and other fundraising efforts at games such as fifty-fifty raffles.

In 2007, Chatham finished the year in second place in the Eastern Division with 53 points and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2005, where they were swept by eventual champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Chatham has not won the league championship since 1998, when they defeated the Wareham Gatemen three games to two in the championship series.

History

The Pre-Modern Era

Amateur baseball in the town of Chatham dates back to the early 1900s and the old Cape Cod Twilight League. Chatham was the dominant team in the league throughout the 1930s, winning the Twilight League championship seven consecutive times between 1933 and 1939 [2001 Cape Cod Baseball League Official Yearbook, p. 15] . The team has played at its current home ballpark, Veteran's Field, since 1923.

The Modern Era

Chatham has seen significant success in the league's modern era, winning a total of five Cape League Championships. They began the modern era by reaching the Cape League championship series for four consecutive years. Their first title came in 1967, when Thurman Munson led the team to a 30-9-4 record in the regular season and a championship victory over the Falmouth Commodores [Alder, Eric (2005-07-28). [http://www.capecodbaseball.org/News/news2005/CCChronicle/CCChronicle_28Jul2005.htm "Chatham A's 1967 Team Honored"] . "The Cape Cod Chronicle". Retrieved on 2007-07-04.]

The A's reached the championship series four more times before they finally won another league title in 1982 when they swept the Hyannis Mets three games to none in the championship series.

Chatham was one of the league's most successful teams throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Chatham made the playoffs nine out of ten years between 1991 and 2000, including with Cape League titles in 1992, 1996, and 1998. The A's have claimed more Cape League Regular Season (7) and Post-Season (7) Eastern Division titles than any other team, their last of which came in 2001 when they lost the championship series to the Wareham Gatemen. [ [http://www.capecodbaseball.org/archives/Records/awards_Champions.htm Cape League Championships] . Retrieved 2007-07-04.]

The A's in media

The Chatham A's were featured prominently in the 2001 Warner Bros. motion picture "Summer Catch," starring Freddy Prinze Jr.. Published in 2004, Jim Collins' "The Last Best League" is a non-fiction account of the 2002 Chatham A's.

Famous Alumni

* Jeff Bagwell 1987-1988
* Jason Bay 1999
* Ryan Braun 2000
* David Bush 2000-2001
* Eric Byrnes 1995
* David DeJesus 1999
* Rich Hill 2000-2001
* Evan Longoria 2005
* Mike Lowell 1994
* Mike MacDougal 1998
* Kevin Mench 1998
* Andrew Miller 2005
* Thurman Munson 1967
* Ross Ohlendorff 2003
* Brian Roberts 1998
* Scott Schoeneweis 1993
* Kyle Snyder 1998
* Tim Stauffer 2002
* Scott Williamson 1996
* Chris Young 2000

References

External links

* [http://www.chathamas.com/ Chatham A's official site]
* [http://www.capecodbaseball.org/ CCBL Home Page]
* [http://www.chathamas.com/index.cfm?base=24 Chatham A's Broadcast Archives]