
### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 15](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

The team now known as the Valley Blue Sox was founded in 2001 and originally based in Concord, NH. At first, the team was doing fairly well, but things began to change once the [New Hampshire Fisher Cats](2026-04-06_nhfishercats) arrived a few miles south of Concord in 2004. After a 2007 sale, the new owners decided to move the team to Holyoke, MA due to rising costs and "low attendance"[^1] (as well as the departure of the now-[North Shore Navigators](2026-08-22_nsnavigators)).

The big thing at Mackenzie (literally) is the large grandstand down the first base line which has most of the seats (and, as I recall, is in the side of a hill). Outside of it, there's only small bleacher areas around the rest of the infield, but also quite a bit of space to walk around. Also, the stadium is next to 

Other than that...I'm honestly not sure what to say about the Blue Sox (except for one thing I'll talk about below). I came here twice (once in both 2022 and 2023), and the thing I honestly remember the most is hiding a foul ball I scooped from some kids (does this make me a bad person?). However, there is one other thing: they made a MASSIVE logo change between the two years I visited, and I have to say that the new logo is borderline FRIGHTENING (it honestly feels AI generated, which it still could be, but it came out in 2023 when AI was somehow still only in its infancy[^2]). 

### MERCH

Despite there being several buildings down the third base side (which serve concessions), there's no "permanent" structure for merchandise sales. Instead, there's a table between some of the buildings with mostly standard items (including a jersey with "fake buttons" that I saw one time).

Also, during the 2023 visit, I got a polo with the old logo (on clearance IIRC).

---

### ON DECK

A more familiar color of Sox - but not from Boston.

---

[^1]: I put low attendance in quotes because according to Wikipedia, attendance was around 500 a game - a number five out of thirteen NECBL teams failed to reach in 2025 (the most recent year for which the league has attendance data). Ironically enough, one of those five teams was...the Blue Sox.

[^2]: Saying something was only in its infancy THREE YEARS AGO feels weird, but that's tech for you...

Valley Blue Sox (New England Collegiate Baseball League) @ Mackenzie Stadium (Holyoke, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 14](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

Falmouth, along with Chatham, is one of the original Cape League towns from 1923. While the city has won a total of 14 league championships, the most recent was in 1980 - the longest drought in the Cape League (in fact, it’s getting long enough to the point where we can safely say that it’s older than the players’ _parents_).

The team's longtime home is a local field called Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field - or "The Guv" as it's more commonly known. Originally opened in the 1930s and given the Guv Fuller name in the 1950s, the local Cape League team actually didn't move in until the 1960s - and then in 2004, the Arnie Allen part was added on. It's right next to the heart of downtown Falmouth.

The main entrance is behind a municipal building, and it’s in right field alongside the concession stand (which features some unique items like fried Oreos). Bleachers down the right field foul line run all the way down to the field, meaning that you can kinda sorta put your feet on the field (but not in play). Be forewarned, however, that these bleachers are rather old and fairly decrepit. The main stands near the infield were given a facelift recently, so they’re pretty modern.

Outside of that, there are no seats behind home plate here, so this is one of the few stadiums on Cape Cod where you can watch the game directly behind home plate without being a scout (though you do have to stand if you don't bring a chair).

### MERCH

As of 2025, Falmouth is the only field on the Cape with an “indoor merchandise store” under the press box. While many of the things inside are "common" fare (i.e. shirts/hoodies, hats[^1], mini bats, and Cape League baseballs), I've gotten rocks with the team's logo painted on them in the store, and they usually has game worn jerseys outside - one of which I've gotten in the past (and several of which I've thought about getting before saying "nah"). 

---

[^1]: My efforts to find Commodores hats here has been...interesting: they did not have player hats when I first visited in 2021, then during my first visit in 2022 they had a hat that looked like the player hats but made by a different manufacturer, then I found "real" player hats later that year. In 2023, they had player hats with a special logo on them (for their 100th anniversary), then as mentioned [a while ago](2025-12-26_merchstops), my most recent visit saw me try to find their new WHITE hat that was out of stock.

An original Cape League city - and their long wait

Falmouth Commodores (Cape Cod Baseball League) @ Guv Fuller Field (Falmouth, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 13](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

Given Hyannis' status as the "Capital of Cape Cod", you might be surprised to learn that the Hyannis Harbor Hawks are a “newer” member of the Cape Cod Baseball League, having been founded in 1976 as the Hyannis Mets (and named after the [New York Mets](2026-05-01_nymets)); they became the Harbor Hawks after the MLB trademark situation of 2010[^1]. They’ve won the Cape League championship three times, though their last title was WAY BACK in 1991 (and the first two were back-to-back titles in the late 70s). Part of the reason they became the Harbor Hawks in 2010: in honor the osprey that nest near their stadium: Judy Walden Scarafile Field at McKeon Park (that’s the official name; Scarafile is a former Cape League president).

I’ll be honest: I haven’t explored around this stadium as much as most of the other Cape League stadiums, and I actually FORGOT to do any write up back in 2023[^2]. The stadium is behind the former Barnstable High School that is now a Catholic school (named after St. John Paul II); from what I can remember of my last visit, most of the “action” is on the third base side as that’s the side nearest the parking lot, and I haven’t really bothered to venture out much further than that. There’s a set of old bleachers on top of a hill in left with a fun view, but outside of that, there’s only one other set of bleachers near third base and the “everything building” (concessions and merch on the lower level, press box on the upper level).

Parking here is kinda crazy: there’s a few VERY SMALL lots near the stadium, but you’re only a few blocks from downtown Hyannis if you can find any parking there (though given Hyannis’ status as the “capital of Cape Cod”, that parking can be hard to come by and I don’t know the payment rules).

### MERCH

As I mentioned earlier, concessions and merchandise are sold next to each other on the first floor of the press box; based on what I remember, the Harbor Hawks are the only team on Cape Cod with this setup (with the closet second being [Wareham](2025-08-20_wargatemen) having a small concession stand in their press box; their main concessions are in the outfield).

The very first time I came here (2021), the team had old player jerseys available. I ended up not getting one for various reasons - something I cannot completely say that I regret, but it must be noted that I've yet to see them have jerseys since (not to mention the few times I've seen them offer jerseys online since then, they've only had "shirseys").

---

### ON DECK

Cape Cod's longest title drought (y'know, like Clevelandtown - which is a REALLY funny connection because Travis Bazzana).

BUT...it may have to wait a day.

---

[^1]: It should be noted, however, that the Harbor Hawks aren't the first CCBL team to play in Hyannis.

[^2]: I did write about the ten Cape League stadiums as far back as 2021, but those notes have gotten lost over the years due to me switching computers (I can't even find them in iCloud for cripes sake!).


The Cape League's "Capital Club"

Hyannis Harbor Hawks (Cape Cod Baseball League) @ Judy Walden Scarafile Field at McKeon Park (Hyannis, MA)


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 12](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

The Harwich Mariners were founded in 1946, and that 1946 establishment is a large reason of why they're still the Mariners, as when MLB tried to enforce its trademarks in 2010, the league was unable to force the Mariners to change their name, as they had it long before MLB’s Seattle Mariners were established (1977). However, the Harwich Mariners opted to change their colors (which were a carbon copy of Seattle’s navy, teal, and silver) at some point (though their uniforms do still bear some resemblance to Seattle, it's much less of a "match", plus the team wears red and blue now).

While the Bourne Braves are the Cape League's "most dynastic" team right now, Harwich is VERY much right behind them - while they've been to the Cape League championship series twice post-COVID, they've won both of those series over Bourne (the only other team to beat Bourne in that span: [Brewster](2026-08-23_brewhitecaps) - who lost in 2022).

Whitehouse Field is basically surrounded by woodlands: you enter through a densely wooded area and trees are abundant around the outfield. The field is a bit of a distance from the fence separating it from the parking lot, so it ends up creating a “plaza” like environment with picnic tables and ample room for kids to chase foul balls that land in the woods.

This may also be the easiest stadium to park at (though for peak crowds that may not be too consoling): besides the main lot near the field, there’s a secondary lot connected to the main lot (as there's a school decently adjacent to the field) as well as another lot across the street (for a community center).

I must say: foul ball competition was probably fiercest here. Maybe it’s the fact that there’s a lot of running room compared to some of the other parks in New England, but every single foul ball had at least 15-20 kids doing head-on sprints for it at one game I went to.

This is also one of two stadiums on Cape Cod where I saw the league’s All-Star Game[^1] - a showcase of the league's best talent (i.e. some of the best college baseball players in the country). Unlike the [MLB All-Star Festivities](2026-07-13_mlballstar2026), it's a bit of a "full day" event: gates are usually in the early afternoon, and then the All-Star players have a designated time where they sign autographs before a Home Run Derby and the game itself take place back to back (NOTE: I probably should have done this when I talked about the [North Shore Navigators](2026-08-22_nsnavigators), as I went to the All-Star Game they hosted the day after this one and it's pretty similar minus the autographs). This is one of those situations where parking is probably hard to get (as it draws WELL over what the team normally draws), so if you ever think about going to the Cape League All-Star Game, be aware of this (as well as the fact that it's the ONE game on Cape Cod that requires a ticket to attend).

### MERCH

Concessions are at the base of the press box, and a merchandise stand (renovated in 2022) sits behind the first base bleachers. In addition to the games I've been to here, I also made a visit here in 2021 in the MORNING (as the stand had morning hours back then), but the only thing I got was an adjustable hat that I don't even know if I still have.

Also, at the All Star Game in 2023, I ended up buying a warm up shirt with the best possible number on the back. I will not say which number that is (because I assume families with impressionable kids read this), but let's just say it's the OG meme number (and not the one that became a meme AFTER I bought the shirt).

---

[^1]: The other one is [Spillane Field in Wareham](2025-08-20_wargatemen), which I COMPLETELY forgot to mention when I visited last year (though that was probably because of the whole “lights” thing).


A team so old MLB couldn’t do anything about it

Harwich Mariners (Cape Cod Baseball League) @ Whitehouse Field (Harwich, MA)


I've mentioned it a few times, but I am hoping to have other content other than trip reports on this blog. While the primary content of this blog was (and will probably remain) visiting stadiums and writing my thoughts on them, going from venue to venue can be tiresome at times, and between tickets and transportation, costs can rack up a bit...

...which is why it's rather interesting that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/20/americans-debt-sports-fans.html" target="blank">this article</a> came out a few days ago. It talks about how many sports fans are finding themselves in debt supporting their teams, but (are attempting to) justify it by insisting that their sports teams are important enough to justify the spending. The article isn't saying that this is necessarily a bad thing, but at a time where prices for EVERYTHING are trending towards "more expensive by the day", fans need to be more mindful of how they spend on sports. In other words: sports fans are treating their team as a need alongside bills and groceries to the point that they're willing to go into debt for it, which may or may not be a good thing.

Of course, cutting spending on your team isn't easy. For example, let's use (for better or worse) the 2026 NBA Champion New York Knicks (especially since the Knicks are mentioned in the article). Games 3 and 4 of the Finals were held in New York; I won't get into what happened at Game 3 (both on and off the court), but Game 4 saw the New York Knicks come back from down 29 points to win at the last second en route to them winning their first title in over 50 years.

I remember looking at the ticket prices for the two games of the NBA Finals the Knicks hosted on SeatGeek out of sheer curiosity, and even if I was actually a Knicks fan, there is no way I could even begin to think about going when the get-in price was near five figures (i.e. >$10,000). However, there's likely someone out there who says "money be damned, I NEED to be there to experience this"; yes, that fan gets to say "I saw the greatest comeback/choke job in NBA Finals history in person"[^1], which may be beyond worth it to them - but maybe not a bank or lender...

So what does this mean exactly as it pertains to this blog? I mean, this particular idea seemingly applies to fans who invest fully into one single professional team, which if you haven't been reading the over 100 posts on this blog over the past year, isn't how I've been operating.

I've been to almost 100 events in the last two years, and the OVERWHELMING majority of them were minor league (or lower). I won't get into the "specifics" of minor league costs, but it is VERY rare that you'd need to spend anywhere close to $100 to get into a minor league event. In fact, you can often get quite close to the action (see: the three [Frontier](2026-05-08_rocboulders) [League](2026-05-09_scminers) [games](2026-05-20_njjackals2) I've been to this year) for a fraction of the cost it would be to sit that close at a "Professional League" game.

Some fans, however, would STILL argue that the costs of a pro league game are still worth it. Lower level leagues feature lower level players, and not only are they still waiting to become stars, a lot of them haven't developed the skills required to succeed at the top level - so the quality of play tends to be inferior to the "professional" product (for some, painfully so). For them, the ability to see a human that vaguely resembles Jalen Brunson from 200+ feet away is far more valuable than POTENTIALLY seeing guys who MIGHT become the next big thing (though since we are in "basketball land", it should be mentioned once again that FEW players who play in [the NBA's developmental league](2026-01-25_wcknicks) go on to become NBA stars).

I haven't even touched on merchandise yet, but to be honest, I feel like lower and higher league merch is comparable in price with two exceptions: buying AT Big Four arenas and jerseys. Sadly, I feel like most Big Four buildings upcharge HEAVILY on things that are also available at places such as Dick's Sporting Goods, and while I've talked about jerseys quite a bit on this blog, I do need to reemphasize that they can get WILDLY expensive at the Big Four level for various features such as stitched lettering[^2] (though some would argue that the quality is still not that great).

At the end of the day, whether or not anyone sees themselves as "overspending" on their team is like other hobbies - it comes down to preference. However, with things where they are now, it's also important to ensure that you don't let your hobby take over your financial decision making (which, I should note, is why upcoming games I bought tickets for MONTHS ago are now suddenly iffy).

Anyway, this obviously has nothing to do with the catch-up series I've been doing for the past few weeks. That will continue tomorrow with - somewhat ironically - another Cape Cod Baseball League team (where teams don't sell tickets to games - though this does come with a small "catch" if you want a souvenir).

---

[^1]: NOTE: This assumes said fan got to see AT LEAST Game 4; if they only went to the circus that was Game 3 and the Knicks' only loss of the series, then, well...

[^2]: Ironically, soccer is the reverse of this, where the high-end player jerseys feature glued-on logos. Also, , being a soccer fan and having a new jersey to buy every year is 

Counting up the costs of being a fan

How much should one spend on their team?


### [SUMMER OF BASEBALL 2023: STOP 11](2026-08-16_summerofbaseball2023)

_\*For more on the Cape Cod Baseball League, I wrote about it [here](ccbl_overview), and I personally recommend you check it out._

Brewster is one of the newer teams on the Cape, having been established in 1988 (alongside the Bourne Braves). The team has won three championships in their relatively short history, and their most notable alumnus, like it or not (I certainly don’t, and I’m willing to bet Seattle Mariner fans don’t either), has to be Aaron Judge.

Initially, they played their games at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School - which technically isn’t in Brewster, but in neighboring Harwich (which has its own team). In 2006, the team moved into Brewster proper when Stony Brook Field was opened  (coincidentally, Bourne got a new stadium in 2006 as well - these teams share a LOT in common!).

As far as features, the school this field is attached to is an elementary school, so there’s a playground nearby. Be forewarned if you’re looking for food: concessions here are rather limited - or at least they seemed a bit limited when I was making frequent visits. It’s run by a small local company, and they don’t have a full on “stand” - they simply sell them next to the school building. 

The main parking lot, which is next to the school for which the field is named, is not exactly big enough to handle all the spectators that come to these games (though honestly it doesn't seem like ANY Cape League stadium has enough parking), but I found out that there’s another school nearby where fans can park and then walk through some woods to get to the field. This is honestly one of the more interesting features I’ve seen on the Cape - just be careful of any woodland insects...

### MERCH

For the first two years I visited, merch was sold out of a literal trailer; in 2023, they upgraded to a full-on shack. There isn't exactly much that was (as ), but of note: I don't recall seeing jerseys ever sold, the team sold baseballs with their logos only (i.e. NOT the CCBL game ball other teams sell), and it took me until 2025 to find a shirt that I liked and was in stock (I actually talked about this [a while ago](2025-12-26_merchstops)).

I should also mention that the team USED to have a SMALL online store, but I only ordered one thing from it: a commemorative cap meant for the COVID cancelled 2020 season which featured the name of John Altobelli - a former baseball coach (and one time manager of the Whitecaps) who was killed in the same helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.

Oddly, I recall seeing a shirt here with a logo the team doesn't use - as it was actually an [Ocean State Waves](2026-08-21_oswaves) logo...

Sportventures

The Dore

Meet the...Harbor Hawks

The OG Mariners

Mony Money

Put a Cap in it