Cape Cod Baseball League cancels its 2020 season over coronavirus concerns
"The league determined it would be impossible to guarantee the safety of players, coaches, umpires, host families, volunteers and fans during this unprecedented health crisis."
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, this summer was never going to be a normal season on Cape Cod. But the pandemic has already ensured it will be without one summertime staple.
The Cape Cod Baseball League announced Friday afternoon that it has canceled its entire 2020 season, due concerns about the disease. In a statement, the 135-year-old college league said its executive committee made the decision in an unanimous vote, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and medical recommendations.
“The league determined it would be impossible to guarantee the safety of players, coaches, umpires, host families, volunteers and fans during this unprecedented health crisis,” the statement said, adding that the league looks forward to playing again 2021.
The 10-team league has more than 1,250 alums who have played in MLB, from Carlton Fisk to Chris Sale. Its 2020 season was scheduled to run from mid-June through early-August.
While experts say certain social distancing restrictions may be eased in the coming months depending on the degree that the coronavirus is contained, most public health experts agree that bans on large-scale gatherings should remain in place until a vaccine or widespread testing is available, which may not be until 2021.
Most major collegiate and professional sports leagues in the United States have either suspended or postponed their 2020 seasons this spring, and continue to grapple with how — or if — they can resume play this year under strict conditions and likely without spectators.
The Cape League, however, does not have that flexibility; during the season, players stay with local “host families” who volunteer to house the amateur athletes. And like with most minor league teams, the games are highly fan-oriented.
In a tweet Friday afternoon, longtime baseball writer Peter Gammons called the decision “gut-wrenching,” if understandable.
“I applaud the league for its concern and respect for science and all its volunteers, but summer where I live isn’t the same without it,” Gammons wrote.
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