Veterans Field
Chatham, MA
Review by Gary
Veterans Field has been home to Chatham baseball teams since the birth of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) in 1923. It is named in tribute to the veterans of World War I and every conflict since. Located on Main Street in downtown Chatham, Massachusetts, this beautiful ballfield attracts many a spectator away from the window shopping of nearby stores with free admission games.
Many returning fans (if the seats are free, can one still be a season ticket holder?) leave their folding chairs around the field as if they were season ticket holders. One great feature of Veterans Field is the use of fishing net-styled protective screens instead of metal chain link fencing to protect the fans. One clever homeowner, whose backyard faces the field on the third base side, has erected a permanent seating perch right above the fence outside of the ballpark grounds!
Accommodating 8,000 faithful, Veterans Field boasts the same capacity as Guv Fuller Field, tied for the largest in the CCBL. The playing field sits in a natural bowl with embankments all around that provide spectacular views of the action. The grassy right field hillside offers views for fans on blankets and beach chairs. Homeowners across the street that runs along the outfield can see the game from their front yards.
The charming backdrop of the town fire house and former railway station can be seen from the bleachers, which are the most modern in the CCBL. With an 8’ wide paved concourse in front of them, these blue and silver bleachers are seven rows deep and wrap around from first to third base, in front of the classic CCBL two-story press box behind home plate. This area is framed wonderfully by a brick backstop that stretches from dugout to dugout.
Both player benches are in the traditional “dug-out” style, which may have been just so since 1923. As Veterans Field is surrounded on three sides by the sea and just 1 ½ miles from the famous Chatham Lighthouse, the ballpark is often prone to "fog delays" during night games. The “Snack Shack” concession stand is a separate structure and is located behind the first base dugout.
Chatham withdrew from the CCBL prior to the 1932 season because of the town's decision not to help pay for the team and would compete in the Cape Cod Twilight League until the outbreak of World War II. When the CCBL reorganized in 1963, Chatham re-emerged as the Red Sox, but reverted to the colloquial Chatham Townies in the late 1960s before settling on the Athletics (or A’s). This lasted until 2008 when they were reborn as the Anglers, celebrating Chatham’s nautical history while still using the "A's" nickname.
Notable CCBL Chatham players include Jeff Bagwell (1987-88, HOF 2017), knuckleballer Charlie Hough (1964) and Thurman Munson (1967), who has a plaque dedicated to him on the press box wall. When travelling to the elbow of Cape Cod on the shores of the Atlantic, taking a in game at Veterans Field should be on the itinerary. Just arrive early to get the best spot before the fog rolls in!
2024
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