Eleven Legends to be Inducted into CCBL Hall of Fame
Ceremony Scheduled for 8 Nov 2003, at Chatham Bars Inn

CAPE COD, Mass. – CCBL Hall of Fame Committee Chair and Commissioner Bob Stead announced that 11 former players, coaches and officials will be inducted into the 4th Annual Cape Cod Baseball League’s Hall of Fame Class, Saturday, November 8, with a ceremony at the Chatham Bars Inn in Chatham, Mass. 

     The announcement was made earlier today at the Cape League’s First Pitch Brunch, hosted by the Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub on Rt. 28 in West Yarmouth, Mass. The 2003 CCBL Hall of Fame class includes current major leaguers Sean Casey of the Cincinnati Reds and Carlos Pena of the Detroit Tigers; former major league slugger Cory Snyder; hard-hitting infielder Ron Perry, Jr.; former CCBL manager Jack McCarthy; hurlers Ed Baird, Noel Kinski and Joe Jabar; slugger Jim Perkins; former player/ coach/ administrator Pat Sorenti and Cape League President Judy Walden Scarafile.

     “The talented and diversity of this group is simply outstanding, “ said Stead. “The Hall of Fame Committee and Advisory Board worked tirelessly researching nominees and selecting worthy candidates. There is representation of players, managers, and league officials with the range of this class covering almost 80 years – from Pat Sorenti as a player in the 1920’s to present-day major leaguers Sean Casey and Carlos Pena in the 21st Century.”

Ed Baird, Chatham A’s player
     Ed Baird pitched for three years in the Cape League for the Chatham A’s from 1965-67, compiling an impressive 16-2 career record with a sparkling 1.89 ERA. The right-handed pitcher posted a 3-0 mark in ’65 with a 0.45 ERA, a league record that stood for 31 years. Amazingly, Baird did not allow more than three runs in any game during 1965. He allowed just 4.05 hits per nine innings pitched in ’65, a record that stood for 11 years and is currently seventh best. Ed became the first pitcher to win 10 consecutive games. The UConn pitcher led the Cape League in strikeouts with 70 in 1966. He is second all-time in career winning pct. (.889), seventh in career strikeouts (184), ninth in wins (16), 11th in ERA (1.89) and 11th in innings pitched (166.2). 

Sean Casey, Brewster Whitecaps player
     Sure-fielding field baseman Sean Casey enjoyed a banner season for the Brewster Whitecaps in 1994, hitting .338 with one homer and 40 RBI. The University of Richmond product also produced 12 doubles and 19 runs scored that summer. Casey led the league first baseman in fielding pct. (.993), put outs (384) and total chances (415), while being named CCBL Player of the Week twice and also being selected a Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star. He ended the season with an 11-game hitting streak during which he hit .488 and drove in 11 runs. Casey was originally signed by the Cleveland Indians and is now a starting first baseman with the Cincinnati Reds. He is currently one of the top players in the National League.

Joe Jabar, Chatham A’s & Yarmouth Indians pitcher
     A product of Colby College in Waterville, Maine, Joe Jabar pitched three seasons in the Cape League, compiling a record of 21-4, including a 7-4 record for the Yarmouth Indians in 1965 and back-to-back 7-0 marks for the Chatham A’s in 1966-67. His 15 consecutive wins over three seasons is still a league record. He was named to the All-Star team and was selected most outstanding pitcher during both the ’66 and ’67 seasons, the first hurler to win that honor twice. During the ’65 campaign with Yarmouth, Joe pitched nine complete games in 14 starts and struck out 74 batters. He started the ’65 All-Star game vs. fellow inductee Noel Kinski. During the ’66 season, Jabar compiled a 1.53 ERA and did even better in ’67, registering a sparkling 1.23 ERA. Following his career at Colby, Jabar signed with the Seattle Pilots (now Milwaukee Brewers).

Noel Kinski, Sagamore/Falmouth pitcher
     Noel Kinski was one of the top hurlers in the Cape League in the mid-1960’s, first for Bourne in 1964, then Sagamore in 1965 and Falmouth in ’66. The former Providence Friar pitcher posted a superlative 10-1 record in ’65 with a 1.91 ERA and 11 complete games, with 85 K’s and only 31 walks. His 10 wins in one season is second in Cape League history behind Pat Hope’s 11 in 1987 and his 11 complete games is tied for second behind Hope’s 13. Kinski, still a resident of Brewster, was named to the All-Star team and was selected the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher that same season. He struck out a season-high 12 batters on Aug. 15, 1965 in Harwich when he earned his 10th win. Kinski started the ’65 and ’66 All-Star games for the Uppder Division, pitching six combined innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight batters. The three-time All-Star followed that up in ’66 for the Commodores with a 7-3 record and a 3.15 ERA, with 53 K’s and 29 walks. His son Ryan Kinski also played in the Cape League and is an assistant coach for the Hyannis Mets.

Jack McCarthy, Cotuit Kettleers player and manager
     A product of Holy Cross during the mid-1960’s, Jack McCarthy was a hard-hitting catcher for the Cotuit Kettleers from 1962-65. The personable West Roxbury Native had a career batting avg. of .298, including his All-Star season in 1964 when he hit .318 and set a fielding record of 1,000% behind the plate. He began his Cape League career while still a student at Boston Latin High School and in his first game, walked three times and stole three bases to help lead Cotuit to victory. He gained distinction as a field manager for the Kettleers from 1970-78, posting a won-lost record of 208-153 (.573) and five Cape League Titles. He is one of only three Cape League managers to win 200 games in one decade and his 26 playoff wins are third all-time. He initiated baseball clinics for children in the Cotuit community in 1975 that are still successful today. Jack and his wife currently practice psychology in New Bedford, Mass.

Jim Perkins, Cotuit Kettleers player
     One of the leading hitters and sluggers of the late 1940’s and early 50’s in the Cape League, Jim Perkins was recognized by “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” for hitting two grand slam home runs in the same inning during a game for Cotuit in 1949. In that same game, Perkins belted a triple and drove in an Upper Cape League record 11 runs in one game. During that same season, Jim led the league with a .432 batting average with 12 home runs. He led Cotuit to a 31-9 rout over Hyannis going 7-for-8 with 2 HR, including another grand slam. During the summer of 1948, Perkins belted three homers in one game at Otis Air Force Base. Perkins served with distinction in World War II and worked as an MP at Camp Edwards, where he played baseball. Now in his early 80’s, Jim has lived in Cotuit since his playing days in the Cape League over 40 years ago. For many years, Perkins owned and operated a filling station in Osterville, where he provided jobs for several Cape League players, including Will Clark.

Carlos Pena, Wareham Gatemen player
     Slugging first baseman Carlos Pena enjoyed a solid season for the Wareham Gatemen in 1997, batting .318 with eight home runs and 33 RBI and was the 18th player to win two-thirds of the triple crown. The Northeastern University product also scored 25 runs and accounted for 84 total bases and a .545 slugging pct. A sure-handed first baseman, Pena holds records for consecutive chances (416) without an error and most consecutive games (43) without an error. Carolos enjoyed a five-RBI day against Hyannis and clouted two home runs in one game vs. Cotuit. He was selected recipient of the Pat Sorenti Award as Most Valuable Player of the league, the Daniel J. Silva Award for Sportsmanship and was named to both the CCBL West Division All-Star and Post-Season All-Star teams. He was a first round draft choice of the Texas Rangers and now plays for the Detroit Tigers. Earlier this season, he slugged three home runs in one game for the Tigers. His younger brother, Omar Pena, played for the Hyannis Mets last season .

Ron Perry, Jr., Hyannis Mets infielder
     Ron Perry, Jr., enjoyed two of the finest back-to-back seasons of any player in Cape League history. Playing for the Hyannis Mets, Perry hit .357 in 1978 and followed that by finishing second for the league batting title in 1979 with a torrid .401 mark. He holds the highest career batting average (.383) of any player in the modern era and his slugging avg. (.594) is second all-time. Ron was a CCBL All-Star in 1978 and ’79, while being selected league MVP during his second season. Perry led Hyannis to the CCBL League Championship in 1979, as the Mets set a record for highest team batting average (.314) and runs scored (348) in league history. At Holy Cross, Perry finished his career as the all-time leading basketball scorer in New England collegiate history (since broken by the late Reggie Lewis). Drafted by the Boston Celtics in basketball and Chicago White Sox in baseball, Perry signed with the White Sox organization and played in the minor leagues, before retiring from active participation. He became a basketball analyst for the Big East and was an announcer for the ECAC Div. I Baseball Tournament on SportsChannel. His father, Ron Sr., is a former AD at Holy Cross. 

Judy Walden Scarafile, CCBL Administrator
     Serving in various capacities for the Cape Cod Baseball League during the past 34 years, Judy Walden Scarafile becomes the first woman to be inducted into its Hall of Fame. Starting as official scorer, the UConn grad rose through the ranks, first as publicity assistant to Dick Bresciani, then as league publicist, secretary, deputy commissioner, VP and in 1991, became the league’s first female president. As president, she oversees administration, finance, league meetings, public relations and marketing, and organized the league’s Strategic Planning Committee. Scarafile became the first director of corporate development and has procured over 30 corporate sponsors, enabling the league to produce an annual budget of $435,000. She was named to the Yawkey Foundation Board of Trustees and is chair of its grants committee. Scarafile was named Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, was presented with the Clara Barton Award by the American Red Cross and is a volunteer for the Cape Cod Stranding (whales) Network. Judy is a past recipient of the Amateur Baseball Woman of the Year by USA Baseball. She and her husband Peter are both pharmacists and live in Barnstable Village. 

Cory Snyder, Harwich Mariners, player
     Right-handed slugger Cory Snyder enjoyed one of the best power-laden seasons in Cape League history in 1983 for the Harwich Mariners, hitting .321 with a league record 22 home runs, 50 RBI, 47 runs scored (3rd all-time) and a .764 slugging avg. His 22 home runs are six more than the second leading single season sluggers, Dave Staton of Brewster and Tim Teufel of Cotuit, who both hit 16. He shares the league record for three home runs in one game, the only player to achieve it twice. He is the only known Cape Leaguer to hit home runs in four consecutive at bats, doing it on July 7-8. He led the Mariners to the Cape League Championship and was presented with the Robert A. McNeece Award as the Outstanding Pro Prospect. For his efforts, he was also named to the Cape League All-Star Team and also played for the Pan American Team. The Brigham Young product went on to a successful 11-year major league career with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago (AL), Toronto, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Pat Sorenti, Osterville player, Sagamore manager and League administrator
     Born in 1907, Dante “Pat” Sorenti began his illustrious nearly 50-year association with the Cape League as a player with the Osterville franchise in the 1920’s, and also played semi-pro ball for Salem (MA) and Lewiston (ME). Sorenti was president and field manager of the Cape League’s Sagamore team during the 1940’s and served as president and commissioner of the Cape League from 1947-53. He was the first commissioner of the Upper Cape portion of the league, with Dan Silva commissioner of the Lower Cape, in the late 1940’s. Sorenti instituted the first Little League Baseball program on Cape Cod in the 1950’s and at the time, ran the Bourne Baseball School and served as a “birddog” for Boston Braves chief New England scout, Jeff Jones, scouting Cape League players. The Cape Cod League honored his contributions by naming its Most Valuable Player in his name. Among the MVP’s during the past 39 years have been Thurman Munson, Paul O’Neill, Buck Showalter, Steve “Bye Bye” Balboni, Ron Perry, Ron Darling, Greg Vaughn, Darrin Erstad and Carlos Pena.. Sorenti, who passed away in 1971, is survived by his two daughters, Patricia Sanford and Marcia Huff.

     Entering its 118th season, the Cape Cod Baseball League is the premier collegiate summer league and currently lists 183 former players competing in the major leagues. The Cape League Hall of Fame is housed at the Heritage Museum & Gardens in Sandwich, Mass.

John Garner, Jr.
CCBL Director of Public Relations & Broadcasting
(508) 790-0394