27 June 2007

Braves’ Shapiro stresses human qualities in players

By Erin Lewis
GateHouse News Service
Wed Jun 27, 2007, 03:00 PM EDT 

Bourne - Bourne Braves field manager Harvey Shapiro does not only look for talent in his athletes, but a proper representation of the sport he’s been involved with for most of his life.

    Taking the helm of the Braves for his third summer, Shapiro is looking to share his knowledge of the game and its respectable qualities with a new team of talented baseball players.

    “Be a good person first. Be a person of character, don’t be a character,” explains Shapiro. “Play the game [of baseball] with respect for yourself and of course, treat the game itself with respect.”

    Shapiro’s mentoring qualities were evident to those of the Dutch national baseball team 1984 to 1986. He then moved to the college ranks, including the highly respectable programs at Springfield, the University of Hartford and Navy Prep. 

    Shapiro entered the Cape Cod Baseball League system in 1988 as a respected coach in 1988 for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. As of Sunday, his 193 wins as a Cape League manager ranks ninth all-time in Cape League history. 

    Overall, Shapiro’s involvement in athletics spreads far across his resume. He’s taken a lot of pride in the positions he’s held and has notched two World Championships with the Dutch International Team and led Bourne’s Braves to two Western Division Crowns in the past four years. Not only is Shapiro capturing titles for his teams, he’s grabbed a few for himself along the way. Shapiro has become an impressive asset to not only the Braves, but the league as a whole.

    Shapiro has seen a lot of baseball during his career, but there is just something about being with the Cape Cod Baseball League that stands out to him, making it quite a different experience than all the rest. 

    “I enjoy being on the field during games and practices and I’ve always liked coaching. I’ve been involved in international baseball and college baseball, but these guys are the cream of the crop,” says Shapiro. “They are the premiere players in the country and that makes this team different than others I have coached.” 

    Shapiro has spent eight years with the CCBL and has brought a sense of honor and pride to the young men he coaches. What does he foresee for this years’ team? 

    “I have no idea,” comments Shapiro on where he thinks this team full of newcomers will take him. 
With the rigorous schedule over the next nine weeks, Shapiro is bound to find out soon enough. 

    Erin Lewis is an intern with the Bourne Braves this summer. She is a sophomore at Northeastern University majoring in Communications and lives in Somerset.