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Summer Collegiate  | Story | 6/28/2013

Doubleday overcomes obstacles

Photo: Internet

Doubleday Field Both A Blessing
And Curse For Cooperstown Team

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.—In many respects, the surge in popularity of baseball at the summer-league level in recent years parallels the spike in popularity of the game in the minor leagues a quarter century ago.

Every community in America, it seems, wants a baseball team to call its own—even one as historically relevant as the Village of Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Cooperstown Hawkeyes, are currently in their fourth year of operation, and third as members of the 10-team, New York-based Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

While the number of teams that fall under the jurisdiction of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (i.e., Minor League Baseball) is limited because of the number of affiliates each major-league team chooses to have, and numbers roughly 180 in all, the growth in summer-college teams has no limiting factor, and the number of leagues and teams throughout the country (and Canada) has grown exponentially in recent years. Today there are some 35 recognized summer leagues, with upwards of 300 teams.

Because no national organization exists to monitor the wave of unchecked expansion and impart minimum ballpark standards, such as exist at the professional level, summer-league teams are occupying facilities of all shapes and sizes—some old, some new, some just plain unique. Many of the facilities are inadequate by professional baseball’s strict stadium standards, or by any ballpark standard.

Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field is historic by any measure, from its old-time construction dating to the 1920s, to its location in the heart of Cooperstown (just a block and a half from the Hall of Fame), to its cozy home run dimensions.

Once the home base of the annual Hall of Fame game matching two big-league teams that was a staple of the Hall of Fame ceremonies for years until the contest was recently abandoned, the near 10,000-seat facility lives on as the home of the Hawkeyes, instantly making it one of the more famous summer league fields in use around the country.

In contrast to having the largest facility in the PGCBL, the Hawkeyes have the smallest population base in the league to draw from as the Village of Cooperstown numbers less than 2,000 residents, and the Hawkeyes are further hampered in their bid to draw crowds that are representative of the rest of the league, and summer teams with a similar population base, as they are the only club in the PGCBL with no lights, forcing them to start home games at 5 p.m.

Still, Tom Hickey, owner of the Hawkeyes, is determined to make summer baseball work in Cooperstown, and recognizes the benefits that both his franchise and PGCBL overall gain by having a team in famed Cooperstown, and playing games at historic Doubleday Field.

Having a team in Cooperstown, and playing our games at historic Doubleday Field, gives our league some national identity,” Hickey said. “Nobody else has that. And it’s beneficial to us because many of the fans we draw to our games are true baseball fans, in town to see the Hall of Fame. I would estimate that about half the fans we attract are from out of town.

The name Cooperstown is also beneficial with our ability to recruit players. When you consider that about 95 percent of the players here won’t make it (to the major leagues), what better remembrance of their career will they have other than to say they played baseball in Cooperstown?”

That’s not to say that Hickey is enthralled with playing his home games at old, outdated Doubleday Field, where his summer rental fee of some $17,000 is considered excessive—especially for a facility without lights and few modern amenities. Hickey openly questions the commitment of the town’s administration towards having a summer-league team in Cooperstown—or a primary tenant for Doubleday Field, if you will—but is quick to praise the Hall of Fame itself for the support it has shown his franchise.

Village administrators several years ago rejected an offer to add lights to Doubleday Field when a set became available from Boston’s Fenway Park.

According to Hickey, “It would be like night and day the difference it would make to our operation by having lights here.”

Hickey has even hinted at exploring other options in the immediate vicinity for his Cooperstown-based team—enabling the Hawkeyes to still capitalize on the magic name of Cooperstown—to make his franchise more viable financially in the future, particularly when he looks no further than just down the road at the unqualified financial success that the Cooperstown DreamsPark youth-baseball program is enjoying with its expansive, 24-field location about five miles south of Cooperstown.

Even as Hickey agonizes over the viability of his team from a business standpoint, he is otherwise encouraged by the inspired play of his team on the field this season. The Hawkeyes are 9-6 to date, good enough for the second-best record overall in the PGCBL and a marked improvement over the team’s first three years of existence.

Hickey is quick to credit the turnaround to veteran first-year field manager Dan Shwam, who coached in the league at Elmira the last two years and holds the distinction of being the second-winningest manager in independent league history.

All the credit with how we’ve played so far goes to him,” Hickey said. “I gave him the full authority to recruit all the players for this year’s team, and not only did he do a good job of that but his veteran leadership on the field has been integral to our success."


Summer Collegiate | Story | 9/26/2023

Cape Cod: Best of the Rest

Vincent Cervino
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Cape Cod Top 100 Prospect List | Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospects * indicates draft eligible sophomore ^ indicates incoming transfer Name Pos. Team School Hometown State Andrew Sundean C Hyannis UCF Lakeland FL Bradke Lohry^ IF Hyannis Tennessee Trinity FL Cam Schuelke^ RHP Hyannis Mississippi State Dorr MI Carter Lovasz RHP Hyannis William & Mary Midlothian VA Colby Shelton*^ IF Falmouth Florida Lithia FL Colin Tuft^ OF Orleans Tulane Vienna VA Daniel Corona^ IF Cotuit Missouri Brooklyn NY Derek Clark^ LHP Orleans West Virginia Petersburg MI Duce Gourson IF Falmouth UCLA San Diego CA Eddie Micheletti OF Orleans George Washington Wilmington DE Enzo Apodada^ OF YD Baylor Scottsdale CA Evan Truitt RHP Orleans Charleston Southern Berlin MD Finnegan Wall RHP YD UC Irvine Hesperia CA Garrett Coe RHP Falmouth Uconn Lakeside CT Ian Petrutz OF Bourne Maryland Mantua NJ Jakob Christian^ 1B YD...
Press Release | Press Release | 8/4/2026

PG & Dick's Expand Partnership

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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME AND DICK’S EXPAND PARTNERSHIP, INCLUDE NAMING RIGHTS AT EAST COBB COMPLEX   Marietta, Georgia (Tuesday, August 4, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its longstanding partnership with DICK’S Sporting Goods.   As part of the expanded agreement, the iconic East Cobb Complex in Georgia will officially be renamed DICK’S Sporting Goods Park at East Cobb, reinforcing the retailer’s long-term investment in youth sports and enhancing one of the most recognized destinations in all of amateur baseball. The announcement comes ahead of this weekend’s Perfect Game 11U...
College | Story | 8/3/2026

Cape Cod League Notebook: August 3

Perfect Game Staff
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Angel Cervantes | RHP | UCLA | Chatham Anglers  Angel Cervantes has lived up to the hype since arriving at UCLA after turning down a second-round selection (50th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. Following a strong freshman campaign that helped power the Bruins to the No. 1 ranking in the country for much of the season, Cervantes has taken another step forward this summer, emerging as arguably the Cape Cod League's top arm. Through 23.2 innings with the Chatham Anglers, he owns a 1.14 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just five walks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a polished five-pitch mix featuring a low-90s fastball, an 86-88 mph cutter, a low-80s slider and changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball. He pounds the strike zone, sequences his arsenal with advanced feel, and consistently keeps hitters off balance, giving him the profile of a...
Tournaments | Story | 8/2/2026

Battle For The Midwest Scout Notes

Brayden Powell
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Bryce Urban (2027, Kaukauna, Wis.) An athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-handed hitter, who handled the bat well throughout the weekend while showing feel for the barrel and quality bat speed. Stays balanced throughout the operation while showing direct hands to the baseball. There is feel to rotate through the zone and keep the barrel working for an extended period, helping him consistently produce hard-hit contact. He showed the ability to impact the baseball to all fields and remained productive throughout the event. Urban finished the weekend with five extra-base hits and continued to be a reliable offensive contributor whenever his club needed him. He is currently uncommitted.  Landon Clements (2027, McHenry, Ill.) University of Illinois-Chicago commit put together an outstanding weekend at the plate, finishing 10-for-15 while drawing five walks and consistently finding ways to...
Tournaments | Story | 7/30/2026

16u South World Series Scout Notes

Jay Vossler
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Kai Anderson (2028, Missouri City, Texas) continued his breakout stretch over the past couple of weeks with 2028 South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Compiled a 7-15 week with two doubles, a triple, and two home runs, driving in nine runs. Parlayed that into winning Tournament MVP. Physical presence in the box that is starting to tap into a ton of juice offensively. Tight rotation on an uphill plane with loose actions in the barrel. Doing all of this with very little swing and miss while holding it down in center field. One of the louder stretches of the summer. Trent Costales (2028, San Antonio, Texas) was excellent this week for Texas Angels 2028 Libson. Went 4-11 with two doubles and a home run. Was one of the best run creators in the tournament, driving in ten. Extremely physical frame, projecting as a big time power bat. Coils the hips effectively and creates an uphill plane to maximize...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2023 Draft: Late Round Georgia Look Back

Michael Albee
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I have a soft spot for the under the radar high school preps that go in the 11th-20th rounds and sign. It’s not only a nice story, but it’s a show of faith from an organization in their area scout who put the time in, scouted the player and got a feel for the makeup on a guy that wasn’t a consensus “dude”. 2023 was my first year going out to high school games for Perfect Game in Georgia, so I wanted to go back and highlight the late round guys from the ‘23 class that were popped and signed to pursue their dreams of becoming a professional baseball player right away. Here’s a review of those four players from what they were in high school, and where they are at currently in their careers.  Andrew Dunford (‘23 GA) throwing some gas, up to 95 & sitting 92-93 with heavy life (clip), shown comfort going to big sweeping SL; big...
Draft | Story | 7/30/2026

2026 MLB Draft Signing Deadline Recap

Tyler Henninger
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As of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, the 2026 MLB Draft is officially complete. The signing deadline has passed, meaning we now know every team’s finalized draft class and exactly how much each player signed for. Entering the draft, it was clear there was a distinct top tier consisting of Roch Cholowsky, Grady Emerson, and Vahn Lackey. That separation became even more evident once contracts were signed. Cholowsky became the first player in draft history to sign for more than $10 million, agreeing to a record-setting $10,347,500 bonus with the White Sox. Emerson set a new high school signing bonus record at $9,747,500, the second-largest bonus ever awarded to a draft pick. Lackey rounded out the trio with a $9,497,500 bonus, the third-largest signing bonus in MLB Draft history. Those weren’t the only records set. Teams combined to spend $402,481,143 in signing bonuses, surpassing last...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Blue Wave Battle & Prevail at 14u Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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For Excel Blue Wave, the summer was never about being perfect. It was about getting better. After a season filled with challenges, growth, and plenty of learning along the way, Excel Blue Wave put everything together when it mattered most, defeating SBG Sox Prime, Al 9-3 to capture the 2026 14U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. For Excel Blue Wave Coach Forrest Heacock, watching the group celebrate with a championship trophy was especially meaningful because of everything it took to get there.  “It hasn’t been the easiest summer, and have battled a lot,” Coach Heacock said. “The kids have improved so much over the summer, and that is really what it’s all about at this age. It’s really just about improving at this age, and to see them be able to put it together, and just really compete together and play as a team, I couldn’t be...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/30/2026

Excel Leaves No Doubt at 15u Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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Excel Blue Wave National wasn’t leaving Hoover empty-handed.  At least, that was the message head coach Wes Henderson gave his team.  After a summer filled with strong performances but without a tournament title to show for them, Excel Blue Wave National entered the 2026 15U Perfect Game Hoover Classic with one more opportunity to finish the season the way they wanted.  This time, they left no doubt.  Excel Blue Wave National defeated East Coast Sox 2029 Victus, 12-0 in the championship game, combining a balanced offensive attack with a strong performance on the mound to secure their first tournament title of the summer.  “It’s been a special group,” Coach Henderson said. “They fought really hard, and they played really well this summer, and this is the first championship that we’ve been able to bring home. We typically...
Tournaments | Championship | 7/29/2026

"Excel"ling Through the Hoover Classic

Kinley Kitchens
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After a long summer of baseball, Excel Blue Wave National had one final opportunity to end it the way every team hopes to.  Together, having fun, and as champions. Excel Blue Wave National closed their summer with a 13-9 victory over Excel Blue Wave American – Morrison to capture the 2026 16U Perfect Game Hoover Classic championship. In a game that required contributions throughout the lineup and seven innings of competition, the Excel Blue Wave National relied on the same qualities and approach that had carried the group all summer. With talent, perseverance and a chemistry built far beyond the baseball field, they were unstoppable.  For head coach Brennan McCullough, there couldn’t have been a much better way for his players to finish their final weekend together .  “It’s great,” Coach McCullough said. “We’ve had a long...
Tournaments | Story | 7/29/2026

16u West WS Scout Notes: Days 3-4

Quinton Hall
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16u West World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Jason Lizotte (‘28 | NV) Smooth LHH, hunts pitches down in the zone he can rip to the middle & PS w/ a downhill & direct path. Some strength in the hands w/ feel for the barrel #PGWS pic.twitter.com/kbK5Ayvhd7 — Perfect Game Four Corners (@PG_FourCorners) July 27, 2026 Jason Lizotte (2028 | Las Vegas, NV) The 5-foot-9, 145-pound left-handed hitter and outfielder was a spark plug all weekend for MTBA Dawgs 2028, finishing with seven hits, eight runs scored, one double, one triple, four RBI, three stolen bases, and four walks without a strikeout. Lizotte refused to give away an at-bat, consistently working hitter’s counts before spraying line drives all over the field. The left-handed swing stays short and direct with plenty of feel for the barrel, and once he reached base, he immediately put pressure on the defense with...
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