Gatemen to play home opener Monday, honor league commissioner

Jun 20, 2021

The Wareham Gatemen will play their first home game of the season — and the first since the onset of the covid pandemic — on Monday, June 21, at 6:45 p.m. against the Falmouth Commodores.

The event will begin at Spillane Field at 6:15 p.m.

Ahead of the game, the Gatemen and a variety of baseball and elected officials will honor the memory of Paul A. Gallop, the former Cape Cod Baseball League Commissioner.

Gallop passed away on May 28, 2021, after a short battle with cancer. 

Gallop began his Cape Cod Baseball League career with the Chatham A’s in 1980. He served in a variety of executive roles for the team, and was Chatham’s public address announcer for 10 years.

In the fall of 2003, he was elected Commissioner of the League — a position he held for 15 years. Gallop was the longest-serving commissioner in the league’s history, and was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame in 2019.

Glen Hannington, the Gatemen’s senior vice president, said Gallop will be remembered for his level-headedness, sense of humor, knowledge of music and sports trivia and his generous heart.

Congressman William Keating will honor Gallop ahead of Monday night’s game.

Many league and team officials will be attending the event: League President Chuck Sturtevant, Team President Thomas Gay, Gatemen President and League Vice-President Bill Bussiere, League Vice President Patty Wylde, and Hannington.

The Wareham Select Board will also be in attendance.

Alana McDermott will be singing the national anthem. WEEI radio will be broadcasting the game.

The Gatemen will be playing three additional home games in the next week: 

- On Wednesday, June 23, the Gatemen will face the YD Red Sox at 6:45 p.m.

- On Friday, June 25, the team will play the Orleans Firebirds at 6:45 p.m.

- On Sunday, June 27, the Gatemen will play the Brewster Whitecaps at 6:30 p.m.