The Orleans Firebirds are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Mass. The Firebirds are one of 10 members of the Cape Cod Baseball League, the nation's top college summer league.
Formerly known as the Sparklers and Cardinals, the Firebirds are 11-time CCBL champions. The Birds most recently captured the league title in 2005, when they defeated the Bourne Braves in two games.
Baseball has been played at Eldredge Park since 1913, and Orleans officially entered the CCBL in 1928. The team captured its first titles following World War II, when it won seven championships from 1947 to 1957.
The CCBL became a NCAA-recognized league in 1963, bringing collegiate athletes from across the country to each team. Orleans adopted the Cardinal as its new mascot and reached the league championship series four times in the next decade.
Orleans won its first modern-era championship in 1986, led by manager John Castleberry. The Birds captured their next two titles in 1993 with Rolando Casanova at the helm, and in 2003 under manager Carmen Carcone.
Current field manager Kelly Nicholson joined the team in 2005 and led the Birds to a championship in his first season en route to Manager of the Year honors.
Notable Firebirds Alumni
- Cory Abbott - 2016
- Riley Adams - 2016
- Russ Adams - 2001
- Jon Adkins - 1996
- Greg Allen - 2013
- Andrew Aplin - 2011
- Harry Arlanson - 1929-30
- Scott Baker - 2002
- Jeff Ballard - 1984
- Brian Bark - 1988
- Brian Barnes - 1988
- Tres Barrera - 2015
- Brian Barton - 2004
- Kevin Bearse - 1984
- Brandon Bielak - 2016
- Al Blanche - 1938
- J. J. Bleday - 2018
- Justin Blood - 2000
- Brandon Boggs - 2002-03
- Aaron Boone - 1993
- Brad Boxberger - 2007
- Matthew Boyd - 2011-12
- Andrew Brackman - 2006
- Bill Bray - 2003
- John Brebbia - 2010-11
- Johnny Broaca - 1930-32
- Gary Brown - 2008-09
- Jordan Brown - 2004
- Ryan Budde - 1999
- Corbin Burnes - 2015
- Emmanuel Burriss - 2005
- Drew Butera - 2004
- Ryan Carpenter - 2010-11
- Brett Cecil - 2006
- Andrew Chafin - 2011
- Travis Chapman - 1998
- Nick Christiani - 2007
- Vince Conde - 2013
- Jeff Conine - 1986
- Dylan Covey - 2012
- Brandon Crawford - 2007
- Connie Creeden - 1938
- Kyle Crockett - 2012
- Jake Cronenworth - 2014
- Colin Curtis - 2005
- Chase d'Arnaud - 2007
- Bobby Dalbec - 2014-15
- Ronnie Dawson - 2015
- Jason Dellaero - 1996
- Lance Dickson - 1989
- Brian Dorsett - 1981
- Tommy Doyle - 2015
- Matt Duffy - 2011
- Angel Echevarria - 1990
- Mike Eden - 1970–1971
- Frederick M. Ellis - 1928-29
- Brian Esposito - 1999
- Cole Figueroa - 2008
- Carlton Fisk - 1966
- David Fletcher - 2014
- Nate Freiman - 2007-08
- John Gall - 1997
- Mike Gambino - 1998
- Nomar Garciaparra - 1993
- Dave Gavitt - 1958
- Logan Gilbert - 2017
- Wayne Gomes - 1992
- Mike Gosling - 1999
- Trevor Gott - 2011
- Tyler Greene - 2006
- Tommy Gregg - 1983
- Glenn Gulliver - 1975
- Chip Hale - 1984-85
- Todd Haney - 1986
- Eric Hanhold - 2014
- Ryan Hanigan - 2001
- Bob Hansen - 1969
- Erik Hanson - 1984
- Adam Haseley - 2016
- Alex Hassan - 2008-09
- Mike Hauschild - 2011
- Todd Helton - 1994
- Xavier Hernandez - 1985
- Matt Howard - 1988
- Tim Hummel - 1999
- Mike Humphreys - 1987
- Scott Hurst - 2016
- Mike Ignasiak - 1986-87
- Jason Jaramillo - 2003
- Jonathan Johnson - 1995
- Hunter Jones - 2005
- Tommy Kahnle - 2009
- Trevor Kelley - 2013
- Mike Kelly - 1990
- Jeff Keppinger - 2000-01
- Joe Kerrigan - 1972
- Andrew Kittredge - 2010
- Kevin Kramer - 2013
- Roger LaFrancois - 1975-76
- Lou Lamoriello - 1963
- Greg LaRocca - 1993
- Bill Laskey - 1977
- Eric Lauer - 2015
- Jack Leathersich - 2010-11
- Jesse Levis - 1988
- Kyle Lewis - 2015
- Mickey Lopez - 1994
- Rick Luecken - 1982
- Jordan Luplow - 2013
- Daniel Lynch - 2017
- Joe Mahoney - 2006
- Mike Marjama - 2011
- Dave Maurer - 1996
- Ben McDonald - 1989
- Zach McKinstry - 2016
- Trevor Megill - 2014
- Jason Michaels - 1996
- Mike Milchin - 1987
- Chad Moeller - 1995
- Gabe Molina - 1995
- Willie Morales - 1991
- Eli Morgan - 2016
- Russ Morman - 1982
- Danny Muno - 2009
- Sean Murphy - 2015
- Lance Niekro - 1999–2000
- Stephen Nogosek - 2015
- Lars Nootbaar - 2017
- Jim Norris - 1969-70
- Mike Olt - 2008-09
- Pat Osburn - 1968
- Dave Otto - 1983-84
- Jay Payton - 1992-93
- Mike Pazik - 1970-71
- Dave Pember - 1998
- Ryan Perry - 2007
- Chris Pettit - 2005
- Philip Pfeifer - 2012-13
- Brett Pill - 2005
- Daniel Pinero - 2015
- Bobby Poyner - 2013-14
- Rich Poythress - 2008
- Scott Proctor - 1996
- David Purcey - 2003
- Pat Putnam - 1973
- Art Quirk - 1958
- Dan Radison - 1971
- Rob Rasmussen - 2008-09
- Jorge Reyes - 2009
- Bryan Reynolds - 2015
- Antoan Richardson - 2004
- J. T. Riddle - 2012
- Brad Rigby - 1992
- Edwin RÃos - 2014
- Brian Rogers - 2002
- Mike Rogodzinski - 1969
- Red Rolfe - 1930
- Ryan Rolison - 2017
- Wade Rowdon - 1980-81
- Blondy Ryan - 1928
- Joe Ryan - 2015–2016
- Chris Sabo - 1982
- Nelson Santovenia - 1980
- Josh Satin - 2006
- Josh Sborz - 2013-14
- Michael Schwimer - 2007
- Chuck Seelbach - 1967
- Steve Selsky - 2009-11
- Scott Servais - 1986
- Ben Sheets - 1999
- Jared Shuster - 2019
- Jeff Smith - 1993–1995
- Mike Smithson - 1975
- J.T. Snow - 1988
- Noah Song - 2018
- Pete Stanicek - 1984
- Rob Stanifer - 1993
- Brock Stassi - 2009
- Christin Stewart - 2014
- Graeme Stinson - 2017-18
- Marcus Stroman - 2010-11
- Marc Sullivan - 1977
- Eric Surkamp - 2006–2007
- Travis Tartamella - 2007-08
- Everett Teaford - 2005
- Mark Teixeira - 1999
- Charles Thomas - 1999
- Frank Thomas - 1988
- David Thompson - 2014
- Trent Thornton - 2014
- Matt Torra - 2004
- Andy Tracy - 1994
- Chad Tracy - 2000
- Mike Trujillo - 1981
- Preston Tucker - 2010
- Danny Valencia - 2006
- Elih Villanueva - 2006
- Taylor Ward - 2014
- Mike Welch - 1993
- Al Weston - 1931
- Jason Wheeler - 2011
- Sean White - 2001
- Karsten Whitson - 2012
- Matt Wieters - 2006
- Cole Wilcox - 2019
- Adam Wilk - 2007
- Trevor Williams - 2012
- Brooks Wilson - 2016-17
- Ed Wineapple - 1931
- Kolten Wong - 2010
- Steven Wright - 2005
- Kelly Wunsch - 1992
- Logan Wyatt - 2018
- Daniel Zamora - 2013