Cannons baseball – the crack of the bat is back

By Andrea Gaines

Oh, is there no greater thrill than in that sound? The crack of the bat.

Purcellville Cannons CEO and Head Coach Brett Fuller said, “I’m bursting with joy about getting back after missing the 2020 season.” He continued, “This is a ‘we’ effort – everyone is reveling in our community’s return to life … and the upcoming summer. What could be better than celebrating it all by going out to the ball game.”

The wait is over … the rubber has again met the road

The Cannon’s team plays through much of June and July. Playoffs take up much of August.

The first pitch of the 2021 Purcellville Cannons season arrived more than 600 days after the Valley Baseball League team last took the field, several years ago now.

For baseball fans, following your team through thick-and-thin is everything.

The Cannons organization is what is known as “a college wood bat team.” It is part of the VBL, a National College Athletic-sanctioned organization and also supported by Major League Baseball.

Organizations like VBL develop players for the majors—and many past, present, and future Cannons have their eye on that prize. For this is where the rubber meets the road: getting into the major leagues.

For this reason, the Cannons, and the VBL “see the highest level of amateur baseball, played by teams competing within a league with one of the richest histories in baseball,” notes the Cannons’ website.

The VBL has launched over 1,100 professional baseball players.

How the season’s going

The Cannons got the 2021 season going on June 5, playing the Winchester Royals at Fireman’s Field in Purcellville.

The Cannons compete in the 11-team group known as the “collegiate wood bat summer league.”

Now several weeks into a packed 42-game schedule, the season runs through July 23. Based on standings, eight of the 11 teams will advance to the playoffs in August.

The Cannons did not qualify for the 2019 playoffs; and, of course, no baseball was played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This season, the Cannons lost their season opener on June 5.

They then came back to win against Covington June 6, and then lost two games on June 8 and 9.

They then had a 0-0 tie game on June 12, had a win and a loss on June 13 (Staunton), a loss on June 14 (Front Royal), a win on June 15 (Woodstock), then losses on June 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20.

They pulled out two 0 to 0 efforts on June 23, and 24.

As the team finished off the month of June, they faced Front Royal on the June 25, Woodstock on the 26, and Harrisonburg on the 27.

As of press time, the team was preparing to face New Market on June 29 and Woodstock on June 30.

July 2021 schedule

The following games are scheduled for July. Home games at Fireman’s Field are indicated with an asterisk.

• *Strasburg, July 1
• Strasburg, July 2
• *Charlottesville, July 3
• New Market, July 5
• Front Royal, July 6,
• *Front Royal, July 7
• *Winchester, July 8;
• *New Market, July 9
• *Woodstock, July 12
• *Winchester, July 13
• Strasburg, July 15
• Winchester, July 16
• *Woodstock, July 17
• *New Market, July 20
• *Winchester, July 21
• Strasburg, July 22
• *Strasburg, July 23

What makes it all happen – pride, partnership, a “we” attitude, and perseverance

Head Cannon’s Coach Fuller said something that reminded us there is a lot that goes on inside the game of baseball when it is played at this level.

Teams such as the Cannons are, after all, where the major leagues get their players. This is the source.
These minor league teams are packed with very, very rare nuggets of athletic gold.

The Cannons, for example, have 15 players on their pitching roster, 10 infielders, six outfielders, and three catchers.

These super-talented young men hail from the University of Nebraska, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Hawaii; and, they come from Northwest Florida State College, James Madison University, Roanoke Collage, Virginia Tech, Mount St. Mary’s University and other places.

“Some of our best guys are also the smallest guys on the team,” said Fuller.

But, he added, those players can represent “the fly in the ointment” to the team we are trying to beat. In other words, even so-called “small guys” can present a problem and, therefore, give a real competitive advantage to their team.

The Cannons’ coaching staff includes Brett Fuller as head coach; Ridge Fuller, assistant coach; Doug Walker, assistant coach; Dave Dinges, assistant coach; and Joey Burr, strength coach. For all of these guys, it’s all about pride and partnership.

Fuller is as enthusiastic about his sponsors as he is about his players and gave a generous shout out to Lowry’s Crab Shack and other Cannons sponsors, too. He knows them all by heart; in the real sense of that sentiment.

“We have such great sponsors. If they can’t make a donation, they help feed us or give in other ways, It’s just amazing.”

Fuller also made a reference to what the team’s sponsors, with businesses of their own, went through this past year.

“I know how hard it was,” he said. Whatever we are able to do for our sponsors, is “never going to equal what they do for us …”