by Roy Reiss
April, 2016

There’s a familiar name atop the NCAA Baseball Batting Average Leaders in Division One this spring.

It’s Jameson Fisher, the first baseman, catcher, designated hitter for the Kettleers during the 2014 season. The slender Fisher appeared in 38 games that summer and hit an even .300 before suffering a back injury which curtailed his summer activity with the Kettleers.

Fisher, who bats left and throws right, had more misfortune three months later in a Fall exhibition while playing for his college team, Southeastern Louisiana. While base running, Fisher slid hard into second base, dislocated his shoulder and tore his labrum. The injury forced the quiet Fisher to miss the entire 2015 season.

Jameson Fisher can’t forget the Cotuit fans. Photo by Joe Cavanaugh

“The hardest part was the first game of the 2015 season,” said the soft spoken Fisher. “Before that I never missed a game, a start for Southeastern Louisiana. However, once I got past the first few games, I found a role with the guys in the dugout and things became a little easier.”

There was still the daily grind of rehabilitation following his December 2014 surgery. The weeks rolled by, one after another, and before you knew it, September 2015 was here and Fisher was back in friendly surroundings on the baseball diamond.

“It was a long journey but it was well worth the wait. Before our first game this year, I went out to the park the night before with some friends just to look at the field. Then opening night, I’ll never forget it,” stated Fisher.

And since that first game, Fisher has hit and hit and hit some more. The lefty who reminded a few Cotuit followers of Pete Runnels or maybe a modern Wade Boggs is presently hitting .515 with just under 100 official plate appearances. If he continues at this pace, you can be sure his name will be called early this June during the Major League Draft and then it’s on to his next goal of becoming a major leaguer.

Yet even with his present notoriety and major league scouts taking notice of Fisher’s accomplishments, the youngster still recalls that special 2014 summer in Cotuit.

“It gave me a glimpse of what minor league baseball will be like. The atmosphere in Cotuit was awesome. I can’t forget the fans with their beach chairs at the fence and the passion they had. It’s so special, so unique.”

Kettleers Korner will be anything and everything that might interest fans, past and present, about the Kettleers. Roy Reiss, who started his career working for Curt Gowdy Broadcasting, was a former sportscaster on Channel 7 and several radio stations in Boston. His son Mike now covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.