Courtney Jacobs|Cape Cod Times
After 24 years of coaching, Dan Proto has decided to hang it up. He coached Team Cape Cod of the Senior Babe Ruth League for over two decades, but July 21 was his last game on the sidelines as a manager.
"It's just time," Proto said. "I'm going tofind somethings to do. I don't fish and I don't golf, so I don't know what else to do."
During that time, TCC was crowned the EMass State Champs 16 times (2002-2009, 2011-12, 2015-2019, 2021) andNew England Champs 12 times (2003, 2008-09, 2011-17, 2019, 2021).
Proto won't be with Team Cape Cod anymore, but he is not giving up baseball just yet.
"It's not ending entirely," Proto said. "We are going to go coach throughout the Dugout (Dawgs)program and kind of combine teams. It will be good for all of us. I won't be the head guy, and I am honestly just going to go and do what I can to help out."
The Dugout Dawgs program helps players become better on and off the field. Thatis something that Proto has done his whole career.
Joe Morrison,an outfielder for TCC this season,has played three years under Proto, who he described as one of the best coaches he's ever had.
"I've built a really close bond with coach and he's been able to talk to me outside of baseball one-on-one," Morrison said. "He's pushedme to be the best person, not only in baseball, but for my future job or college.He's taught me a lot about baseball and I've grown as a person being coached by him."
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In the fall, Morrisonwill be a freshmanat UMass Boston where he will also play baseball.
Nick Carr, who played under Proto for three years,said his team used to call him 'Coach Dad' because he connected with the players like a father would.
"Me and my buddies that played for him were super close to him," Carr said. "Anytime I see him it's always hugs, 'how you doing?' Everybody stays in touch with him because they had such a good experience there."
Michael Meagher, who plays baseball at UMass Boston, has been coached by Proto the longest — about nine years.
Meagher said Proto hastaught himhow to be respectful on and off the field. He said Proto is one of hisfavorite coaches of all time, one whocares about the players beyond the baseball diamond.
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"He's taughtme how to play the game and do everything right like shake the umpire's hand before I go out there," Meagher said. "How to be respectful towardevery other player. He teaches me how to play the game right on the field and it kind of translates off the field for a lot of us."
Over his long tenure, Proto does have some memorable moments that stand out. The first was his 2003 TCC squad, who went to World Series in Texas.
"That was a good and fun group of kids," Proto said. "We actually had a COVID zoom meeting and all the players showed up, which was nice because some of them are married now and have real jobs. It's nice to see that they're all doing pretty well with themselves."
The next was Proto's 2019 team.
"They were probably the best all-around group," Proto said. "We ended up in the finals against Alabama. That was fun and it was my son's (Ryan)last year. I had a bunch of D1 guys on that team. They all had it figured out together and they were a fun group."
Carr was a part of that 2019 team. Before joining TCC, he had heard stories of the past teams Proto coachedand the great talent they had.
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"That2019 team was probably the best team that I've ever played on and will ever play on," Carr said. "All the guys on that squadreally meshed together well."
Proto said he got into coaching as an assistantwhen his brother needed help with the Junior Babe Ruth 13-15 team.
"After that, I just took off from there and it worked out really well," Proto said."So far so good."
Baseball runs in Proto's family. Protoplayed in high school, saying "he wasn't very good, but loved the game."
His oldest son, Ryan Proto, played in the Cape Cod Baseball League this season for the Bourne Braves and last season for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. He is a senior atUMass Lowell.
His youngest son, Casey Proto, played for Barnstable High School and will be afreshman at UMass Amherst, but has decided to not play baseball.
TCC won its last game of the season for Proto with a 10-9 win overBoston Prospectsin nine innings. They finished first in the standings with a 18-6 overall record after losing their first two games.
Contact Courtney Jacobs at cjacobs@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @CJ_Journalist.
