Western Canadian Baseball League
Western Canadian Baseball League logo
SportBaseball
Founded1931
No. of teams11
CountryCanada
HeadquartersLethbridge, Alberta
Most recent
champion(s)		Okotoks Dawgs
Most titlesOkotoks Dawgs (7 titles)
Official websitewesterncanadianbaseballleague.ca Edit this at Wikidata

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league based in Saskatchewan and Alberta that descends from leagues dating to 1931.

History

The league can trace its roots back to 1931, via its predecessors. The Southern Baseball League existed from 1931 to 1974. The Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League existed from 1959 to 1974. The Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) was formed in 1975 as a combination of the two predecessors. Three teams from each former league entered the new loop — the Eston Ramblers, Saskatoon Royals, and Unity Cardinals from the north and Moose Jaw Devons, Regina Red Sox, and Swift Current Indians from the south.[1][2]

The league was renamed the Western Major Baseball League in 2000 to reflect more teams playing in Alberta, as well as future expansion to British Columbia. In June 2018 it was announced that the league would be renamed to the Western Canadian Baseball League in 2019.[3]

The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and logistics, the 2021 season was played with only five Alberta-based teams and Canadian players only.[4][5]

Member teams

As of 2024, WCBL membership consists of 12 teams in two divisions. The top four teams in each division qualify for the post-season.

East Division
Team City Stadium 2023 Record Finish
Medicine Hat Mavericks Medicine Hat, Alberta Athletic Park 30-26 2nd
Moose Jaw Miller Express Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Ross Wells Park 38-18 1st
Regina Red Sox Regina, Saskatchewan Currie Field 23-33 3rd
Saskatoon Berries Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Cairns Field - -
Swift Current 57's Swift Current, Saskatchewan Mitchell Field 19-37 4th
Weyburn Beavers Weyburn, Saskatchewan Tom Laing Park 14-42 5th
West Division
Team City Stadium 2023 Record Finish
Brooks Bombers Brooks, Alberta Elks Stadium 17–39 5th
Edmonton Prospects Sherwood Park, Alberta Centennial Field - -
Fort McMurray Giants Fort McMurray, Alberta Legacy Dodge Field 30–26 4th
Lethbridge Bulls Lethbridge, Alberta Spitz Stadium 31-25 3rd
Okotoks Dawgs Okotoks, Alberta Seaman Stadium 40-16 1st
Sylvan Lake Gulls Sylvan Lake, Alberta Pogadl Park 38-18 2nd

Former teams

Former teams include the Melville Millionaires (2021), Yorkton Cardinals (2021), Saskatoon Yellow Jackets (2014), Sherwood Park Dukes (2008), St. Albert Prospects (2007), Red Deer Generals (2005), Moose Jaw Devons, Oyen Pronghorns, Kindersley Royals, Eston Ramblers (1993), Saskatoon Liners, Saskatoon Nationals, Hazlet Elks (1993), and Unity Cardinals.

Expansion

Cranbrook, British Columbia, was granted a conditional expansion team in 2011 and was to begin play after building a new stadium.[6][7] As of 2018, these plans appear to have stalled.

Sylvan Lake was working towards a WCBL team in September 2019. Under the concept, a 2,200-seat ballpark would be built as part of Sylvan Lake's Pogadl Park development and house a WCBL expansion team backed by the ownership group Hard 4 Sports and Entertainment. The earliest that the ballpark would be completed is 2021, with the WCBL squad potentially beginning play that season as part of a 25-year lease agreement.[8] Plans for a 2021 launch were officially announced November 1, 2019.[9] Branding as the Sylvan Lake Gulls was announced in March 2020.[10]

Spruce Grove is constructing a ballpark.[11] In May 2020, the Edmonton Prospects confirmed that the team would be leaving Edmonton for Spruce Grove by 2022,[12] but due to construction delays Myshak Metro Ballpark is (as of November 2022) scheduled to open no earlier than 2024.[13][14]

An expansion team in Saskatoon will begin playing at Cairns Field in 2024.[15] In July, 2023, the Saskatoon team unveiled that it would be called the Saskatoon Berries.[16]

Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy

Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy

Saskatchewan Territorial (1895–1905) and Provincial (1906–present) champions have been decided by an annual tournament.[2] In 1967 the first major division was added to the tournament,[17] and the award was named in memory of Harry Hallis. From 1967 until 1974 the name of this provincial champion was added to the trophy. In 1975 when the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League was formed, this trophy continued to be awarded to the SMBL champions, and now the WCBL champions.

League champions

Former logo as the Western Major Baseball League

Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Champions: (Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy)

Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) Champions: (Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy)

Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) Champions:

Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League Champions:

The Southern Baseball League (SBL) Champions: (J.T.M. Anderson Trophy)

Championships (WCBL/WMBL)
Team Wins Seasons
Okotoks Dawgs 7 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2022, 2023
Swift Current 57's 6 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2016, 2017
Medicine Hat Mavericks 3 2003, 2014, 2018
Lethbridge Bulls 2 2015, 2021
Regina Red Sox 2 2011, 2012
Moose Jaw Miller Express 1 2002
Melville Millionaires 1 2013

References

  1. ^ "Western Canada Baseball 1975". attheplate.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Hack, Paul; Shury, David William; Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1997). Wheat Province Diamonds: a Story of Saskatchewan Baseball. Regina: Saskatchewan Baseball Association. ISBN 9780968196502.
  3. ^ "New for 2019: WCBL". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "Regina Red Sox scrub 2021 season due to COVID-19". CKOM. March 25, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  5. ^ "Saskatchewan teams opt out of 2021 Western Canadian Baseball League season". Regina Leader-Post. March 25, 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "The Eds' Proposed New Home". Ballpark Business (ballparkbiz.com). Alan D. Poff. February 10, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  7. ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 9, 2011). "New ballpark pitched for Cranbrook". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  8. ^ Spedden, Zach (September 13, 2019). "Sylvan Lake WCBL Team in the Works". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  9. ^ "Sylvan Lake WCBL Team to Launch in 2021". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. November 1, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Spedden, Zach (March 16, 2020). "New for 2021: Sylvan Lake Gulls". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  11. ^ ABDugoutStories [@ABDugoutStories] (November 12, 2019). "ABDugoutStories on Twitter: "Spruce Grove is being eyed as a potential landing spot for a @wcbleague franchise by @EdmProspects owner @capacity23, according to a press release from Gold Sports & Entertainment Group ..." / Twitter" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Moddejonge, Gerry (May 23, 2020). "Edmonton Prospects heading west to Spruce Grove after losing lease on ball park". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  13. ^ "'2022 is just not possible': Edmonton Prospects' new ball field delayed". November 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "No 2023 season for Edmonton Prospects | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Western Canada Baseball League is back: New franchise lands in Saskatoon for 2024". thestarphoenix. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  16. ^ Mitchell, Kevin (July 14, 2023). "They have a name and a coach; now, the Saskatoon Berries wait for the 2024 baseball season". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  17. ^ "1967 Southern League Game Reports". attheplate.com. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  18. ^ Shortened season. Some teams did not compete.

External links

Collegiate Summer Baseball
Categories