The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is a

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operate ...

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. 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. The 2020 season was canceled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and logistics, the 2021 season was played with only five Alberta-based teams and Canadian players only.

Member teams

, WCBL membership consists of 11 teams in two divisions. The top four teams in each division qualify for the post-season. The Edmonton Prospects will not participate in the 2023 season due to construction delays at Myshak Metro Ballpark.

Former teams

Former teams include the Melville Millionaires (2021),

Yorkton Cardinals The Yorkton Cardinals were a collegiate summer baseball team based in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada, who played in the Western Canadian Baseball League. The Cardinals joined the WMBL in 2002, but there had been franchises under that name playing ...

(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 Cranbrook ( ) is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River. It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2016, Cra ...

, was granted a conditional expansion team in 2011 and was to begin play after building a new stadium. 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. Plans for a 2021 launch were officially announced November 1, 2019. Branding as the Sylvan Lake Gulls was announced in March 2020.

Spruce Grove Spruce Grove is a city that is west of Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. The city is adjacent to the Town of Stony Plain and is surrounded by Parkland County. With a 2021 population of 37,645, Spruce Grove is the ninth-largest city in Alberta ...

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

Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy

Saskatchewan Territorial (1895–1905) and Provincial (1906–present) champions have been decided by an annual tournament. In 1967 the first major division was added to the tournament, 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

Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Champions: (Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy) * 2022:

Okotoks Dawgs The Okotoks Dawgs are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. They play in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL). The Dawgs are six-time WCBL champions. History The Dawgs were originally based in Calgary where ...

* 2021:

Lethbridge Bulls The Lethbridge Bulls are a Summer college baseball team playing at Spitz Stadium in Lethbridge, Alberta. The team is a member of the Western Canadian Baseball League, a collegiate summer baseball league operating in the prairie provinces of Ca ...

Shortened season. Some teams did not compete. * 2020: Season cancelled due to

. * 2019:

Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) Champions: (Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy) * 2018: Medicine Hat Mavericks * 2017:

Swift Current 57's The Swift Current 57's (formerly the Swift Current Indians) are a baseball team based in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team is a member of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL), a collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summe ...

* 2016: Swift Current Indians * 2015:

* 2014: Medicine Hat Mavericks * 2013:

Melville Millionaires The Melville Millionaires are a Canadian junior "A" ice hockey based in Melville, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games in the Horizon Credit Union Centre which has a seating c ...

* 2012: Regina Red Sox * 2011: Regina Red Sox * 2010: Swift Current Indians * 2009:

* 2008:

* 2007:

* 2006: Swift Current Indians * 2005: Swift Current Indians * 2004: Calgary Dawgs * 2003: Medicine Hat Mavericks * 2002:

Moose Jaw Miller Express The Moose Jaw Miller Express are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. They play in the Western Canadian Baseball League. Baseball teams in Saskatchewan Sport in Moose Jaw {{Can ...

* 2001: Swift Current Indians Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) Champions: * 2000: Swift Current Indians * 1999: Moose Jaw Miller Express * 1998: Swift Current Indians * 1997: Swift Current Indians * 1996: Swift Current Indians * 1995: Oyen Pronghorns * 1994: Swift Current Indians * 1993: Eston Ramblers * 1992: Swift Current Indians * 1991: Kindersley Royals * 1990: Kindersley Royals * 1989: Hazlet Elks * 1988: Hazlet Elks * 1987: Hazlet Elks * 1986: Eston Ramblers * 1985: Kindersley Royals * 1984: Kindersley Royals * 1983: Eston Ramblers * 1982: Eston Ramblers * 1981: Saskatoon Patrick-Liners * 1980: Saskatoon Patrick-Liners * 1979: Saskatoon Patrick-Liners * 1978: Eston Ramblers * 1977: Regina Red Sox * 1976: Regina Red Sox * 1975: Eston Ramblers Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League Champions: * 1974: Saskatoon Royals * 1973: Saskatoon Commodores * 1972: North Battleford Beavers * 1971: North Battleford Beavers * 1970: Unity Cardinals * 1969: North Battleford Beavers * 1968: North Battleford Beavers * 1967: Unity Cardinals * 1966: Unity Cardinals * 1965: North Battleford Beavers * 1964: North Battleford Beavers * 1963: North Battleford Beavers * 1962: North Battleford Beavers * 1961: Neilburg Monarchs * 1960: Kindersley Klippers * 1959: Spruce Home The Southern Baseball League (SBL) Champions: (J.T.M. Anderson Trophy) * 1974: Moose Jaw Devons * 1973: Moose Jaw Devons * 1972: Swift Current Indians * 1971: Moose Jaw Regals * 1970: Moose Jaw Regals * 1969: Regina Red Sox * 1968: Moose Jaw Regals * 1967: Yorkton Cardinals * 1966: Moose Jaw Regals * 1965: Swift Current Indians * 1964: Regina Red Sox * 1963: Swift Current Indians * 1962: Moose Jaw Steelers * 1961: Moose Jaw Steelers * 1960: Regina Red Sox * 1959: Swift Current Indians * 1958: Southey Red Sox * 1957: Southey Red Sox * 1956: Estevan Maple Leafs * 1955: Regina Red Sox * 1954: Moose Jaw Lakers * 1953: Regina Red Sox * 1952: Regina Royal Caps * 1951: Weyburn Beavers * 1950: Estevan Maple Leafs * 1949: Moose Jaw Canucks * 1948: Weyburn Beavers * 1947: Weyburn Beavers * 1946: Regina Clippers * 1945: Weyburn Beavers * 1944: Regina Royal Caps * 1943: (No champion—World War II) * 1942: Regina Red Sox * 1941: Weyburn Beavers * 1940: Weyburn Beavers * 1939: (No champion—World War II) * 1938: Broadview Buffalos * 1937: Weyburn Beavers * 1936: Regina Nationals * 1935: Regina Nationals * 1934: Regina Nationals * 1933: Regina Nationals * 1932: Regina Nationals * 1931: Moose Jaw Canucks

References

External links

* {{College Summer Baseball Summer baseball leagues Sport in Western Canada Baseball leagues in Canada 1931 establishments in Canada Sports leagues established in 1931 Organizations based in Alberta Sport in Lethbridge