Western Major Baseball League

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Western Major Baseball League
WMBLlogo.jpg
Western Major Baseball League logo
Sport Baseball
Founded 1931
No. of teams 12
Country  Canada
Most recent
champion(s)		 Lethbridge Bulls
Most titles Swift Current Indians (4 titles) and Okotoks Dawgs (4 titles)
Official website www.wmbl.ca

The Western Major Baseball League or WMBL is a collegiate summer baseball league. The league can trace its roots back to 1931. The current league evolved from several predecessors including The Southern Baseball League, the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League and Saskatchewan Major Baseball League. The Southern Baseball League existed from 1931 to 1974. The Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League existed from 1959 to 1974. The two leagues merged in 1975 to create the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League.[1] The name was changed to the Western Major Baseball League in 2000 to reflect more teams playing in Alberta, and in the future, British Columbia.

The WMBL is a wood bat league along the lines of such American collegiate circuits as the Cape Cod League, the New England Collegiate Baseball League, the Coastal Plain League, the Northwoods League, the Horizon Air Summer Series, the Pacific International League and the West Coast League.

Member teams[edit]

As of 2015, WMBL Membership consists of 10 teams in two divisions of play. The top three teams in each division plus two wild cards qualify for the post-season. Two new teams will be playing in the 2016 season, the Brooks Bombers and Fort McMurray Giants.

The Giants will be playing at the newly-renamed Edmonton Ballpark at the beginning of their inaugural season, due to the wildfire and evacuation of their hometown.[2]

Team Centre 2015 Record Finish
East Division (Saskatchewan)
Melville Millionaires Melville, Saskatchewan 18-30 6th
Moose Jaw Miller Express Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan 19-29 5th
Regina Red Sox Regina, Saskatchewan 23-25 2nd
Swift Current Indians Swift Current, Saskatchewan 19-29 4th
Weyburn Beavers Weyburn, Saskatchewan 31-17 1st
Yorkton Cardinals Yorkton, Saskatchewan 20-28 3rd
West Division (Alberta)
Brooks Bombers Brooks, Alberta
Edmonton Prospects Edmonton, Alberta 21-26 4th
Fort McMurray Giants Fort McMurray, Alberta
Lethbridge Bulls Lethbridge, Alberta 34-14 1st
Medicine Hat Mavericks Medicine Hat, Alberta 25-23 3rd
Okotoks Dawgs Okotoks, Alberta 29-18 2nd

Former teams[edit]

Former teams include the 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[edit]

Cranbrook, British Columbia was granted an expansion team and will begin play after the city builds a new stadium.

Saskatchewan Major Baseball League[edit]

The Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) was formed in 1975 as a combination of The Southern Baseball League and North Saskatchewan Baseball League. Three teams from each former league entered the new loop—Eston Ramblers, Saskatoon Royals, and Unity Cardinals from the north and Moose Jaw Devons, Regina Red Sox, and Swift Current Indians from the south.[3]

Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy[edit]

Saskatchewan Territorial (1895–1905) and Provincial (1906–present) champions have been decided by an annual tournament.[4] In 1967 the first major division was added to the tournament,[5] 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 WMBL champions.

League champions[edit]

Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy

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

SMBL Logo

Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) Champions: (Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy)

Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League Champions:

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

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Shury, David W. "Wheat Province Diamonds". Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, 1997.
  2. ^ Phil Heidenreich (May 16, 2016). "Fort McMurray Giants to play baseball in Edmonton this season". Global Edmonton. Retrieved May 17, 2016. 
  3. ^ Western Canada Baseball http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/1975_1.html Retrieved on 23 February 2012.
  4. ^ Shury, David W. "Wheat Province Diamonds". Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, 1997, pp. 372–373.
  5. ^ Western Canada Baseball http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/1967_50i.html Retrieved on 5 March 2012.

External links[edit]

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