Western Canadian Baseball League

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league. The league is home to teams based in the Canadian Prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and has roots dating back to 1931 in Saskatchewan's Southern Baseball League. In 1975, the province's southern and northern leagues merged, creating the foundation for the WCBL. Today, the league boasts seven teams in Alberta and five in Saskatchewan.

Western Canadian Baseball League

Sport	Baseball
Founded	1931
No. of teams	12
Country	Canada
Headquarters	Lethbridge, Alberta
Most recent champion(s)	Okotoks Dawgs
Most titles	Okotoks Dawgs (8 titles)
Official website	westerncanadianbaseballleague.ca

History

Logo of the Western Major Baseball League.

The league can trace its roots back to 1931, via its predecessors, the Southern Baseball League (1931 to 1974) and the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League (1959 to 1974). The Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL) was formed in 1975 through a merger of the Southern and Northern leagues. Three teams from each former league entered the new loop—the Eston Ramblers, Saskatoon Royals, and Unity Cardinals from the north, and the 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 teams based in Alberta, along with the possibility of future expansion to British Columbia. In June 2018, it was announced that the league would be renamed the Western Canadian Baseball League.^[3]

The 2020 season was cancelled 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]

Teams

As of 2024^[update], WCBL membership consists of 12 teams in two divisions. The West Division is made up of six Albertan teams, while the East Division is made up of all five teams from Saskatchewan, plus the easternmost Albertan team from Medicine Hat. The top four teams in each division qualify for the post-season.

170km
106miles

Gulls

Dawgs

Bulls

Cactus Rats

Bombers

Giants

Mavericks

Beavers

57's

Miller Express

Red Sox

Berries

   

Current teams

Division	Team	City	Stadium	Founded	Seating capacity	2024 record	Finish
West	Brooks Bombers	Brooks, Alberta	Elks Stadium	2015	681	20–36	4th
	Energy City Cactus Rats	Spruce Grove, Alberta	Energy City Metro Ballpark[a]	2005	3,470	12-44	6th
	Fort McMurray Giants	Fort McMurray, Alberta	Legacy Dodge Field	2016	1,725	20–36	5th
	Lethbridge Bulls	Lethbridge, Alberta	Spitz Stadium	1999	3,000	36-20	3rd
	Okotoks Dawgs	Okotoks, Alberta	Seaman Stadium	2003	2,500	42-14	2nd
	Sylvan Lake Gulls	Sylvan Lake, Alberta	Pogadl Park	2021	1,384	44-12	1st
East	Medicine Hat Mavericks	Medicine Hat, Alberta	Athletic Park	2003	2,200	33-23	2nd
	Moose Jaw Miller Express	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan	Ross Wells Ball Park	2002	750	26-30	4th
	Regina Red Sox	Regina, Saskatchewan	Currie Field	1946	2,000	38-18	1st
	Saskatoon Berries	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Cairns Field	2023	2,200	31–25	3rd
	Swift Current 57's	Swift Current, Saskatchewan	Mitchell Field	1959	550	16-40	6th
	Weyburn Beavers	Weyburn, Saskatchewan	Tom Laing Park	—	600	17-39	5th

Former teams

Team	City	Final year
Eston Ramblers	Eston, Saskatchewan	1993
Hazlet Elks	Hazlet, Saskatchewan	1993
Kindersley Royals	Kindersley, Saskatchewan
Melville Millionaires	Melville, Saskatchewan	2019
Moose Jaw Devons	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Oyen Pronghorns	Oyen, Alberta	1997
Red Deer Generals	Red Deer, Alberta	2005
Saskatoon Liners	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	1984
Saskatoon Nationals	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Saskatoon Yellow Jackets	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	2014
Sherwood Park Dukes	Sherwood Park, Alberta	2008
Unity Cardinals	Unity, Saskatchewan
Yorkton Cardinals	Yorkton, Saskatchewan	2019

Expansion

Cranbrook, British Columbia, was granted an expansion team, the Eds, in 2011 conditional on building a new stadium.^[6][7] However, the plans failed to come to fruition.

The two most recent additions to the league are in Sylvan Lake and Saskatoon. Plans for a 2021 launch of the Sylvan Lake team were announced November 1, 2019.^[8] Branding as the Sylvan Lake Gulls was announced in March 2020.^[9] Saskatoon was awarded the most recent expansion team, in 2023.^[10] In July 2023, the team unveiled that it would be called the Saskatoon Berries.^[11]

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,^[12] 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)

• 2024: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2023: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2022: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2021: Lethbridge Bulls^[b]
• 2020: Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2019: Okotoks Dawgs

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

• 2018: Medicine Hat Mavericks
• 2017: Swift Current 57's
• 2016: Swift Current Indians
• 2015: Lethbridge Bulls
• 2014: Medicine Hat Mavericks
• 2013: Melville Millionaires
• 2012: Regina Red Sox
• 2011: Regina Red Sox
• 2010: Swift Current Indians
• 2009: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2008: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2007: Okotoks Dawgs
• 2006: Swift Current Indians
• 2005: Swift Current Indians
• 2004: Calgary Dawgs
• 2003: Medicine Hat Mavericks
• 2002: Moose Jaw Miller Express
• 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^[2]

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^[2]

Championships (WCBL/WMBL)

Team	Wins	Seasons
Okotoks Dawgs	8	2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
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

Notes

1. Ballpark is still under construction; the Cactus Rats play the 2025 season as a road team.
2. Shortened season. Some teams did not compete.