The new Saskatchewan Major Baseball League was formed from the remnants of the old Southern League and Northern Saskatchewan circuit. Three teams from each area 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. A version of the league remains active today, the Western Major Baseball League.
(July 1, 1975) The Red Deer Generals of the Alberta Major Baseball League, topped the Berkeley, California Bears 4-3 Tuesday to the win the Dominion Day tournament at Eston. Generals reached the final by downing Saskatoon Boston Royals 8-6 and Berkely downed Unity Cardinals 16-9. Saskatoon had won its opening game of the tourney Monday beating the Calgary Jimmies 6-4 in 11 innings.
In British Columbia, there's been a long history of top level ball in the interior, including the Okanagan, north to Kamloops.
Steven Travers (# 36 above) came out of the University of Nevada to become an ace starter for the Kamloops Brewers in 1980. The photo is of the Kamloops stadium. Travers went 9-3 with an ERA of 1.93 and was named the top pitcher in the Kamloops International Tournament.
Notre Dame Hounds, 1983-84. Dan Brisebois – Brett Burlock –Brian Fabri – Mike Faris –Clancey Foley – Frank Germann ( Coach ) – Kelly Handy – Peter Hedon – Glen Jago – Trent Katchur - Wayne Morrison ( Coach ) – Todd Oliphant – Wade Porter – Wes Sherger – Paul Stephenson – Mark Vermette – Brian wilke – Terry Woodard.
[Photo courtesy of the Notre Dame Archives Museum, with thanks to Gerry Scheibel and Terry McGarry]
Keeping track into the 1980s ... Rich Necker recalls some great talents being honed in Southern Alberta.
Residents of southern Alberta (I was one of them - a season ticket holder at the time in Lethbridge were fortunate enough to witness a host of recently drafted young men who played their first year of professional baseball in the Pioneer League. The following is a list of those who played on Alberta-based teams only (there were others from the Montana and Idaho teams, not included) and whose progression was such to eventually land them in the majors.
1975 Lethbridge Expos
18 year old outfielder Andre Dawson - 21 MLB seasons, mostly with Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs. 1977 NL rookie-of-year, 8-time NL all-star, 1987 NL MVP, 1987 NL HR leader. Elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame in 2010.
1976 Lethbridge Expos
17 year old right-handed pitcher Bob James - 279 big league mound appearances spread over 8 seasons. Primarily a relief pitcher, he spent the bulk of his career with the Montreal Expos and the Chicago White Sox, the latter team for whom he saved 32 games, second most in the AL in 1985.
19 year old right-handed pitcher David Palmer - compiled a 64 - 59 record, primarily as a starter, over 10 big league seasons, 6 of them with the Montreal Expos.
1977 Calgary Cardinals
20 year old third baseman/outfielder Ty Waller - 63 major league games with 3 different clubs.
1977 Lethbridge Dodgers
19 year old outfielder Ron Kittle - 10 seasons in major leagues, all with AL teams, 1983 AL rookie-of-year with Chicago White Sox.
18 year old outfielder Mitch Webster - 13 MLB campaigns (1,265 games) with 6 different clubs.
1977 Medicine Hat A's
18 year old outfielder Mike Davis - 10 seasons in the majors with Oakland A's (8) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2)
1978 Lethbridge Dodgers
17 year old outfielder Candy Maldonado - 15 MLB seasons with 7 different teams.
18 year old outfielder/first baseman Mike Marshall - 11 seasons in the bigs, the vast majority as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
18 year old second baseman Steve Sax - 14 MLB seasons, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 1982 NL rookie-of-year, 5 all-star appearances for NL.
18 year old third baseman German Rivera - 314 MLB games over 3 seasons with Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros.
19 year old catcher Dann Bilardello - 317 MLB games over 8 seasons with 4 different NL clubs.
19 year old catcher/outfielder Dave Sax - 37 MLB games, mostly with the Boston Red Sox.
1978 Medicine Hat Blue Jays
18 year old outfielder LLoyd Moseby - 12 major league campaigns, 10 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
18 year old catcher/third baseman Geno Petralli - 809 MLB games over 12 seasons, 784 of these game with the Texas Rangers.
18 year old outfielder/third baseman Paul Hodgson - a late-season call-up (46 games) with the 1980 Toronto Blue Jays.
18 year old catcher Brian Milnar - called up to the Toronto Blue Jays shortly after he was drafted in June 1978. Went 4 for 9 at the plate in 2 games and then was sent to Medicine Hat of the Pioneer League for development. A series of injuries stymied his progress and he never appeared in the majors again.
1979 Lethbridge Dodgers
22 year old first baseman Greg Brock - 10 MLB seasons, 5 each with the Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) and Milwaukee Brewers (AL).
19 year old left-handed pitcher Rich Rodas - 10 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1983 and 1984 seasons.
18 year old left-handed pitcher Morris Madden - 16 major league games, all but 2 with the 1988 and 1989 Pittsburgh Pirates.
1979 Calgary Expos
18 year old first baseman Andres Galarraga - had a 19 year MLB career including 8 seasons with the Montreal Expos. A 5-time NL all-star.
19 year old right-handed pitcher Randy St. Claire- compiled a 12 - 6 lifetime MLB record over 9 seasons, primarily with the Montreal Expos.
1979 Medicine Hat Blue Jays
20 year old catcher Toby Hernandez - appeared in 3 games with the 1984 Toronto Blue Jays.
17 year old infielder Fred Manrique - played in 498 MLB games over 9 seasons, 320 of these with the Chicago White Sox.
18 year old outfielder Ron Shepherd - 115 games with the Toronto Blue Jays between 1984 and 1986.
18 year old right-handed pitcher Mark Eichhorn - 11 seasons in the majors, 6 of them with the Toronto Blue Jays.
1980 Calgary Expos
18 year old shortstop Angel Salazar - 5 MLB campaigns including 2 full seasons with the Kansas City Royals.
1980 Lethbridge Dodgers
16 year old catcher Gilberto Reyes - 7 partial MLB seasons from 1983 to 1991 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos.
20 year old first baseman Larry See - 11 major league games split between the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers and 1988 Texas Rangers.
16 year old right-handed pitcher Rafael Montalvo - appeared in one game with the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers
22 year old left-handed pitcher Tom Klawitter - appeared in 7 games with the 1985 Minnesota Twins.