Lloydminster crest









1900s1910s1920s1930s

1940s1950s1960s1970s








Brooklyn Dodgers 1955

Once, one of the Top 100 in Canadian Baseball

Jay-Dell Mah - The respected broadcaster and reporter has one of the most complete and oldest ... historical web sites going ... For his tireless efforts this summer the Nakusp, B.C. resident was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame. He co-authoured Black Baseball Players in Canada, a Biographical Dictionary, 1881-1960 along with Barry Swanton and Tom Hawthorn. He fell in love with the game in the 1950s as bat boy for the Lloydminster Meridians in his home town. (Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun)

From About.Com, Baseball :

"I get a lot of questions from people about the history of the minor leagues. I found one that's a real gem. Jay-Dell Mah has put together an outstanding web site dealing with baseball history in Western Canada. He's got team photos, rosters, stats and other info from western Canadian teams in the 1950s -1960s era. I can't even fathom how much work it took to round up all the stuff he's got here--check it out:"

 
Jay-Dell Mah    Rich Necker

Black Players in Canada

Jack Altman
Jack Altman
Vulcan
Granum

Jack Lester
Jim Lester
Granum
Lethbridge

Tom Mulcahy
Tom Mulcahy
Lloydminster
Williston


Connie Munatones
Edmonton
Moose Jaw
Saskatoon

Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick
Vulcan
Edmonton

Barney Brown
Barney Brown
Brandon
Brantford
Lloydminster

Curly Williams
Curly Williams
Carman
Lloydminster

Roy Taylor
Roy Taylor
Kamsack
Saskatoon
Moose Jaw
Sequoias College

John Noce
Medicine Hat Drummondville Edmonton
San Mateo College

 

10 February, 2024

Western Canada Baseball may always be a work in progress. Ironic isn't it? There's always something new to uncover about the past.

Over time, the site has evolved into more of a Canada / Northwest USA site, but we'll keep the original title for ... old times' sake.

The aim is pretty basic -- an attempt to rediscover the joys of baseball back in those much simpler (and many would say, better) times. A look back at a tumultuous period in North America.

It's a tip of the cap to some extraordinary people who filled out those tattered uniforms at Sportsman's Park and other dusty fields across the prairies and elsewhere across the country.

We've been so pleased over these nearly 25 years to have received such incredible responses to our work.

What a delight to publicize the diamond exploits, previous unknown, of so many fathers and grandfathers and great grandfathers. Family histories now more complete.

Enjoy.

Why it's worthwhile:

" ... Thank you for recording my small scratch in the sand of baseball history. It's true that I wasn't very good, but I had the opportunity to enjoy all the pleasures that this wonderful game has to offer.

I will always treasure that, and if nothing else, through your site I'll be able to verify to my grandchildren that people really did come to see me play."

Greg Seastrom  (From Fresno State University to the Vulcan Elks for the summers of 1955 & 1956)

" ... My father played for Edmonton in 1958 after winning a National Championship at SC ... Today my father is 64 years old and ... the Internet is a little above his head. None the less, I showed him and my friends and family your site. My father was amazed, along with the rest of us.

Great site ... My father's face was unforgettable when he saw his picture and all his old friends. I grew up hearing stories about my father playing here or there so it was nice to actually see what it was all about.

I commend you and your site. Your site is a perfect example of all the good the internet has to offer. The enjoyment my dad got from seeing his old friends and teammates was priceless. Keep up the good work. Impressed and thankful."

Don Biasotti Jr.   (Don Biasotti Sr. played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1958, one of the dozens of players who came to Canada from the University of Southern California.)

"Those were marvelous times ... if I had to relive any three weeks in my life ... I'd probably pick three weeks in '47 and '48 when certain tournaments were on and go back and play ball. It was just marvelous, and you know I've been to Moscow three times and Japan 14 times on business, and lived in New York, lived in Los Angeles, lived in Miami, lived in Venezuela 12 years, all those were good times but none of them compared to playing semi-pro ball in rural Saskatchewan."

Bill Gatenby  (Sceptre, 40's early 50's) A former President of Texaco Canada and President, CEO of Cameco, once the
world's largest uranium mining company.

"My memories have faded so it was fun to go back and learn the truth of what actually happened as opposed to what I remembered."

Jim Sims (the left-hander was among dozens of top college stars in the Untied States to hone their skills in Western Canada, Sims, Arizona State, with the Edmonton Eskimos in the summer of 1959)

My name is Nichelle Scott. I want to personally thank you for introducing me to my grandfather ... Leopoldo Reyes. Unfortunately, I never got the privilege of meeting my grandfather due to his deportation back to Cuba. Before today my family only had 1 picture of my grandfather …   my family has searched for information ... but we were unsuccessful. Today my cousin decided to google the name Leopoldo Reyes and your great website www.attheplate.com came up. It was truly mind blowing to see so many pictures of him and to be able to read the game reports from his games ... your website enlightened us on his talent for the game. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

Today's WCBL, the WMBL/WCBL

Thank you, thank you for your contributions. It's been quite  the journey. Jay-Dell Mah, Box # 952, Nakusp, BC, V0G 1R0   Email me !