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{{Short description|Canadian amateur baseball league}}

factoids

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is a Canadian baseball league, comprising teams of college players and former professionals from North America and beyond. The teams are located in Southern Ontario.The league was formed in 1919 and has enjoyed much success over its long history.WEB,mopupduty.com/an-intercounty-baseball-league-primer/, An Intercounty Baseball League Primer, 14 June 2010, Mop-Up Duty, Teams are run similar to a professional minor-league team, providing players an opportunity to play under the same conditions, using wooden bats and minor-league specification baseballs. Teams play 42 scheduled games from early May to late-August. The playoffs are best-of-five series with the championship series typically played around Labour Day. The most recent champions are the Welland Jackfish, who defeated the Barrie Baycats 4-2 in the 2023 Dominico Cup Final.

History

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) was founded in 1919 with just four cities represented — Galt, Guelph, Stratford and Kitchener, and is the oldest amateur men’s league in Canada.WEB,ballparkdigest.com/201003182597/independent-baseball/news/ibl-signs-lease-for-ottawa-stadium, IBL signs lease for Ottawa Stadium, 18 March 2010, Ballpark Digest, During the early years, the league expanded to include the cities of Waterloo, Brantford, Preston, London, and St. Thomas.It was previously known as the Intercounty Major Baseball League and the Senior Intercounty Baseball League. Teams compete for the Jack and Lynne Dominico Trophy, which is awarded to the league champions. The trophy is named for the late owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, husband and wife Jack and Lynne Dominico.

All-Star Game

On July 8, 2006, in Barrie, the league’s New Era IBL All-Star Classic game between the Barrie Baycats and the IBL All-Stars; Barrie won 7–2.On August 21 and 22, 2010 in Ottawa, the Fat Cats hosted the New Era All-Star Classic between the IBL All-Stars and the All-Stars from Ligue de Baseball Senior Élite du Québec (LBSEQ).WEB,ottawacitizen.com/sports/Photos+Star+Classic+Intercounty+Baseball+League/3429959/story.html, New Era All-Star Classic, Intercounty Baseball League, 21 August 2010, Ottawa Citizen, Barrie hosted the league’s All-Star Game on July 11, 2015, with the IBL All-Stars defeating Barrie Baycats 13–4.“>

Teams{| class“wikitable” style@width: 100%”

!Team!City!Stadium!Capacity!Founded!2023 Record!Finish|Barrie Baycats|Barrie

Barrie Community Sports Complex>Vintage Throne Stadium at Barrie Community Sports Complex | 1,500| 2001	26-16|3rd

|Brantford Red Sox|Brantford

Arnold Anderson Stadium at Cockshutt Park>Arnold Anderson Stadium| 2,000| 1911	8-34|8th

|Chatham-Kent Barnstormers

Chatham-Kent>Chatham|Fergie Jenkins Field at Rotary Park|1.100|2024|N/A |N/A

Guelph Royals (baseball)>Guelph Royals|Guelph	Hastings Stadium>David E. Hastings Stadium at Exhibition Park| 1,400| 1919	19-23 |5th

|Hamilton Cardinals

Hamilton, Ontario>Hamilton|CARSTAR Field at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium| 3,000| 1953	19-23|6th

|Kitchener Panthers

Kitchener, Ontario>Kitchener	Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex>Jack Couch Baseball Park| 1,400| 1919	26-15*|2nd

|London Majors

London, Ontario>London| Labatt Memorial Park| 5,200| 1925	17-25|7th

Toronto Maple Leafs (semi-pro baseball)>Toronto Maple Leafs|Toronto|Dominico Field at Christie Pits Park| 1,000| 1969	21-20*|4th

|Welland Jackfish|Welland|Welland Stadium| 3,375| 2018

31-11|1st

• a game between Toronto and Kitchener on August 15, was rained out and not made up due to the game not having any effects on the standings

Source:WEB,www.theibl.ca/stats#/596/standings?render=division&division_id=11593, Standings: IBL 2021, theibl.ca, January 17, 2021, “>

Past teams{| class“wikitable” style@width: 100%”

!Team!City!Stadium!Founded!Folded/Moved|Burlington Herd

Burlington, Ontario>Burlington|Nelson Park| 2016| 2018; moved to Welland and renamed Welland Jackfish

|Burlington Bandits

Burlington, Ontario>Burlington|Nelson Park| 2012| 2016; renamed Burlington Herd

|Burlington Twins

Burlington, Ontario>Burlington|Nelson Park| 2011| 2012; renamed Burlington Bandits

| Galt/Cambridge Terriers

Galt, Ontario>Galt| Dickson Park baseball field| 1919| 1984

| Guelph C-Joys| Guelph| Exhibition Park| 1964

Guelph Royals (baseball)>Guelph Royals

| Hamilton Cardinals

Hamilton, Ontario>Hamilton| Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium| 1958| 2005; renamed Hamilton Thunderbirds

| Hamilton Thunderbirds| Hamilton| Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium| 2005| 2012; renamed Hamilton Cardinals| Kitchener Dutchmen| Kitchener| Jack Couch Stadium, Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex| 1957| renamed Kitchener Panthers| Kitchener Legionnaires

Kitchener, Ontario>Kitchener	Victoria Park (London)>Victoria Park| 1957	Kitchener Panthers>Kitchener Dutchmen

| Kraven Knits

Stratford, Ontario>Stratford	National Stadium (baseball)>National Stadium| 1974| 1976; renamed Stratford Hillers

| Listowel Legionnaires

Listowel, Ontario>Listowel| John Bell – Listowel Memorial Park| 1957|1969

| London Avcos| London| Labatt Park| 1970| 1974; renamed London El-Morocco Majors| London Chester Pegg Diamonds

London, Ontario>London| Labatt Park| 1960| 1963; renamed London Majors

| London El-Morocco Majors| London| Labatt Park| 1974| 1975; renamed London Majors| London Pontiacs| London| Labatt Park| 1964| 1970; renamed London Avcos| Mississauga Twins| Mississauga| Meadowvale Baseball Complex| 2009| 2011; moved to Burlington as Burlington Twins| Niagara Falls Mariners

Niagara Falls, Ontario>Niagara Falls| Oakes Park| 1985| 1989

| Oakville Oaks

Oakville, Ontario>Oakville|| 1956| 1958

| Oshawa Dodgers| Oshawa| Kinsmen Stadium| 2002| 2009| Ottawa Fat Cats| Ottawa| Ottawa Baseball Stadium| 2010| 2012|Preston Riversides|Preston|Riverside Park|1920|| St. Thomas Elgins

St. Thomas, Ontario>St. Thomas| Emslie Field, Pinafore Park| 1948 as the Legion until 1953| 1961; re-emerged in 1976 and folded again in 1996

| St. Thomas Storm| St. Thomas| Emslie Field, Pinafore Park| 2000| Moved to Stratford in 2004| Stratford Hillers| Stratford

National Stadium (baseball)>National Stadium| 1976|

| Stratford Nationals| Stratford

National Stadium (baseball)>National Stadium| 2006| 2008; moved to Mississauga as Mississauga Twins

| Stratford Storm| Stratford

National Stadium (baseball)>National Stadium| 2004| 2006; renamed Stratford Nationals

|Strathroy Royals|Strathroy||1938|| Waterloo Tigers

Waterloo, Ontario>Waterloo| Bechtel Park Ball Stadium| 2000| 2003

| Windsor Chiefs

Windsor, Ontario>Windsor| Mic Mac Park| 1979; 1969 in the Essex County Senior League| 1981; left for Detroit Federal League in 1982

Champions

The winning team is awarded the Jack and Lynne Dominico Cup.Other awards presented include:

• Rawlings IBL Player of the Year Award/John Bell Memorial Trophy
• IBL Rookie of the Year/Brian Kerr Memorial Trophy

Notable players

{{inc-sport|date=August 2008}}{{div col}}

• John Axford (Brantford Red Sox) – Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays
• Don Beaupre (Waterloo Tigers) – Minnesota North Stars
• Todd Betts (Barrie Baycats) - Yakult Swallows
• Tom Burgess
• Matthew Hilderbrandt (Welland Jackfish){{dagger}} (London Majors) - St. Louis Cardinals
• Rich Butler (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Rob Butler (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies
• Frank Colman{{dagger}} (London Majors) – Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees
• Scott Diamond (Guelph Royals) – Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays
• Rob Ducey{{dagger}} (Cambridge) Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, California Angels, Texas Rangers, Nippon-Ham Fighters, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos
• Wilmer Fields (Brantford Red Sox) 1939–50 – Homestead Grays
• Mike Gardiner (Stratford Hillers) Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners 1990–1995
• Ferguson Jenkins{{dagger}} (London Majors) Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox (1991 National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee)
• Mike Kilkenny (London Majors) – Detroit Tigers
• Joe Krakauskas (Brantford Red Sox) 1937–46 – Washington Senators & Cleveland Indians
• Larry Landreth (Stratford Hillers) – Montreal Expos
• Lester Lockett (Kitchener) – Baltimore Elite Giants
• Roy McKay (London Majors) – Detroit Tigers
• Denny McLain (London Majors) – Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves
• Jesse Orosco (Galt Terriers) – New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins
• Pete Orr (Toronto Maple Leafs) – Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies
• Lester B. Pearson{{dagger}} (Guelph Maple Leafs) – Prime Minister of Canada (22 April 1963 – 20 April 1968)
• Dalton Pompey (Guelph Royals) - Toronto Blue Jays
• Goody Rosen{{dagger}} (Galt Terriers) – Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants
• Dave Rozema (London Majors) – Detroit Tigers
• Chris Speier (Stratford) – San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs & Montreal Expos
• Paul Spoljaric (Toronto Maple Leafs, Barrie Baycats) – Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals
• Ron Stead{{dagger}} (Brantford Red Sox) – 1967 Pan American Games
• Fred Thomas{{dagger}} (Kitchener Panthers) – Wilkes-Barre Barons, Cincinnati Crescents (basketball), Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
• Rob Thomson{{dagger}} (Stratford Hillers) – Detroit Tigers
• Scott Thorman (Brantford Red Sox) – Atlanta Braves
• Jimmy Wilkes (Brantford Red Sox) – Negro leagues: Newark Eagles, Houston Eagles, Indianapolis Clowns

{{div col end}}{{dagger}} Player is an inductee of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

Notable executives

• Bob Ferguson, league statistician (1958 to 1966) and owner of the London Pontiacs (1963 to 1964)WEB,www.londonmajors.com/history, London Majors’ History 1925–2021, Boughner, Barry, 2021, London Majors’ Alumni Association, November 15, 2021,

References

• Intercounty Major Baseball League’s 1998 Record Book by Editor Herb Morell and Dominico Promotions Inc.

{{reflist}}

External links

• Intercounty Baseball League official website