Intercounty Baseball League

Intercounty Baseball League

Intercounty Baseball League
Sport Baseball
Founded 1919
No. of teams 8
Country Canada
Most recent
champion(s)		 Barrie Baycats (2016)
Most titles Brantford Red Sox (15)
Official website theibl.ca


The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is an independent baseball league comprising teams of college players and former professionals from North America and beyond. Players are not paid, so as to maintain the players' NCAA eligibility.

The league was formed in 1919 and has enjoyed much success over its long history.[1] 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 36 games scheduled over a 85-day season running from early May to late-July. The playoffs are best-of-seven series with the Championship series typically played around Labour Day.

The teams are located in Southern Ontario.

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.[2] 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 Jack Dominico, owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team and his late wife Lynne.

Labatt Park in London, ON, home of the London Majors.

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).[3]

Barrie hosted the league's All-Star Game on July 11, 2015 with the IBL All-Stars defeating Barrie Baycats 13–4.

Teams

Intercounty Baseball League
Team City Stadium Capacity Founded
Barrie Baycats Barrie, Ontario Coates Stadium at Barrie Community Sports Complex 1,500 2001
Brantford Red Sox Brantford, Ontario Arnold Anderson Stadium 2,000 1911
Burlington Herd Burlington, Ontario Nelson Park 1,000 2016
Guelph Royals Guelph, Ontario David E. Hastings Stadium at Exhibition Park 1,400 1919
Hamilton Cardinals Hamilton, Ontario Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium 3,000 1953
Kitchener Panthers Kitchener, Ontario Jack Couch Baseball Park 1,400 1919
London Majors London, Ontario Labatt Park 5,200 1925
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto, Ontario Dominico Field at Christie Pits Park 3,000 1969

Past teams

Former Intercounty Baseball League Teams
Team City Stadium Founded Folded/Moved
Burlington Bandits Burlington Nelson Park 2012 2016; renamed Burlington Herd
Burlington Twins Burlington Nelson Park 2011 2012; renamed Burlington Bandits
Galt/Cambridge Terriers Galt Dickson Park baseball field 1919 1984
Guelph C-Joys Guelph Exhibition Park 1964 renamed Guelph Royals
Hamilton Cardinals 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 Victoria Park 1957 renamed Kitchener Dutchmen
Kraven Knits Stratford National Stadium 1974 1976; renamed Stratford Hillers
Listowel Legionnaires Listowel John Bell – Listowel Memorial Park 1940s?
London Avcos London Labatt Park 1970 1974; renamed London El-Morocco Majors
London Chester Pegg Diamonds London Labatt Park 1960 1962; renamed London Majors
London El-Morocco Majors London Labatt Park 1974 1975; renamed London Majors
London Pontiacs London Labatt Park 1963 1970; renamed London Avcos
Mississauga Twins Mississauga Meadowvale Baseball Complex 2009 2011; moved to Burlington as Burlington Twins
Niagara Falls Mariners Niagara Falls Oakes Park 1985 1989
Oakville Oaks Oakville 1956 1958
Oshawa Dodgers Oshawa Kinsmen Stadium 2002 2009
Ottawa Fat Cats Ottawa Ottawa Baseball Stadium 2010 2012
Preston Preston 1920
St. Thomas Elgins 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 1976
Stratford Nationals Stratford National Stadium 2006 2008; moved to Mississauga as Mississauga Twins
Stratford Storm Stratford National Stadium 2004 2006; renamed Stratford Nationals
Waterloo Tigers Waterloo Bechtel Park Ball Stadium 2000 2003
Windsor Chiefs Windsor Mic Mac Park 1979; 1969 in the Essex County Senior League 1981; left for Detroit Federal League in 1982

League staff

Champions

The winning team is awarded the Jack and Lynne Dominico Trophy.

Other awards presented include:

Notable past players

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

  1. ↑ "An Intercounty Baseball League Primer". Mop-Up Duty. 14 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "IBL signs lease for Ottawa Stadium". Ballpark Digest. 18 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "New Era All-Star Classic, Intercounty Baseball League". Ottawa Citizen. 21 August 2010.
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