Intercounty Baseball League

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is a Canadian 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.

Intercounty Baseball League
Current season, competition or edition:
2018 Intercounty Baseball League season
SportBaseball
Founded1919
No. of teams8
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		Barrie Baycats (2019)
Most titlesBrantford Red Sox (15)
Official websitetheibl.ca

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 an 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, but the IBL once had a team in Ottawa.

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 2019 Record Finish
Barrie Baycats Barrie, Ontario Coates Stadium at Barrie Community Sports Complex 1,500 2001 26-11 1st
Brantford Red Sox Brantford, Ontario Arnold Anderson Stadium 2,000 1911 5-31 8th
Guelph Royals Guelph, Ontario David E. Hastings Stadium at Exhibition Park 1,400 1919 16-20 6th
Hamilton Cardinals Hamilton, Ontario CARSTAR Field at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium 3,000 1953 20-16 3rd
Kitchener Panthers Kitchener, Ontario Jack Couch Baseball Park 1,400 1919 25-12 2nd
London Majors London, Ontario Labatt Memorial Park 5,200 1925 18-18 5th
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto, Ontario Dominico Field at Christie Pits Park 3,000 1969 16-20 7th
Welland Jackfish Welland, Ontario Welland Stadium 2,500 2018 19-17 4th

    Past teams
    Former Intercounty Baseball League Teams
    Team City Stadium Founded Folded/Moved
    Burlington Herd Burlington Nelson Park 2016 2018; moved to Welland and renamed Welland Jackfish
    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 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 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
    Strathroy Royals Strathroy 1938
    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
    • Commissioner: John Kastner
    • Registrar: Jason Little
    • Treasurer/Statistician: Herb Morell
    • Umpire in Chief: Andy Herrington
    • Marketing Manager: Ryan Harrison
    • Media Relations Manager: Cory Smith

    Champions
    Main article: List of Intercounty Baseball League 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 past players
    This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

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