Valley Baseball League

The Valley Baseball League is an NCAA and MLB-sanctioned collegiate summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.[1] Each Valley Baseball League season consists of 42 games played during summer, beginning the Friday after Memorial Day and continuing into late July. Playoffs immediately follow and culminate in early August.

Valley Baseball League
SportBaseball
Founded1923
PresidentC. Bruce Alger
CommissionerC. Bruce Alger
Motto"Gateway to the majors"
No. of teams11
Country United States
Most recent
champion(s)		Charlottesville Tom Sox
Official websiteValley Baseball League

The league was started in 1923 and sanctioned by the NCAA in 1961. It has been a wooden bat league since 1993. It is one of almost a dozen leagues in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball. The VBL is funded in part by a grant from Major League Baseball. The Valley League has produced well over 1,000 professional baseball players, including a record 79 former players drafted in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

In 2007, the Valley Baseball League expanded to include one new team with the addition of the Fauquier Gators. Another team was planned to be added in Lexington, Virginia but difficulties with the lighting system delayed the team's addition to the league. The VBL announced in July 2008 that the Rockbridge Rapids would start play in the 2009 season, but the team folded a couple years later. In 2011 the Strasburg Express entered the league and in 2015 the Charlottesville Tom Sox entered the league.[2]

The league canceled the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]

Teams

North

South

Valley League Playoff Series
Quarterfinals
#1 vs. #8 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#2 vs. #7 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#3 vs. #6 (Best 2 of 3 games)
#4 vs. #5 (Best 2 of 3 games)
Semifinals
Highest Remaining Seed Vs. Lowest Remaining Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)
Next Highest Seed vs. Next Lowest Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)
Championship
Highest Remaining Seed vs. Other Remaining Seed (Best 2 of 3 games)

VBL Champions
YearVBL Champion
2020 None[lower-alpha 1]
2019 Charlottesville
2018 New Market
2017 Charlottesville
2016Strasburg
2015Strasburg
2014Waynesboro
2013Waynesboro
2012Harrisonburg
2011Covington
2010Luray
2009Haymarket
2008Luray
2007Waynesboro
2006Luray
2005Covington
2004Winchester
2003Winchester
2002New Market
2001Winchester
2000Harrisonburg
1999Staunton
1998Waynesboro
1997Winchester
1996Staunton
1995Staunton
1994New Market
1993Winchester
1992Winchester
1991Harrisonburg
1990Winchester
1989New Market
1988Waynesboro
1987Winchester
1986Front Royal
1985Staunton
1984Waynesboro
1983Winchester
1982Winchester
1981Winchester
1980Winchester
1979Winchester
1978Madison
1977Harrisonburg
1976Staunton
1975Madison
1974Shenandoah
1973Shenandoah
1972 Shenandoah
1971Harrisonburg
1970Harrisonburg
1969Harrisonburg
1968Luray
1967Luray
1966Luray
1965Luray
1964Harrisonburg
1963Shenandoah
1962Harrisonburg
1961Shenandoah
1960Shenandoah
1959Harrisonburg
1958Harrisonburg
1957Staunton
1956Elkton
1955Harrisonburg
1954Staunton
  1. Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Championships per team

(in alphabetical order)

  • Charlottesville -2
  • Covington -2
  • Elkton -1
  • Front Royal -1
  • Haymarket -1
  • Harrisonburg -12
  • Luray-7
  • Madison -2
  • New Market -4
  • Shenandoah -6
  • Staunton -6
  • Strasburg -2
  • Waynesboro -6
  • Winchester -13
  • Not all teams have been with VBL since 1954. Throughout its history, teams have been removed and added.

The summer of 2008 was highlighted by a promotion called Around the Valley in 60 Days. This promotion was started by Crystal Clear Delivery and S. Carter Studios and encouraged patrons to visit all 11 parks in the 60-day season. The program was deemed a huge success as some fifty fans completed the program and attended all 11 ballparks.

Notable players

References
  1. Fisher, Marc (June 16, 2004). "Perfect Pitch". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  2. "Tom Sox Chosen as Name of Charlottesville's New VBL Team". NBC29.com. February 5, 2015. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  3. "The 2020 Valley League Has Been Cancelled". ValleyLeagueBaseball.com (Press release). Valley Baseball League. April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  4. Hite, Patrick (April 2, 2020). "Valley Baseball League season canceled". The News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  5. "Cardinals That Made it to The Show". Front Royal Cardinals. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  6. "Eddy Rodríguez". Miami Hurricanes. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
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