Binscarth was perennial champions in the North West League and won the provincial senior B crowns in 1969-70-71.

In 1972 the Orioles moved to the Manitoba Senior League which they won with a 16-4 pennant record and the provicial senior A title. In 1973 Binscarth won the M.S.B.L. pennant, Binscarth played in many big Western Canada tournaments (Regina Langenberg, Moose Jaw, Melville, Saskatoon, Saltcoats, Lacombe Alberta).

Garth Neville who also played with Team Canada, was their main pitcher but the Orioles combined youth, speed, great defense and stong hitting.

Although American imports were not used by the Orioles then, manager Bob Wasslen was a good recruiter.

The Birtle Blue Jays were a small town team that played in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. They competed at a high calibre level and were an extremely successful team.

In 1999 they lost in the title in Manitoba Senior Baseball League Championship Finals in a seven game series that went right to the last game. The following year they redeemed themselves, by winning the M.S.B.L. Championships and taking home the Manitoba Senior AAA Crown. This feat was accomplished once again in 2002 and 2004.

In 2001 the Blue Jays attended the Nationals in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The tournament had a brilliant outcome with the Blue Jays will the President’s Cup. In 2003 they attended Nationals once more but were not as successful, losing in the semi-final game. After winning their third M.S.B.L. Championship and AAA Crown in 2004 they attended Nationals in Kamploops B.C. in 2005.

This team was one of the greatest amateur baseball teams ever assembled in Manitoba. It might be a long time before baseball fans are ever treated to a team like this again.

This was a proud team with a rich history and tradition. It all started back in 1948—before Brandon had any organized minor baseball. A bunch of young kids, pumped up from listening to the World Series, got together at a south end softball diamond. They each threw in two dollars for equipment, drew a name from a hat, and the Brandon Cloverleafs Baseball Club was born.
Dressed in uniforms that consisted of black sweatpants and white t-shirts, the young team played in pick-up leagues and took in baseball tournaments around the country. They coached and managed themselves. They practiced and played on the Mental Hospital diamond with practices sometimes lasting 7 or 8 hours. As time passed, some players left the team and others took their place. Each year the team became more successful and eventually the club moved their games to the new Kinsmen Stadium.

In 1951 they joined the Central Manitoba Baseball Association, which at that time included 8 leagues with 40 teams. By 1954, the Cloverleafs had one of the most feared and exciting baseball teams in the history of the sport in western Manitoba.

From 1954 to 1960 the team won seven C.M.B.A. championships. They had great depth and were a perfect blend of youth and experience, strength and speed, pitching and fielding. Their playoff record during those years was a phenomenal 36 wins vs. 5 losses. In 1956, they played 60 games, won 54, lost 4, and tied 2. Three years later they won 38 of 44 starts.

They dominated the baseball tournament circuit, often winning premier tournaments such as those in Neepawa, Indian Head, and Keewatin. They also won various exhibition games with American teams, including one against the touring Kansas City Monarchs of the American Negro League. They won this game 15-7.

They had developed from a rag-tag bunch of kids into one of the finest amateur teams in Manitoba. Their success often hinged on a special magic that went beyond talent. They were good friends. They worked together and stuck together. They were a family, and the family included wives, girlfriends, and relatives.

It seems only fitting that the Cloverleafs of this era are the first team inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. They were an outstanding team, and many members contributed to baseball after their playing days were over.

Winner of 5 MSBL, 4 Manitoba, and 1 Canadian Senior AAA Championships.

The Brandon Cloverleafs had a team in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League in every one of its 55 years. Among its strongest teams were the ones the Cloverleafs put on the field from 2006 through 2012. In these seven years the club won two MSBL pennants and five League and Provincial championships. At Nationals they represented Manitoba very well with a silver medal in 2007 and fourth place finishes in both 2010 and 2011. The Cloverleafs were also Baseball Manitoba’s High Performance Team of the Year in 2007.

The Brandon Greys, who played as a part of the Manitoba Senior League and the Mandak League from 1948 to 1951, were symbolic of the colourful and pulsating excitement of Baseball in Manitoba following World War 2.

Even though Jackie Robinson broke the Major League colour barrier in 1947, there were hundreds of players still playing in the Negro Leagues in the United States – some came to Canada and to Brandon. 1948 marked Brandon’s return to the Manitoba Senior League. The backers of the Greys hired Ian Lowe of Bradwardine as player/manager of the team. They also secured some of the best players in Western Manitoba – like Gerry MacKay, Steve Clark, Frank Watkins, Jack Sinclair and also added Tony Tascona from Winnipeg. Most importantly, the Executive of the Greys turned a good club into a potential Championship Team by the signing of players from USA and Cuba, like Armando “Bus” Vasquez, Dirk Gibbons, Coney Williams, Rafe Cabrera, Ramon Rodriquez. A dream team may only be on paper but it was the leadership of Ian Lowe who “cast the mould” to turn the Brandon Greys into a League and Tournament threat for the next four years.

The Brandon Greys entertained and thrilled large crowds, which ranged from 4000 to 6000 and they raised their fans level of excitement and passion for the game. Young players began to emulate their heroes and the enthusiasm for baseball was contagious throughout Manitoba.

The team won three of four Provincial Championship from 1948 to 1951. In 1950, they were runners-up to the Winnipeg Buffaloes. The most impressive year of their four-year run was in 1949 where the Greys played 108 games in 113 days and had a record of 87 wins, 18 losses and 3 ties. They won the Provincial Championship in 15 innings (2 – 1) over the Elmwood Giants before a crowd of 5200 at Kinsmen Stadium. Frank Watkins of the Greys and the Giants Lefty Hal Price hooked up in a fantastic pitching dual. To add to the hysteria of the game, pitcher Watkins won the game with a single down the 3rd base line to score Rafe Cabrera for the winning run.

In 1949, the Greys won six Tournament Championships out of nine entered, winning the Prestigious Indian Head, Saskatchewan Tournament which attracted 27,000 over 3 days of competition. The Brandon Greys were truly a “dream team” from 1949 to 1951.

The Brandon Marlins entered the MSBL in 1995 under the coaching of the late Neil Andrews to keep the league viable as it was down to three senior teams. After some growing pains the Marlins won their first league championship and provincial title in 1999. The Marlins repeated as champions in 2001 with a powerful team that set a record for runs scored with 171 in an MSBL 18 game schedule while racking up a .344 team batting average. The Marlins continued their success with league and provincial titles highlighted by playing in front of their home fans in 2006. From 1998-2004 the Marlins hosted a three day Canada Day tournament for senior teams from Manitoba, Sask., and the USA with the Marlins winning in 2004.

The Cardale Cougars where a dominant group that experienced a lot of success from 1971 until 1975. In 1971 the Cougars won the provincial championship, earning the opportunity to represent Manitoba in the Western Canada Championships where they finished with a silver medal. Two years later in 1973, led by coach Graeme Shaw, the Cardale Midget team won the Provincial Championship. Cardale represented Manitoba at the Canadian National Championships in 1973 where they earned another silver medal respectively. The core group kept the excellence heading into the 1975 season which saw the Cardale Cougars capture their third Provincial Championship in 5 seasons.

The Sultans played home games in Friedensfeld. The players for the most part were local products of the Carillon Junior team and the majority of the players are still very much involved in the Carillon Minor Baseball Association. The Sultans competed in the Winnipeg Senior League which became a very strong League after 1998 when the Red Boine League folded. The Sultans won League championships in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002. In 1999, they were silver medalists at the Western Canadian AA Championship tournament.

The Carman Goldeyes won six consecutive Red-Boine League crowns, 1983-88 inclusive. In five of those years they beat out Western Manitoba teams for the Frank Richardson Trophy, emblematic of Manitoba’s senior chamionship. The Goldeyes won the silver medal at Western Canadian championship tourney in Red Deer, 1984.

The Carman Goldeyes Juniors were the most dominant junior baseball team in Manitoba for four straight years from 1997 until 2000. The Carman Goldeyes were the first team in league history to win four straight Manitoba Junior League titles. During the four year stretch where the Goldeyes were dominant, they went on to earn silver medals twice at the Western Canadian Championships in 1997 and 1998.

From 1994-1995 there was no better Midget baseball team in Manitoba then the Carman Goldeyes. In 1994, the Goldeyes were Winnipeg “A” Champions. That same season the Goldeyes would go on to be winners of the Manitoba Championship. Destined for more, the Goldeyes headed in into the 1995 season eager to continue the past seasons success. The Goldeyes went on to once again be Winnipeg “A” and Manitoba Champions. They didn’t stop there, the Goldeyes would go on to win the 1995 Western Canadian Championship and earning a spot at the 1995 Canadian Championships. In the Canadian Championships, the Goldeyes would fight all there way to the final and earn a silver medal.

The Dauphin Redbirds of 1958-1963 had a core of great players who all figured into the teams success. They had solid pitching and solid fielding, and good and solid hitting.

The Redbirds were oustanding when it counted. In the days of Tournament Baseball they were difficult to beat. They won in Elphinstone, Birtle, Gilbert Plains, and Ste. Rose in 1958.

Also in 1958 the Dauphin Redbirds defeated Binscarth in 4 games in a best of 5 series to advance to the Northern Manitoba Finals. They then beat Erickson 8-2 and 11-3 to advance to the Manitoba finals where they were defeated by the Brandon Cloverleafs.

In 1959 the Redbirds were strong again in Tournament play, winning in Dauphin and Bowsman and losing in the final at Grandview. In the Provincials they lost to Brandon Again 6-2 and 6-5 in 10 innings.

In 1960 the Redbirds won the Tourney in Elphinstine and won in Roblin and Yorkton. The Redbirds went on to defeat Binscarth 2-1 and 5-4 in the Provincials to win the North- (no further games were played). Dauphin then joined the MSBL in 1961 and played Mediocre baseball all summer untill the playoffs. They beat Binscarth in the Semis and beat the Hamiota Red Sox in the final. The Series went 7 games. Dauphin won 3 at home and Hamiota won 3 at home.

The series featured great pitching by both sides, as well as great running in the series. Bob Kabel stole 2nd, 3rd, and home to score the winning run in the bottom of the 8th inning to edge Hamiota 4-3 in game 6 of the Series.

The seventh game in Hamiota was attended by the biggest crowd seen in the area.In a well played game the Redbirds beat Hamiota 6-3. Bob Kabel and Jerry Shumanski hit homers off Glennis Scott. Bill Murray made a great double play, Al Evanson made a game saving running shoe string catch in left field and Dick Lafromboise caught a huge blast off the bat of Don Smith.

Dauphin won the Manitoba Stark trophy Championship by defeating the Oakland Braves 13-1 and 13-3 in the Manitoba Finals.

In 1962 Hamiota returned the favour by beating the Redbirds 4 straight after an opening day tie. In 1963 Dauphin lost to Riverside in 6 Games.

Individual Accomplishments:
Dauphin had two batting champions in their lineup- Bob Kabel who won in 1962 and Bill Berezinski in 1961.

All Stars were Kabel, Jerry Shumanski, and Dennis McAuley.

The Elmwood Giants were a highly competitive team in the Redboine Senior League from 1979 to 1997. They finished second in the Redboine League for five straight seasons from 1989 to 1993, losing to the previously inducted St. Boniface Native Sons each time.

The Elmwood Giants won the silver medal at the 1989 Western Canadian Senior Championships in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

In 1994, the Giants finally captured the Redboine League Championship and competed at the Western Canadian Championships in Kelowna, British Columbia. Between 1989 and 1994, the Elmwood Giants compiled a record of 174 wins and 69 losses.

The Elmwood Giants excelled in the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League, Manitoba playoffs, and Western Canada Senior championships from 2000-2005. The Giants were Winnipeg Senior League champions in 2000 and 2005, and Manitoba Senior AA champions in 2000, 2001 and 2003. The Giants represented Manitoba in Western Canada tournaments in Saskatoon 2001 winning a silver medal, and captured Gold medals in 2002 at Winkler and 2004 at home.

Elmwood Giants Senior AA Baseball Club

2002, 2004 Western Canada Senior AA Champions

2001, 2003 Manitoba Senior AA All-Stars Champions

2000, 2005 Winnipeg Senior Baseball League Champions

(pictured: 2002 Western Canada Champions)

The Elmwood Giants juniors were a major force in Manitoba Junior baseball during the years from 2002 through 2007.  They continued a strong Elmwood tradition.  They represented the province in all six years, either at the Western Canadian or Canadian Championships.  Four times (in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007) they were both Manitoba Junior League and Provincial champions.  In those years they attended the National Championship tournament.  Their best performance came 2006, when they were unbeaten in round robin play but lost two close games to finish fourth.  In the other two years (in 2002 and 2004) they hosted the Western Canadian Championship tournament at Koskie Field.  They placed third in both years.

The Fort Whyte Tournament Team from 1954 to 1960 consisted of players from Winnipeg Senior Baseball league teams and outstanding Winnipeg Junior League players and occasionally players from rural Manitoba. They compete in tournaments from Souris and Elphinstone in the West, across the province to Keewatin and Dryden in Ontario. Averaging sixteen to eighteen open and invitational tournaments per year and playing against many excellent teams. They never lost more than two tournaments in any year.

The Hamiota Red Sox were Central Manitoba Baseball Association Champions (eight leagues), co-champions in 1959 with the Brandon Cloverleafs, then finalists in 1960. The Red Sox were MSBL pennant winners in 1961, 1962, 1964, and MSBL champions in 1962, 1963, and 1964. The team won prestigious Birtle July 1st tournament for eight consecutive years, from 1955-1962. The hamiota Red Sox were an excellent young team managed by Gladwyn Scott and Lorne Caldwell, and had no out-of-province imports.

Over the five years from 1986 through 1990 the Hamiota Red Sox excelled in the MSBL.  They won the league regular season pennant three times.  They were league finalists four times and won two championships.  Eleven players were named to a first all-star team during the five years.  On four occasion the league’s top pitcher was from the Red Sox, on three occasions the play-off MVP, on one occasion the top hitter, and on one occasion the top rookie.  In 1987 two players set all time MSBL record: –Randy Robertson had 25 stolen bases, and Donato Salinas had 13 consecutive wins.  In 1989 the Red Sox had the highest winning percentage (.925) of any MSBL pennant winner.

Led by Hall of Farmers Roy Cuthill (Manager), Dale Lowes (Catcher), Wayne Poole (First Base) and Sam Jamieson (Shortstop), McAuley had a .599 winning percentage in 21 years (1973-1993) in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. Record held by the team included: 1975 least runs allowed in 21 game season (56), 1976 most games won by pennant winner (23) and most consecutive innings not scored on (42). The team finished first in their division in 1974, 75, and 76. In 1975, the players hosted three games in the Canadian Baseball champions and were runners up in 1976. In 1977, the players hosted three games in the Canadian Championships as well as the Korean touring team. The Blazers excelled in tournament baseball winning the Birtle (2), Belmont International (2), Kenosee (5) and St. Lazare (several) tournaments.