History and Champions

The history of the Powerline Baseball League is carved in memories gone by, through farmer’s fields and bars of small town north central Alberta.

In 1933 the Powerline Baseball League (known then as the Powerline League) was formed. The original communities of Bardo, Ketchamoot, Kingman and Round Hill came together to form the league after baseball was played locally in exhibition games at tournaments and picnics since the turn of the 20th century. The first PBL baseball game was potentially played on Tuesday May 23, 1933 when Ketchamoot defeated Kingman 3-1 in Ketchamoot. 

Round Hill baseball team (1933)

The area also saw the formation of two other baseball leagues that year, the Gas Line Baseball League was created in Holden during a meeting on May 22,1933 and comprised of Holden, Ryley, Tofield and Viking. On May 29, 1933 the first Gas Line Baseball League game saw Tofield defeat Holden 5-3 in Tofield. Further west, the Breezy Baseball League came to be in 1933 with the Armena Owls, Dinet West, Sulitjelma and Hay Lakes making up the league.  

The unofficial oral history had the Powerline Baseball League spanning back to the late 1940s, when areas started to join the Rural Electrification Associaion. Teams from Daysland, Bruce and Holden were playing baseball as far back as 1907 - 1909 and teams from the Camrose area are documented as to have played in ball tournaments dating back to 1913. The last official document of the PBL was put forward by Mike LeClaire. It stated league fees in 1956 were $4. Read more about some of the historic PBL league meeting moments. From then until early 1990s, teams played for the original PBL trophy. Unfortunately, that trophy was stolen, and a new one was made documenting as far back as current players could remember.

Since then, this site has kept standings and tried to document the winners and stories that make this the greatest and oldest league in Alberta. Uncovering the history of the PBL is an ongoing process. If you have any stories or photos we would love to hear from you to add to the PBL's long history. 

Season PBL Champion PBL Finalist PBL Pennant Winner # of Teams
1933 Ketchamoot - Ketchamoot 4
1934 Bardo - - 4
1935 Dodds - - 4
1936 Kingman - - 4
1937 Dodds - - -
1938 Round Hill Tofield - 4
1939 Dodds Round Hill - 4
1940 Dodds - - 4
1941 League Did Not Operate - WW2
1942 League Did Not Operate - WW2
1943 League Did Not Operate - WW2
1944 League Did Not Operate - WW2
1945 League Did Not Operate - WW2
1946 - - - 5
1947 Tofield Dodds - 6
1948 Bardo - - 6
1949 Dodds Holden - 6
1950 Holden Thule - 6
1951 Bardo Thule Bardo 5
1952 Dodds Thule Holden 5
1953 Tofield Mercurys Thule - 6
1954 Ryley Thule - 6
1955 Ryley - - 4
1956 Ryley - - 4
1957 Ryley Holden Bardo 5
1958 - - - 4
1959 - - - 4
1960 - - - -
1961 Ryley - - -
1962 Bardo Ryley - 4
1963 Bardo Round Hill Tofield 5
1964 - - - -
1965 - - - -
1966 Tofield Lions - - -
1967 Tofield Lions - - -
1968 Tofield Lions Ryley Rebels Tofield Lions 5
1969 Tofield Lions Bardo Athletics Bardo Athletics 5
1970 Viking Shamrocks Tofield Lions Viking Shamrocks 6
1971 Camrose Cubs Viking Shamrocks Camrose Cubs 6
1972 Bardo Athletics Ryley Rebels Ryley Rebels 6
1973 Ryley Rebels Viking Shamrocks Viking Shamrocks 6
1974 Camrose Roadrunners Viking Shamrocks Viking Shamrocks 6
1975 Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners 6
1976 Ryley Rebels - - 5
1977 Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners Camrose Roadrunners 6
1978 Bardo Athletics Camrose Roadrunners Bardo Athletics 6
1979 Camrose Roadrunners Holden Blue Jays Camrose Roadrunners 6
1980 Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels 7
1981 Camrose Roadrunners Holden Blue Jays Camrose Roadrunners 8
1982 Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners 8
1983 Camrose Roadrunners Armena Royals Camrose Roadrunners 8
1984 Armena Royals Ryley Rebels Armena Royals 7
1985 Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners 8
1986 Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners 8
1987 Holden Blue Jays Sherwood Park or Tofield Camrose Roadrunners 9
1988 Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners Ryley Rebels 7
1989 Ryley Rebels Sherwood Park Twiliters Sherwood Park Twiliters 8
1990 Ryley Rebels Sherwood Park Twiliters Sherwood Park Twiliters? 7-?
1991 Tofield Lakers Holden Blue Jays Tofield Lakers 6
1992 Holden Blue Jays Ryley Rebels Ryley Rebels 5-?
1993 Ryley Rebels Holden Blue Jays - 6
1994 Tofield Lakers Ryley Rebels Ryley Rebels 7
1995 Ryley Rebels Tofield Lakers Ryley Rebels 5
1996 Ryley Rebels Tofield Lakers Tofield Lakers 6
1997 Ryley Rebels Tofield Lakers Ryley Rebels 7
1998 Ryley Brewers Camrose Roadrunners Bardo Athletics 6
1999 Ryley Rebels Ryley Brewers Bardo Athletics 7
2000 Ryley Rebels Camrose Roadrunners Camrose Roadrunners 7
2001 Ryley Brewers Bardo Athletics Bardo Athletics 7
2002 Armena Royals Ryley Brewers Ryley Brewers 6
2003 Armena Axemen Camrose Roadrunners Armena Axemen 7
2004 Armena Axemen Camrose Colts Armena Axemen 8
2005 Camrose Colts Armena Axemen Camrose Colts 6
2006 Bardo Athletics Armena Axemen Armena Axemen 5
2007 Camrose Roadrunners Armena Axemen Armena Axemen 5
2008 Bardo Athletics Camrose Roadrunners Camrose Roadrunners 6
2009 Leduc Milleteers Bardo Athletics Camrose Roadrunners 6
2010 Leduc Milleteers Ryley Rebels Leduc Milleteers 6
2011 Leduc Milleteers Holden Blue Jays Leduc Milleteers 6
2012 Leduc Milleteers Armena Royals Leduc Milleteers 6
2013 Leduc Milleteers Holden Blue Jays Holden Blue Jays 7
2014 Ryley Rebels Holden Blue Jays Armena Royals 7
2015 Armena Royals Rosalind Atheltics Ryley Rebels 8
2016 Rosalind Athletics Armena Royals Ryley Rebels 8
2017 Rosalind Athletics Holden Blue Jays Rosalind Athletics 7
2018 Armena Royals Leduc Milleteers Armena Royals 9
2019 Armena Royals Holden Blue Jays Holden Blue Jays 9
2020 League Did Not Operate - Covid 19 Pandemic 7
2021 Armena Royals Vegreville Blue Jays Vegreville Blue Jays 6
2022 Vegreville Blue Jays Armena Royals Rosalind Athletics 6
2023 Rosalind Athletics Armena Royals Vegreville Blue Jays 6

 

1956-1981 PBL History

The following list was submitted by long-time PBL veteran Mike LeClaire from Bardo’s notebook. We thank him for both his contribution to the league and this info.

1950s

1956 the league fee was $4

1956 the No Import player rule was adopted.  Teams were to had lineup cards to the opposition at the end of every game to keep track of players

1960s

1961 Tuesday and Thursday ball was adopted with 6:30 start times

1963 the league fee was raised to $15 and the championship team would be awarded $30

1963 an 18 man roster was to be handed in after the 3rd league game and the managers of each team may alter 3 players at the end of regular season

1963 the 3 game series playoff format

1963 ½ hour grace period for the start of league games, if a team could not field a team by 7pm they’d forfeit

1963 home team supplies the home plate ump and the visiting team supplies base ump

1963 playoff semi final games teams have to pick neutral umps.  The playoff final games umps would come from outside the league.

1964 games were moved to 7pm start time

1964 protest rule brought in – protest must be made within 48 hours accompanied with a $5 fee

1964 rule was brought in that if tied at the end of a playoff game, the game would be a wash and the 2 teams would decide the date of the next game and it would be played on the second place teams diamond (other teams diamond)

1964 fees reduced from $15 to $10 – $30 paid out to championship team as well as crests.  Also league fees were due after the 3rd league game due to teams not paying previous years.

1965 the 3 game rule took place – players must play 3 games in order to qualify for playoff games

1965 any player who is a member of another ball club cannot play in the league or playoffs

1965 umpire fees are to be $5

1966 home team pays for base umps in finals and the league pays for home plate ump

1968 fees raised to $12.50

1968 the league would supply 6 balls to the championship team after the completed series

1969 new playoff format 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3

1969 If a tie was to happen in the standings a sudden death game would be held at a neutral site, the gate would be split with both teams and the umpires would be supplied by the league

1970s

1970 league to supply the balls for the finals only

1970 start time would be 6:30pm no later than 7pm

1970 Special Meeting – players that play in other leagues may play in the PBL if they reside in the community or his occupation is within the participating community.  But pitchers that play in other leagues may NOT play in the PBL

1971 Playoffs have to follow the Tuesday Thursday schedule

1972 Camrose Road Runners enter the league

1972 Players can only participate on 1 team only, if picking up players from other teams they must sign a release form and may not play with any other team

1972 Fees raised to $15

1973 Championship crests cost $30

1973 Admission for all games would be standard – 50 cents for over 12 and 12 & under free

1973 Runs for and against were brought in to break ties in league standing only

1973 Alberta Baseball Insurance issues were brought up no action taken

1974 PBL decided not to join Alberta Baseball – no benefit

1974 League fees raised to $25

1975 9 inning games to be played

1975 League fees raised to $45

1977 Fees were lowered to $20

1979 Camrose talks about entering 2 teams…………Camrose Road Runners and Camrose Cubs

1979 Tofield and Ryley wish to move league games 7 innings…………the rest of the league wishes to keep 9 innings.

1979 10 run rule after 7 innings

1979 fees were raised to $30

1980

1981 League games will be 7 innings and playoffs will be 9 innings

 


 

Historical information provided on this page has been compiled and shared by Jason Buzzell, Kris Kushnerick and Mike Leclaire from a variety of sources including the Tofield Mercury and history books from Bruce, Daysland, Holden, Round Hill, Ryley and Tofield.