Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Wheat Belt Baseball League fonds |
| Reference code: | 0487 |
| Date: | 1977-1979 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 0.5 cm textual records |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Karen Burgess, July 2012 Added to new database November 2024 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
The Wheatbelt Baseball League was a men’s baseball league with teams from all over the Peace country. By 1914, baseball was already the most popular team sport in the Peace country and by the Depression years it became even more popular and every community had a ball diamond. During World War II with the extra American men in the area, men’s baseball teams flourished. As men returned from the war, a South Peace Country Baseball League was formed. It became the Wheat Belt Baseball League and consisted of the Sexsmith Wheat Kings, Beaverlodge Royals, Grande Prairie Mercurys, and Grande Prairie Legion. Rycroft, Spirit River, Dawson Creek, and Pouce Coupe also fielded teams at times. The popularity of baseball in the South Peace peaked in the 1950s and 1960s. Players who made the news included Art Walker, Buster Brown, Danny Rycroft, and Alvin Flohr. Allan Moe was official statistician in 1960. By 1962, the league included Fairview, Dawson Creek, and Fort St. John. Players like Dale Braumburger and Dale Stokke got recruited by the major leagues. In 1977 the League was made up of Sexsmith Rainiers, Peace River Stampeders, Beaverlodge Royals, Wanham Wildcats, Grande Prairie Eskimos, and Fairview Outlaws. But in the 1970s, fastball became more popular, especially in smaller communities, and in 1979 the Wheat Belt Baseball League folded.
Custodial history
The records were received from Charles Stojan and donated to the South Peace Regional Archives by Emil Stredulinsky in 2009.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of a 1977-1979 schedules; final Wheat Belt League Standings; lists of players from the Sexsmith Rainiers, Peace River Stampeders, Beaverlodge Royals, Wanham Wildcats, Fairview Outlaws, Grande Prairie Eskimos, and Fairview Outlaws; and player records.
Notes
Title notes
Title of fonds based on contents.
Arrangement
A copy of all records relating to game reports, league statistics, play off statistics, player statistics, schedules and league minutes were retained. Only duplicate copies of records were not retained.
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Sports, recreation and leisure (subject)