Manitoba Senior Baseball League disbands

Details

Published on Thursday, February 2, 2017

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner

A historic baseball league which produced some of western Manitoba’s best players is now officially no more. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, the Manitoba Senior Baseball League formally announced that it is ceasing operation. Last year, the league took a one-year hiatus in the hopes of reorganizing and returning in 2017.

Late last year, an email was sent out to the four remaining teams asking about their playing status for the upcoming season. The replies from that email were that there was only a possibility of two teams returning to the MSBL;  the Brandon Marlins and the Oak River Dodgers. The Brandon Cloverleafs and the Neepawa Farmers either due to a shortage of players or an executive not in place indicated that they would not be returning to the league.  

With that information in hand, the League Board of Directors recently held a meeting and passed a motion to complete the dissolution of the MSBL. The Oak River Dodgers have announced that this year they will compete in the South West Baseball AA League, while the Brandon Marlins will be a part of the Brandon Senior AA League. Some former Neepawa Farmers have already transferred to the Santa Clara Baseball League and played for the Neepawa Cubs last year.

In a released media statement, MSBL president Neil Franklin said that it is a sad time for the active players, the alumni and the supportive fans throughout each community involved.  The Manitoba Senior Baseball League started in 1961 and during its peak, had as many as dozen teams operating throughout western Manitoba.