The Western Canadian Baseball League has turned two nicely with the Rural Roots Baseball Classic.
After setting the bar high with a fantastic inaugural event in Oyen, Alberta, in 2025, the summer circuit hit an even bigger home run on Friday with the Weyburn Beavers and Saskatoon Berries in Carnduff, Saskatchewan.
Despite some early wind creating some havoc during batting practice, hundreds turned out to watch the Berries blank the Beavers 18-0.
The final score didn’t really matter in the eyes of many as they were more than happy to see something special make it to their neck of the woods as they celebrated the game’s past, present and future in southeastern Saskatchewan.
A massive shout-out to Blair Beck, Jodie Wall and the entire crew on putting together a spectacle that no one will soon forget. You can check out Ian’s fantastic photo gallery from the day here.
While there’s still a full summer of baseball to played in WCBL, one can’t help but think about where the Rural Roots game will be held in 2027.
And to the surprise of no one, I have a few thoughts.
OPTIONS ON THE TABLE
When the initiative was first unveiled during the winter of 2024, I came up with a few possible locations.
It started with communities that had Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (the predecessor of the Western Major Baseball League, which was the predecessor of the WCBL) like Eston, Hazlet, Kindersley and Unity.
I also threw out the idea of going to places where the league could potentially see expansion like Airdrie, Grande Prairie, North Battleford, Lloydminster, Prince Albert or Brandon.
I’m also partial to the idea of doing it in a scenic location like the Rocky Mountains in Banff, Canmore or Jasper, or even the river valley in Drumheller.
After the 2025 event, I thought North Battleford was a no-brainer to mark the history of the the SMBL’s Beavers (who were the last team to four-peat as champions) while also cross-promoting the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.
I still stand by that notion as one of the next communities in Saskatchewan to get a game. But I have a new favourite.
A NEW FRONT-RUNNER
Assuming the WCBL decides to take the Rural Roots Baseball Classic back to Alberta in 2027, I have a suggestion that is a true throwback.
And admittedly, it was actually Ian Wilson who threw the name out there.
*Drumroll*
Ponoka.
With a population of a little more than 8,000, the central Alberta community has quite the history in the game.
Rewind the tape to 1959 when Satchel Paige threw for hometown Stampeders in the community’s first annual baseball tournament at the Stampede Grounds.
The crowd was estimated at about 4,000 when the Hall of Fame twirler made his debut in the tourney as part of a barnstorming tour through the prairies.
It was a prime example of how the area loved its baseball, which was spotlighted again during tournaments in the 1970s.
Long-time Okotoks Dawgs coach Dave Robb remembers playing in the Alberta Major Baseball League (AMBL) and playing in a tournament in nearby Lacombe that drew 10,000 fans over a couple of days.
The location is central that you could pit virtually any Alberta team against each other (I’m thinking Okotoks vs. Fort McMurray or Energy City just to do a “meeting in the middle” of sorts).
TOWNS WITH HISTORY
If Alberta is the province of choice for the Rural Roots game next year, I had a couple of other ideas along the same history lines.
One is Barrhead with its long history of welcoming high-level baseball to its community.
Many will remember the days of the Cardinals and Blue Jays of the AMBL, but they also did an outstanding job of recruiting big headliners to their annual sportsman’s dinners including Hank Aaron and Sparky Anderson.
Another community that is worth consideration is Granum as it would be a great opportunity to remember the White Sox, who won five senior baseball championships in the 1950’s and even had a special commemorative stamp created in their honour in 2020.
Former Blue Jays mastermind Pat Gillick played for the team at one point and, admittedly, the White Sox are one of the stories I have on my bucket list to tell soon.
WHO WANTS IT NEXT?
When chatting with WCBL president Kevin Kvame about potential locations for the Rural Roots Classic, the one topic that always comes up is the field.
More than anything else, the circuit needs a playing surface that is comparable to what you see at each of its 12 stadiums with the size and attention to detail for the field of play.
Then it comes down to the community having a committee of people willing to take on organizing the festivities, ranging from adding seating to selling tickets to getting sponsors on board.
That is one thing that really stood out in Oyen and Carnduff was the buy-in from the community.
They’re getting to see something they don’t normally get to see (not without a long drive to the nearest WCBL stadium) and it’s in their own backyard. Kids in their community are exposed to a high level of baseball and maybe, just maybe, are inspired to keep chasing their own dreams in the game.
It means something to them to have their friends and neighbours come together to celebrate not just the sport, but their town.
And the tears of joy we’ve seen at the end of each classic so far are proof that the WCBL has a winner on its hands.
Now it’s just a matter of finding where to set up roots next.
