Earned The ‘A’

He’s been chomping at the bit to get back onto the field for a game.

Prairie Baseball Academy head coach Todd Hubka’s competitive spirit was in full display in talking about the start of the Canadian College Baseball Conference season.

In a recent chat on ADS: The Podcast, we talked about this year’s team but also about Hubka’s storied career and legacy in baseball.

Read More Earned The ‘A’

EDITORIAL: Five Years Later

It all started at the tables of Calgary pubs as conversations about baseball’s days of yore in Alberta.

The Expos, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Trappers and Cannons featuring names like Dawson, Sax, Moseby, Valenzuela and Edgar.

Here we are, five years later since the start of Alberta Dugout Stories. We’re here to say thank YOU for your tremendous support.

Read More EDITORIAL: Five Years Later

WCBL Season Preview

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is all about the “Canadian” this summer.

With the 2021 WCBL season set to get going on June 18th in Sylvan Lake and Lethbridge, players from the Great White North will be on full display across Alberta. For the first time in the summer collegiate baseball circuit’s history, rosters of each of the five teams will be 100% Canadian.

With that in mind, let’s take a tour around the league, check out some of the players, and see what we can expect from each team during their 40 games of regular-season action.

Read More WCBL Season Preview

Box Score Beauties

“Play ball!”

It’s back. Spring training for Major League Baseball (MLB) has cranked up again and college baseball south of the border is in full swing.

It feels really good to type those words. And to show some love to those from our province taking part, we wanted to highlight some of their accomplishments.

Read More Box Score Beauties

Love Letters to Baseball

Over the last year, we have asked a simple question of our guests on Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.

“What does the game of baseball mean to you?”

It has resulted in some of the most heartfelt, genuine answers, which we wanted to gather together in one place as we celebrate the game of baseball.

Read More Love Letters to Baseball

Twin Will

It hasn’t been an easy road in life for Willy Diaz.

Moving to Edmonton from the Dominican Republic with his mother in search for a better life, there were no guarantees that he would find a career in baseball.

But after suiting up with Prairie Baseball Academy and garnering the attention of the right people, the young infielder has his sights set on the pros after signing with the Minnesota Twins.

Read More Twin Will

The Final Out

There are final outs and then there are final outs. 

The final out of a game. The final out of a series. The final out of a season. The final out of your final season.

Then there’s the last out that precedes a rain delay. Is it really the final out? Will this game start up again? Will we play the rest of this another day?

Such are the questions that come with rain delays. 

Welcome to the season of coronavirus. It’s a season of uncertainty and one of far more questions than answers. 

Read More The Final Out

Little House on the Prairie

The Prairie Baseball Academy (PBA) in Lethbridge celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and the school is marking the occasion with the introduction of its own Hall of Fame. 

The first class honours a half dozen PBA pioneers, including coach Blair Kubicek; the late Keith Jorgensen; former president Rick Paskal; founder Doug Jones; major donor Larry Nolan; and Dustin Molleken, the first PBA player to pitch in Major League Baseball.

We caught up with Kubicek – or “Kubie” as he’s affectionately known by his players and colleagues – to discuss his lengthy history with the academy, which dates back to 1995.

Read More Little House on the Prairie