Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast
Sports:Baseball
It has been 40 years since Alberta baseball fans were first introduced to the Pacific Coast League. On April 14, 1981, the Edmonton Trappers took to the field on the road against the Portland Beavers. Eight days later, April 22nd, the Trappers made their debut on home turf, taking on the Tacoma Tigers at Renfrew Park. It was quite the journey in making that happen. Efforts to start a new professional baseball league in Western Canada fell through, as did hopes to bring a Pioneer League team to face Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Edmonton’s Mr. Baseball, Mel Kowalchuk, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and looked into the possibility of Triple-A coming to town. When an expansion team wasn’t feasible, he looked at buying an existing franchise, bringing in Peter Pocklington to help finance a deal for the Ogden Athletics. After some back-and-forth, the deal happened, the team moved and the rest, as they say, is history. We chatted with one of Kowalchuk's friends, Orv Franchuk, and former pitcher Bill Atkinson about that inaugural season.
Episode 22: Canadian College Baseball Conference
Episode 21: Ayden Makarus & TJ Bennett
Episode 20: Iggy's Baseball Connections & St. Joseph Baseball Academy
Episode 19: Bob Elliott
Episode 18: Clayton Keyes & St. Francis Xavier Baseball Academy
Episode 17: Prairie Baseball Academy & What We Love About Baseball
Episode 16: Prospects Academy & Tracking College Recruits
Episode 15: Big City Ballparks
Episode 14: Vimy Ridge Baseball Academy & Jackson Wark
Episode 13: From Calgary To Cooperstown
Episode 12: Striving For Success
Episode 11: Badlands Academy & Ron Kittle
Episode 10: Happy New Year
Episode 9: Nicole Luchanski
Episode 8: Vauxhall Academy & Matt Lloyd
Episode 7: Dawgs Academy & Erik Sabrowski
Episode 6: Kelsey Lalor & Guillermo Quiroz
Episode 5: Season of Giving
Episode 4: The (Eventual) Demise of Foothills
Episode 3: Spruce Grove's Smash Brothers
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