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 139: Cleary Simpson & Tucker Zdunich
Episode 138: Carlin Dick
Episode 137: Cole Tucker
Episode 136: WCBL Season Preview
Episode 135: Ayden Makarus
Episode 134: Play Ball!
Episode 133: Logan Grant
Episode 132: Cohen Achen
Episode 131: Chas Wheatley
Episode 130: Heidi Northcott
Episode 129: Tristan Peters
Episode 127: Shawn Grandmont
Episode 126: Damiano Palmegiani
Episode 125: Kandi Wyatt
Episode 124: Paige Wakefield
Episode 123: Soren Graversen
Episode 122: Ty Scott
Episode 121: Les McTavish
Episode 120: Geoff Freeborn
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