The All American Girls Professional Baseball League was a league that operated in cities located on or near Lake Michigan. It began in 1943. The main promoter was Philip Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, who was worried about the viability of (men’s) pro baseball during World War Two, and decided to establlish an alternate attraction. The league lasted until 1954. Over the years the rules, equipment, and style of play in the league changed from softball to baseball (for example, the size of the ball at the beginning was 12″ in circumference, but at the end it was 9 ¼”). Eleven girls from Manitoba played in the league. All of them were inducted into the Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in 1988. They were inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame at St. Mary’s, Ontario on June 4, 1998

Back Row: Ed Strain, Johnny Maroniuk, Roy Meneer, Barney Strain, Ivan Grant, Cliff Holloway, Alex Baron
Front Row: Tommy Inverarity, Arnold McFarlane, Wilbur Strain, Claude Reid.Bat Boy: Ivan Strain

Missing: Tommy Dickson, Harvey McFarlane, Roy Minera,  Clarence Strain

The 1946 Carberry Royals are the first team inducted into a special category for teams from communities with less than 1000 people. The team travelled nearly 3200 miles and won almost $3500 in tournaments held in various places in southern Manitoba. They travelled by truck with the body of a bus on the back.

The Fort Whyte Tournament Team from 1954 to 1960 consisted of players from Winnipeg Senior Baseball league teams and outstanding Winnipeg Junior League players and occasionally players from rural Manitoba. They compete in tournaments from Souris and Elphinstone in the West, across the province to Keewatin and Dryden in Ontario. Averaging sixteen to eighteen open and invitational tournaments per year and playing against many excellent teams. They never lost more than two tournaments in any year.

All Star first baseman with Brandon Cloverleafs, 7 time Central Manitoba Baseball Association champs (’54-60) 9 times. all star first baseman in M.S.B.L. 1961-7l, league batting champion in ’66 and ’69, Canadian champs in ’72, Manitoba champs in ’66, ’67, ’69, ’71, president of first Canadian Youth championships at Brandon in 1989, president of World Youth championships at Brandon in 1991. past president of World Youth championships at Brandon in 1994

Involved for 55 years as a player, coach, umpire placed with First Kildonan Rangers and West End Gengals Bantams, Norwood, and C.U.A.C. Midgets, United Fox and C.U.A.C. Juniors, senior with St. Boniface Native Sons, Selkirk. St. James. and St. Vital. coached midget, junior, senior and intermediate teams winning championships with Precious Blood and Fannystelle, was junior all star coach in `54, playing coach of successful tournament team in 50`s and 60`s, umpired for 38 years, conducted clinics and was umpire-in-chief for 20 years, once supplied umpires for l07 teams, was umpire-in-chief for 1967 Pan Am Games, officiated in rural tournaments for over 20 years.