The Basin League was established in 1953 with a roster of South Dakota franchises and one nearby Nebraska team.
The league name reflected the number of franchise cities situated along the Missouri River Basin.
The Basin League later became exclusively amateur, evolving into what is known today as collegiate summer baseball.
In the April 6, 1955 edition of "The Sporting News": "Class A Players Wanted - For fast semipro Basin League.
While a positive for those franchises, it created an imbalance in support for the other league teams without a sponsoring parent club.
[2] From 1962 through 1967, the Basin League received regular national coverage in the weekly publication "The Sporting News."
Players often worked for the city recreation departments maintaining public facilities and baseball fields.
The four league teams remaining in the final 1973 season were the Chamberlain Mallards, Pierre Cowboys, Rapid City Chiefs and Sturgis Titans.
[1][4] In its duration, the league was supported and promoted through the Black Hills Sports Inc. Presidents of the organization were Al Steinmetz from 1955 to 1960, followed by Cal Ackerman in 1961, Bill Baumgartner in 1962, Milo Brekhus in 1963 and Neil Simpson in 1964.