Such governing bodies may also coordinate annual statewide playoffs, facilitate communication between teams and leagues, and help to arrange for training and placement of umpires.
In addition to the states included below, Townball is played in Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
[2] Although many towns in Minnesota have fielded baseball teams continuously since the 1880s, townball as we know it really came into existence in 1924 with the organization of the State Tournament, masterminded by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press and Saint Paul Dispatch writers Roy Dunlap and Lou McKenna.
Because the unrestrained competition and unlimited budgets bankrupted many teams and forced others to move to a lower class, this form of Townball disappeared in Minnesota by 1960, its leagues all victims of their own excesses.
"[3] Another perspective came from a former official from Bird Island, Fabian Sheehan: "We priced ourselves out of the business, but we sure had a good time doing it.
"[3] At the Class A level, teams were permitted two players from outside the local area, and salaries were still unlimited.
Class B teams were required to draw all their players from a 15-mile radius from city limits, and no salaries were permitted, although many players were enticed to relocate to towns with B-level teams by offers of employment in local schools or establishments.
Notable players from Minnesota Town Team Baseball include Herb Brooks, Carmen Cozza, Bobby Dill, Paul Giel, Bud Grant, Sam "Toothpick" Jones, Dana Kiecker, Jerry Kindall, Corey Koskie,[12] Dick Lanahan, Tom Mee, Eugene McCarthy, Gread McKinnis, Les Munns, Frank O'Rourke (the sports and western author, not the Major League infielder), Jim Pollard, Jim Rantz, Frank "Pep" Saul, Howie Schultz, Herb Score, Dick Siebert, Whitey Skoog, Moose Skowron, Hilton Smith, Terry Steinbach, Dick Stigman, Hy Vandenberg, Rudy York, and Bert Blyleven (for one game in the 2007 season), Jim Eisenreich, Eric Decker, Roy Larson In 2007 in Nebraska, under the auspices of the Nebraska Baseball Association, there were nine leagues fielding over 50 teams.
Just three years old, the Nebraska Baseball Association has begun to pick up momentum and increased exposure.
2009 Roy & Ross Speece Umpire of the Year: Tim Higgins, Grand Island, Ne.
District tournament sites: Omaha, Ne., Lincoln, Ne., McCool Junction, Ne., Scottsbluff, Ne.
2010 Roy & Ross Speece Umpire of the Year: Mike Davis, Yutan, Ne.
2010 Max Greve Player of the Year: Travis Boyll-Kearney Kernels 2011 Class A State Champions: Omaha Tigers State Runner Up: Lincoln Reds Tournament MVP: Caleb Zimmer, Omaha Tigers, Omaha Central State Tournament sites: Brown Park at John Stella Field, Omaha Central at Boyd Park Class A Max Greve Player of the Year: Kevin Hanley, Lincoln Diablos Roy & Ross Speece Umpire of the Year: Ray Manske 2011 Class B State Champions: Valley Roughriders State Runner Up: Mead Steam Engines Tournament MVP: Chris Riley, Valley Roughriders State Tournament sites: Dunlap Field-Cairo, Grover Cleveland Alexander field-St. Paul Class B Max Greve Player of the Year: Jake Stutzman, Cairo Camels The North Dakota Amateur Baseball state tournament is played every year at Jack Brown Stadium in Jamestown with four different divisions: Masters, A, AA, and AAA.
Class AA was added in 1965 and these teams are usually found in smaller towns or the talent level is not enough to play in AAA.
In all tournaments except Masters, the winner of each pool played in the Championship Game Great Town Team Baseball teams and players from South Dakota are honored by the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in Lake Norden.
The 2010 champions for South Dakota were: ~ Nick Bruning State MVP ~ Nick Bruning, Bryce Ahrendt, Nate Alfson, & Tyler Pierson members of the BV Merchants who made ALL-STATE Team The Wisconsin Baseball Association (WBA) is Wisconsin's largest amateur baseball association, composed of six separate leagues.
The WBA has 56 teams located throughout Central, Northern and Western Wisconsin along the St. Croix and Mississippi River valleys from Superior to La Crosse, and Hudson to Wausau.
The Wisconsin Baseball Association Playoffs are held over two weekends in the middle of August at various sites that rotate annually.
2024- A-RIVER FALLS FIGHTING FISH --(Runner-up: Tilden Tigers; Semifinalists: Spooner Cardinals, Wisconsin Rapids Redhawks) 2023- TILDEN TIGERS --(Runner-up: Everest Merchants; Semifinalists: Osseo Merchants, Wisconsin Rapids Redhawks) 2022- RIVER FALLS FIGHTING FISH --(Runner-up: Tilden Tigers; Semifinalists: Prescott Pirates, Spooner Cardinals) 2021- HAUGEN KNIGHTS --(Runner-up: Spooner Cardinals; Semifinalists: Holmen Features, Tilden Tigers) 2020- RIVER FALLS FIGHTING FISH --(Runner-up: Brill Millers; Semifinalists: Hayward Hawks, Viroqua Sox) 2019- EAU CLAIRE CAVALIERS --(Runner-up: Tilden Tigers; Semifinalists: Eau Claire Bears, Hayward Hawks) 2018- OSSEO MERCHANTS --(Runner-up: Sparta Miller; Semifinalists: Everest Merchants, Tilden Tigers) 2017- SPARTA MILLER --(Runner-Up: Osseo Merchants; Semifinalists: Brill Millers, Spooner Cardinals) 2016- SPARTA MILLER --(Runner-Up: Osseo Merchants; Semifinalists: Elmwood Expos, Whitehall Wolves) 2015- CHASEBURG-COON VALLEY BLUES --(Runner-Up: Sparta Miller; Semifinalists: La Crescent Cardinals, Prescott Pirates) 2014- PRESCOTT PIRATES --(Runner-Up: La Crescent Cardinals; Semifinalists: Brill Millers, Chaseburg-Coon Valley Blues) 2013- BRILL MILLERS --(Runner-Up: Sparta Miller; Semifinalists: Menomonie Eagles, Prescott Pirates) 2012- MENOMONIE EAGLES --(Runner-Up: Prescott Pirates; Semifinalists: Ellsworth Hubbers, Haugen Knights) 2011- RIVER FALLS FIGHTING FISH --(Runner-Up: Beef River Bullfrogs; Semifinalists: Onalaska Athletics, Rib Lake Lakers) 2010- HAUGEN KNIGHTS --(Runner-Up: Onalaska Athletics; Semifinalists: River Falls Fighting Fish, Sparta Miller) 2009- EAU CLAIRE BEARS --(Runner-up: Haugen Knights; Semifinalists: La Crescent Cardinals, Prescott Pirates) 2008- EAU CLAIRE BEARS --(Runner-up: La Crosse Athletics; Semifinalists: Brill Millers, Haugen Knights) 2007- CHASEBURG-COON VALLEY BLUES --(Runner-up: Prescott Pirates; Semifinalists: Brill Millers, Eau Claire Bears) 2006- LA CRESCENT CARDINALS --(Runner-up: Grantsburg Honkers; Semifinalists: Eau Claire Bears, Sparta Miller) 2005- EAU CLAIRE BEARS --(Runner-up: Everest Merchants; Semifinalists: Bangor Red Birds, Plum City Blues) 2004- TILDEN TIGERS --(Runner-up: Sparta Miller; Semifinalists: Bangor Red Birds, Eau Claire Bears) 2003- OSCEOLA BRAVES --(Runner-up: Bangor Red Birds; Semifinalists: Oulu Blue Jays, Tilden Tigers) 2002- HUDSON RIVER RATS --(Runner-up: Augusta Athletics; Semifinalists: Oulu Blue Jays, Spring Valley Hawks) In Western New York, Town Team Baseball was revived in 2013 after a long hiatus, under the auspices of the Alle–Catt Baseball league.
[13] The league's first title was decided in August 2014, when the Fillmore Town Team defeated the Little Valley Thunder.