Pioneer League
From SoSH
The Pioneer League is a minor league baseball league which currently operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. In the past, it also operated in adjoining portions of Canada. Classified as a Rookie league, the Pioneer League is predominantly made up of players out of high school and is almost exclusively the first professional league many players compete in. The Pioneer League is a short-season league operating from June to August.
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Northern Division
- Billings Mustangs (Cincinnati Reds)
- Great Falls White Sox (Chicago White Sox)
- Helena Brewers (Milwaukee Brewers)
- Missoula Osprey (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Southern Division
- Casper Ghosts (Colorado Rockies)
- Idaho Falls Chukars (Kansas City Royals)
- Ogden Raptors (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- Orem Owlz (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
League History
The Pioneer Baseball League began in 1939 with six teams in Idaho and Utah. The league suspended operations for the 1943 through 1945 seasons. In 1948, the league expanded into Montana. At that time, several of the teams were operating as minor league affiliates of Pacific Coast League teams, which were unsuccessfully trying to grow into a major league. When the Los Angeles Dodgers displaced the Hollywood Stars PCL team, they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, taking away the Pioneer League's largest market. By 1959, the league was down to six teams, and by 1964, there were only four, but by the end of the 1970s there were eight teams. The league today also has eight teams, a number that is not likely to change without further expansion or contraction within Major League Baseball.
Pioneer League teams
Since 1939:
- Billings Mustangs
- Boise Braves
- Boise Pilots
- Boise Yankees
- Butte Copper Kings
- Caldwell Cubs
- Calgary Cardinals
- Calgary Expos
- Casper Rockies
- Gate City Pioneers
- Great Falls Dodgers
- Great Falls Electrics
- Great Falls Giants
- Great Falls Selectrics
- Great Falls White Sox
- Helena Brewers
- Helena Gold Sox
- Helena Phillies
- Idaho Falls A's
- Idaho Falls Angels
- Idaho Falls Braves
- Idaho Falls Chukars
- Idaho Falls Nuggets
- Idaho Falls Padres
- Idaho Falls Russets
- Idaho Falls Yankees
- Lethbridge Black Diamonds
- Lethbridge Dodgers
- Lethbridge Expos
- Lethbridge Mounties
- Lewiston Indians
- Magic Valley Cowboys
- Medicine Hat A's
- Medicine Hat Blue Jays
- Missoula Osprey
- Missoula Timberjacks
- Ogden Dodgers
- Ogden Raptors
- Ogden Reds
- Ogden Athletics
- Ogden Spikers
- Orem Owlz
- Pocatello Athletics
- Pocatello Bannocks
- Pocatello Cardinals
- Pocatello Chiefs
- Pocatello Gems
- Pocatello Giants
- Pocatello Pioneers
- Pocatello Posse
- Provo Angels
- Provo Gulls
- Salt Lake City Bees
- Salt Lake City Giants
- Salt Lake City Trappers
- Treasure Valley Cubs
- Twin Falls Cowboys
