London Majors without a championship since 1943

Photo Credit: London Majors Facebook page

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s been 43 years since the Intercounty Baseball League championship has been celebrated in London, Ont.

The franchise was founded in 1925 and has won 12 league titles but is searching for its first since 1975. Along the way they have been crowned as the London Cockneys, Silverwoods, Army Team, Pontiacs and Majors.

The Majors play their home games at historic Labatt Memorial Park. The stadium is Canada’s oldest continually used ballpark. The first game was played on May 3, 1877. Overall, twenty of the Top 100 players of all-time have played in London.

Top 100

Said to be an iron man of his time, Arden Eddie has done it all for the Majors. On top of playing he has also managed, been the general manager and owned the team. Eddie amassed a 36 year IBL career, 32 as a player from 1967-1999 and 27 as an owner from 1976-2003. He played in 834 career games. Over that span he walked 668 times and stole 170 bases. He has been inducted into both the London Sports Hall of Fame and the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame.

Since coming north from Georgia, Cleveland Brownlee has become one of the most beloved players in franchise history. From 2010 to the present day Brownlee has used his infectious smile and physical strength to both engage and intimidate people around the league.

Brownlee played his collegiate baseball at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. From there he suited up for seven games with the Alexandria Aces of the Continental Baseball League in 2009, hitting .200 with an RBI. Since joining the Majors to start the 2010 campaign he has played in 393 games and hit .308. He has launched 93 home runs and driven in 369. His current hit total sits at 472.

Catcher Wayne Fenlon (1966-1988) and pitcher John Faragher (1982-1998) were also notable London players to crack the Top 100.

Current

Scott Dart took the reigns from Arden Eddie as owner of the team in 2003. Since that time Dart and fellow owner and manager Roop Chanderdat have created one of the best atmospheres in the league. With a strong fan base, beautiful stadium and teams that compete season after season, London has become a baseball hot bed. Opening Day, Canada Day and their annual Pack the Park games are usually can’t miss games that fill Labatt Park.

The team draws on a strong core of import players to compliment their local talent in order to be successful. Over the years the Majors have seen a number of players come from and go to the professional ranks. Further proving the success of the team.

The Majors were 1354-1151 since 1946 (excluding the 1958 season) heading into the season. They finished the 2018 slate 20-16, good for third in the eight team league. They were ousted from the playoffs in their best-of-five first round series 3 games to 1 by the Hamilton Cardinals.

Ownership, players and fans alike are hoping that 2019 is finally the year the Jack and Lynne Dominico Cup comes back to The Forest City.