The Wild Wild West League is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league based out of Portland, Oregon. It serves as a developmental minor league and is owned and operated by the Portland Pickles collegiate baseball club of the West Coast League. The league features four teams and all games are played at Charles B. Walker Stadium at Lents Park in southeast Portland, home of the Pickles.
 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Owner(s) | Portland Pickles |
| Commissioner | Rob Neyer |
| No. of teams | 4 (as of 2023) |
| Countries | United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Willamette Wild Bills |
| Official website | www |
History
edit
2020: Inaugural season
editThe league was formed by the Portland Pickles in 2020 following the cancellation of the West Coast League's regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Months prior, the Pickles also founded a developmental farm club of their own known as the Portland Gherkins.[1][2][3][4][5] The Pickles and Gherkins were joined by the previously independent Gresham GreyWolves and West Linn Knights and played the inaugural two-week season at Bob Brack Stadium in Aurora, Oregon, with all players, coaches and staffs having to follow the COVID-19 guidelines at the local, state and federal levels and limited fans in attendance. The league even grabbed the attention nationally of Forbes magazine.[6] Play officially began on July 11, 2020, with the Pickles playing the Gherkins.[7][8]
On July 15, 2020, the league suspended play for at least seven days following positive COVID-19 tests from two players, just four days after the inaugural season started.[9] The league would resume play eight days later.[10][11]
The Knights won the inaugural league championship, defeating the Pickles 8–7 in the championship game.[12][13]
2021
editThe league was so successful that it announced a second season and that all of its games would be moved to Walker Stadium at Lents Park in southeast Portland, home of the Pickles, who returned to the WCL. The Knights were folded and both were replaced by the revived Portland Rosebuds (named for the former Negro league team from the 1940's) and Willamette Wild Bills.[14][15]
The Rosebuds won the 2nd WWWL Championship defeating the Wild Bills 6–4 in the finals.[16][17]
2022
editThe league announced expansion into Cleburne, Texas, with a newly-formed four-team Texas Division with all games being played at The Depot at Cleburne Station, also the home of the Cleburne Railroaders of the professional American Association. The four teams founded by the league included the Cleburne Eagles (named for the former Negro league team from the 1930's to 1960's), Joshua Trees, Burleson Boxers and Fort Worth Rodeo Cats.[18][19][20]
However, the teams never played due to lack of interest. Therefore, the Texas Division teams and plans were scrapped by the league.
The Oregon teams all returned for a third season and became known as the Portland Division with all games once again being played at Walker Stadium. The Portland Gherkins won the 2022 WWWL Championship defeating the Gresham GreyWolves 9–7 in the championship game.[21][22]
2023
editOn April 13, 2023, the league announced that they would play a fourth season.[23] On August 26, the Willamette Wild Bills won their first WWWL Championship by beating the defending champion Gherkins 9-8 to capture the title.[24]
Special rules
editPickleBot 3000
editOne of the main attractions to the league is an automated strike zone, dubbed Picklebot 3000. Because of the Picklebot, only one field umpire is used for each game. It was introduced in 2021 and has been used ever since.[25]
The Wheel of Brine
In certain games, the Wheel of Brine is spun to change the conditions of the game. An inning could have four outs, two outfielders, or every count could start 2-1.[26]
Current teams
edit| Team | City | First Season |
|---|---|---|
| Gresham GreyWolves | Gresham, OR | 2020 |
| Portland Gherkins | Portland, OR | 2020 |
| Portland Rosebuds | Portland, OR | 2021 |
| Willamette Wild Bills | Portland, OR | 2021 |
Former teams
edit| Team | City | First Season | Last Season | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burleson Boxers | Burleson, TX | 2022 | 2022 | Never Played |
| Cleburne Eagles | Cleburne, TX | 2022 | 2022 | Never Played |
| Fort Worth Rodeo Cats | Fort Worth, TX | 2022 | 2022 | Never Played |
| Joshua Trees | Joshua, TX | 2022 | 2022 | Never Played |
| Portland Pickles | Portland, OR | 2020 | 2020 | Returned to WCL full-time |
| West Linn Knights | Portland, OR | 2020 | 2020 | Folded |
Champions
edit- 2020: West Linn Knights
- 2021: Portland Rosebuds
- 2022: Portland Gherkins
- 2023: Willamette Wild Bills
Broadcasting
editThe league broadcasts all games on Facebook Live and YouTube channels using the Portland Pickles' Broadcast Crew. Carlo Jimenez was the initial play-by-play voice in 2020, followed by Mike Chexx in 2021.
References
edit- ^ Baseball in 2020: Portland Pickles announce formation of Wild Wild West League, JD Humburg, The Oregonian/OregonLive.com, June 13, 2020
- ^ ‘We couldn’t quit on it.’ The Wild Wild West League will bring live sports back to Portland, Matt Cohen, The Oregonian/OregonLive.com, June 14, 2020
- ^ About Us, WWWL official website
- ^ Portland Pickles: Introducing the Wild Wild West League, 750 The Game website, June 11, 2020
- ^ Area Baseball Players Find Opportunity In Wild Wild West League, Jesse Sowa, Corvallis Gazette-Times, July 9, 2020
- ^ Wild Wild West League Offers Rare Chance To Attend Baseball Games During Pandemic, Maury Brown, Forbes, August 4, 2020
- ^ Cohen, Matt (July 12, 2020). "Wild Wild West League opening night brings live team sports back to Oregon". oregonlive. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "Portland Pickles Win First Game of Wild Wild West League". 750 The Game. July 12, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Sowa, Jesse (July 9, 2020). "Area baseball players find opportunity in Wild Wild West League". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Cohen, Matt (July 20, 2020). "Wild Wild West League to return to baseball Thursday after coronavirus tests come back negative". oregonlive. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Martinez, Tim (July 15, 2020). "Positive tests shut down Wild Wild West League for week". The Columbian. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ WWWL Championship Game 8/9 #1 West Linn Knights vs #2 Portland Pickles, retrieved March 27, 2024
- ^ "WWWL Ends on Positive Note". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ McDonald, Jeremy (January 25, 2021). "Wild Wild West League Returns For Year 2". JMcDonaldMedia. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "WILD WILD WEST LEAGUE RETURNS WITH TWO NEW TEAMS IN 2021!". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ WWWL Playoffs: #2 Willamette Wild Bills vs #4 Portland Rosebuds, retrieved March 27, 2024
- ^ "Portland Rosebuds Win Wild Wild West League CHAMPIONSHIP IN first season since 1946". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "The Wild Wild West League EXPANDS: Four New Teams In Texas". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Arauz Peña, Pablo (March 30, 2022). "A new baseball league is coming to North Texas this summer – and it's going to be wild". KERA News. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Caputo, Paul (April 2, 2022). "Wild Wild West League adds teams, expands to Texas – SportsLogos.Net News". sportslogos.net. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ Portland Gherkins vs Gresham Greywolves Championship Finals, retrieved March 27, 2024
- ^ "Gherkins win their first Wild Wild West League Championship, Kane Kiaunis Named MVP". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "2023 Wild Wild West League Season Announced". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ THE WILD BILLS WIN THE 2023 WILD WILD WEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, WWWL Facebook, August 26, 2023
- ^ "Picklebot 3000". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Wild Wild West League. Retrieved March 27, 2024.