Hawaii Winter Baseball
 Hawaii Winter Baseball logo |
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| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| No. of teams | 4 |
| Country(ies) |  United States |
| Ceased | 2008 |
| Last champion(s) | North Shore Honu |
| Official website | www.hawaiiwinterbaseball.com |
Hawaii Winter Baseball, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, was a professional baseball league located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. It was loosely affiliated with Major League Baseball.
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[edit] History
The HWB league first began play in 1993. Funded by Major League Baseball, the league drew players from the MLB, Nippon Professional Baseball, the Korea Baseball Organization, and independent leagues. Games were played in Hawaii from October to December.
The HWB league first folded after the 1997 season as it was too heavily reliant on its limited funding from MLB.
In 2006, the league returned for its sixth season. It was the only winter league to feature both top Japanese and American talent. However, this new league folded following the 2008 season when the contract with MLB had expired. MLB is now looking to establish a league in Arizona that would not challenge the competing Arizona Fall League.[1]
[edit] Alumni[2]
[edit] Current Teams
| East | ||
| Team | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Sharks | Honolulu, Hawaii | Les Murakami Stadium |
| Waikiki BeachBoys | Honolulu, Hawaii | Les Murakami Stadium |
| West | ||
| Team | City | Stadium |
| North Shore Honu | Waipahu, Hawaii | Hans L'Orange Field |
| West Oahu CaneFires | Waipahu, Hawaii | Hans L'Orange Field |
[edit] Former teams
[edit] Champions
- 1993 Hilo Stars No play-off
- 1994 Kauai Emeralds No play-off
- 1995 Maui Stingrays
- 1996 Maui Stingrays
- 1997 Honolulu Sharks
- 2006 North Shore Honu
- 2007 North Shore Honu Play-off rained out
- 2008 Waikiki BeachBoys
[edit] References
- ^ Baseball Prospectus: "Aloha, Hawaii Winter Baseball", 18 December 2008.
- ^ Alumni list from Hawaii Winter Baseball Official Website.
[edit] External links
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