The Thunder Bay International Baseball Association is busy behind the scenes preparing for the 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.

The first qualifying event for the 2017 tournament has been completed in Europe. Netherlands and Italy have officially qualified at the European Qualifier in Gijon, Spain. The two European teams mark the first two of the twelve total expected in Thunder Bay September 1-10, 2017.

The second Qualifier will take place in September in Chinese-Taipei where three Asian teams will qualify. Then at the end of September, the Americas Qualifier will be held where four teams will punch their tickets to Thunder Bay. In January, African and Oceania Qualifiers will make two additional Southern Hemisphere teams eligible to make the trip to Canada.

Watch for more frequent updates to  this website beginning in the fall.

The Thunder Bay International Baseball Association (TBIBA) is pleased to announce that the Japanese Canadian Baseball League All Star Exhibition Double-Header with the Thunder Bay Wolves 19U travel team, our 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup lead off event, will be sponsored by Gore Motors Honda. Games will take place at Port Arthur Stadium on August 2nd at 1:00 pm.

The games will feature an All-Star team from the Japanese Canadian Baseball League, a recreational baseball league in Toronto that has operated for 48 years. Currently the 10 teams in the League play Sunday games at Greenwood Park in Toronto through the summer months. The League is comprised of 75-80 per cent Japanese Canadians or Japanese men that are in Toronto as part of work assignments or as part of student exchanges. Thunder Bay will be represented by the Wolves, a 19U travel team who are members of the Thunder Bay Baseball Association.   Read More Here

As part of their preparations for the 2017 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup, the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association (TBIBA) is pleased to announce they are hosting two games between a team made up of players from the Japanese Canadian Baseball League (JCBL) in Toronto and one from the Thunder Bay Baseball Association, the Wolves, a local travel team. Both games will form a double-header starting at 1:00 pm at the Port Arthur Stadium, Sunday August 2^nd.

There is no fee for entry to the game.  Bring the family to see some great baseball!  Support your local Wolves and share in the excitement of a world class game right here in Thunder Bay!

“While the Japanese U18 National team was not present at the 2010 IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship in Thunder Bay, subject to qualifying, they will be present in 2017 as they have been at both the 2012 event in Korea and 2013 Worlds in Taiwan,” stated Larry Hebert, President of the TBIBA. “With Japan hosting the 2015 event in Osaka this August, the TBIBA has been working to strengthen their ties with the Japanese community in North America, especially in the Greater Toronto Area. These games in August exemplify this relationship building,” added Hebert.

“Our team is very excited about participating in the games in Thunder Bay and also to experience some Northwestern Ontario hospitality. Most of our players have not travelled far from the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario so the trip to Thunder Bay will represent a real unique thrill,” mentioned Koji Yamane, spokesman for the JCBL All Stars. The All Stars were represented at the media conference by Yugi Suzuki of the Thunder Bay Border Cats, whose older brother Daisuke Suzuki will be a member of the JCBL All Stars coming from Toronto.

Representatives of various baseball groups were present to participate in the announcement. The groups included TBIBA, TBBA, Thunder Bay Umpires Association, District 3 Little League, Lakers Travel Team Organization, Wolves Baseball Club and the Thunder Bay Border Cats. Furthermore, representatives from the City of Thunder Bay’s Sister Cities Committee and the Lakehead Japanese Cultural Association were also present.

Special note: At the same time as this announcement, outside the Port Arthur Stadium, the TBIBA raised the flags of the 12 countries participating in the 2015 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka Japan this August. The flags of Canada, United States, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Italy, Czech Republic, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan were raised. The flags will fly until after the tournament is over. Warren Philp, Executive Director of the TBIBA, will be attending the tournament in Osaka that will run this year from August 28th to September 6th.

Click here to view the press release:   TBIBA to Host Japanese Canadian Baseball League All Star Team August 2, 2021

TBIBA Donates to Three Groups for Baseball Development
Three baseball organizations will benefit from a fund established by the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association (TBIBA) after the very successful 2010 World Junior Baseball Championships. Lakehead University Baseball Club, the Thunder Bay Border Cats, and the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will share $5,000 which represents the awards for baseball programming and development in 2015.

“While event hosting continues to be a primary focus of the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association, the success of the 2010 World Juniors has allowed us to support baseball development in the community,” stated Larry Hebert, President of the TBIBA. “The TBIBA has now contributed $20,000 dollars in the last four years. All three groups receiving funds this year are to be commended for their efforts to sustain and grow the game of baseball in our community,” added Hebert.

The three groups receiving funds this year from the TBIBA include Lakehead University Baseball Club who will participate in the Partners in Sports Program with the District Catholic School Board and Lakehead Public School Board instructing Grade School students in the skills of baseball ($2950) ; Thunder Bay Border Cats who will run numerous youth baseball clinics this summer to help support baseball programming in the city ($1250); and, the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will receive funds for umpire development as they work to sustain and develop the important function of umpiring to support baseball at all levels in Thunder Bay ($800).  Every year, candidates are chosen and presented with funds to assist local baseball development programs in Thunder Bay.  The candidates are chosen based on an application process. The application deadline is in the fall of each year.

Representatives of the two groups were in attendance at the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame to receive cheques from the TBIBA. Jason Hart, Head Coach, Lakehead University Baseball Club, Brad Jorgenson, Owner/General Manager, Thunder Bay Border Cats and Ken Story of the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will be on hand to receive the cheques.

The TBIBA would also like to note that baseball programming in Thunder Bay will be on display at the Sports Dome during the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce “Outdoor Show” slated for the weekend of February 27^th through March 1^st. Drop by the display in the “Clubhouse” section of the show to catch up on what’s happening in the local amateur baseball scene.