The Prairie League was an independent league of baseball which was based in the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....

 and Manitoba

Manitoba

Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...

 and the states of North Dakota

North Dakota

North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....

, South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

, Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

 and Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

. The league was original in its naming by choosing not to resurrect a name previously used by a defunct minor league. The professional eight-team league was founded in 1995 following the demise of the North Central League. Having produced several major league prospects, it ceased operations after the 1997 season due to financial troubles and lack of interest in cities.

Cities Represented

• Aberdeen, SD: Aberdeen Pheasants
  Aberdeen Pheasants
  The Aberdeen Pheasants were a class C minor league baseball team located in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The Pheasants were the Class C minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns until 1953. When the Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954 and changed their name to the Orioles, the Pheasants remained in...
  
   1995-1997
• Austin, MN: Southern Minny Stars 1996-1997
• Bismarck, ND: Dakota Rattlers 1995-1996
• Brainerd, MN: Brainerd Bobcats 1997
• Brandon, MB: Brandon Grey Owls 1995-1996; West Man Wranglers 1997
• Grand Forks, ND: Grand Forks Varmints 1996-1997
• Green Bay, WI: Green Bay Sultans 1996
• Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis Loons 1995
• Minot, ND: Minot Mallards 1995-1997
• Moose Jaw, SK: Moose Jaw Diamond Dogs 1995-1997
• Regina, SK: Regina Cyclones 1995-1997
• Saskatoon, SK: Saskatoon Riot
  Saskatoon Riot
  The Saskatoon Riot were a professional baseball team that played at Cairns Field in the North Central League in 1994, in their first season their record was 32-38 under manager Ron Malcolm. The following season the team moved to the Prairie League and finished third in the Canadian division with a...
  
   1995; Saskatoon Smokin' Guns
  Saskatoon Smokin' Guns
  The Saskatoon Smokin' Guns, formerly known as the Saskatoon Riot were a baseball team based out of the Prairie League in 1996. The first half of the inaugural season saw the Guns' challenge for the division league but their first season under the new name they finished in 7th place with a 30-47...
  
   1996; Saskatoon Stallions
  Saskatoon Stallions
  The Saskatoon Stallions, formerly known as the Saskatoon Smokin' Guns, was a minor league baseball team that played in the Prairie League in 1997 and had a record of 38-28 with as manager. The teams attendance for the season was 28,288....
  
   1997

Notable League Alumni

• Chris Coste
  Chris Coste
  Christopher Robert Coste is an author and Major League Baseball catcher who is currently a free agent. Coste was on a Major League Baseball team for the first time in his career at age 33...
  
  
• Kerry Ligtenberg
  Kerry Ligtenberg
  Kerry Dale Ligtenberg is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.After attending the University of Minnesota in 1994, Ligtenberg signed with the Minneapolis Loons of the independent North Central League. He made 19 starts with them , allowing 103 hits and 44 walks for an ERA of 3.31. He struck out 94...
  
  
• Shawn Wooten
  Shawn Wooten
  William Shawn Wooten is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. Previously, Wooten played in the majors with the Anaheim Angels , Philadelphia Phillies , and Boston Red Sox...
  
  
• Curt Ford
  Curt Ford
  Curtis Glenn Ford , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from 1985-1990. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies...