London Majors' History

London Majors' History, 1925-2024

The London Majors first joined the Senior Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) as the London Braves in 1925 and promptly won their first Sr. IBL Championship that same year with a team managed by former minor pro short-stop and relief-pitcher Gil Forgue (1888-1979). In 1928, the IBL team was the London Red Caps, from 1934-36, the IBL team was the London Winery;  in 1937, the London Silverwoods. They went from beer to wine to milk, but in the 1950s, the team drank ice-cold Labatt's 50 Ale.

Over the years, London's IBL franchise has had a variety of names, including London Braves in 1925, London Red Caps in 1928, London Winery from 1934-1936, London Silverwoods in 1937, London Seniors in 1938, the London Army Team from 1942-1943, London Majors from 1944-1959, London Diamonds from 1960-1961, London Majors again in 1962, London Pontiacs from 1963-1969, London Avcos from 1970-1973 and London El-Morocco Majors in 1974. 

Since winning the IBL Pennant and IBL Championship in 1975, the team has stuck with the military name, London Majors, a moniker first coined by Captain Chet Smith, manager of the 1943 London Army Team, IBL, OBA Sr. 'A' and Canadian Baseball Congress Champions.

In 2020, the Majors season was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 Pandemic. Between the efforts of the Majors, City of London, Middlesex Health Unit and Guelph Royals, the longevity of the World's Oldest Active Ball Grounds could continue. The Majors' dominant pitching led the team to a 3-0 victory. This game was known as the Legacy Classic. LEGACY CLASSIC (SHORT VIDEO)

In total since 1925, London has won 14 IBL Pennants (finished 1st atop the regular season standings) and 14 IBL Championships (playoff champs).

* London's Pennant-Winning IBL Clubs: 1946, 1947, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1975, 1988, 2008, 2016, 2021, 2022 (14).

* London's IBL Championships: 1925, 1936, 1937, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1956, 1969, 1975, 2021, 2022  (14).

* London's Great Lakes Baseball League Pennant: 1957.

* Ontario Baseball Association Senior 'A' Championships: 1943, 1945, 1947 (3) * In 1948, the London Majors advanced to the OBA Sr. 'A' finals, but waited about a month for their opponent to be determined. The Majors dropped out of the finals, forfeiting the tournament once mid-to-late October rolled around and four inches of snow landed at Labatt Park. Source: LFP October 19, 1948.

* Canadian Baseball Congress Championships: 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948 (5). 

* Can-Am Baseball Congress Championship: 1948.  


56 LONDON SR. BASEBALL PROGRAMS BY YEAR (HOT-LINKED BELOW): All years are IBL Programs except 1957 

1938 London Seniors Program   ll  1945 London Majors Program (won Senior 'A' Ontario Baseball Association Championship and Canadian Baseball Conference Championship)   ll  1947 London Majors Program (won Intercounty Baseball League Pennant, IBL Championship, Sr. 'A' OBA Championship and Canadian Baseball Congress Championship)  ll  1950 London Majors Program   ll  1952 London Majors Program   ll  1955 London Majors Program   ll 1956 London Majors Program (won IBL Championship)   ll  1957 London Majors Program (won the Great Lakes-Niagara District League Championship)   ll   1959 London Majors Program   ll  1962 London Majors Program  ll  1963 London Pontiacs Program   ll  1964 London Pontiacs Program (won IBL Pennant)   ll   1965 London Pontiacs Program (won IBL Pennant)   ll  1967 London Pontiacs Program   ll  1968 London Pontiacs Program   ll 1970 London Avcos Program (won IBL Pennant)   ll  1971 London Avcos Program   ll  1972 London Avcos Program   ll  1973 London Avcos Program   ll  1974 London El Morocco-Majors Program   ll  1975 London Majors Program (won IBL Pennant and IBL Championship)   ll   1976 London Majors Program   ll  1977 London Majors Program   ll  1978 London Majors Program   ll   1979 London Majors Program   ll  1980 London Majors Program   ll  1981 London Majors Program   ll  1982 London Majors Program   ll  1983 London Majors Program   ll  1984 London Majors Program   ll  1985 London Majors Program   ll   1986 London Majors Program   ll  1987 London Majors Program    ll   1988 London Majors Program (won IBL Pennant, Hamel Division)   ll  1989 London Majors Program   ll  1990 London Majors Program   ll   1992 London Majors Program   ll   1996 London Majors Program   ll   1997 London Majors Program   ll   1998 London Majors Program    ll   1999 London Majors Souvenir Program   ll   2000 London Majors Program  ll  2003 London Majors Program ll   2004 London Majors Program   ll   2005 London Majors Program    ll   2006 London Majors Program   ll   2007 London Majors Program   ll   2008 London Majors Program (won IBL Pennant)   ll   2009 London Majors Program   ll   2010 London Majors Program   ll  2011 London Majors Program   ll   2012 London Majors Program    ll   2014 London Majors Program    ll   2016 London Majors Program (won IBL Pennant)  ll  2017 London Majors Program   ll   2018 London Majors Program   ll   2019 London Majors Program    ll   2020 (no baseball due to global pandemic)   II   2021 London Majors Program (won IBL Pennant and IBL Championship)    II