TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club (@iblmapleleafs) announce today they have hired Jeff Lounsbury as the club’s General Manager. The Niagara Falls native brings over 10 years of IBL experience to Toronto.

Before joining the Maple Leafs, Jeff spent the last four seasons as the General Manager of the Hamilton Cardinals leading the team to several playoff milestones. The former Brock University Head Coach is one of the winningest coaches in Canadian university baseball and a three-time Ontario coach of the year over his 20-year career at Brock.

Lounsbury led the Badgers to two CIBA National Championships (1998, 1999), four OUA Championships (2002, 2004, 2010, 2014), three Ontario West crowns, seven CIBA Championship appearances, six OUA regular season titles, and 11 consecutive 20-plus win seasons.

Lounsbury was named the OUA Coach of the Year three times (2005, 2012, 2014) and was inducted into the Niagara Falls Sports Hall of Fame in January 2016.

“I am honoured to be given the responsibility of assisting the Maple Leafs into a new era at Christie Pits” said Lounsbury. “I respected Jack and this franchise so much over my years in the IBL and am here to help support this club’s passionate fan base, supports, volunteers, and dedicated core of veteran players.”

“It is crucial to preserve the hard work and dedication that others before me have done to usher in a new era of Maple Leafs baseball at The Pits.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a member of Canada’s best league, the Intercounty Baseball League. The over 100-year-old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world, with the league established in 1919, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. For more information, visit www.mapleleafsbaseball.com or follow the Maple Leafs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @iblmapleleafs.

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BRANTFORD, ON – The Brantford Red Sox, members of the Intercounty Baseball League, are happy to announce that Kieran Bowles has been signed for the upcoming season.

Kieran is a 22 year old native of Parksville, BC. He joins the Brantford Red Sox after playing last season with the London Majors. Kieran is a versatile player who was used primarily as an infielder with the Majors, but can also pitch and catch. He batted .296 in 32 total games with London, including hitting for an outstanding .556 in the postseason on his way to winning an IBL championship with the Majors. 

Kieran brings an impressive baseball resume to Brantford. He played at the junior college, NAIA and NCAA Division I levels in the U.S, has trained at Driveline in Washington and Caged Athletics in Nanaimo, and also has coaching experience.

On behalf of the Brantford Red Sox organization and its fans, welcome to Brantford Kieran!

The Brantford Red Sox were founded in 1911 and have won 15 Intercounty Baseball League titles. For all the latest updates follow the Brantford Red Sox on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe to the Brantford Red Sox YouTube channel for live and on demand streaming of home games.

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A personal and commercial litigation lawyer and Former Player to Lead IBL

The Intercounty Baseball League (@IBL1919), Canada’s top baseball league, today named Ted Kalnins as Commissioner. Kalnins joins the IBL as a practicing commercial litigation lawyer who has appeared before many Courts and tribunals, including the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal of Ontario and the Federal Court.

“I am extremely honoured to accept the position of Commissioner of the Intercounty Baseball League, being Canada’s oldest Independent Baseball League,” said Ted Kalnins. “From former major leaguers such as Dalton Pompey, to international players from the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America, to younger prospects who are on track for the MLB Draft, the depth of baseball talent in the IBL has never been better.  I greatly look forward to working with our owners and players in continuing to grow and enhance the IBL’s visibility and success.”

Ted brings first-hand experience of having played in the IBL for the Hamilton Cardinals (2001) and London Majors from 2006-2009.  His involvement in the sport continued as a Board Member with the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame from 2012-2017.  In addition to his legal practice, Ted is the President of Scholars Education, an educational support franchise system that provides individualized tutoring programs for students of all ages, all grades, and in all subjects.

“We conducted a thorough search process and spent time with a deep pool of candidates from multiple areas of our industry,” said Ryan Harrison, IBL Executive Board member and President of the Welland Jackfish. “Ted is everything we were looking for. He brings an amazing track record of business success, a passion and deep understanding of baseball, and a clear vision of where we want to go as a league. He will be the perfect leader for the IBL and a welcome difference-maker in taking our league to the next level.”

The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is the top-level baseball league in Canada, boasting ex-major league professional and elite NCAA college baseball players. The 2022 season will mark the IBL’s 104th in operation. The IBL is one of the longest continuously operated baseball leagues in the world and serves as a valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff. More than 40 IBL players have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the IBL following their MLB careers. The league is comprised of teams from Barrie, Brantford, Kitchener, London, Toronto, Guelph, Welland, and Hamilton. For more information, visit www.theibl.ca.

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