List of Pacific Coast League champions


The Pacific Coast League of Minor League Baseball is one of two Triple-A baseball leagues in the United States. A league champion is determined at the end of each season. Champions have been determined by postseason playoffs, winning the regular season pennant, or being declared champion by the league office. Currently, the Northern and Southern Division champions within each conference meet in a best-of-five series to determine conference champions. Then, the American and Pacific Conference champions play a best-of-five series to determine a league champion.
The San Francisco Seals won 14 PCL championships, the most in the league's history, followed by the Los Angeles Angels and the Albuquerque Dukes and Portland Beavers. Among active PCL franchises, the Sacramento River Cats and Tacoma Giants/Cubs/Yankees/Rainiers and have each won 5 championships, tied for most in the league, followed by the Memphis Redbirds and the Omaha Storm Chasers.

History

League champions have been determined by different means since the Pacific Coast League's formation in 1903. With few exceptions, most PCL champions from 1903 to 1927 were simply the regular season pennant winners. However, a few seasons during this time did feature a postseason championship series to crown a champion. The Governor's Cup, the league's first championship trophy, was first awarded to the San Francisco Seals in 1928. With the exception of the 1932 to 1934 seasons, during which no postseason play occurred, this was the start of consistent postseason play. These initial championship series consisted of a two-team, best-of-seven games series.
Postseason play expanded to include four teams in a best-of-seven contest in 1936. The top four teams in the league competed in best-of-seven semi-final rounds, with the winners of each semi-final playing each other in a best-of-seven championship round for the Governor's Cup. Financial problems resulted in the championship series of 1951 and 1954 being shortened to best-of-three games contests. League financial concerns also forced the cancellation of the 1950, 1952, and 1953 postseasons; the regular season pennant winners were declared champions.
The PCL eliminated postseason play and the awarding of the Governor's Cup from 1955 to 1962. The trophy itself was placed in a Los Angeles museum, later sold to a collector, and subsequently stolen—its current whereabouts unknown. A number of other trophies have been awarded to championship teams in later years during which postseason play resumed. The one given from the 1980s and 1990s was four feet tall and incorporated three full-size baseball bats and a glove. One design from the mid-1990s resembled Major League Baseball's Commissioner's Trophy issued to World Series champions. Since 1998, the trophy is an engraved glass wedge fixed to a wooden base.
When three former American Association teams were absorbed into the PCL in 1963, the league split into two divisions, whereas there were previously no divisions, and the winners of each division met in a best-of-seven series to determine a champion. Six teams were added to the PCL's ten when the American Association completely dissolved prior to the 1998 season. With a sixteen-team circuit, the league was split into two eight-team conferences each consisting of two four-team divisions. The Northern and Southern Division champions within each conference meet in a best-of-five series to determine conference champions. Then, the American and Pacific Conference champions play a best-of-five championship series to determine a league champion.

League champions

Championship wins by team

Active Pacific Coast League teams appear in bold.
WinsTeamChampionship years
14San Francisco Seals1909, 1915, 1917, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1928, 1931, 1935, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1957
12Los Angeles Angels1903, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1916, 1918, 1921, 1926, 1933, 1934, 1947, 1956
8Albuquerque Dukes1972, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1990, 1994
8Portland Beavers1906, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1932, 1936, 1983
7Seattle Indians/Angels/Rainiers1924, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1951, 1955, 1966
5Hollywood Stars1929, 1930, 1949, 1952, 1953
5Oakland Oaks1912, 1927, 1948, 1950, 1954
5Sacramento River Cats2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2019
5Tacoma Giants/Cubs/Yankees/Rainiers1961, 1969, 1978, 2001, 2010
4Edmonton Trappers1984, 1996, 1997, 2002
4Memphis Redbirds2000, 2009, 2017, 2018
4San Diego Padres1937, 1962, 1964, 1967
4Spokane Indians1960, 1970, 1973, 1974
3Omaha Storm Chasers2011, 2013, 2014
3Salt Lake City Bees/Gulls/Angels1959, 1971, 1979
3Vancouver Canadians1985, 1989, 1999
2Colorado Springs Sky Sox1992, 1995
2Hawaii Islanders1975, 1976
2Las Vegas Aviators 1986, 1988
2New Orleans Zephyrs1998, 2001
2Oklahoma City Dodgers 1963, 1965
2Phoenix Giants1958, 1977
2Sacramento Solons1938, 1939
2Tucson Toros1991, 1993
2Vernon Tigers1919, 1920
1El Paso Chihuahuas2016
1Fresno Grizzlies2015
1Nashville Sounds2005
1Reno Aces2012
1Tacoma Tigers1904
1Tucson Sidewinders2006
1Tulsa Oilers1968