1958 - Western Michigan Broncos plays its first baseball game

Western Michigan played its first baseball game in the spring of 1958, which resulted in a 10-0 loss to Grand Valley State. The game was played on April 26, 1958, at Kalamazoo’s Mayors Riverfront Park, which served as the home field for the Broncos during their early years. Despite the loss, Western Michigan continued to build its baseball program and steadily improved over the years. In 1981, the Broncos won their first Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship in baseball, and they have since won two more conference titles in 1989 and 2016. The team has produced many talented players and has sent several players to the major leagues, including Rick Leach, who played for the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Texas Rangers, among others. Today, the Western Michigan baseball program continues to be a respected and competitive program in the MAC and NCAA Division I baseball.