In 1934 Norrie Claxton (1880-1951) donated a trophy to be awarded to the State winning the annual Australian Championship.  Norrie Claxton, who was the first president of the South Australian Baseball League in 1913, originally intended the team which won the trophy for three successive years to become the permanent holder.  After South Australia won the first three years of competition involving presentation of the trophy, all States agreed that it become a permanent competition trophy and named it the “Claxton Shield”  competition.  Apart from the introduction of new States to the series, the format has always remained the same.

After a brief absence, Claxton Shield returned in 2000 with a very impressive line-up.  Since the final series of Claxton Shield in 1988, Australia had introduced several players into the US Major League ranks, most of whom returned home for the event.  2003 and 2004 saw the line-up grow increasingly as more players made the professional ranks.  2006’s event was sure to be the most impressive yet.  In conjunction with an Olympic Silver medal, Australia had over 100 professional players on their CV and of those 100; over 50 competed at the 2006 Claxton Shield making the level of play world class!

The ACT is reprsented by the team known is ‘Australia Provincial’. This side has had a fair amount of success in the past and boasts some of Australia’s most promising players including Major League Stars, Olympic Medalists and futre champions.

The 2009/2010 tournament is a 16 week competion that runs over the summer months.