In 1973, the designated hitter rule was introduced to Major League Baseball, George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees and Pete Rose won his one and only National League MVP award.

It was also the inaugural year for the Kamloops International Baseball Tournament — an event that has grown leaps and bounds in the almost four decades since its inception.

And, while KIBT celebrates its 37th year in the centre of River City baseball fans’ summer schedules, one of the teams that has become a fixture at the tournament is passing the same milestone.

The Everett Merchants also came into existence in 1973 and, for all 37 years, head coach and general manager Harold Pyatte has led the Merchants onto the diamond.

Since the 1970s, Pyatte has been bringing his teams to Kamloops.

“We keep coming back because it’s a good tournament,” he told KTW.

“It’s good competition and it’s a well-organized tournament as well.”

Pyatte, who served as player-coach for the Merchants until the 1990s, was in 2005 inducted into the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame — joining other notable members, including Satchel Paige, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and Tony Gwynn.

The Merchants, who won the National Baseball Congress World Series in 1988, lost in last year’s KIBT final to their Pacific International League rival, Seattle Studs.

The Studs went on to finish second in the 2008 National Baseball Congress World Series.

Notable former Merchants who have gone on to Big League careers include Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay, Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Ben Hendrickson and Colorado Rockies Canadian lefty Jeff Francis.

The Merchants have won KIBT championship twice — taking back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992.

The 2009 version of the Kamloops International Baseball Tournament begins on Thursday, July 9 with a pair of games at Norbrock Stadium.

The Kamloops Sun Devils host the Fraser Valley Red Sox at 5:30 p.m., while the three-time defending champion Studs take on the Alaska Gold Panners at 8 p.m.

Everett begins its tournament schedule on Friday, July 10, taking on the Red Deer Riggers at 12:30 p.m., following a game between the San Francisco Seals and Kelowna Jays.

Pyatte wouldn’t make any predictions, but said the Merchants are looking good — having beaten Seattle in both meetings heading into the Kamloops tourney.

“I feel very confident,” he said.

“We’ve got a very good club. We hit and we field and we run and we also pitch.”

The Gold Panners — celebrating their 50th season this year — won the first five KIBT titles between 1973 and 1977.

The final is set for Sunday, July 12 at 3 p.m.

All games are at Norbrock Stadium.