SASKATCHEWAN BASEBALL
SASKATOON CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE
C.N.R.
Elks
North Stars
FIRST SERIES
(May 12) The defending champion C.N.R. nine started the season with twin wins, nosing out the Elks 3 to 2 before taking down the new entry in the City League, the North Stars, 14 to 12 in the late portion of the double-dip.
Facing his former team of many seasons, Merril Falby dropped the mound decision to lanky Ossie Jones of the Railroaders in the opener. It was a close tussle with both teams stroking eight safeties. Roy Forsythe of the Nationals and the Antlered Tribe’s playing-manager “Bunny” Clouston each had three singles for their respective squads. Singles by Jack Wanless and Forsythe in the third inning paved the way for the deciding run.
Falby (L) and Hamilton
Jones (W) and Taylor
The Trackmen, with ten errors, were lucky to win the finale as the newcomers were listless for the most part. Hammering 20 hits off a brace of North Star twirlers, the Nats didn’t take the lead in the game until the top-of-the-ninth when they plated a three-spot to overcome a 12 – 11 deficit. Roy Forsythe’s second home run of the contest, a two-run shot, was the winning blow in the pivotal ninth. Forsythe added a brace of one-baggers to his pair of circuit-jacks to lead all batters. Stroking three safeties apiece were Ray Watkins and “Hobb” Wilson of the Trackmen as well as the Luminaries’ duo of Hank Hilldrup and Millard Wakeford.
Atchison (W), Jones (9) and Graham
A. Bennett, Hill (L) (6) and Talbot, Carmichael
(May 14) Fire-balling Al Hoeschet struck out 13 and stifled the North Stars on one hit as the Elks stampeded to a 9 to 0 whitewashing of their foes. The Purple Hose got to losing heaver Hank Hilldrup for ten base knocks including a triple and single by “Bunny” Clouston plus a two-bagger and one-base rap off the bat of Joe McCulloch. The Elks, playing errorless ball behind Hoeschet, plated all the runs they needed in their first turn at bat when they ran over a deuce.
Hilldrup (L) and Talbot
Hoeschet (W) and Hamilton
(May 19) The C.N.R. nine came through with their third win of the campaign, gaining a 6 to 4 decision over the North Stars in a game that officially ended after eight innings because of darkness. The Railroaders waltzed to victory in the eighth episode, breaking a 4 – 4 tie with a pair of markers Catcher Ted Graham led off with a triple, his second of the game, and plated the ultimate winner on Roy Forsythe’s one-bagger. Alex Turnbull’s base hit later delivered Forsythe with the insurance counter. Youthful southpaw Lew Furse of the Nationals set the Stars down on four base hits but had control issues, handing out eight free passes, while whiffing ten. Losing hurler Paul McKenzie, nicked for ten safeties, breezed eleven batters. Aside from Graham’s brace of three-baggers, George Robins and Roy Forsythe added a double and single each to the arsenal of the Trackmen, an output equaled by Viv Little of the Luminaries.
McKenzie (L) and Talbot
Furse (W) and Graham, Aitkenhead
(May 21) Making his first appearance of the season in City League competition, veteran hurler Frank Lyle pitched a perfect seven-inning masterpiece as the Elks smothered the North Stars 11 to 0. Only 21 batters faced Lyle in the darkness-shortened affair and not one of them reached first base. Eight of them were whiff victims and the losers never hit the horsehide out of the infield. While Lyle was toying with the youthful stars, his mates made mincemeat of the offerings served up by starter and loser Bruce Hill along with second-inning reliever Candline. Webb Bird, “Bunny” Clouston, Sid Robinson and Harold Hunter each had two safeties for the Purple Hose with Robinson and Hunter both accumulating a pair of RBI’s.
Lyle (W) and Hamilton, Fuller (1)
Hill (L), Candline (2) and Carmichael
(May 24) Not content with serving up a perfect outing last week, Elks’ heaver Frank Lyle returned to the clay throne at Elks Park to furnish a good-sized Victoria Day crowd with another choice exhibition of pitching. Lyle fashioned a two-hitter in stopping the previously undefeated C.N.R. troupe 4 to 1 which allowed the Brother Bills to move into a tie for top spot in the City League with the Railroaders. The Purple Hose had eight base knocks, including three singles by Bev Lawson, off losing twirler Ossie Jones. Throwing errors in each of the second and eighth episodes provided the Horned Herd with all of their runs. The lone Nationals’ tally was also unearned.
Lyle (W) and Fuller
Jones (L) and Graham
(May 26) Catcher Mike Carmichael’s base-loaded triple in the bottom-of-the-seventh stanza led the North Stars to their first victory in five starts, a 6 to 4 win over the title-holding C.N.R. nine. Alf Bennett weathered a nine-hit attack by the Railroaders to cop the compete-game pitching win. Tommy Montgomery and Viv Little led the 11-hit attack of the Stars, each stroking three singles. Ray Watkins clubbed a double and a single for the Nationals.
Jones (L), Furse (7) and Aitkenhead
A. Bennett (W) and Carmichael
(May 29) Pouncing on the offerings of Ossie Jones for 11 hits and taking full advantage of the numerous errors of omission on the part of his mates, the Elks gained a firm foothold on first place in the City League by whipping the C.N.R. 9 to 2. Al Hoeschet, speedball chucker of the Purple Hose, turned in his second win of the season with a five-hitter. Earl Fuller, Webb Bird and Joe McCulloch all singled twice for the winners while Jack Wanless, with a double and one-bagger, was best with the baton for the Railroaders.
Jones (L), R. Forsythe (7) and Taylor, Aitkenhead (7)
Hoeschet (W) and Fuller
FIRST-SERIES
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Elks 4 1 .800
C.N.R. 3 3 .500
North Stars 1 4 .200
(May 31) Socking out four hits that produced three runs in the eighth and final inning, the Elks overcame a 2 – 0 deficit and triumphed 3 to 2 over the slumping C.N.R. aggregation. Up until the eighth, losing flinger Lawson Atchison had blanked the Antlered Tribe on three safeties and appeared headed for a shutout victory. However, after a leadoff walk and a foul-out, things began to unravel for the Nationals’ ace slabster. Back-to-back singles by Earl Fuller and Stan Pipe produced the first run for the Purple Hose. Atchison fanned “Bunny” Clouston for the second out but then yielded additional one-baggers to Webb Bird and Joe McCulloch which produced the tying and deciding tallies. At that point, the game was called because of darkness. Merril Falby earned the heaving win against his former mates, surrendering eight safeties, a triple and two singles of which were garnered by the Nats’ Roy Forsythe who emerged as the game’s leading hitter.
Atcheson (L) and Aitkenhead
Falby (W) and Fuller
(June 2) Looking nothing like the defending champions of the circuit, the C.N.R. balltossers yielded meekly to the North Stars in an 18 to 2 rout. The Celestials applied the knockout wallop with a seven-run outburst in the opening panel of the bout. Had it not been for a couple of easy ground balls that were messed up by the Trackmen, they could have escaped the first-frame barrage that the Stars inflicted upon them, a rampage that was highlighted by Tommy Montgomery’s grand-slam home run. Alf Bennett pitched a solid five-hitter for the victors and had the Railroaders under his thumb in every frame except the fourth. Newly-recruited flychaser Slinger broke into the limelight for the Luminaries with three hits including an inside-the-park four-bagger that was somewhat tainted.
A. Bennett (W) and Talbot
Jones (L), McKenzie (2), R. Forsythe (3) and Aitkenhead, J. Forsythe
(June 4) In spite of several desperate efforts to break out in a rally, the North Stars fell short in checking the winning streak of the league-leading Elks which increased to six straight with a 4 to 2 triumph over the Stars. Frank Lyle continued the great pitching work of the Purple Hose this season by limiting the Celestials to four singles, one measly walk and no earned runs. He was especially tough in the sixth and seventh stanzas when the losers mounted their most serious threats. The Antlered Tribe managed seven safeties against losing flinger Paul McKenzie, two of those being stroked by Lyle.
Lyle (W) and Fuller
McKenzie (L) and Talbot
(June 7) Playing-manager “Bunny” Clouston led the Elks to a 7 to 2 win over the C.N.R. at Elks Park. The veteran pilot lit the old apple up for five safe hits, including a pair of doubles, in as many times at bat. Meanwhile, the Railroaders were unable to hit winning heaver Al Hoeschet’s deliveries to any extent, collecting just four bingles throughout the contest. The game was close until the final three rounds when the Horned Herd struck for deuces off losing twirler Lawson Atchison in each of those panels to run away with the result. Hoeschet walked just one and had 11 strikeouts while Atchison fanned nine and issued a pair of free tickets. Joe McCulloch followed Clouston in the winners’ ten-hit batting attack with three singles.
Hoeschet (W) and Fuller
Atchison (L) and J. Forsythe
(June 9) Two lusty clouts in the first-half of the ninth inning, sandwiched around a hit batsman, enabled the fast-slipping C.N.R. nine to creep out of a rut and nose past the North Stars 2 to 1 at Elks Park. In arrears by a 1 – 0 score and with opposing pitcher Alf Bennett on the verge of spinning a one-hit shutout, the Forsythe bothers popped into the limelight in dramatic style. Roy Forsythe rapped a two-bagger to leadoff the ninth canto, the first really clean hit surrendered by Bennett, and moved to third when Stars’ catcher Mike Carmichael dropped a third strike and was forced to throw to first base to complete the out. Bennett then plunked Alex Turnbull with a stray pitch putting runners at the corners. Following a second out, hefty backstop John Forsythe stepped to the plate and slapped a healthy double out near the scoreboard as brother Roy and Turnbull both crossed the pan. In their half of the session, the Luminaries’ Hank Hilldrup led off with a double, his third hit of the game, but died aboard the keystone sack when the following three batters were meekly retired. Winning flinger Ossie Jones gave hard-luck loser Bennett a stiff test in their mound joust, allowing the Celestials’ but six safeties, two of which were infield dribblers down the baseline.
Jones (W) and J. Forsythe
A. Bennett (L) and Carmichael
(June 10) The seven-game win streak of the Elks came to a halt when they were held to a 7 – 7 tie by the North Stars in a game that ended after eight innings because of darkness. Both pitchers, Paul McKenzie of the Stars and Merril Falby for the Elks, were subjected to a batting baptism at the hands of opposing sluggers. All the scoring occurred during the first five frames when the batters had the upper hand. The Celestials had the biggest outburst, plating a six-spot against Falby in the fourth frame. Bob Comstock came through with two hits for the Luminaries, one a lusty triple in the fourth that drove in two runs. Webb Bird, “Bunny” Clouston and Joe McCulloch all singled twice for the Antlered Tribe.
McKenzie and Talbot
Falby and Fuller
FIRST-SERIES
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Elks 7 1 .875
C.N.R. 4 6 .400
North Stars 2 6 .250
(June 22) Following a long layoff in which Elks Park was unavailable, City League play resumed as fans witnessed the Elks losing for just the second time, falling 7 to 5 to the C.N.R. in a game that was terminated after eight episodes because of darkness. Ossie Jones pitched a fine brand of ball for the Railroaders, allowing the league-leaders but five safe hits. Losing flinger Frank Lyle was touched for nine safeties of which one was a home run clout by Hobb Wilson. In addition to his four-bagger, Wilson stroked a double and a one-bagger. Fred Goodman led the Purple Stockings offensively with a two-bagger and a single.
Jones (W) and J. Forsythe
Lyle (L) and Hamilton
(June 23) After committing two costly errors in the top-of-the-ninth canto that enabled the North Stars to tie the score, youthful second sacker “Hub” Dafoe of the C.N.R. redeemed himself in the bottom-half of the panel by stinging the horsehide for a single, swiping the keystone sack, moving to the hot corner station on a passed ball and then romping home with the winning tally in a 6 to 5 victory when Stars’ catcher Mike Carmichael fired the pill wide in a pickoff attempt. Second-inning reliever Lew Furse held the Luminaries to four hits, including a pair of triples by Millard Wakeford, in capturing the knoll decision. Portsider Bruce Hill, combed for eight safeties, went the distance for the vanquished Celestials. Third baseman Jack Wanless poked a brace of one-base raps for the Trackmen.
Hill (L) and Talbot, Carmichael
McDonald, Furse (W) (2) and Aitkenhead
(June 25) Pouncing on the offerings of Alf Bennett for four lusty wallops and three tallies in the opening round, the Elks established a comfortable lead and went on to blank the North Stars 8 to 0, clinching the first-series pennant in the process. Other than a three-hit first-inning that failed to produce any runs, the losers were at the mercy of winning tosser Merril Falby who set them down on two blows during the remaining eight episodes. Frank Hamilton, husky catcher of the Brother Bills, topped the slugging heap of the winning nine, garnering three singles and a double. Teammate Webb Bird followed with a two-bagger and single. Alf Bennett, raked for 11 safeties, suffered the knoll setback.
Falby (W) and Hamilton
A. Bennett (L) and Carmichael
(June 26) Laboring beneath a sweltering sun, Elks’ flinger Frank Lyle toiled faithfully on the clay heap with stingy palm and carried his mates to a 9 to 4 win over the C.N.R. nine. The Purple Hose got to losing heaver Ossie Jones for a five-spot in the second stanza, creating a deficit from which the Railroaders were never able to recover. Lyle, with a triple and single, and teammate Joe McCulloch, who singled twice, were the only multi-hit batters in the tilt.
Lyle (W) and Fuller
Jones (L) and Aitkenhead
(June 28) Bunching base hits at the most opportune times along with a deft display of base thievery, the C.N.R. balltossers doubled the North Stars 8 to 4 in a free-hitting affair at Elks Park. The Railroaders ran the bases with wild abandon, pilfering no less than seven sacks. Rival pitchers, Ossie Jones of the Nationals and the Stars Eddie Myers, were lambasted often by swatsmiths from the opposing dugout, each hurler yielding a dozen base knocks. Unfortunately for Myers, his clubmates didn’t produce when bingles meant bacon and left 13 runners floundering on the pillows. The Railroaders went out in front in the first inning with two runs and were never headed. Ray Watkins had a productive evening at the plate for the Trackmen, collecting three singles. Alf Bennett and Norm Aiken of the North Stars both garnered a triple and a single.
Jones (W) and Aitkenhead
Myers (L) and Carmichael
(June 30) The North Stars and Elks played to a 7 -7 tie in a meaningless affair that concluded the first-series of games in the City League. The tail-end Stars had the best of the fracas outswatting the pennant-winners 11 to 7 but, for the second game in succession, weren’t able to deliver timely blows with ducks on the pond, leaving a dozen baserunners stranded. Only one extra-base blow, a home run by playing-manager “Bunny” Clouston of the Horned Herd, was registered in the event.
Hilldrup and Downie
Lawson, Bird () and Fuller
FIRST-SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct.
Elks 9 2 .818
C.N.R. 7 7 .500
North Stars 2 9 .182
SECOND SERIES
(July 2) First-half champion Elks got off to a flying start in the second series of the City League when they clipped a patched-up North Stars squad 4 to 1. Moundsman Merril Falby took it upon himself to usher the Purple Hose into their inaugural victory of the new series, stifling the Celestials on four safeties and two walks. Regular shortstop Millard Wakeford of the Stars made his debut as a senior-level pitcher and held the heavy-hitting Antlered Tribe to just six safe knocks and three free passes while fanning eight. Top hitter in the engagement was Hank Hilldrup of the Luminaries who connected for a double and single.
Wakeford (L) and Carmichael
Falby (W) and Hamilton
(July 5) Veteran City League slab artist Frank Lyle bestirred himself sufficiently to whiff 15 C.N.R. batters at Elks Park but his mound efforts were only good enough to carry the Elks to a 4 – 4 tie with the Railroaders. The slugging Nationals showed little respect for Lyle when not whiffing combing his slants for 13 blows. It was in the pinches, however, that the speedball hurler was at his finest, pitching himself out of several tight corners. The Trackmen used a duo of twirlers on the clay throne with Ossie Jones taking over from southpaw Lew Furse after three sessions. The tandem was nicked for eight safeties including a triad of one-baggers by Sid Robinson. Catcher Jack Forsythe laced a double and a one-base rap for the Nats.
Furse, Jones (4) and Aitkenhead
Lyle and Hamilton
(July 6) The North Stars came from behind to administer a sound 11 to 4 drubbing on the C.N.R. nine at Elks Park. Alf Bennett, off to a shaky start, got stronger as the game progressed and finished with an eight-hitter in copping the mound verdict. Roy Forsythe, taking a rare turn at pitching for the Nats, was effective for four innings when his club jumped into an early 4 – 0 lead but, from the fifth inning on, he lost his touch as the Stars got to him for counters in every round to run away with the decision. Millard Wakeford led the Celestials’ ten-hit batting attack, hammering a triple and a double. Catcher George Downey went long and gone with a three-run circuit-jack. Jack Wanless paced the Trackmen with the bludgeon, clipping the horsehide for a brace of three-baggers.
R. Forsythe (L) and J. Forsythe
A. Bennett (W) and Downey
(July 9) Totally outclassed from a defensive standpoint, the North Stars wasted a seven-hit mound performance by Millard Wakeford and dropped a listless City League tilt to the league-leading Elks 10 to 4. Winning pitcher Merril Falby of the Antlered Tribe was nicked for an even dozen blows by the Stars. Fully half of the tallies run across by the Purple Stockings resulted from errors. Webb Bird singled three times to lead the winners at the dish. Teammate Earl Fuller belted a three-run homer. Viv Little ripped a trio of one-baggers for the defeated Luminaries.
Falby (W) and Hamilton
Wakeford (L) and Downey
(July 12) Eating the dust stirred up by the quick-starting C.N.R. balltossers for the better part of six innings, the pace-setting Elks got to losing hurler Ossie Jones in the sixth inning, tied up the score and then continued their winning way in the seventh stanza with a deadly seven-spot that forced the lanky Railway heaver to give up the ghost as the B.P.O.E. Brigade rolled to a 12 to 6 thumping on the Nationals. Veteran slabster Frank Lyle turned in another solid knoll performance for the Brother Bills, limiting the Trackmen to five hits. Middle pasture patroller “Pee Wee” Smith spearheaded the Elks’ ten-hit offense with a double and a pair of singles.
Lyle (W) and Fuller
Jones (L), Dafoe (7) and Aitkenhead
(July 14) Lawson Atchison, leading chucker in the City League last season, pitched the C.N.R. gang of diamond pastimers to their first victory in the second series of play, a comfortable 11 to 3 win over the North Stars. Ray Watkins and Jack Wanless both stroked three singles off the slants of losing linger Bruce Hill while Atchison added a double and one-bagger which accounted for five National runs.
Atchison (W) and Aitkenhead
Hill (L) and Talbot
(July 16) Taking advantage of miscues in the eighth inning, the Elks ran across three counters to defeat the North Stars 5 to 2. Both pitchers of record, the Brother Bills’ Merril Falby and Alf Bennett of the Stars, went the distance and both yielded eight bingles. “Viv” Little of the vanquished Luminaries led all batters with a three-single effort from the batter’s box.
A. Bennett (L) and Talbot
Falby (W) and Reeve
(July 19) Appearing at the ball park two players short, the Elks defaulted a City League game 9 to 0 to the C.N.R.
(July 19 – 24) Saskatoon Exhibition week baseball tournament
(July 26) Staggering through seven listless innings of baseball, the Elks polished off the North Stars 9 to 4. Accumulating five runs in the opening frame, the Purple Hose virtually put the dull affair on ice. Stoking a double and a single off the slants of winning heaver Merril Falby, “Viv” Little of the Celestials had the best batting performance of all participants in the affair with a double and single.
Falby (W) and Reeve
Hill (L), Wakeford (1) and Talbot
(July 28) Veteran slab artist Jerry Cummings celebrated his return to the City League wars by chucking the C.N.R. nine to an 8 to 2 victory over the front-running Elks in a choice bit of diamond pastiming at Elks Park. Cummings set his former mates down on five hits, four of them coming in the fourth frame when the Antlered Tribe did all their scoring. The Railroaders did the brunt of their damage against losing twirler Frank Lyle in the fifth round when they plated a three-spot. Cummings fanned five and walked three. Lyle, nicked for seven hits while walking four, managed a dozen strikeouts. Only one multi-hit swatter emerged in the contest, that being Roy Forsythe of the Trackmen who singled twice.
Lyle (L) and Reeve
Cummings (W) and Aitkenhead
SECOND-SERIES
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Elks 5 2 .714
C.N.R. 3 2 .600
North Stars 1 5 .167
(July 30) Paul McKenzie retired 16 batters by the strikeout route and held the heavy-hitting C.N.R. gang to three lonely hits as he pitched the cellar-dwelling North Stars to an upset 5 to 1 win over the Nationals. Catcher Ted Graham led the Stars’ nine-hit attack, drilling a pair of doubles off losing chucker Lew Furse.
Furse (L) and Aitkenhead
McKenzie (W) and Graham
(August 2) After trying all season to take the measure of the league-leading Elks, the North Stars finally succeeded in turning the trick when they stopped the Purple Stockings 7 to 3. Paul McKenzie, after an indifferent start, settled down after the third inning and held the pace-setters scoreless for the rest of the game. With the score knotted at 3 – 3, a four-run scoring-spree in the eighth episode vaulted the Stars on the road to victory. “Viv” Little continued his consistent batting thrust of late for the Luminaries, driving in three runs by swatting four singles off the slants of losing chucker Frank Lyle. Webb Bird and “Pee Wee” Smith of the Horned Herd each had a double and single.
McKenzie (W) and Graham
Lyle (L) and Fuller
(August 4) Rallying in the last-of-the-ninth inning for the walkoff winner, the Elks staved off the challenge of the second-place C.N.R. nine to emerge with a 3 to 2 triumph over the Trackmen in a hard-fought duel. Pinch-hitter Fred Goodman got things rolling for the Antlered Tribe in the final canto by drawing a walk. Frank Lyle, with his second single of the contest, advanced Goodman to the keystone sack. Following a flyball out, Earl Fuller rapped a hopper down the third base line that appeared to have the makings of a tailor-made double play but the spinning horsehide ricocheted off the glove of Jack Wanless into short left field as Goodman galloped home with the deciding counter. Merril Falby, with a seven-hitter, picked up the pitching win over Ossie Jones who yielded eight safeties. Roy Forsythe slapped a double and a one-bagger for the vanquished Nats.
Jones (L) and Aitkenhead
Falby (W) and Hamilton
(August 6) Paul McKenzie, seldom used as a pitcher until recently, whiffed 13 while reeling off his third consecutive mound triumph within a week when he hurled the North Stars to a well-earned 4 – 0 whitewash win over the C.N.R. balltossers. The Stars’ victory moved them out of the City League basement for the first time all season as they nosed a half-game in front of the Nationals. The Railroaders collected six hits off McKenzie, one more than the Stars garnered off recent C.N.R. pitching addition Garnet Woods, who was a tad wild, walking five. McKenzie had impeccable control, issuing nary a free pass, and helped his cause with a pair of safeties including a sixth-stanza solo home run. Andy Aitkenhead was best with the baton for the Trackmen, stroking a double and single.
McKenzie (W) and Downey
Woods (L) and Aitkenhead
(August 9) The Elks secured a longer lead in the City Baseball League race when they disposed of the error-prone North Stars 5 to 2 in a tilt limited to seven stanzas because of darkness. Veteran heaver Frank Lyle ushered the Wapiti to another triumph with a four-hitter while Alf Bennett, nicked for eight safeties, was tagged with the defeat. Playing-manager “Bunny” Clouston led the winners at the plate with a pair of doubles.
Lyle (W) and Hamilton
A. Bennett (L) and Downey
(August 10) The C.N.R. nine sent the North Stars back into the cellar position with a 9 to 4 triumph at Elks Park in a game that was chock-full or errors and devoid of thrills. Lew Furse of the Nationals southpawed the Stars to death and the five blows garnered off his deliveries did little damage. The bubble burst early for recent pitching sensation Paul McKenzie of the Luminaries who was clobbered for numerous base hits and eight runs in the first two frames. Ted Graham of the Celestials had three singles to pace the hit parade while new flychaser Brown of the Railwaymen connected for a home run.
Furse (W) and J. Forsythe
McKenzie (L) and Graham
(August 12) There was nothing mystifying to the pennant-clinching Elks about the offerings of C.N.R. heaver Garnet Woods who was hammered for 11 base blows as the Antlered Tribe romped to an easy 11 to 3 victory over the Trackmen. Merril Falby dusted his former teammates off with four hits in copping the knoll verdict. Meanwhile, Frank Hamilton and Earl Fuller went long and gone with homers for the winners, Hamilton’s blast coming with two aboard. Other Brother Bills contributing offensively to the rout were “Bunny” Clouston and Webb Bird who both pounded out a double and one-bagger.
Falby (W) and Hamilton
Woods (L) and Aitkenhead
(August 13) Holding the opposition to three scattered hits during a darkness-shortened, five-inning encounter, Ossie Jones pitched the C.N.R. to a 4 – 0 victory over the North Stars. He was opposed on the hill by Ted Postlewaite who held the Railroaders hitless until the final canto when he was nicked for three safeties. Neither club seemed to evince much interest in the issue and both were forced to plug their line-up with outsiders including regular league umpire Len Hunter who was used by the Stars in this meaningless tilt. Hank Hilldrup of the losing North Stars, with a double and single, topped the short hit parade.
Jones (W) and Aitkenhead
Postlewaite (L) and Downey
(August 16) The closing curtain fell on the City League’s second series at Elks Park where the league-champion Elks were awarded a 9 to 0 forfeiture when the C.N.R. aggregation failed to appear. It was a poor ending for the season in which the pennant-winning B.P.O.E. nine were never seriously challenged in either half of the split schedule. With the Antlered Tribe sweeping both halves, no playoffs will be forthcoming.
SECOND-SERIES
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct.
Elks 9 3 .750
C.N.R. 5 7 .417
North Stars 4 8 .333
(August 27) In one of the best games ever played in Calgary, Regina Balmorals and the Calgary All-Stars battled to a 0-0 draw at Mewata Park Friday. It was a thrilling event from start to finish as both teams played superb ball with several spectacular catches in the Calgary outfield. The game was called after eight innings on account of darkness. Bill Walker held the heavy-hitting visitors without a hit for seven and two-thirds innings before Casey Moroschan and Allan Armstrong broke through. Calgary had six hits off Dodger Lewis. Lewis fanned nine and Walker had seven strikeouts.
D.Lewis and F.Lewis
Walker and Savage
SASKATCHEWAN PROVINCIAL FINALS
(September 4 and 6) 1926 SASKATCHEWAN SENIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Regina Darke’s Hardware vs Saskatoon Elks (best-of-five series)
The 1926 Saskatchewan senior amateur finals, a best-of-five affair, opened with a doubleheader in Regina in which the powerful northerners swept both matches. Two days later, in Saskatoon, after losing the first game of the day in a ten-inning thriller, the Elks copped the provincial tiara for the first time with an impressive final game showing.
(September 4) The Saskatoon Elks took both ends of a playoff doubleheader at Park de Young, trouncing the Regina Darke's 10 to 2 in the matinee contest and, then, nosing them out 5 to 4 in the evening match.
The introductory tussle was a tight affair for five frames but, in the later innings, the northerners proved to be superior in all aspects of the game. Saskatoon's Merrill Falby turned in a three-hit mound performance and, with the exception of yielding a two-run double to Regina's Baker in the third, had the Hardware nine well under his control. Loser Floyd White was hit freely by the Saskatonians and had major control problems, walking eight and hitting one batter. The Elks pounded 13 base raps off his slants and those of one-inning reliever Johnny Gottselig. Frank Hamilton and "Bunny" Clouston were the leading sluggers for the victors, each slamming a double plus a pair of singles.
Falby (W) and Hamilton
F. White (L), Gottselig (6), F. White (7) and C. White
Amadee Bennett held Saskatoon's Fred "Lefty" Cuff almost even in a fierce mound duel for the first seven innings of the nightcap, the Elks scoring the only run up to that point on Frank Hamilton's two-bagger in the second frame. In the last of the eighth, it appeared as though the Darke's were ready to even the series when they took advantage of an error to push across four runs to take a 4 to 1 lead. But Bennett fell apart in the ninth and was unable to hold the slugging Elks in check, surrendering four tallies. Cuff drove in the tying counter with a one-out single and scored the go-ahead tally on "Pee Wee" Smith's two-out triple. Merrill Falby then took the mound for the last of the ninth and, after issuing a leadoff bases-on-balls, retired the Darke's in short order. Elks' third sacker Joe McCulloch and Cuff both stroked three singles for the winners while Hamilton finished with a single to go along with his early double. Joe Haberman was the top dog with the willow for the Hardware crew, registering a two-bagger and a single.
Cuff (W), Falby (9) and Hamilton
A. Bennett (L) and C. White
(September 6) The Saskatoon Elks won the Saskatchewan senior amateur baseball championship when they defeated Darke's Hardware of Regina 18 to 7 at Elks Park in the second game of a twin-bill. Earlier, the Hardware Men had registered a 4 to 3, ten-inning triumph in the first game of the day. With the follow-up game victory, the Purple Hose took the best-of-five series three games to one and annexed the Leader Cup in the process.
Regina's Cliff Hogg and Frank Lyle of the Saskatonians both pitched strongly for their respective clubs in the morning encounter. From the sixth inning on, the score was deadlocked at 3 - 3 as neither team was able to push across a run to take command of the game. The Darke's finally tallied a single counter in the top of the tenth and held on for their initial win of the series. The Elks managed 7 base hits to 6 for the Reginans. Lyle whiffed 11 batters while Hogg's total was 7. Both chuckers gave up 3 bases on balls. Lyle had the games only extra-base hit, a triple. Frank Hamilton singled three times for the losers.
C. Hogg (W) and C. Bennett
Lyle (L) and Hamilton
Following their first-game victory, the Darke's roared out of the gate in the second match and scored six times in the top of the first frame, driving Saskatoon starter Merrill Falby from the hill. The lead didn't last long, however, as the Elks matched that output in their half of the frame sending Regina starter Dave Hogg to the showers. Johnny Gottselig also found that the Elks were solving his sidearm slants and gave way to Cliff Hogg who had pitched ten innings in the opener but Hogg had lost his magic and the Purple Hose scored ten runs on as many hits from his offerings to easily run away with the game and the Saskatchewan title. After Falby's early exit, winning twirler Fred Cuff held the visitors to four scattered hits and one lone run for the balance of the game. Webb Bird was the leading hitter for the Elks, ripping out four base blows including a triple. Third baseman Thompson and Joe Haberman were the only Regina players to collect more than one hit.
D. Hogg, Gottselig (1) (L), C. Hogg (3), Gottselig (8) and C. Bennett
Falby, Cuff (1) (W) and Hamilton
REGINA NORTHSIDE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Champs
C.P.R.
Darke’s Hardware
(May 17) Running across four counters in their initial turn at bat, the defending-champion Champs Hotel nine went on to pulverize the C.P.R. 10 to 0 in the Northside League opening tilt. Outfielder McKenzie led the Innkeepers offensively with a triple and two singles while teammate Jack Cranstoun delivered a double and a pair of one-baggers. Pete Therrien tossed a complete-game seven-hitter for the shutout win.
Lowings (L) and Dreschler
Therrien (W) and Sparling
(May 18) Darke’s Hardware got off to a good start in the new campaign by upsetting an overconfident Champs aggregation 7 to 5. Winning slabster Amadee Bennett whiffed ten, issued six free passes and held the title-holders to five scattered hits, two of which were singles by Jack Cranstoun. “Jersey” Campbell slapped out three safeties for the victors, all singles, while clubmate Joe Haberman supplied the power with a triple and double.
Young (L), McKenzie (L) (4) and Sparling, Leigh
Bennett (W) and Powell
(May 25) Winning heaver Bill Bannister of Champs stifled the C.P.R. squad on one hit up until the ninth inning and finished with a three-hitter as the Hotelmen doubled the Railroaders 4 to 2. Deuces in both the fourth and eighth episodes were ample ammunition for the victors. Shortpatcher Watson of the triumphant nine, with two singles, was the only player from either team with plural hit figures.
Bannister (W) and Leigh
Quest (L) and Coey
(May 27) Only a small crowd was on hand to witness the first win of the season by the C.P.R. baseballers who got off to a flying start and thumped Darke’s 9 to 1 in a five-inning game ended by rain. Winning twirler Cliff Quest held the Hardwaremen to two safeties while the Railroaders collected 11 base knocks off a duo of chuckers. Catcher Sherman Dreschler had three safe raps for the Pacifics while Mickey Longpre drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple.
Quest (W) and Dreschler
W. Hogg (L), A. Bennett (3) and Powell
(June 4) The C.P.R. nine jumped back into the thick of the Northside League race, coming on strong with a four-spot in the seventh stanza to wipe out an early deficit and prevail 7 to 3 over Darke’s. “Lefty” Lowings yielded five singles, three to Cliff Hogg and the other two to Joe Haberman, in copping the mound decision from Amadee Bennett. Outfielder Sid Anderson paced the balanced eight-hit attack of the Railroaders by stroking a double and single.
A. Bennett (L) and Powell
Lowings (W) and Dreschler
(June 8) Short five members of their team, Champs had a difficult time fielding a full line-up and the group that did take the field, including batboy Boyle, were no match for the C.P.R. diamondeers, falling 12 to 5 to the Railroaders. The result was virtually decided in the third round when four singles and a trio of mess-ups by the Hoteliers gave the Pacifics six runs. Cliff Quest earned the knoll verdict over Pete Therrien, the latter actually having more strikeouts, with an 11 to 1 margin, and fewer walks, issuing none while his mound opponent doled out five. Catcher Sherman Dreschler of the Trackmen led all swatsmiths with a triple and a brace of one -baggers.
Therrien (L) and Leigh
Quest (W) and Dreschler
(June 10) A three-cornered tie for top spot in the Northside League came about as a result of a ten-inning 7 to 6 win by Darke’s Hardware over the C.P.R. squad. A single by Darke’s catcher Charlie Bennett in the overtime session drove in the winning counter and hung the defeat on “Lefty” Lowings of the Railroaders who recorded 13 strikeouts. The Hardwaremen had ten hits, all singles,while winning tosser Amadee Bennett gave up seven safeties including a double and two singles to Jack Farquahar.
Lowings (L) and Dreschler
A. Bennett (W) and C. Bennett
(June 14) Champs Hotel waltzed back into the leadership of the Northside Baseball League by trouncing the C.P.R. entry 8 to 1. Pete Therrien struck out eight and gave up seven safeties in recording the pitching win. Losing twirler Cliff Quest was nicked for 11 base raps and was plagued with six errors by his mates. Playing-manager Heinie Rogers led the winners with the baton, stroking three singles.
Quest (L) and Dreschler
Therrien (W) and Leigh
(June 18) Jeff Orchard’s timely single, his second of the game, in the final frame drove in the winning counter as the C.P.R. edged Darke’s 4 to 3 to move back in the race for the leadership of the Northside League. Winning pitcher Floyd White racked up ten strikeouts and was touched for six safeties, three of them coming off the bat of outfielder Baker. Cliff Quest, nicked for nine hits, fanned five and was tagged with the loss.
Quest (L) and Dreschler
F. White (W) and Powell
(June 22) Cliff Quest, in a relief role, blanked Darke’s over the final seven stanzas in pitching the C.P.R. to a 7 to 5 come-from-behind conquest of the Hardwaremen. Mickey Longpre singled three times for the Railroaders while Jack Farquhar clubbed the horsehide for a triple and double.
Lowings, Quest (W) (3) and Spence
A. Bennett (L) and Powell
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Champs 3 2 .600
C.P.R. 5 4 .556
Darke’s 2 4 .333
(June 24) The idle C.P.R. baseballers took over top spot in the Northside League when last-place Darke’s knocked Champs out of the penthouse with a 10 to 4 lacing. The Hardwaremen roughed up a duo of chuckers from the Hotelmen for 17 base knocks including three singles by catcher Powell plus a triple and a one-bagger by Joe Haberman. Winning pitcher Floyd White had 14 strikeouts and was tagged for nine safeties with a double and two singles coming off the bat of Tommy Nelson.
Delaney (L), Bannister (5) and Leigh
F. White (W) and Powell
(June 25) A close but unsuccessful theft attempt of home by Darke’s Floyd White in the top-of-the-ninth inning prevented the tying marker from crossing the pan and allowed Champs to defeat the Hardwaremen 4 to 3 and regain a narrow lead atop the Northside circuit. Pitching for the second time on consecutive days, White walked six and gave up six base raps. Winning heaver Pete Therrien was constantly in hot water, issuing a dozen free passes while yielding seven safeties. First baseman Palmer of the winning Hotelmen, with a brace of singles, was the only player in the encounter with multiple hits.
F. White (L) and Powell
Therrien (W) and Leigh
(June 28) “Lefty” Lowings held the Champs outfit to just six safeties as the C.P.R. regained first place in the Northside loop with a 9 to 2 bruising of the Hotelmen. A five-run third inning broke the game open for the Pacifics. “Lefty” Lowings fashioned a six-hitter in copping the complete-game mound victory. Stew Leigh, with a triple and single, was the only batter from the Innkeepers that had any sustained success against Lowings. Jeff Orchard led the 15-hit offensive thrust of the Trackmen, clouting a double and two one-baggers.
Lowings (W) and Spence
Monahan (L), Bannister (3) and Leigh
(July 2) Three recruits from the junior ranks played stellar roles in achieving a 9 to 8 victory for the C.P.R. baseballers over Darke’s, a triumph which increased the lead of the Trackmen at the head of the Northside League. Harry Nuttall and Harold March shared the pitching and third base duties for the Pacifics with reliever March getting credit for the heaving victory. Ed Malone took over catching duties for the Railroaders in the fifth frame and picked up singles in both of his at-bats. Amadee Bennett was tagged with the loss. Both teams had 11 base hits. Darke’s outfielder Charlie “Bugs” Bennett led all batters with a double and two singles.
A. Bennett (L) and Powell
Nuttall, March (W) (3) and Spence, Malone (5)
(July 3) With both clubs sporting several replacements in their line-ups, Darke’s walked all over Champs to the tune of 12 to 5. The Hardwaremen cuffed the offerings of three tossers for 15 hits while winning hurler Amadee Bennett whiffed eight and was nicked for five safeties. Walks were frequent in this tilt with the trio of Hotel twirlers doling out ten while Bennett yielded seven. For the second consecutive evening, Charlie Bennett led his team with the lumber, stroking a double and two singles for Darke’s.
Alexander (L), Bannister (5), Kain (7) and Leigh
A. Bennett (W) and Stevenson
(July 5) With junior call-ups Ed Malone and Harold “Mush” March leading the way, the C.P.R. diamondeers increased their margin atop the Northside circuit by turning back Champs 12 to 6. Winning slabster “Lefty” Lowings, the top-heavy southpaw, held the Innkeepers to four scattered safeties, two each by Jack Rowand and catcher Sparling. Malone paced the winners’ 14-hit attack with a double and a brace of one-base raps while March swatted a two-bagger and a single. Losing heaver Ferguson, who was the starting pitcher for the Hoteliers, was also seconded from the junior ranks for the encounter.
Ferguson (L), Bannister (4) and Sparling
Lowings (W) and Malone
STANDINGS W L Pct.
C.P.R. 8 4 .667
Champs 4 6 .400
Darke’s 4 6 .400
(July 6) Darke’s heaved a monkey wrench into the smooth-working C.P.R. machine at Park de Young, taking a 7 to 6 verdict from the pace setters while moving up into second place in the standings. Falling behind early in the contest, the Hardwaremen tallied a trey in the fifth to tie the score and plated the winning counter in the seventh. Walker Hogg issued nary a walk, struck out 17 batters and yielded six hits in copping the complete-game mound victory. Three of the safeties bagged off him were produced by fleet-footed Cee Pee outfielder Sid Anderson, two of them coming on well-placed bunts. Only one of the runs tallied against him was earned. Cliff Quest was roughed up for 11 base knocks in absorbing the loss. Darke’s Cliff Hogg did the most damage with the baton, slugging a triple and two doubles.
Quest (L) and Dreschler
W. Hogg (W) and C. Bennett
(July 12) The touring Toronto Oslers trimmed the Northside League All-Stars 13 to 6 in an eight-inning exhibition encounter.
(July 15) With Floyd “Smiley” White holding Champs to three singles while fanning 17 batters, Darke’s rolled to an 8 to 5 verdict over Champs to strengthen their hold on the runner-up spot in the Northside League. Only one of the five tallies that the Hotelmen an across against White was earned. Losing chucker “Mutt” Smith was tagged for ten safeties including three singles by outfielder Roy Prowse.
Smith (L) and Sparling
F. White (W) and Stevenson, C. Bennett
(July 16) Tossing away an opportunity to tie for top place in the Northside League with their rivals, Darke’s baseballers made seven fielding blunders on the Park de Young diamond and went down to a 15 to 7 defeat at the hands of the C.P.R. nine. Six big counters in the fifth frame swung the pendulum in favor of the Railroaders. Jeff Orchard of the Trackmen clipped the horsehide for a triple and two singles to lead all batters.
A. Bennett (L), F. White (5) and C. Bennett
March (W), Quest (6) and Dreschler
(July 19) Acquiring their first victory in weeks, Champs crashed the offerings of a pair of C.P.R. tossers for 14 hits to take a 14 to 1 slugfest from the first-place Trackmen. The Hotelmen led all the way after battering starter and loser “Lefty” Lowings for a six-spot in the opening panel. Hits were plentiful with the Pacifics having just one less than the victors. Winning heaver Ramsey and his batterymate, Stew Leigh, had three safeties each while Sid Anderson and Cliff Quest of the losing Railroaders also had a trio of bingles.
Ramsey (W), Bannister (8) and Leigh
Lowings (L), Quest (3) and Dreschler
(July 20) A 5 to 2 conquest of the challenging Darke’s outfit securely entrenched the C.P.R. aggregation on top of the heap once more. The Pacifics played well behind the three-hit hurling of newcomer McIntyre to prevail. Losing chucker Walter Hogg gave up seven safeties and fanned ten while McIntyre whiffed nine. Outfielder Irvin singled three times for the winners and stole a pair of bases. Teammate “Red” Warner clubbed a triple and a single. Whacking a double and a one-bagger for the losing Hardwaremen was Cliff Hogg.
McIntyre (W) and Malone
W. Hogg (L) and Powell
(July 22) Three hits coupled with a pair of errors allowed Darke’s to push across a four-spot in the eighth episode and decision Champs 6 to 4. Floyd White struck out 14 in taking the knoll verdict from newcomer Alvin Fritz who had 11 whiffs. Outfielder Roy Prowse cuffed a double and a one-bagger for the victorious Hardwaremen.
Fritz (L) and Leigh
E. White (W) and C. Bennett
(August 4) After nearly two weeks of idleness, the Northside Leaguers resumed play and staged a thrilling 12-inning battle at Park de Young in which the tail-end Champs aggregation held the leading C.P.R. to a 2 – 2 tie. Alvin “Specs” Fritz, burning them over the pan for the Hoteliers, fanned 17 while the Railroaders’ “Lefty” Lowings breezed 11 batters. Both chuckers were nicked for just six hits. Rival shortpatchers, Jack Farquhar of the Pacifics and Joe Johnston of the Hotelmen led their respective squads offensively, each stroking two singles.
Fritz and Leigh
Lowings and Dreschler
(August 5) Playing on a muddy diamond which hampered defensive play and produced a dozen errors, second-place Darke’s romped to a 12 to 9 victory over the front-running C.P.R. nine. Cliff Hogg of the Hardwaremen and the Cee Pees’ Mickey Longpre each had three base hits with a double included in Longpre’s sum of swats.
Quest (L), March (6) and Dreschler
A. Bennett (W) and C. Bennett
(August 6) Despite fumbling their way to 13 errors, basement-dwelling Champs fought an uphill battle and managed to nose out Darke’s 10 to 9 in ten innings. After giving up six counters in the top-of-the-opening inning, the Innkeepers trailed throughout the clash, tying the score in the bottom-of-the-ninth and forging ahead for the first time with a singleton in the overtime round of play. A wild pitch by losing hurler Floyd White allowed “Pep” Young to scamper home from third base with the walkoff winner. Ironically, the equalizer and the deciding tally, both which came with two outs, could have been avoided as missed foul flies by Darke’s defenders preceded each occurrence. Pacing the 15-hit attack presented by the Hotelmen was catcher Stew Leigh who pasted the pill for two doubles and a brace of singles. Johnny Gottselig, over from the Maple Leafs of the East Side circuit, led the Hardwaremen with three singles.
F. White (L) and C. Bennett
Bannister (W) and Leigh
STANDINGS W L Pct.
C.P.R. 10 7 .558
Darke’s 9 9 .500
Champs 6 9 .400
(August 9) The tail-end Champs showed they are not out of the pennant picture when they edged the league-leading C.P.R. nine 4 to 3. With the score tied 3 – 3, relief pitcher Bill Bannister’s eighth-inning single drove in Joe Johnston with the winning counter. Both teams had six hits as catcher Stew Leigh of the Hotelman bagged three singles to lead all batters.
Kain (L), Lowings (8) and Dreschler
Fritz, Bannister (W) (7) and Leigh
(August 10) With Darke’s in front 9 – 7, a disputed balk call and the ultimate ejection of Johnny Gottselig in the last-half of the seventh inning eventually resulted in the plate umpire awarding the game by forfeiture to Champs 9 to 0. League officials later ruled that the game would have to be replayed in its entirety on August 16 although Gottselig will be suspended from playing in that contest.
Robertson, Ramsey (5) and Leigh
A. Bennett and C. Bennett
(August 12) The front-running C.P.R. baseballers gained a bit more breathing room by decisioning Champs 11 to 7 at Park de Young. The Railroaders, with an 11 to 7 edge in base hits, came on strong in the middle and late innings to annex the verdict. Mickey Longpre belted a triple and a two-bagger for the winners.
Fritz (L), Leigh (6), Johnston (6) and Johnston, Leigh
Lowings, Quest (W) (6) and Tannahill
(August 16) Bunching five of their 12 hits in the final two innings when they pushed across six runs, the Champs diamond pastimers turned a tight battle into a near rout when they took a 10 to 2 Northside League affray from Darke’s. Alvin Fritz struck out eight, walked three and gave up nine hits in collecting the mound victory. Four of those bingles, a pair of doubles and a brace of one-baggers, were cuffed by first sacker Cliff Hogg. Jack Cranstoun swatted a triple, double and single for the Hotelmen.
Fritz (W) and Leigh
W. Hogg (L), A. Bennett (9) and C. White
(August 17) Champs pushed across four runs in the last-half of the ninth inning to shock the pace-setting C.P.R. nine 6 to 5. For six rounds, losing heaver “Lefty” Lowings pitched a no-hit game but he began to waver in the seventh and blew up badly in the ninth. A two-run single by Alvin Fritz tied the score. Following a fly out, Fritz move to second base on an infield error and scampered home with the winner when Stew Leigh delivered his third base hit of the clash. Joining Leigh with a triad of safeties was Jeff Orchard of the Trackmen.
Lowings (L) and Tannahill
Young (W) and Leigh
(August 23) After several days of enforced idleness because of rain and wet grounds, the C.P.R. nine and Darke’s took to the Park de Young diamond but were unable to settle the issue after playing to a nine-inning 3 – 3 tie. The Hardwaremen outswatted the Trackmen 11 to 7 but stranded eight baserunners. “Lefty” Lowings fanned 13 and walked just one in hurling for the Cee Pees while Darke’s Floyd White hit a batter, issued four bases-on-balls and fanned a dozen. Cliff Hogg, with a double and two singles, was the game’s top hitter.
F. White and C. White
Lowings and Tannahill, Dreschler
(August 24) Making good use of bunched hits and walks, Champs nosed out the Darke’s aggregation 6 to 5 to take over second place in the circuit and, more importantly, move to within a game of the top-place C.P.R. squad. Alvin Fritz went all the way of the hillock for the knoll triumph, surrendering ten safeties including a double and two singles to Cliff Hogg. Howie Milne paced the winning Hoteliers at the dish, swatting four safeties, one of which was a two-bagger.
A. Bennett, F. White (L) (4) and C. White
Fritz (W) and Leigh
(August 25) Youthful Carl Wolver held the C.P.R. nine to just two scratchy hits in hurling Champs to a convincing 9 to 2 thrashing of the Trackmen. The Hotelmen raked three heavers from the Railroaders for a dozen safeties as Wolver led the way with the lumber as well, whacking a double and a couple of one-baggers. Outfielder Daly followed with a two-bagger and a single.
Lowings (L), Kain (5), Quest (7) and Tannahill
Wolver (W) and Leigh
(August 26) Darke’s climbed back in the Northside League pennant chase with an 8 to 6 victory over the slumping C.P.R. squad. The Hardwaremen picked up 15 hits off losing twirler Sherman Dreschler, normally a catcher but forced into action on the clay heap with a shortage of regular heavers. Andy Hogg clubbed a double and two singles for the winners while teammate Amadee Bennett contributed three singles.
W. Hogg (W), Gottselig (6) and C. White
Dreschler (L) and Tannahill
(August 27) A nine-run outburst in the fourth frame sent Darke’s on their way to a 13 to 12 conquest of Champs, a result that created a three-cornered tie in the Northside League standings. The Hotelmen made things close, rebounding with a six-spot in the sixth spasm and making a late charge that just fell short. The combatants combined for 29 safeties, 15 by Darke’s, including homers by Johnny Gottselig of the Hardwaremen and the Hoteliers’ Stew Leigh. Cliff Hogg spanked the spheroid for a triple and three singles in heading the hit parade for the winners. Leigh added a brace of singles to his round-tripper for the losers while outfielder Fred Brundage singled three times.
F. White (W), Gottselig (6) and C. White
Fritz, Wolver (L) (3) and Leigh
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Champs 11 11 .500
C.P.R. 11 11 .500
Darke’s 11 11 .500
(August 30) Sporting a sizeable 7 – 0 lead after six innings of play, the C.P.R. balltossers blew a tire in the eighth and final episode of a darkness-shortened encounter and had to settle for a 7 - 7 tie with Champs. The Hotelmen managed to acquire just three hits, all singles, in the affair but were able to stay afloat due to the shoddy defensive work of the Trainmen at critical junctures. “Lefty” Lowings struck out 13 batters, including seven in a row, before he was lifted after two had been retired in the critical eighth. The Pacifics manufactured ten safeties in the engagement including a double and single each from Sid Anderson and Jeff Orchard.
Fritz, Bannister (5) and Leigh
Lowings, McIntyre (8) and Tannahill
(August 31) Darke’s assumed the lead in the Northside Baseball League by bouncing Champs 9 to 5. Staked to a 6 – 1 lead after the two innings, winning pitcher Floyd White rolled along without difficulty until the sixth spasm when the Hotelmen staged a four-run rally to drive him off the hill and make things interesting. However, the Hardwaremen padded their margin against loser Carl Wolver in the late innings to tuck away the victory. Cliff Hogg had three of the 13 bingles, including a double, amassed by the winners. Stew Leigh tripled and singled for Champs.
F. White (W), Gottselig (6) and C. White
Wolver (L) and Leigh
(September 1) A 7 to 4 eight-inning conquest of the C.P.R. nine clinched the 1926 Northside League pennant for the fast-closing Darke’s Hardware contingent. It was an uphill battle for the Hardwaremen who, in spite of soundly out hitting the Trackmen by a 13 to 8 margin, were forced to make a late charge to claim the win. Five errors by the Pacifics helped in plating six of their seven counters. With the teams deadlocked at 4 – 4, winning tosser Amadee Bennett drove in the lead run with a seventh-inning single while Johnny Gottselig nailed a two-RBI single in the eighth to tack on a pair of insurance counters. Cliff Hogg continued to pound the horsehide with authority for the victors, hammering a double and single. For the vanquished Cee Pees, catcher Claude Tannahill erupted for a triple and single while Sid Anderson swatted a double and one-bagger.
A. Bennett (W) and C. White
McIntyre (L) and Tannahill
REGINA EAST SIDE BASEBALL LEAGUE
With only two entries returning to the fold, games were few and far between as interest was difficult to maintain.
Maple Leafs
St. Mary’s
FIRST-HALF
(May 17) Costly errors by the Maple Leafs allowed St. Mary’s to come from behind and nip the Leafs 8 to 7 in the 1926 East Side League opener. The Saints were outhit 11 to 7 but made their late blows count big time when bingles meant bacon. Top hitter in the contest. which was called because of darkness after seven stanzas, was shortstop Carl Bergl of the vanquished nine who rapped a triple, double and single.
Thauberger, John Gottselig (W) and Schneider
Crottie (L) and Turk
(May 25) Miscues galore defined the inept defensive performance of the defending-champion St. Mary’s nine who threw away a 7 to 6 verdict to the Maple Leafs. The Saints were guilty of 11 bobbles while their rivals made it a comedy of errors by contributing a half-dozen themselves. The fourth frame, when the Leafs ran across a five-spot, was the most devastating in terms of the defensive meltdown. Carl Bergl laced a double and two singles for the winners while shortstop Hinchey swatted a triple and one-bagger. Losing tosser McDonald got to his mound foe, Crottie, who had 13 strikeouts in picking up the complete-game victory, for a brace of two-baggers.
McDonald (L) and Rau
Crottie (W) and Turk
(June 7) St. Mary’s assumed the odd-game advantage in the standings by dumping the Maple Leafs 12 to 5. Johnny Gottselig went the distance on the hill for the Saints, holding the Leafs to six safeties while fanning eight. He also led the Mary’s nine-hit offense with three singles. Teammate A. Schuck followed with a double and single.
C. Bergl (L), Habermiller (3) and Turk
John Gottselig (W) and Rau, Schneider (4)
(June 10) Hitting the horsehide often and with authority, the Maple Leafs stung St. Mary’s with a 12 to 5 setback to square their record for the campaign. Winning pitcher Martin Habermiller had a shutout in the works for seven innings but weakened over the final two frames when errors began to haunt him as well. First baseman Don Joorisity slugged a home run and a double for the winners.
Habermiller (W) and xxx
Robinson (L), Folk and xxx
(June 14) Out hitting St. Mary’s by a decisive 20 to 11 margin didn’t mean a thing for the challenging Maple Leafs who still fell 11 to 9 to the Saints. Errors were fatal to the Leafs in the swatfest in which winning hurler McDonald accumulated 11 strikeouts. Infielders Hinchey and G. Hall both ripped a double and three singles in a losing cause while teammate Don Joorisity slammed a four-bagger.
Jackson (L), Crottie and Turk
McDonald (W) and Rau
(June 21) Even with new playing-manager Johnny Gottselig, recently obtained from St. Mary’s at the helm, the Maple Leafs still fell to the Saints 7 to 2 to drop two games behind their adversaries. The Mary’s had ten hits to seven for the Leafs. Top hitter in the affair was Bill Schuck of the winners who smacked a pair of doubles.
Robinson (W) and Rau
C. Begl (L), John Gottselig and Turk
(June 22) The Maple Leafs extracted revenge for their loss of 24 hours previous by hammering St. Mary’s 18 to 8 in a heavy-hitting East Side League affair. Garnering three base raps apiece for the Leafs were catcher Turk and first sacker Don Joorisity. One of Joorisity’s blows was a double. Winning heaver Johnny Gottselig and flychaser Martin Habermiller each added a two-bagger and a single. Blasting a home run and a one-bagger for the Saints was middle pasture patroller Joe Bergl.
John Gottselig (W) and Turk
Radu, P. Gottselig and Rau
STANDINGS W L Pct.
St. Mary’s 4 3 .571
Maple Leafs 3 4 .429
(June 24) Despite holding a 13 to seven edge in base hits, the Maple Leafs came up short in clutch situations and went under 10 to 9 at the hands of St. Mary’s. Five runs in the opening panel put the Mary’s in charge. Don Joorisity and catcher Rittinger stroked three singles each for the vanquished Leafs.
Robinson (W) and Rau
Hinchey (L), John Gosselig (1) and Rittinger
(June 28) Martin Haberman struck out 17 batters and yielded just five hits in hurling the Maple Leafs to an 11 to 4 thumping of St. Mary’s in East Side League action. Pacing the Leafs with the baton was first baseman G. Hall who drilled four singles.
Habermiller (W) and Turk
Jackson (L), Radu and Rau
(July 5) Unable to declare a winner after 13 innings of baseball, the Maple Leafs and St. Mary’s called it quits when darkness intervened and settled for a 7 – 7 tie. It was a heavy-hitting affair with the Leafs having a 17 to 12 advantage in base knocks. Leading the hit parade was Maple Leaf infielder Hinchey who stroked four singles. Teammate Johnny Gottselig hammered a triple and two singles while Martin Habermiller delivered a double and a pair of one-baggers. Joe Gottselig ripped a triad of one-base raps for the Saints.
Habermiller and Turk
P. Gottselig and Rau
(July 15) St. Mary’s effectively bunched a dozen hits in running roughshod over the Maple Leafs to the tune of 16 to 4. Outfielders Bill Schuck and Flichel each stroked a double and single for the winners. Martin Habermiller swatted a pair of two-baggers for the Leafs.
Robinson (W) and Rau
John Gottselig (L), Hinchey and Turk, Siller
(July 16) Martin Habermiller, diminutive flinger for the Maple Leafs, fanned 14 St. Mary’s batters in pitching the Leafs to a come-from-behind 8 to 3 victory over the Saints. Johnny Gottselig stung the sphere for a triple and a pair of one-baggers in pacing the winners offensively against his former team.
Habermiller (W) and Turk
Radu (L) and Rau
(July 19) The Maple Leafs made it two straight wins, nudging past St. Mary’s 3 to 1, to square their season’s series with the Saints at six victories apiece. Outhit 8 – 5, the Leafs made the most of their scoring chances. Leading swatsmith in the East Side League affair was Joe Bergl of the Mary’s who clubbed a triple and a double.
Robinson (L) and Rau
John Gottselig (W) and Turk
(July 20) By trimming St. Mary’s 9 to 3, the Maple Leafs forged ahead of the Mary’s in the win column for the first time all season. Winning flinger Martin Habermiller held the Saints to five scattered hits and did not surrender an earned run. Catcher Turk laced a triad of one-base raps for the Leafs.
Habermiller (W) and Turk
P. Gottselig (L) and Schneider
(July 22) With their fourth successive triumph over St. Mary’s, a 9 to 2 victory, the Maple Leafs captured the first-half East Side League pennant with an 8 – 6 won-loss record. Winning flinger Martin Habermiller held the Saints to three hits while his mates were pounding the offerings of losing chucker Radu for 13 base knocks. “Mush” March clubbed a triple and a single for the Leafs while Mary’s outfielder Folk slammed a round-tripper and a one-bagger.
Radu (L) and Schneider
Habermiller (W) and Rau
SECOND-HALF
A proposed second-half of the schedule never got off the ground, leaving the Maple Leafs as de facto East Side League champions for 1926. Instead, players from the two squads joined forces to form an all-star aggregation and played infrequently against both rural teams and the Northside League all-stars in exhibition tilts.
PRINCE ALBERT & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Birch Hills
Prince Albert Cubs
Prince Albert Elks
(August 2) Behind the clever hurling of Dale Yoos, Birch Hills topped Prince Albert Elks 6-2 Monday. The win created a three-way tie for first place. Cubs and Birch Hills clash Wednesday for the league championship. Yoos and his batterymate Bill Slominski are both University of Saskatchewan students.
Yoos (W) and Bill Slominski
Giffy Rosser (L) and Moser
(August 4) Ray Norse's Birch Hills nine has captured the Northern Saskatchewan baseball title by defeating the Prince Albert Cubs 11-9 Wednesday in one of the toughest battles staged in recent weeks.
Yoos, Bird and Slominski
Parmetur (L) and Moser
OTHER SASKATCHEWAN LEAGUES/TEAMS/ROSTERS
SASKATOON ROTARY SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Catholic Athletic Club
Grace
Hilltops
Wesley Leaders
Wesley Macs
(June 15) Outhit by an 8 to 6 margin, the Wesley Macs won the 1926 Senior Rotary League pennant by clipping the Hilltops 7 to 5 on the final day of the schedule. Benny Morrison of the vanquished ‘Toppers paced all swatsmiths in the contest with a three-run homer and a double. Errors and poor base running decisions caused the downfall of the Hilltops.
Klein (W) and Reeve
Rogers (L) and L. Cairns
SASKATOON COMMERCIAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
Automotive Supply House
Broadway Merchants :
Dominion Express
Dominion Motors – Ashdown’s
Sutherland
Wholesale Grocers
(July 30)
STANDINGS W L Pct.
Sutherland 5 1 .833
Dominion Express 4 3 .571
Dominion Motors-Ashdown’s 3 3 .500
Wholesale Grocers 3 3 .500
Auto Supply 3 3 .500
Broadway Merchants 1 6 .143
(August 5) Front-running Sutherland ran roughshod over the Dominion Express aggregation 20 to 2 as “Lefty” Matheson collected the easy knoll victory.
(August 6) The Wholesale Grocers took the honors 7 to 1 from the Broadway Merchants in a Commercial League set-to at City Park. The inability to connect with the offerings of “Viv” Ash spelled defeat for the Broadway nine. Three home runs by the winners punctuated the twilight air, Bacon clouting a pair and Gale the other.
(August 10) Dominion Motor’s–Ashdown’s broke open a close game by running across seven tallies in the fourth frame and went on to outlast the Auto Supply House squad 14 to 9.
(August 13) The cellar-dwelling Broadway Merchants came through with a 9 to 5 triumph over the Wholesale Grocers outfit. Ray Schwinghammer got the Retailers rolling with a two-run homer in the opening panel.
NO FURTHER COMMERCIAL LEAGUE GAME RESULTS WERE FOUND IN EDITIONS OF EITHER SASKATOON NEWSPAPER
SASKATOON CHURCH BASEBALL LEAGUE
Catholic Athletic Club
Grace-Westminster
Junior Macs
St. Paul’s
Third Avenue
Wesley Macs
SECOND SERIES
(August 20) Third Avenue, fighting an uphill battle all the way, scraped through with a 4 to 3 decision over the Wesley Macs to capture the second-half championship in a sudden-death final limited by darkness to six innings. With the score knotted a 3 – 3 in the bottom-of-the-sixth and with a lack of illumination enveloping the heavens, Hazen Bonser led off for the victors with a single. After stealing second base, he galloped home with the deciding counter when outfielder Dunnett beat out an infield roller on an overthrow at first base. A pair of portsiders toed the rubber for the combatants, battling tooth-and-nail all the way. Fred Cuff escaped with the mound verdict over Cliff Roseborough.
The winners qualified, as second-half titlists, to engage the Macs, first-half winners, once again in a best-of-three final series for the overall championship of the Church League.
Roseborough (L) and Mackie
Cuff (W) and Bamford, Houston (4)
FINALS
(August 24) Outhit by a 7 – 3 margin, the Third Avenue baseballers were able to maximize their opportunities and squeaked past the Wesley Macs 6 to 5 in the opening game of the Church Baseball League finals. Hard-luck losing heaver Cliff Roseborough, clever young southpaw for the first-half champion Macs, deserved a better break against Third Avenue than what was meted out as his mates faltered defensively in crucial moments during the abbreviated five-frame engagement. The second-half winners scrambled into the lead in the opening inning with a three-spot and were never headed. Fred Cuff whiffed five and walked three in securing the mound victory. Middle pasture gardener Telfer of the Macs, with two singles, was the lone multi-hit batter in the darkness-shortened affair.
Cuff (W) and Bamford, Houston
Roseborough (L) and Mackie
(August 26) Shades of night saved Third Avenue from a walloping in Church Baseball League playoff action. The Wesley Macs ran wild on the bases in the second stanza, scoring seven markers and, at the end of three sessions, had a 9 to 2 margin. However, darkness at that point wiped out the result and the game was called.
GAME RESULTS FOR THE CHURCH LEAGUE WITHIN BOTH THE SASKATOON PHOENIX AND SASKATOON STAR NEWSPAPERS ENDED AT THIS POINT
SWIFT CURRENT CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Briggs Grocery
Canadian Legion
Elks
WEYBURN CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Bankers
Collegiate
Ford Dodgers
McKinnon’s
Wholesalers
LONG LAKE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Aylesbury
Craik
Liberty
Penzance
GARRY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Cherryfield
Melville
Runneberg
Willowbrook
Yorkton
(July 19) Willowbrook won the championship of the 1926 Garry Baseball League by blanking the invading Melville nine 3 to 0. Winning tosser Eckhardt fanned 13 batters and gave up only one hit. All three runs plated off losing chucker Fritz, who whiffed six, resulted from miscues or wild throws.
EASTERN KIRKELLA & MAINLINE BASEBALL LEAGUE
McAuley MB
Moosomin
Rocanville
Welwyn
(June 26) The McAuley MB nine clipped Moosomin 7 to 5 to capture the Eastern Kirkella & Mainline League pennant with a 5 – 1 record. Wilson’s home run in the eighth inning, with one on base, was the deciding factor in the game.
Hogg (L) and Pollock
Waddell, Mallett (W) and McDonald
DUNNING BASEBALL LEAGUE
Assiniboia
Congress
Mossbank
Vantage
BIG FOUR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Bresaylor
Maidstone
Paynton
Paynton District Tigers
SOUTHERN TWILIGHT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Kendal
Odessa
Sedley
Vibank
GUMBO TWILIGHT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Gray
Lang
Milestone
Riceton
Wilcox
EMPRESS LINE BASEBALL LEAGUE (A.K.A. HAPPYLAND BASEBALL LEAGUE)
Lancer :
Leader
Prelate
Sceptre
NORTH LINE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Brownlee
Eyebrow
Keeler
Marquis
GOVAN DISTRICT LEAGUE (A.K.A. LAST MOUNTAIN BASEBALL LEAGUE)
Arlington Beach
Govan
Swanston
Wessels
White Heather
A.B.C. BASEBALL LEAGUE
Allan
Clevet
Colonsay
NORTHERN CONNAUGHT FIVE BASEBALL LEAGUE
Armley
Leacross
Ridgedale
Runciman
Waterfield
SHELLBROOK & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
Canwood
Parkside
Rozilee
Shellbrook
SK LEAGUE - NAME UNKNOWN
Churchbridge
MacNutt
Russell MB
SK LEAGUE - NAME UNKNOWN
Buffalo Head
Moose Creek
Wordsworth Eskimos
Wordsworth Mexicans
SK LEAGUE - NAME UNKNOWN
Elbow
Loreburn
Sand Hills
Strongfield *
*1926 pennant winner
SK LEAGUE - NAME UNKNOWN
Bethune
Chamberlain
Dilke
Findlater
REGINA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Argos
Campion College
Caps
Cubs
Falcons
Pirates
Red Sox :
Shamrocks