MANITOBA
Western Canada’s most populous city, Winnipeg, ventured into the realm of professional baseball in 1902 with a team called the Maroons becoming a charter member of the newly-formed independent Northern Baseball League along with four North Dakota entries and a single team from Minnesota. The Maroons were successful right out of the gate and captured the league championship in its first year of existence.
The Winnipeg Amateur City Baseball League was reduced to four teams in 1902. Returning teams were the Unions and St. Boniface while the Mets and the C.P.R. nine were new entries.
(May 24) In an exhibition match Saturday, St. Boniface edged Brandon, the home squad, 10-9 before a large crowd. Gingras was the winning hurler.
(May 24) The Winnipeg City League kicked off Saturday at Fort Garry Park when the Unions and C.P.R. fought to a 5-5 draw. The game was called after nine innings because of rain. DeSavignay, with a six-hitter and 16 strikeouts, and Cail, a four-hit performance and 12 punchouts, pitched very well. Errors, ten by the Unions, spoiled the fine mound efforts.
Cail and Harkness
DeSavignay and Lamontagne
(May 27) Winning hurler Tony Gingras was also the hitting star Tuesday as St. Boniface Saints buried the Metropolitans 13-1. Gingras held the Mets to four hits and fanned 11 in his mound duties while slamming out six hits in six tries, three of them three-baggers. Catcher Harris added a home run, triple and single and centre fielder Marcoux had a four-bagger, double and single. Marcoux, Harris and second sacker Lambert each scored three times.
T.Gingras (W) and Harris
V.Moore (L) and Tinney
(May 31) In a heavy-hitting affair, the Unions topped the Metropolitans 13-9 Saturday afternoon at Fort Garry Park. Johnston and Skelly led a 15-hit attack each with three safeties. McArthur smacked the only homer. A seven-run seventh inning for the Unions broke a 6-6 tie and proved to be the difference.
V.Moore (L) and Tinney
Hallock (W) and Harkness
(June 6) Eddie Cail fired a four-hit shutout Friday as the Unions blanked St. Boniface 8-0. He fanned ten. Wilkinson and Jacobs led the winners each with three hits.
Tony Gingras (L) and Harrison
Cail (W) and Harkness
(June 7) Catcher Tinney scored the winning run in the tenth inning Saturday as the Metropolitans edged C.P.R. 6-5. The Mets had come from behind a 4-3 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth as W.A. Jones smashed a triple and scored on a throwing error and Snider followed with a single and came all the way home on another wild throw. The Railwaymen came right back in the bottom of the ninth to knot the score as DeSavignay singled and Sears brought him home with a two-bagger. Serey allowed eight hits in going the distance for the win.
Serey (W) and Tinney
DeSavignay, Lamontagne (L) (10) and Lamontagne, Chubb (10)
(June 10) St. Boniface Saints scored three times in the first inning and added another three in the second to defeat the Unions 6-1. Tony Gingras surrendered just six hits in going the route for the win. Hitting in the cleanup slot, Gingras contributed a pair of hits and a run.
Hallock (L), Cail (2) and Harkness
Tony Gingras (W) and Harrison
(June 11) A four-run seventh inning, helped by one of eight Mets' errors, carried the C.P.R. to an 8-6 win over the Metropolitans Wednesday. DeSavignay was the star for the winners tossing a five-hitter with 14 strikeouts and helping at the plate with a double, single and two scores. Shortstop Sears of the C.P.R. belted the only four-bagger. Taylor had two hits and three runs for the Mets.
DeSavignay (W) and Lamontagne
Serey (L) and Tinney
(June 21) C.P.R. broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning with a four-run outburst en route to a 7-3 victory over St. Boniface Saints. Thomas Wardell opened the frame with a double and scored on a single by Edward Gilday. An error allowed Gilday to scamper safely home. Two more counters came around on a throwing error. DeSavignay tossed a six-hitter and racked up 11 strikeouts to post the pitching win.
DeSavignay (W) and Lamontagne
Tony Gingras (L) and Harrison
(June 24) First sacker Johnnie Curle slugged a triple and two doubles and scored three times to lead the Unions to a 10-8 victory over the Mets. Unions jumped into a 10-4 lead before the Metropolitans erupted for five runs in the ninth inning.
Climo (L) and Tinney
Cail (W) and Harkness
(June 27) The amateur Virden Terriers were no match for the professional Winnipeg Maroons Friday falling 12-5 in an exhibition game at River Park. Centre fielder Jack Burns and left fielder Denny Sullivan each poked out three hits for the winners. McCartney, the Virden third sacker, and pitcher Hafferman each collected a trio of safeties for the losers. Dave Tucker handled the mound work for Winnipeg.
Hafferman (L) and Crew
Tucker (W) and Kennedy
(June 28) That the baseball craze has taken a firm hold of the citizens of Winnipeg was in evidence again on Saturday afternoon. In the second game of a weekend exhibition series, the Winnipeg Maroons again slapped down the Virden Terriers, this time 13-7 although out-hit 12 to 11. Winnipeg ran up a 13-1 lead before Virden rallied with six late markers. There were 16 stolen bases, all but one by the Maroons. Winning hurler Phil Deller slugged a pair of doubles and scored twice. Bert Orr rang up 15 strikeouts in a losing cause. He also walked seven.
Orr (L) and Crew
Deller (W) and Kennedy
(June 28) In a dandy game at Fort Garry Park, the Unions shaded St. Boniface 2-1. Eddie Cail held the Saints to eight hits in posting the pitching win. Jack Gingras took the loss. He and brother Tony combined to hold the Unions to just four hits while getting 11 strikeouts.
Cail (W) and Harkness
J
.Gingras (L), T.Gingras (8) and Harrison
(June 30) In a high-scoring exhibition contest at Portage La Prairie, the home squad managed a 12-11 win over Virden. After falling behind 6-2, Portage rallied with five in the sixth inning to take the lead and built up a 12 to 8 advantage before Virden came close with four runs in the eighth frame.
McKay and Duckworth, Orr
Hafferman (L) and Lailey
(July 01) At Carberry, Virden downed the locals 12-9. The match was supposed to be between Virden and Brandon but the latter club did not show and a scratch nine was formed to give the visitors a game. Jersey Crew, the Virden catcher, had a sore thumb and was unable to go behind the plate but filled in at third. Hafferman, the new twirler from Toronto, was also hampered and sent to play the outfield. With no one to catch Bert Orr, Orr went behind the bat himself and McKay took over slab duties. A seven run third inning for Virden proved to be decisive.
McKay (W) and Orr
Barber (L) and Brooks
(July 01) Brandon took both ends of a double-bill with Winnipeg C.P.R., taking the opener 11-1 and then continuing with the offensive outburst winning easily in the second game 16-3.
(July 08) St. Boniface Saints unleashed a 18-hit attack Tuesday in dropping the Metropolitans 15-11. The first four batters in the Saints lineup - Jean, Marcoux, Charlie Lambert and Tony Gingras - each had three hits. Jean, Lambert and Gingras had three-baggers, Marcoux smacked a double. Ten Mets' errors, four at shortstop, contributed to the Saints offensive.
Serey (L) and Martin
J.Gingras (W), T.Gingras (7) and Harrison
(July 09) Unions scored three in the first inning Wednesday en route to a 7-1 triumph over C.P.R.. Hallock held the Railwaymen to five hits and pitched shutout ball after giving up a run in the bottom of the first inning. Harkness had two hits and two runs for the winners.
Hallock (W) and Harkness
DeSavignay (L), Lamontagne (5) and Lamontagne, Gibbons (5)
(July 11) The crack Brandon nine gained a split in an exhibition double-header at Winnipeg Friday with an easy 13-1 victory over St. Boniface in the first game before falling 6-2 to the C.P.R.s in the second game. Hurler Reid was outstanding for Brandon in the opener holding the Saints to four hits while racking up 18 strikeouts. He issued just a pair of free passes. Reid also had two hits, one a double, and scored twice. Sears led the winners with three safeties.
Reid (W) and Wiggins
J.Gingras (L) and Harrison
Eddie Lamontagne hurled a four-hitter to lead C.P.R. to the second game triumph. He fanned nine and walked four. Kean, DeSavignay and Gibbons each poked a pair of hits for the winners. Kean had the big blow of the game, a three-bagger.
Whitstone (L), Dundas and Wiggins
Lamontagne (W) and Gibbons
(July 12) The Unions made errors all over the field Saturday, 14 in all, in suffering a 16-3 exhibition trashing at the hands of Brandon. Catcher Wiggins led an 11-hit offensive with three safeties. Saunders, the second baseman had a pair of hits and scored four times. Only three of Brandon's 16 runs were earned. Dundas surrendered seven hits in going the distance for the pitching win.
Dundas (W) and Wiggins
Hallock (L), Holden (5) and Harkness
(July 12) Unions were handed their second loss of the day in a league match falling 6-5 to the Metropolitans who got a four-hitter by Serey in the win. McArthur poked a home run in a losing cause.
Cail (L) and Harkness
Serey (W) and Martin
(July 16) A three-run eighth inning carried Virden to a 4-2 victory over Brandon to claim victory at the Virden tournament for the championship of Manitoba. A crowd of 1,000 witnessed a superb outing by Bert Orr, known at the top amateur hurler in Western Canada, as he held Brandon to just five hits and struck out 11. Reid, the Toronto pitcher, handled the mound work for Brandon giving up eight hits.
Reid (L) and Wiggins
Orr (W) and Archer
(July 19) The Metropolitans defeated the C.P.R. 9-6 Saturday evening at Fort Garry Park in a game the Winnipeg Tribune described as being characterized by "dirty fielding, poor catching and wild throwing". Mets put the game away with a five run outburst in the fourth inning. Centre fielder Hawkins led the winners with three hits, one a double, and two runs scored.
DeSavignay (L) and Lamontagne
Serey (W) and Martin
(July 26) St. Boniface roared back from a 9-6 deficit with a six-run eighth inning to down the Metropolitans 12-10. Although out-hit 14 to 8, the Saints took advantage of 10 Mets' errors. Second baseman Lambert led the winners with two hits and three scores. Jack Gingras survived 14 hits in going the route for the pitching win. He fanned ten. Mets' catcher Martin collected four hits, including two triples and a double. Hawkins added three hits for the losers.
Serey (L) and Martin
J.Gingras (W) and Harrison
(July 29) Trailing 7-2 after four innings, Unions scored nine unanswered runs in the final three innings of the seven inning contest to top C.P.R. 11-7 at Fort Garry Park. It was the Unions seventh win in nine games. Shortstop Jacobs punched out three hits and had three scores for the winners who out-hit the Railwaymen 13 to 9. Hallock rang up 11 strikeouts in posting the pitching win.
Hallock (W) and Harkness
DeSavignay (L) and Gibbons
Unions 7 - 2
St. Boniface 4 - 4
C.P.R. 2 - 4
Mets 3 - 6
(August 02) Eddie Lamontagne set down 13 by strikeouts Saturday to pitch C.P.R. to a 12-7 victory over St. Boniface. He allowed nine hits and a pair of walks. Edward Gilday was best for the winners with two hits and two scores.
J.Gingras (L) and Harrison
Lamontagne (W) and Tinney
(August 05) The Metropolitans, out-hit 14 to 9, had a huge third inning, scoring eight times, and coasted to a 13-3 triumph over the Unions. Seven Union errors figured prominently in the scoring. Second baseman Harry Pratt was key for the winners scoring four times. Eddie Cail, the losing hurler, led the Unions at the plate with three hits.
Cail (L), Hallock and Harkness
Serey (W) and Martin
(August 09) It was quite the show at Fort Garry Park Saturday as the Mets and C.P.R. combined for 30 runs, 28 hits and 11 errors as the Metropolitans came out on top 17 to 13. After piling up a 12-2 lead after five innings, the Mets needed four runs in the ninth inning to secure the victory. Wetherstone led the winners with three hits. Martin had a pair of three-baggers. Shortstop Dunbar had two hits and scored five times.
Serey (W) and Martin
DeSavignay (L), J.Glasgow and Frank Tinney
(August 12) In an outstanding pitching duel that unraveled in the tenth inning as darkness set in, the Unions downed the C.P.R. 7-2. After nine frames the teams had fought to a 1-1 tie, but shoddy work in the field helped the Unions to seven runs in the top of the extra frame to secure the win. Both pitchers gave up eight hits. Winning hurler Barney Holden fanned 15, while DeSavignay racked up 15 strikeouts. Holden walked just one, DeSavignay, two. C.P.R. made a total of ten errors, five in the middle infield.
Holden (W) and Harkness
DeSavignay (L) and Tinney
(August 16) Unions and St. Boniface battled to an 8-8 draw Saturday evening in a game called after nine innings because of darkness. Highlights for the Saints were home runs by Tony Gingras and Vic Moore. Gingras, who went the distance on the hill, had four hits and scored three times. Barney Holden contributed three hits for the Unions.
T.Gingras and C.Lambert
Cail and Harkness
(August 19) Unions erupted for six runs in the fourth inning to scored a come-from-behind, 13-10 victory over the Mets Tuesday at Fort Garry park. First sacker Johnnie Curle smacked four hits, one a triple, and notched three scores.
Hallock (W) and Harkness
Serey (L) and Martin
Unions 9 - 3
St. Boniface 4 - 5
Mets 4 - 7
C.P.R. 3 - 6
(August 21) With an eight-run second inning the Metropolitans began a Thursday evening battering of St. Boniface. In the end the Mets prevailed 15 to 3 in a game in which the Mets had just one earned run. Seven errors by the Saints heavily contributed to the scoring. Shortstop Dunlop had a triple and single and scored a pair for the winners. Wetherstone and Martin also had three-base blows. Snider hurled a five-hitter, with 12 strikeouts, for the win. Tony and Jack Gingras combined for 14 strikeouts and seven walks for the losers.
T.Gingras (L), J.Gingras and C.Lambert, Harrison
Snider (W) and Martin
(August 23) A five-run first inning put C.P.R. in the driver's seat and the Railwaymen stopped a late charge by St. Boniface to secure a 13-10 triumph Saturday. Edward Gilday collected three hits for the winners while Thomas Wardell and W. Glasgow each added two hits and two runs. Harrison had three hits for the Saints.
DeSavignay (W) and J.Glasgow
J.Gingras (L) , Moore (7) and Harrison, Samson
(August 23) The Metropolitans went to Emerson on Saturday and defeated the locals 9 to 1 behind the fine hurling of Hallock.
Hallock (W) and Martin
McMillan (L) and Davis
(August 26) Mets topped St. Boniface 8-3 in City League action Tuesday. Outfielders Robb and Stewart paced the winners each with three hits. Snider scattered ten hits for the pitching win. Losing pitcher Vic Moore racked out a dozen strikeouts.
Snider (W) and Martin
Moore (L) and C.Lambert, Samson
(August 28) In a game cut short to five innings by darkness, St. Boniface and C.P.R. battled to a 5-5 draw. A shower had delayed the start of the game. Tinney of the Railroaders had a two-run triple but was thrown out at home trying to stretch the blow into a homer. Kean also had a three-bagger. Each team had five hits. Kean was the only one in either lineup with two hits.
Moore and Samson
DeSavignay and J.Glasgow
Unions 9 - 3
Mets 7 - 7
C.P.R. 4 - 6
St. Boniface 4 - 8
(August 30) Unions whipped the C.P.R. 15-8 in Winnipeg City League action Saturday at Fort Garry Park. Unions scored four in the second inning and coasted to the easy win to. Unions wrapped up first place to claim the pennant.
(September 01) DeSavignay pitched and batted C.P.R. to a 16-2 trouncing of the Mets Monday. He fired a six-hitter, pitching shutout ball for seven innings before the Mets got singletons in the eighth and ninth. DeSavignay smacked a triple and two singles and scored three times. First baseman Tinney also had three hits and three runs.
DeSavignay (W) and Lambert
Snider (L), Dunlop (3) and Martin
(September 01) Tessier, an import from the East, was impressive in his debut with St. Boniface pitching the Saints to a 6-4 victory over the Unions in the Labour Day contest. Tessier tossed an eight-hitter with seven strikeouts. Hallock had four of the eight safeties for the losers. Barney Holden surrendered just five hits in taking the loss. He walked six.
Holden (L) and Harkness
Tessier (W) and Samson
(September 06) The Metropolitans put one in the win column Saturday as the C.P.R. failed to show and the game went to the Mets by default.
(September 13) Barney Holden cracked out four hits, a triple, double and two singles, to pace a 12-hit C.P.R. attack as the Railroaders downed St. Boniface 10-6 Saturday to wind up the Winnipeg City League schedule. Winning hurler DeSavignay had a homer and two singles, scoring three times. Fred Tinney and Frank Tinney each contributed a pair of safeties. DeSavignay held the Saints to eight hits and racked up ten strikeouts.
Moore (L), T. Gingras (8) and Harrison
DeSavignay (W) and Frank Tinney