PROVINCE OF MANITOBA
Within the province of Lakes during the 1903 campaign, the strongest association of senior baseball clubs was the three-team semi-pro Manitoba Baseball League. Brandon led from start to finish and was easily the class of the circuit. With the Brandon club so far ahead of the other two entrants, fan interest waned and the circuit ground to a halt in early August. An emerging star, Brandon pitcher George Duquette, wound up the season winning 21 of 22 decisions. Conversely, Bert Orr, pitching for an outclassed Virden team, registered a slab record well below his usual standard of excellence.
MANITOBA BASEBALL LEAGUE
(June 4) Virden and hosting Brandon divided the spoils in an exhibition twin-bill, the invaders capturing the morning game 2 to 1 while the Wheat City nine responded with a 6 to 1 triumph in the afternoon contest. The matinee skirmish featured a hurler’s joust between a pair of chuckers who both had tryouts with the professional Winnipeg Maroons. Fred Hickey, the fast little Toronto pitcher, got the nod over Brandon’s O’Connor on the strength of a four-hitter.
Hickey (W) and Crew
O’Connor (L) and McCarthy
Brandon outswatted Virden 9 to 7 in the finale, getting to losing flinger Bert Orr for four first-inning tallies. Fly chaser Joe Cowan picked up a double and a one-bagger for the winners.
Orr (L) and Crew
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
(June 5) Virden plated three runs in the eighth inning, breaking a 1 – 1 tie, and went on to defeat visiting Brandon 4 to 1. Fred Hickey fanned five while yielding six hits in securing the mound victory.
O’Connor (L) and McCarthy
Hickey (W) and Crew
(June 11) Brandon got to Bert Orr for three counters in the top of the ninth inning and grabbed a 5 to 2 exhibition game decision from the homestanding Virden nine. Winning tosser George Duquette continued his hex over Orr, saddling the Virden ace with his first pitching defeat on home turf. Orr uncharacteristically issued seven bases on balls which assisted in his demise. Base hits by catcher McCarthy and outfielder Joe Cowan drove in the winning and insurance markers for the Wheat City gang. The gate receipts amounted to $303.
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
Orr (L) and Crew
(June 19) With pitchers George Duquette and Fred Hickey at the top of their game, Virden and hosting Brandon battled to a nine-inning 0 - 0 draw at the Athletic Grounds before darkness intervened, preventing overtime. Brandon had a 6 to 4 edge in base knocks. Duquette rang up nine strikeouts to eight for Hickey. Outfielder Forbes of the Wheat City nine was the lone player to garner two safeties in the contest.
Duquette and McCarthy
Hickey and Reid
(June 24) Brandon walloped Portage La Prairie 13 to 1 on the home turf of the Wheat City nine. Winning flinger George Duquette struck out eight in twirling a four-hitter. Every player on the Brandon squad had at least one base knock with shortstop Donald Tipton and catcher McCarthy leading the way with a pair of safeties. Catcher Clayton doubled twice for Portage.
Green (L) and Clayton
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
(June 25) Virden clipped Portage La Prairie 6 to 4 as winning pitcher Fred Hickey nailed the horsehide for a triple and single.
Murnane (L) and Clayton
Hickey (W) and Reid
(July 1) Brandon snatched a doubleheader from Virden, taking the opener 10 to 4 and edging the visitors 3 to 2 in the finale. Catcher McCarthy had four base blows for the victors in the matinee match.
Orr (L) and Reid
Quigley (W) and McCarthy
Winning pitcher George Duquette’s ninth inning single drove in the winner for the Wheat City clan in the second contest.
Hickey (L) and Reid
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
(July 3) Home field didn’t help Portage La Prairie as the hosts fell to Brandon 8 to 5. The winners rand up 13 base swats to 12 for the Portage nine. Winning pitcher George Duquette and second baseman Metzler of the vanquished nine both spanked the sphere for three safeties.
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
Williamson (L) and Clayton
(July 7) Before an enthusiastic audience of approximately 800 at the Athletic Grounds, Brandon grabbed their eighth victory, an 8 to 3 verdict over visiting Portage La Prairie. “Chesty” Cox had his benders working, fanning ten while giving up eight safeties in snatching the mound win. In the second frame, Cox found himself in a bases-loaded jam with no one out but proceeded to whiff three batters in succession. He also led his team with the hickory, drilling three singles.
Murane (L) and Clayton
Cox (W) and Archer
(July 8) Portage La Prairie broke into the win column by taking an 8 to 7 decision from Virden. Outfielder Green paced the winners offensively with three singles. Losing pitcher Bert Orr whiffed 15 batters.
Williamson (W) and Clayton
Orr (L) and Reid
(July 9) In an exhibition encounter, Brandon prevailed 6 to 3 over Portage La Prairie. Catcher Clayton of the Portage nine led the hit parade with three bingles.
Green (L) and Clayton
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
(July 21) A bottom-of-the-ninth double by shortstop Donald Tipton drove in the tying and winning markers as Brandon nosed out Portage La Prairie 3 to 2 in walkoff fashion. Brandon chucker George Duquette struck out nine in fashioning a five-hitter. Catcher McCarthy and keystone sacker Quigley both ripped two hits for the winners.
Williamson (L) and Clayton
Duquette (W) and McCarthy
Standings W L T Pct.
Brandon 10 1 1 .909
Virden 2 5 2 .286
Portage La Prairie 1 7 1 .125
(August 3) With Fred Hickey fanning eight and tossing a four-hitter, Virden blanked Portage La Prairie 1 to 0. The only run in the game came in the sixth frame and was of the unearned variety. Saunders of the victors and Martin of the Portage nine both stroked two safeties.
Hickey (W) and Reid
Green (L) and Clayton
BRANDON CITY LEAGUE
Bankers
Young Men's Club
WINNIPEG CITY SENIOR LEAGUE
The focus in Winnipeg baseball circles was still on the Maroons of the professional class D Northern League in 1903 but a four-team City Senior circuit persevered, garnering little attention in the print medium. Newspaper coverage ceased altogether in August with no apparent closure through either league play or playoffs.