Western Canada Baseball 1926
1926 Rosters   
1926 Stats
1926 Game Reports  
1926 Tournaments/Exhibitions
1926 Pittsburgh Crawfords 
1926 Toronto Oslers    
       
SASKATCHEWAN
SASKATOON CITY LEAGUE 

C.N.R., Elks, North Stars
Elks captured the pennant in both halves of a split schedule.
1926 Game Reports
 
SASKATOON ROTARY SENIOR LEAGUE
Catholic Athletic Club,  Grace, Hilltops,  Wesley Leaders, Wesley Macs
 
SASKATOON COMMERCIAL LEAGUE
Automotive Supply House, Broadway Merchants,  Dominion Express, Dominion Motors – Ashdown’s, Sutherland, Wholesale Grocers
 
SASKATOON CHURCH LEAGUE
Catholic Athletic Club, Grace-Westminster, Junior Macs, St. Paul’s, Third Avenue, Wesley Macs
       
REGINA NORTHSIDE LEAGUE 
Champs, C.P.R., Darke's Hardware
 
REGINA EAST SIDE LEAGUE
Maple Leafs, St. Mary’s
 
REGINA JUNIOR LEAGUE
Argos, Campion College, Caps, Cubs, Falcons, Pirates, Red Sox,  Shamrocks
 
PRINCE ALBERT & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Birch Hills,Davis, Henribourg, Prince Albert Cubs, Prince Albert Elks
 
MOOSE JAW CITY LEAGUE 
Kiwanis Club, Moose Jaw Club, St. Joseph's
 
PRINCE ALBERT & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Birch Hills, Cubs, Davis, Elks, Henribourg
       
SWIFT CURRENT CITY LEAGUE
Briggs Grocery, Canadian Legion, Elks
 
WEYBURN CITY LEAGUE
Bankers, Collegiate, Ford Dodgers, McKinnon’s,Wholesalers 
 
GARRY LEAGUE
Cherryfield, Melville,Runneberg, Willowbrook, Yorkton
 
EASTERN KIRKELLA & MAINLINE LEAGUE
McAuley MB, Moosomin, Rocanville, Welwyn
 
NORTH LINE LEAGUE 
Brownlee, Eyebrow, Keeler, Marquis
       
LONG LAKE LEAGUE
Aylesbury, Craik, Liberty, Penzance
       
DUNNING LEAGUE
Assiniboia, Congress, Mossbank, Vantage
1926 Saskatchewan Photo Gallery   
1926 Saskatchewan Snapshots      
1926 Regina Balmorals
       
ALBERTA
EDMONTON INDEPENDENT SEMI-PRO LEAGUE

Centrals, Elks, Selkirks
 
EDMONTON SENIOR AMATEUR LEAGUE
Bruins, The Independents, North Edmonton Bulls, Yeomen
 
EDMONTON MERCANTILE LEAGUE
Journal, Marshall-Wells, Ramsey’s, Swifts
 
EDMONTON COMMUNITY LEAGUE
Eastwood, Garneau, Riverdale, Ross Flats
 
CALGARY SENIOR AMATEUR CITY LEAGUE  
Athletics, Hustlers, White Sox
 
CALGARY INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE
East Calgary, Hustlers, Maclin’s
 
CENTRAL ALBERTA LEAGUE
Bentley, Blackfalds, Clive, Innisfail, Ponoka, Red Deer
 
SOUTHERN ALBERTA LEAGUE
Cardston, Lethbridge Miners, Magrath Tigers, New Dayton, Raymond Rustlers, Spring Coulee
 
ALBERTA SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Blackie Giants, Champion, High River, Nanton, Red Cross, Stavely 
 
ROSEBUD LEAGUE
Airdrie, Carstairs, Crossfield, Didsbury, Innisfail, Olds
 
WHEAT BELT LEAGUE
Barons Millionaires, Carmangay, Claresholm, Coalhurst
 
CROW’S NEST PASS LEAGUE
Blairmore, Coleman, Hillcrest, Michel
 
MEDICINE HAT INDUSTRIAL LEAGUE
Clay Products, C.P.R.
 
BOW RIVER LEAGUE
Arrowhead, Gleichen, Meadowbrook, Milo, Queenstown 
 
BUFFALO LEAGUE
Alix, Botha, Erskine, Red Willow, Stettler 
 
BIG FOUR LEAGUE
Radway Centre, Smoky Lake, Sprucefield, Waskateneau
 
K.I.B.A. LEAGUE
Acme, Beiseker, Irricana, Keoma
 
CENTRAL EASTERN ALBERTA LEAGUE
Consort, Coronation
 
U.F.A. LEAGUE
Bear’s Hill, Cherry Grove, Duhamel, Gwynne, Malmo
 
PINCHER CREEK & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Beauvais, Dutch Flats, Fishburn, Pincher Creek, Spring Ridge
 
TAMARACK LEAGUE
Andrew, Shandro, Zawale
 
FORT SASKATCHEWAN & DISTRICT LEAGUE
Fort Saskatchewan, Gibbons, Namao, Partridge Hills
 
BATTLE RIVER LEAGUE
Amisk, Czar, Eastervale, Hughenden
1926 Alberta Photo Gallery   
1926 Alberta Snapshots      
1926 Alberta Game Reports      
1926 Edmonton Elks   
       
MANITOBA
WINNIPEG WESLEY SENIOR LEAGUE

Arenas, Columbus Club, Elks, Norwood, Tammany Tigers
 
BRANDON CITY LEAGUE 
Maroons, Nationals *, Shamrocks
* Champions
 
WESTERN MANITOBA LEAGUE
Hamiota, Oak Lake, Virden :
 
RED RIVER VALLEY LEAGUE
Emerson, Letellier
 
EASTERN MANITOBA LEAGUE
Bird’s Hill, Tyndale, Whitemouth
 
SOUTH CENTRAL LEAGUE
Carman, Elk Creek ,Morden, Roland
 
NORTH CYPRESS LEAGUE
Carberry, Gregg, Harte, Pleasant Point , Summerville, Wellwood
 
C.N.R. LEAGUE
Miami, Rosebank
 
WINNIPEG INTERMEDIATE LEAGUE
Columbus Club, Norwood , Pilgrims, St. Vital, Transcona, West End
 
WINNIPEG JUNIOR LEAGUE
Columbus Club, Elmwood Giants, Grain Exchange,Tammany Tigers, West End
1926 Photo Gallery       
1926 Snapshots       
1926 Game Reports      
1926 Winnipeg Arenas   
       
BRITISH COLUMBIA
VANCOUVER SENIOR LEAGUE

Collingwood, Elks, Young Conservatives, Young Liberals
       
VANCOUVER TERMINAL LEAGUE
Asahi, Ex King George, Hanbury, Mount Pleasant
       
VANCOUVER COMMERCIAL LEAGUE
Firemen, Hudson’s Bay, Spencers, Standard, Woodwards
 
NEW WESTMINSTER DISTRICT LEAGUE
Chrysler, Fraser Mills, Royals, White Rock
       
VICTORIA COMMERCIAL LEAGUE 
C. P. R., Priors, Sidney*, Spencers, Tillicums *1926 Commercial League champions
       
DELTA LEAGUE 
Abbotsford, Ladner, Langley, White Rock
       
BC MAINLINE LEAGUE
Enderby, Kamloops, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm
       
CENTRAL OKANAGAN LEAGUE
Kelowna, Oyama, Rutland, Winfield
 
BOUNDARY INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Curlew WA, Grand Forks, Malo WA, Midway, Republic WA
 
WEST KOOTENAY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Nelson, Rossland Miners, Trail
 
GRAND FORKS CITY LEAGUE
Cubs, High School, I.O.O.F , Knights of Pythias
       
POWELL RIVER LEAGUE
Caledonians, Elks, Italian, Knights of Pythias, Native Sons, Patricias
1926 Vancouver Game Reports     
1926 VCR Island Game Reports     
1926 BC Interior Game Reports     
1926 BC Photo Gallery    
1926 BC Snapshots       
1926 Rossland Miners    
1926 Trail, BC        
1926 Nanaimo Tar Flats    
1926 Vancouver Asahi   
1926 Squamish Indians     
       
ONTARIO
INTERCOUNTY LEAGUE
Brantford, Galt Terriers. Guelph Maple Leafs, Kitchener Panthers, London Braves, Preston Riversides, St. Thomas Tom Cats, Stratford Bards
1926 Ontario Phoro Gallery    
 
MARITIME BASEBALL               
1926 Maritime Game Reports   
 
 

 

Whether league ball or exhibitions or tournaments, semi-pro or amateur, baseball was quite a hit on the prairies and the west coast in 1926. (Even with the typo in the headline.)

Crowd headline

Wesley League

More than 80 leagues were in operation and over 500 teams suited up during the summer of '26.

Oh, there were the big circuits - Winnipeg Wesley League, Saskatoon City League, Regina Northside, Vancouver's Senior League, Terminal League and Twilight League, the Edmonton Semi-Pro League, Edmonton Senior Amateur League and the Calgary Senior League.

But, hen there were the Gumbo Twilight League, Long Lake League, Saskatoon Church League, Howe Sound League, Red River League, Pincher Creek League and more than a few that, at least in the papers, had no name.

The teams came from Acme to Zawale. In between fans had a chance to root for Birdview or Broadview, Carrot Creek, Champion, Climax, Czar, Elbow or Eyebrow, Duchess, Enchant or Expanse, Forget, Hustlers or Rustlers, Leader or Liberty, Mozart, Maroons, Pirates or Penzance, Red Cross, Red Sox, Red Deer or Red Willow, Sceptre, Viking or Vulcan and many, many more.

Dodger Lewis 1926Exhibition and tournament ball highlighted parts of the prairie summer.

The Regina Balmorals, with star acquisition Dodger Lewis, took on all comers, including a team with female players, the whiskered ones from Benton Harbor -- the House of David, Hap Felsch's nine from Scobey, Swede Risberg's Plentywood squad, the Oslers from Toronto, Climax, Shaunavon, Havre, Virden, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Vulcan, Moose Jaw and more. They played more than 60 games.  >>> more

After the Regina Balmorals headed west for an extended road swing through Alberta to complete their semi-pro obligations for the 1926 season, the amateur Northside Senior League in Regina came into greater prominence within the Capital City. Having its most competitive season ever, all three teams in the circuit finished with identical records and a .500 winning percentage. In the round-robin playoff format that followed, the Darke's Hardware team emerged as the city representative in the provincial playoffs.

In the Hub City, on the other hand, the Saskatoon Elks waltzed to a comparatively easy city title, registering comfortable leads in both halves of the schedule. The Elks' management had spent considerable time and effort during the off-season recruiting new blood and the additions proved invaluable to the fortunes of the club in 1926.

Bunny Clouston of the Saskatoon Elks captured the City League batting crown with an impressive .413 average. Ted Graham of the North Stars was just a point back at .412 but was deemed not to have played enough to qualify. >>> more


     Bleachers 25 cents, grandstand 40 cents for the new semi-pro action at Diamond Park in Edmonton (but up to 50 cents for opening day).

    Edmonton Semi-Pro ball

In Alberta, the new ball season featured the formation of a three-team semi-professional league in Edmonton to compete with the senior amateur loop in the capital city.

Calgary also had a strong amateur league and Alberta also featured the Southern Alberta League and the Alberta Southern League.

Pitcher Cliff Osterland of Red Deer had one of those head-shakers. Fired a one-hitter and lost (on errors) 2-1. 

Leroy GoldsworthyYoung Leroy Goldsworthy (right), just 19 but in his fourth year of senior ball, had a summer to forget - three wins, nine loses and a tie.

He would go on to play pro baseball and have a long career in the National Hockey League.

What a start to the Alberta Rosebud League season. Thompson of Innisfail fired a no-hitter in the opening game.

Bill WalkerAfter a 9-4 season, including a no-hitter, for Calgary White Sox in 1925, Wilfred "Bill" Walker (left) could hope for something as good going into the new campaign. 

How about 11-0, two ties. While he tossed a one-hitter in his second start of the year, the right-hander saved the best for nearly last. In late August in an exhibition game against the powerful Regina Balmorals, Walker had a no-hitter into the 8th inning, finishing with a two-hit effort in a 0-0 tie.

Walker, who seemed to make a point of not living up to his name, fanned 115 and walked just 14 in the 13 starts for which we could find statistics.

Roy HamamuraOn the coast, Vancouver and Victoria dominated baseball play but baseball fans from the Okanagan to the Kootenays cheered on their hometown teams.

Roy Yamamura (right) of the legendary Vancouver Asahi, was in the top five in batting in the Terminal League and led the circuit in hits, runs and stolen bases.

Charlie MironSwatsmith Charlie Miron (left) of the Young Liberals of the Vancouver Senior League added to his laurels capturing the 1926 batting crown with a .375 average. Miron hit ..462 to take the title in 1921, then .400 to win in 1924 and finished second last year.

In the opening game of a playoff series, Hal Puder of the Young Liberals fired a no-hitter to beat the Asahi 7-0. Puder pitched a 3-hit shutout in the third game of the set.

Puder no-hitter

But, the Rossland Miners from the BC Interior upset the Vancouver Young Liberals for the provincial senior championship.


Asahi steals

The Asahi, who went from being outsiders to being a novelty to fan favourites (and 1926 champions) took most of the medals awarded following the 1926 Terminal League season.

Pat Worley of the Mount Pleasants was chosen as the Best All Around Player.

Percy Choate of the Ex-King George nine was the Most Valuable Player and teammate Glen Hope won the batting championship.

Then, Reg Yasui of the Asahi was chosen as Best Catcher, Ty Suga as Best Pitcher, Roy Yamamura as Best Infielder, Tom Miyata as Best Outfielder and Sally Nakamura belted the most home runs.


Regina merchants offered prizes in connection with Balmorals' home games, no lump of coal here, but a TON.

MVP - overcoat by Ware's

Top hitter - silk pyjamas by "Mac and Mac"

Best fielding average - suit case, Wood Hardware

Each player with a steal of home - meal ticket, Balmoral Cafe

First homer of the season - season pass, Capitol Theatre

Most homers - Stetson hat, R.H. Williams

Most stolen bases - ton of coal, City Coal Company

Most extra base hits - silk shirt, Warren and Wilkins

First perfect day at bat - box of cigars, Royal Billiards