Saskatoon Senior Baseball
The same two teams, the Bohemians and Northern Distributors, which were member clubs in the 1933 Saskatoon Amateur Baseball League, again fielded squads for the 1934 season. There was no league, however, so the tandem of Hub City aggregations played exhibition games only, several against each other, as well as facing district nines from within the area. When it came to playing against the touring teams, they combined forces and used select players in order to make themselves more competitive.
NORTHERN S.A.B.A. PLAYOFFS
NORTHERN SEMI-FINALS
The original bracketing for the northern S.A.B.A. semi-finals had the Pr nice Albert Nationals, bolstered by several players from the other two teams in their league, taking on the Saskatoon All-Stars, a group of select players from the Bohemians and Northern Distributors. At the eleventh hour, however, Prince Albert pulled out, citing player sickness and injuries. That gave Saskatoon a bye into the final series to face the winner of the Neilburg – Battleford best-of-five showdown.
(August ) The Neilburg All-Stars captured the first two games of their northern S.A.B.A. best-of-five semi-final series from the home standing Battleford baseball club.
xxx (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(August 6) In dividing their twin-bill with the visiting Battleford team, the Neilburg All-Stars advanced to the northern S.A.B.A. finals. An 8 to 5 victory in the evening fixture clinched the series after the Stars had dropped the opener 3 to 2 in a closely contested skirmish. Facing elimination, the Battleford boys rallied from a 2 to 0 deficit to pull the matinee match out of the fire by scoring a pair in the seventh and plating the winner in the eighth. Neilburg out hit the visitors 11 to 6 but didn’t take advantage of their scoring opportunities, stranding 11 base runners. Tom Besse and Pete Prediger both had three hits for Neilburg with one of Besse’s blows being a double. Outfielder Wright of the All-Stars drilled a bases-empty home run for half of Neilburg’s scoring production.
Brown (W) and Carrier
Eisler (L) and Besse
The All-Stars responded admirably in the late affair to wrap up the series behind complete game mound winner Al Flohr who tossed a five-hitter. Battleford took advantage of Neilburg’s wobbly defense in the fifth frame in roaring back from a 5 to 0 deficit to tie the game but the Stars quickly countered by plating three times in their half of the inning to pull away. Shortstop Pete Hawryluk had an outstanding game offensively for the winners, slamming a pair of triples plus a two-bagger.
Larkins (L), Osborne (8) and Carrier
Flohr (W) and Besse
NORTHERN FINALS
(August 12) The Saskatoon All-Stars travelled to Neilburg and defeated the homesters 6 to 4 in the first game of the best-of-five northern Saskatchewan senior amateur baseball finals. The second game of a scheduled doubleheader was not begun as the diamond became unplayable during a steady drizzle. Cooney Wood, pitching for the Saskatonians, limited the home team to seven hits and struck out 17 in registering the hill triumph. His mound opponent, Al Flohr, allowed ten hits and fanned seven Hub City swingers.
Wood (W) and xxx
Flohr (L) and xxx
(August 15) Neilburg went into the lead in the northern S.A.B.A. finals when they made a clean sweep of their two-game stand with the Saskatoon All-Stars at Cairns Field. The scores were 2 to 1 and 7 to 4. Credit for the Neilburg victory in the afternoon 2 – 1 game went to chucker “Slim” Taylor who limited the Bridge City boys to six well-scattered hits and retired nine batters on strikeouts. Scoring their only counter in the bottom of the ninth, Saskatoon fell one run short of tying up the contest. Ray Watkins, the potential tying run, was dead on arrival at home plate after he unsuccessfully attempted to score on Cooney Wood’s double. Pete Hawryluk, with a run-producing triple and a single was the top hitter for the victors.
Taylor (W) and Besse
Corbin (L), Klinck (4) and Morban
The owl encounter was an eight-inning affair, called early on account of darkness. Trailing 4 to 3, Neilburg forged ahead with a trio of seventh-inning tallies and then cemented the decision with another counter in the eighth. Winning tosser Al Flohr did a great job in providing 6 2/3 innings of solid relief work, striking out 10 Saskatonians. Neilburg outfielder Theo “Red” Oaks paced the winners offensively, drilling four singles in four attempts.
Eisler, Flohr (W) (2) and Besse
Jones (L) and Morban
(August 16) Cooney Wood did the iron man act and the Saskatoon All-Stars captured the northern Saskatchewan senior amateur baseball championship by defeating Neilburg twice to take the five-game series three games to two. The scores were 6 to 1 and 9 to 0. The veteran southpaw was in rare form on the mound and had the Neilburg batters at his mercy in both contests. In the afternoon game, Wood limited the visitors to six hits while whiffing eleven. Neilburg’s first-inning one run lead in the opener was the only time in both contests in which Saskatoon fell behind. The winners pounded loser Joe Eisler and reliever “Slim” Taylor for 12 base blows in tying up the series. Johnny Stouse with a brace of doubles and a single led the way offensively.
Wood (W) and Morban
Eisler (L), Taylor (4) and Bessie
With his mates clicking offensively, Wood cruised to the second-game shutout win, yielding five hits, walking none while fanning six. “Hobb” Wilson’s timely double in the second inning with two runners on the paths started the All-Stars on their way to victory. Garnet Parsons led the Hub City hitters with three base knocks, including a double.
Flohr (L) and Bessie
Wood (W) and Morban
Prince Albert & District Baseball League
Final standings P W L T Pct.
Birch Hills 12 7 4 1 .636
Nationals 15 7 5 3 .583
Legion 12 3 7 2 .300
League semi-final playoffs
(July 26) The Legion opened up with a volley of hits in the first inning to take a five run lead but the C.N.R. bats replied vigorously, finally topping the Vets and winning the first game of the Prince Albert & District semi-finals by a score of 8 to 6. Not panicking, the Nationals chipped away at the deficit they were facing and, after four innings, were able to knot the count at 6 – 6. Adept base thievery, aided by off-target defensive throws, boosted the Nationals into a two-run lead in the fifth, a lead which they then maintained. Al Hickman came on as a second-inning fireman to douse the Legion flames and gain credit for the come-from-behind victory. First sacker Bob McQuarrie led the Railroaders at the dish, stroking three singles. Outfielder Cruze topped the Legionnaires from the batter’s box, drilling a brace of doubles.
B. Coombs (L) and W. Coombs
Casper, Hickman (W) (2) and Rogers, Knipfel (2)
(August 6) Trailing 4 to 0 in the fourth inning, the Nationals erupted for six runs and eventually went on to defeat the Legion 6 to 5 in the second game of the best-of-three Prince Albert semi-finals. With the win, the C.N.R. squad now advances to meet Birch Hills for the league title while the Vets are eliminated. Winning pitcher Al Hickman hit a bases-loaded single to plate the first two tallies for the Railway crew. A botched throw on a fielder’s choice attempt then allowed a third run to scamper home. Following a pitching change, the tying counter scored on a pair of passed balls. A base-on-balls plus three scratch infield hits brought home two more runs and the Nationals had the lead for good. Leading the way with the stick for the winners was third baseman Gib Hutchinson who had a double and single.
Hickman (W) and Rogers
B. Coombs (L), Mosher (4) and Mosher, W. Coombs (4)
Finals
(August 15) In the first game of a scheduled best-of-three final series, The Canadian National Railroaders edged past the pennant-winning Birch Hills aggregation 3 to 2. With the score tied 1 – 1 as the Nationals came to bat in the fifth frame, Bob McQuarrie singled to drive in a go-ahead marker and later scored the needed insurance run on “Dusty” Rowed’s double. Earl Knipfel, the stocky Nationals’ receiver, had two singles for the winners and was the only swatter on either club to crack more than one bingle.
Terris, Hickman (W) (4) and Knipfel
P. Adams (L) and B. Lunan
The final series never got beyond the first game as the majority of the Birch Hills nine found themselves pitching sheaves out in the harvest fields and, in the midst of the depression years, baseball had to take a back seat.
Northeastern Saskatchewan Baseball League
Eastern Division Western Division
Hyas Buchanan
Kamsack Canora*
Norquay Preeceville
Pelly Sturgis
Stenen*
Yorkton
* Pennant winner
On August 7 1934, the four playoff teams gathered in Canora for a single-knockout playoff tournament.
Semi-final playoff games
(August 7) Stenen eliminated Pelly in the first game by a score of 4 to 1. Cliff Bailey limited Pelly to three scattered hits in earning the mound win. Losing chucker Bill Vogeli was touched for just four Stenen hits but his mates failed to provide adequate defensive play and booted the ball seven times while Stenen played errorless ball.
B. Vogeli (L) and L. Vogeli
Bailey (W) and Stevenson
(August 7) Canora downed Buchanan 3 to 0 in the second game of the playoff tournament. Canora got on the scoreboard in the first frame when playing-manager Bill Porter hit a run-scoring double. Canora’s two other runs were plated in the sixth on a solo home run by Skyworth followed by Porter’s single who was then driven home on Lowe’s two-bagger. Winning pitcher Robillard held Buchanan to just one hit while fanning ten in earning the shutout.
Graham (L) and xxx
Robillard (W) and xxx
Playoff final
(August 7) Stenen was successful in retaining the championship of the NESBL by turning back Canora 4 to 2 in a thrilling final game. Canora took an early lead in the second inning on Hart’s run-producing two-bagger. Again, in the fourth, Canora plated a counter. Bill Porter singled to push home Skyworth who had reached second on an infield overthrow to first. Stenen knotted the count in their half of the fourth after a barrage of base hits. Single tallies in the sixth and seventh frames by Stenen concluded the scoring. Cliff Bailey tossed his second complete game victory for Stenen, giving up but five base knocks while striking out 16 Canora batters.
xxx (L) and xxx
Bailey (W) and Stevenson
Weyburn Commercial League
Final standings W L GBL
Millionaires 9 1 ----
Millers* 6 4 3
C.N.R. 5 5 4
Mental Hospital 5 5 4
C.P.R. 3 7 6
Plumbers 2 8 7
* playoff winners (second year in succession)