(May 14) In the opening game of the 1939 exhibition season at Wilcox, the Northgate Yankees shutout the Notre Dame Hounds 4 to 0 before 1,000 fans.
(May 24) The Regina Army & Navy baseballers of the Southern League opened the pre-season exhibition swing with a win and a tie against the visiting Wilcox Cardinals at Park de Young. In the afternoon contest, the Reginans nosed out the Cards 3 to 2 and the score of the night game was deadlocked at 2 - 2 when rain halted proceedings after six innings.
(May 24) The Northgate Yankees took away top prize at Notre Dame's Victoria Day baseball tournament by edging the Collegians 7 to 6 in the tourney final.
(May 24) The host Prince Albert nine downed Saskatoon 7-4 in the final of the holiday baseball tournament. Prince Albert took home first prize money of $100. Lions captured $50 and Bruno received $25 for its third place showing.
Bill Sampson went the route for the win. He allowed nine hits. Reinie Kimbel took the loss.
Sampson (W) and xxx
Kimbel (L), Vogeli (5) and xxx
Lions reached the final with a 13-4 win over Birch Hills. Bill Vogeli registered the pitching win. Lions broke open the contest with six runs in the 5th and another four in the 8th.
Vogeli (W) and xxx
xxx and xxx
Prince Albert topped Bruno 10-2 as Lefty Logue tossed s six-hitter.
Logue (W) and xxx
Fast (L), Meyer (6) and xxx
Bruno whipped Fairy Glen 12-5 in the tourney's opening game. "Kinky" Dehmke was credited with the win.
Dehmke (W), Al Meyer (5) and xxx
xxx and xxx
(June 3) Moose Jaw Canucks, Southern League leaders, absorbed an exhibition game defeat, their first of the season, when the Wilcox Cardinals came to town and walked away with a 6 to 2 win.
1939 Melville tournament
(June 3) The Liberty Eagles were the winners of the 1939 Melville invitational baseball tournament, hanging a convincing 8 to 1 defeat on the Northgate Yankees in the final game. The Eagles had previously edged past the hosting Melville nine 4 to 3 in the tournament opener while the North Dakotans had eliminated the Weyburn Beavers 5 to 4 in a thrilling encounter.
Five first-inning hits propelled Liberty into a 4 to 0 lead before the Yankees even had an opportunity to bat in the final. One-baggers by Bill Roney and Denny Evenson preceded run-scoring singles off the bats of “Red” Haley, Willie Rowe and Rudy Brucker. Northgate was never able to recover from this early Liberty outburst.
xxx (W) and Brucker
xxx (L) and xxx
Melville held a surprising 3 to 1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth frame of the tournament opener. A base on balls, a single by Denny Evenson and a double by “Red” Haley brought home Liberty’s second run of the game and narrowed the Melville margin to one. Following an infield out initiated by shortstop Murray Armstrong of the hosts, he then booted the second consecutive ground ball hit to him which allowed Evenson and Haley to cross the plate with the tying and lead runs, the last of which proved to be the winner.
Emery (L) and Plaxin
Johnson (W) and Brucker
Northgate led most of the way in the second game of the tournament. A last-inning rally by the Beavers just fell short as the Yankees hung on for the win. P. Lee led the winners offensively with a double and single while Les Wilder was Weyburn’s top batter with a two-bagger and a single, both of which drove in runs.
Costello (W) and K. Lee
Hogg (L) and Kawuza
(June 9) The Wilcox Cardinals handed the Moose Jaw Canucks a 6 to 3 defeat in an exhibition game played in Wilcox. This was the second time in a week that the Redbirds have knocked off the Southern League leaders.
(June 21) In a game cut short by rain, the Satchel Paige Negro All-Stars fought to a 1-1 tie with the Israelite House of David at Regina's Park de Young. John Donaldson had two of the All-Stars' three hits and scored their lone marker in the first inning on Young's double. In the 5th, Egnatic singled for the Davids, stole second and came around to score on a wild throw to second. Jack Matchett tossed a three-hitter for the All-Stars and Susee matched the effort for the Davids.
Susse and Miner
Matchett and Hardin
(June 22) Satchel Paige and his All-Stars blanked the House of David 2-0 at Cairns Field, Saskatoon as Paige and Johnny Marcum combined to hurl a three-hitter. Paige gave up just one hit in his three innings of work. Doc Tally allowed nine hits in taking the loss. The All-Stars got the only run they needed in the first inning as John Donaldson singled and came around to score on a sacrifice, fielder's choice and error.
Paige, Marcum (4) and Hardin
Talley (L) and Miner
(June 23) Lefty Bass held the Satchel Paige All-Stars to just four hits in leading the House of David to a 5-0 victory at Regina. After Paige held the Davids hitless for the first three innings, the Davids collected ten hits off relievers Jack Matchett and Bond. Davids thrilled the fans at the start of the 6th inning with their famous pepper play featuring George Anderson, Doc Tally and John Tucker.
Bass (W) and Miner
Paige, Matchett (4), Bond (7) and Hardin
(June 23) The Moose Jaw Canucks and Wilcox Cardinals fought to a 6 - 6 draw in a seven-inning exhibition game. The Cards made a major comeback, in this tussle, scoring all their runs in their last two times at bat, overcoming a 6 to 0 deficit.
DEWDNEY TRIANGLE LEAGUE DOMINION DAY TOURNAMENT
(July 1) Hammond Maple Leafs captured the Dominion Day Tournament and the $50 top prize in action at the Mission Agricultural Grounds. Leafs started the day downing Coquitlam 5-4 and followed with an 8-6 win over Mission. In their third fracas of the day, Hammond squeezed by Haney 3-2. In the final, early errors by the Maple Leafs gave Moody the lead but Akira Kusano took over mound duties in the third inning and allowed just two hits the rest of the way as the Hammond offense kicked into high gear to win 13-6.
(July 19) The Weyburn Beavers added to their long string of victories when they took the Notre Dame Hounds into camp with a 6 to 3 exhibition triumph. Ralph Hogg fanned 14 in picking up the win.
(July 21) Thirteen strikeouts by Sam "Box Car" Elson proved insufficient in providing the Estevan Maple Leafs a victory over the Notre Dame Hounds. The two teams played to an exhibition 7 - 7 draw in the Energy Town.
(July 24-29) SASKATOON EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT
(July 24) Bruno blew a 3-0 lead and dropped a 4-3 decision to Cudworth in the opening game of the 1939 Saskatoon Exhibition Tournament. Bruno held a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 7th inning when Cudworth took advantage of errors to tie the contest. Another miscue led to the winning run in the 8th. Cudworth managed just four hits against Teddy Dahl while Lefty Fernholz won with a six-hitter.
Dahl (L) and Anderson
Fernholz (W) and Stout
Errors also played a large role in Delisle's 8-3 win over Aberdeen. Hugh Crooks, pitching for Aberdeen, surrendered just six hits but his teammates made nine errors. Doug Bentley poked a pair of three-baggers to lead the hitters. Reg French hurled a five-hitter for the win.
Crooks (L) and Bates
French (W) and Reg Bentley
Kenaston, sporting their new uniforms, started fast with three runs in the first inning and cruised to a 6-1 victory over Broderick. Wally Bamford tossed a four-hitter and fanned 12 for the pitching victory. Mike Dubyk and Falkingham each had a triple and single for the winners.
Bamford (W) and Dubyk
Brown (L) and T.Derdall
(July 25) Bapaume rallied from a 5-3 deficit to score two in the 8th and one in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate Elstow 6-5. Emil Gunther pitched well for Elstow until the latter frames when he walked five batters and threw a wild pitch to help Bapaume to the victory. Each team had ten hits. Milt Baker, who fanned 14, was the winning hurler. Gunther, who struck out 13 and walked seven, took the loss. Baker and C.Hawkins had three-baggers for Bapaume.
Gunther (L) and Evans
Baker (W) and Walker
A four-run rally in the fourth inning carried Wiseton to a 7-5 win over Rosetown. Centre fielder Sawyer clouted a home run and double to lead a 13-hit attack for the winners. Second sacker Shatilla helped with four singles. Winning pitcher Lefty Arnold, who had two hits, rang up 15 strike outs as he scattered nine hits for the mound triumph. Fred Sothmann and Alvin Piper smacked homers for Rosetown.
Douglas, H.Wiggins (5) and R.Wiggins
Arnold (W) and Kavalenko
Trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning, Liberty exploded for four runs in the 7th and six runs in the 8th to crush Viscount 11-4. A misjudged fly ball to centre field with two out in the seventh led to Viscount's downfall. Denny Evenson picked up the win in relief of starter Lefty Skarban who fanned 12 in six innings of work. Evenson was the top hitter with three hits, including a double. Losing hurler Johnny Folk went the distance giving up 9 hits and seven walks while compiling 12 strikeouts. Folk had three hits for the losers, one of them a home run. Bell also clouted a homer for Viscount.
Folk (L) and Dyck
Skarban, Evenson (W) (7) and Brucker
(July 26) The defending champion Rosthern nine advanced with a 13-7 win over Lucky Lake scoring ten runs in the last two innings of the six-inning contest.
Zerebko (W), Padavel (5) and
Jones
Black (L), Penner (5), Gower (6) and Finstead
Pete Ferrie had a shutout until the 8th inning in pitching Neilburg to a 7-1 victory over Turtleford. Ferrie scattered nine hits, three by Wagner, in going the route for the win. Ferrie and catcher Pete Prediger each had two hits for Neilburg.
Ferrie (W) and Prediger
McKenzie (L) and
Misselbrook
Cudworth and Delisle played to a 6-6, 10-inning draw. John Polischuk went the distance for Cudworth giving up six hits while Lebedoff and Conklin allowed ten.
Polischuk and Stout
Lebedoff, Conklin (7) and
Reg Bentley
(July 27) Denny Evenson fired a sparkling two-hit shutout to lead Liberty over Wiseton 6-0. Evenson fanned 12 and helped the offense scoring once and belting a double. Centre fielder Tannahill had the big blow, a home run. Liberty scored four times in the first inning and added singletons in the fourth and sixth.
Evenson (W) and Brucker
McPhail, Corringer (1) and Kavalenko
Delisle struck early with four runs in the third and another in the fifth then held off a late charge by Cudworth to post a 5-4 win in the replay of Wednesday's 6-6 tie. Archie Reynolds clouted a double and two singles and crossed the plate twice to lead the Delisle offense. Sibbald added a triple. Reg French picked up the win in relief of starter Ace Corbin.
Fernholz (L), Folk (6) and Stout
Corbin, French (W) (4) and Reg Bentley
Bapaume's Milt Baker pitched a solid game, a seven-hitter with 11 strikeouts against Kenaston but ended up on the wrong end of a 9-6 result as his teammates made ten errors, all in the infield. Bapaume had a 6-4 lead before the defense fell apart in the late going and Kenaston notched three in the seventh and two more in the 8th for the win. Stan Kowalski held Bapaume to eight hits and had 12 strikeouts in gaining the pitching victory.
Kowalski (W) and Bamford
Baker (L) and Walker
(July 28) Neilburg eliminated defending champion Rosthern 4-2 as Jimmy Rattlesnake threw a six-hitter for the win. Rattlesnake effectively used a sweeping curve and was content to let his fielders make the plays and as a result he fanned just one. Shortstop George Brent scored twice and punched out three hits to pace the winners. Pete Prediger added a double and single.
W.Fast (L), K.Dehmke (5) and Shultz, Moffat
Rattlesnake (W) and Prediger
Kenaston jumped into a 5-0 lead after two innings and held off Delisle in the 7th and 8th to register a 7-6 win. The game was called after eight innings because of darkness. Delisle produced the big hits, a homer by Owens, three-bagger by Reg Bentley and double from Roy Bentley but left the bases loaded in the 7th and had a runner thrown out at the plate in the 8th.
Lebedoff (L), Coughlin (1), Corbin (3) and Reg Bentley, Sibbald
Bamford, Ewen
(5) and Dubyk
(July 29) In the morning semi-final game, Neilburg outscored the highly-rated Liberty club 9 to 5. Liberty’s hopes of victory vanished in the first three innings as Neilburg piled up a total of nine runs. Pete Ferrie pitched the complete game victory for Neilburg. He held the Long Lake southerners scoreless until the fifth when Rooney connected for a three-run homer. Tony Zerr was the leading hitter for Neilburg, collecting three hits including a triple.
Skarban (L), Evenson (1), Skarban (4) and Brucker
Ferrie (W) and Prediger
(July 29) The heavy-hitting Neilburg All-Stars captured the 1939 Saskatoon Exhibition Week baseball tournament with an easy 18 to 5 victory over Kenaston in the seven-inning final game. The Neilburg nine blasted a total of 14 base hits including a home run by Pete Prediger, triples by Tony Zerr, Mel Ottem, George Brent and Jackson as well as two-baggers by Zerr and Jackson. George Brent left his shortstop position in the first inning to take over for struggling Jimmy Rattlesnake on the mound and turned in an outstanding effort pitching shutout ball the rest of the way for the All-Stars.
Lindsay, Kowalski (1) (L) and Dubyk
Rattlesnake, Brent (1) (W) and Prediger
INDIAN HEAD TOURNAMENT
(July 27) "South-eastern Saskatchewan's championship baseball tourney here Thursday scored high success with hundreds of fans over a wide area, breaking about even on finances to mark up an encouraging start for a baseball classic that will be developed, directors say, into the province's biggest ball meet." (Indian Head News)
Kendal, with several Weyburn players in the lineup, downed Wapella 6-0 in the final to claim the title.
A. Walters, one of the imports, fired the shutout for the winners. Harrison and Lefty Webb toiled for Wapella. Only one of the runs was earned.
Kendal had reached the final with an exciting 12-inning, 5-4 victory over Indian Head. Thompson started for the winners, giving way to Ralph Hogg in the fifth. Tony Maze, from the Calgary Buffaloes, went the full 12 innings for Indian Head.
Wapella edged Ituna 3-1 in the other semi-final.
In opening round games :
Ituna 12 Churchbridge 2
Wapella 7 Balcarres 6
Indian Head 5 Neudorf 4
Kendal 3 Melville 1
PENTICTON LABOUR DAY TOURNAMENT
(September 4) Diethers' Baseball Club of the Vancouver Senior League won top prize in the Penticton Labor Day Tournament. The coast nine topped Brewster, Washington 3-1 in their first game and then defeated the Wenatchee Eagles 8-4 in the tourney final.