Saskatoon Senior Baseball League
With hostilities on the European front now at an end, a plethora of enlisted servicemen were now being discharged and the Inter-Active Service League of the past season in Saskatoon gave way to a revived Saskatoon Senior Baseball League. The recently formed loop got out of the gate with four teams participating.
Teams and Rosters in the 1945 Saskatoon Senior Baseball League
Cubs : Allan Ross SS/OF/P, Arnold Ross “Lefty” P, Bamford Wally C/OF, Borne OF, Brent SS, Brown Dick 3B, Dubyk Mike OF, Guenther Emil 3B/P/OF, Hamilton Ray OF/SS, Laird OF, Maroniuk John P, Mills Cal 1B, Raisbeck Tom P, Reid Spence 2B/OF, Robertson OF, Smith Wally 3B/C/P/OF/SS, Thompson Gordon OF/3B/2B, Van Impe OF
Flowerydale : Dear 1B/3B/C, Dear Jack SS, Epp Albert P/1B, Epp K. C, Gilmore Lon 2B/OF, Grummett Percy SS/1B, Sherstobitoff C, Sim D. 3B/1B/2B/SS, Voth Bill P, Waldner Andy OF/P, Waldner Joe C/1B, Waldner K. OF, Waldner M. 3B, Waldner Paul OF/3B, Waldner Robert “Bob” 3B, Waldner Sam 2B/SS/OF, Wurtz Jack OF, Wurtz Joe 1B/3B/OF/P/SS/C, Wurtz Paul P
Navy : Almas Bernie SS, Bothwell Ross SS/3B/OF, Brown SS, Burke Bill “Slim” P, Corbin Cecil “Ace” P/OF, Crone OF, Fisher OF, Gibson “Hoot” OF/SS, Giesbrecht P/OF, Hall 3B/OF, Homeniuk George 3B/OF, Hornyak “Lefty” P/OF, Johnson OF, Kaiser OF/SS, Kelsey Leo 2B, Kobussen OF, Lambert OF, Leswick Tony 3B/C/OF, Matheson SS, McLellan OF, McDonald Hed OF, Prediger Pete C, Sibulsky C/OF, Seaman Darry 3B/1B, Zeiman Joe C
Tigers : Bentley Bev OF/1B, Bentley Doug OF, Butler Dick OF, Epp P, Fast 1B, Froh OF/2B, Hamilton P, Hazel P/2B/OF, Kielbiski C, Lisoway OF, Luther SS, Morley OF, Nordin P, Polischuk/Polyschuck 2B/OF, Radun P, Ruhl Alex 1B/P, Salmon P, Scissons OF/C, Shockey P/OF, Shore Bob P, Smith P/OF, Steel OF, Thompson Jim SS/P/3B, Travis P, Vandale OF/P/C, Wallington 3B/OF, Weldon “Curly” MGR, White P, Whitney Gerry P, Wood 2B/SS
The Cubs finished as regular season pennant winners and received a bye into the league finals. Second-place Navy then went into a best-of three semi-final battle with the Tigers who finished third.
Semi-Final Series
(August 9) Gerry Whitney whiffed 12 Sailors as the Tigers sank the Navy battleship 7 to 1 in the opening Senior League semi-final playoff at Cairns Field. The Bengals ripped losing twirler “Ace” Corbin for 10 base blows while Whitney surrendered half that number. Catcher Scissons paced the Tabbies’ with the bat, drilling three singles.
Whitney (W) and Scissons
Corbin (L) and Sibulsky, Leswick
(August 11) The Navy evened up the City Senior Baseball League semi-final playoff series by defeating the Tigers 2 to 1 at Cairns Field. Winning hurler “Lefty” Hornyak held the Tigers to three scratch singles while fanning five. Gerry Whitney had another strong game on the hill in a losing cause. He limited the Swabbies to four base raps while striking out 13 batters. Navy scored both of their tallies in the third frame to overcome an early 1 – 0 deficit. Singles by Leo Kelsey and Darry Seaman produced the brace of tallies. Outfielder Morley, patrolling the centre pasture for the Bengals, had two of the three hits off Hornyak’s slants.
Hornyak (W) and Leswick
Whitney (L) and Scissons
(August 18) The seas became decidedly rough and the ship the Navy baseballers were riding finally sank with all hands aboard. The Tigers blasted the Navy right out of the Saskatoon senior baseball playoff picture, chalking up a 9 to 2 victory in the third and deciding game of the semi-final series. The win qualified the Bengals a spot in the league championship series against the pennant-winning Cubs. In only one frame, the fourth, were the Sailors able to connect with any success. They slapped out five hits to score their two counters. From the fourth on, the Tigers were in command. Winning twirler White shut the door for the rest of the match while his mates pulverized the offerings of loser “Ace” Corbin and reliever “Lefty” Hornyak. Leading hitters for the winners were Doug Bentley with a double and single and second sacker Wood who singled twice. First sacker Darry Seaman was tops with the lumber for the Navy, swatting a triple and single.
White (W) and Scissons
Corbin (L), Hornyak (4) and Leswick
League Finals
(August 20) The Cubs got away to a one-game lead in the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League best-of-five final series, defeating the Tigers by a 3 to 1 count at Cairns Field. Ross “Lefty” Arnold did the hurling for the Cubs with Nordin opposing him on the mound for the Tigers. Arnold had much the best of the hurling exchanges. He allowed the Tigers only five hits, all singles. The Cubs whacked out a total of nine safeties off Nordin’s offerings and two of these, from the bats of Spence Reid and Dick Brown, went for extra sacks. Emil Guenther and Wally Smith both singled twice for the winners. Bev Bentley had two of the Bengals’ five safeties and drove in his uncle Doug with the lone Tabby tally in the second stanza.
Nordin (L) and Scissons
Arnold (W) and Smith
(August 21) The Tigers tucked away a 1 to 0 victory over the Cubs to square their Senior Baseball League final series at one game apiece. The opposing hurlers, loser John Maroniuk of the Baby Bruins and White for the Tigers, were extremely stingy with the base hits. Maroniuk gave up but two raps, both singles. White surrendered just three base blows, one being a double by Ross Allan. Bev Bentley tallied the game’s lone run. He led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field, moved to second on a sacrifice, reached third on an infield out and raced home on a passed ball. White struck out 10 batters to Maroniuk’s six.
Maroniuk (L) and Bamford
White (W) and Scissons
(August 24) The Cubs moved out in front of their best-of-five series with the Tigers by taking the Bengals down 11 to 8 in a free-hitting game at Cairns Field. The lead see-sawed back-and-forth regularly in this contest. Starting hurlers Whitney of the Tigers and Emil Guenther of the Cubs were smacked all over the lot. Reliever Ross Allan was able to quell the Tigers’ offensive thrust, limiting them to a single run in his stint on the mound. First baseman Cal Mills had three of the Cubbies 13 base blows. For the Tigers, Doug Bentley had four hits including a homer and a double.
Whitney (L) and Kielbiski
Guenther, Allan (W) (4) and Bamford
(August 27) By taking a close 6 to 5 decision from the Cubs in game four, the Tigers forced a fifth and deciding game in the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League finals. Alex Ruhl went the distance on the hill to record the win. Cubs’ starter Wally Smith was tagged with the loss. Smith and outfielder Dick Butler of the Bengals both stroked three hits to lead their respective teams at the dish.
Smith (L), Guenther (5) and Bamford
Ruhl (W) and Scissons
(September 1) The Cubs are the champions of the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League. They won this honor by defeating the Tigers 4 to 3 in the final game of a best-of-five series played at cairns Field. The game ended prematurely after six innings were in the books because of darkness. The Tigers got away to a 3 to 0 lead in the first two frames and held the advantage right up until the sixth when the Cubbies collected three consecutive hits along with two walks and plated three runs to capture the game and the series. Ross “Lefty” Arnold picked up the mound decision for the Baby Bruins.
Epp (L), Thompson (6) and Scissons
Arnold (W) and Bamford
Moose Jaw’s fortunes in the senior amateur baseball scene of 1945 were rather bleak when compared to that of their northern counterparts. What civilian baseball players there were remaining in the Mill City tended to gravitate to softball diamonds. An attempt in early July to put together a senior team for exhibition game purposes failed to materialize as poor turnouts for practice sessions sabotaged the effort.
Not unlike the previous season, baseball diamonds in Swift Current were quiet for the most part during the summer of 1945 but sprang to life briefly with the onset of the second annual United Commercial Travellers tournament.
As the European war was ending in 1945, military personnel based in Prince Albert were being discharged and leaving the area. With three of the 1944 military franchises in the Prince Albert City Baseball League now being a thing of the past, the 1945 circuit took on more of a local and area flavor. Rejoining the loop from the previous season were the Bohemians and the Burns Vigors while two new entries, the Juniors and a district team from Shellbrook, the Aces, initially joined the fray. Shellbrook was a strong contender for the league pennant but withdrew from the league in mid-August because most of their players were involved in harvesting operations. They were hastily replaced by another rural club, a highly competitive team from Hagen, which assumed their record in league play, finished the regular schedule and went into the playoffs as the second seed.
Teams and rosters from the 1945 Prince Albert City League
Bohemians : Allen “Shorty” OF (also Burns), Boden Johnny SS/2B, Brown Jim SS/2B/OF/3B/P, Buchanan SS/OF, Carlson S. “Bo” P/SS (also Juniors), Carlson W. P/2B (also Juniors), Casey Arnold SS/C (also Juniors), Casey R. 2B (also Juniors), Chad Vic 2B, Felster OF, Herriot OF, Hunter Archie P/C/SS/2B/OF, Johnston Don OF/P (also Juniors), Leach Chester 1B, Logue Jim P/2B, Markowsky 2B/OF, McKeen Harold OF/3B, Mironuck 2B, Morash Bob OF, Morash G. “Mooch” 3B/C/OF, Newton Dave C/SS/OF, Parker 2B, Sampson Bill 2B, Shore Bob P/OF/3B, Vickers Johnny OF/P, Zwack Andy C
Burns Vigors : Allen “Shorty” OF (also Bohemians), Apps C/OF, Coombes Bill C, Crawford Jack P/3B/OF, Folstad 2B/SS, Fowlie Pete 1B (also Juniors), Halcro OF, Hinnitt OF/SS, Horb George 3B (also Juniors), Lederhouse OF/3B/SS, Menzies OF/1B, Mironuk Wilf 3B/P/OF/SS (also Juniors), Olson SS/2B, Potter D. OF/1B (also Juniors), Scott Garnet 2B/1B/3B, Scott Wes 1B/2B/C/SS, Simpson SS/OF, Stanley 3B, Trask Coral C/1B, Turner SS/3B/OF/2B
Hagen : Arnestad Arnold C/P, Arnestead Vernon 1B, Boyes Vic OF/P, Hagen Andy OF, Hagen Art 3B, Hagen Carl SS, Hagen Clarence OF, Hagen Lloyd P/OF, Hetland 2B, Hough 2B, Njaa OF, Rinholm 2B/1B
Juniors : Arnestead 3B/2B, Bergeron 2B/OF, Boettcher SS/OF, Bremner OF, Carlson S. “Bo” 1B/C/2B (also Bohemians), Carlson W. 3B/1B (also Bohemians), Casey Arnold SS/1B/C (also Bohemians), Casey R. OF/1B (also Bohemians), Cook Tom OF, Fowlie Pete 1B (also Burns), Garlick OF/3B, Harper 2B, Hill Marv C/1B/2B, Horb George P/3B/SS (also Burns), Hryciuk Bill OF/3B, Johnston Don 1B/P/C (also Bohemians), Katz OF, Kishkan Johnny C/OF, Lloyd 2B/1B, Mironuk Wilf 3B/2B (also Burns), Nunn OF, Olston 2B, Potter D. OF (also Burns), Sanderson OF, Solinger OF/C/1B, Sutherland OF, Vickers P
Shellbrook Aces : Beilhartz C, Belcher Jim P, Bittner C, Brunton Ray SS/2B, Chambers George 2B/SS, Eldstrom E. 1B, Eldstrom Vern OF, Miller 3B, Mortensen OF, Stirling George OF, Stirling R. OF, Warren OF, Wilson Doug P
Final League standings G W L Pct.
Bohemians 12 9 3 .750
Hagen/Shellbrook 12 8 4 .667
Juniors 12 4 8 .333
Burns 12 3 9 .250
Playoff pairings had the pennant-winning Bohemians facing the third-place Juniors while runner-up Hagen took on the Burns Vigors in the other semi-final matchup.
Semi-finals
(August 26) Keeping up a fast pace throughout the contest, the Burns Vigors and Hagen played to a 6 – 6 deadlock in the first game of a best-of-three semi-final. Vic Boyes, the Hagen hurler, fanned ten Burns’ batters while yielding nine safeties. Wilf Mironuk fanned seven of the Packers and surrendered seven hits. D. Potter and Wes Scott both had a pair of base knocks for the Vigors while Art Hagen had a brace for Hagen. Scott’s total included a two-bagger.
Boyes and Arnestad
Mironuk and Coombes
(August 30) The Hagen ball club went one up in the City League Baseball playoffs when they handed the Burns Vigors a 2 to 0 whitewashing at Hagen. The game was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish. Winning tosser Arnold Hagen held the Meat Packers to just four hits while fanning 13. Loser Jack Crawford gave up nine hits and struck out three before he was relieved of his mound duties in the sixth. Both Hagen runs were of the unearned variety.
Crawford (L), Mironuk (6) and Coombes
Arnold Hagen (W) and A. Arnstead
(September 2) The Hagen baseballers extended themselves to defeat the Burns Vigors 5 to 3 in an extra-inning thriller to win a playoff berth in the final series of the Prince Albert City Baseball League. The Burns Brigade held a 3 to 1 lead going into the seventh but Hagen responded with a pair to knot the count. From the sixth inning on, winning chucker Vic Boyes set the Vigors down in one-two-three fashion. In the tenth inning, the Hagenites pounded out four consecutive safeties, one a double by first baseman Rinholm, to post a tandem of tallies and take the contest.
Boyes (W) and A. Arnestad
Mironuk (L) and Coombes
(September 2) The Bohemians had no difficulty in defeating the Juniors 7 to 2 in the first match of their best-of three semi-final series. Ball tosser Bob Shore was in top form on the Boh’s mound as he held the Juniors to three base hits. The winners collected nine hits off the slants of loser George Horb. Bob Morash and Jim Brown both had two hits for the winners with one of Morash’s falling in for two bases. Third sacker Boettcher of the Juniors picked up a two-run triple and a single in a losing cause.
Horb (L) and Kishkan
Shore (W) and Newton
(September 6) The Bohemians wound up their semi-final series with the Juniors in City League play by taking a close 2 to 1 decision, thereby advancing to the final series against Hagen. Johnny Boden’s fourth-inning double drove in the winning marker. Baserunning mistakes and a lack of timely hitting cost the Juniors on several occasions. The winners were only able to connect for two hits off loser Don Johnstone but made the most of their opportunities.
Johnston (L) and Horb, Kishkan (4)
Brown, Shore (W) (3) and G. Morash
Finals
(September 16) The Bohemians grabbed the initial game of the Prince Albert City Baseball League championship series by virtue of a 7 to 4 decision over the Hagen nine. The second game of the twin bill was rained out. Trailing by a 3 to 2 count in the fifth, the Brewers posted a three spot to take the lead for good. Base hits were plentiful by both sides. In spite of being lit up for 15 safeties, Archie Hunter survived to post the complete game mound win. The Hagenites had plenty of scoring opportunities but just couldn’t cash them in. The Boh’s connected for 12 base blows off loser Lloyd Hagen and reliever Vic Boyes. “Bucky” Buchanan and Hunter both singled three times for the winners. Two of the Hagen brothers, Lloyd and Carl, each had four hits with two of Lloyd’s base knocks being doubles.
Hunter (W) and Newton
L. Hagen (L), Boyes (5) and A. Arnestad
The remainder of the series was never played as inclement weather continually forced postponement of the scheduled games during the balance of September and into October.
With discharged servicemen from Yorkton returning on a steady basis in the early summer of 1945 , senior level diamondeers from Yorkton and area did not join any league that season but did organize a team in time to participate in the Yorkton Knights of Pythias tournament played on August 1st. A total of 15 teams from Saskatchewan and Manitoba entered the one-day event in which three diamonds were used. The RCAF team from the Paulson and Gunnery School in Manitoba and the makeup group of Yorkton seniors split first prize money when their final game had to be called in the 4th inning because of darkness.