Northwestern League (1905–1917)

The Northwestern League was a professional sports league in minor league baseball that operated from 1905 to 1917. It was represented by teams based in Washington, Montana, Oregon and British Columbia. The league became the Pacific Coast International League in 1918.

Northwestern League
SportBaseball
Inaugural season1905
Ceased1917
No. of teams21
CountryUnited States and Canada
ClassificationClass B

Teams

21 teams played in the league throughout its existence. Those teams include the: Aberdeen Black Cats (1905, 1917), Bellingham Gillnetters (1905), Everett Smokestackers (1905), Spokane Indians (1905-1917), Vancouver Horse Doctors (1905, 1907), Victoria Legislators (1905), Butte Miners (1906-1908, 1916-1917), Grays Harbor Lumbermen (1906), Tacoma Tigers (1906-1917), Seattle Siwashes (1907-1908), Grays Harbor Grays (1908-1909), Vancouver Beavers (1908-1911, 1914, 1916-1917), Portland Colts (1909, 1912-1914), Seattle Turks (1909), Seattle Giants (1910-1917), Portland Pippins (1911), Victoria Bees (1911-1915), Vancouver Champions (1912, 1915), Vancouver Bees (1913), Ballard Pippins (1914), a Great Falls, Montana team (1916) and Great Falls Electrics (1917).

League champions

For most of the league's history, there were no official playoffs following the regular season - in fact, 1915 was the only season in which a playoff was played. Therefore, the team that finished in first place was often the de facto league champion.

The Everett Smokestackers were the league's first champions, finishing in first place in the four team league in 1905. In 1906, the Tacoma Tigers finished in first place and in 1907 the Aberdeen Black Cats took the crown. The Vancouver Beavers finished in first place in 1908 and again in 1911 and 1914, the Seattle Turks in 1909 and the Spokane Indians in 1910. In 1912, the Seattle Giants were first, while in 1913 the Vancouver Bees finished on top.

In 1915, the league played its only official playoff, which matched the first-place Seattle Giants against the second-place Tacoma Tigers. The Giants won the playoff three games to two, though it was presumably supposed to be at least a seven-game series - however, the playoff was abandoned during game six when a dispute broke out.

The Spokane Indians finished in first place in 1916 and the Great Falls Electrics finished in first place in 1917.

Cities Represented 1905-1917

Teams and Statistics 1905-1917

1905 Northwestern League - schedule pt 1 - pt 2
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Everett Smokestackers6037.619-Billy Hulen
Bellingham Yankees4948.50511Kirby Drennen / Frederick Clarke
Vancouver Horse Doctors4552.46415John McCloskey
Victoria Legislators / Spokane Indians #4158.41420G.G. Howlett / Ed Hutchinson / Charles McIntyre]

# Victoria (14-38) moved to Spokane July 11.
The season was shortened to September 11.
Playoffs: None; the first half finished in a tie and it was decided that if Everett won the second half, the pennant would be awarded to Everett.

1906 Northwestern League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Tacoma Tigers5436.600-Mike Lynch
Butte Miners4342.5068.5Charles McIntyre
Grays Harbor Grays #4147.46612Robert Brown / Bill Hurley
Spokane Indians3750.42515.5Bill Hurley / Matthew Stanley

# Represented Aberdeen-Hoquiam, Washington.

1907 Northwestern League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Aberdeen Black Cats8551.625-Robert Brown
Tacoma Tigers9059.6041.5George Shreeder
Seattle Siwashes8365.5618Dan Dugdale
Butte Miners7073.49018.5Russ Hall
Spokane Indians6876.47221E.E. Quinn
Vancouver Horse Doctors34106.24353Parke Wilson / Butch McIntyre / James Evans
Con Strothers / William Hurley

1908 Northwestern League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Vancouver Beavers8562.578-Richard Dickson
Tacoma Tigers7466.5297.5Mike Lynch
Aberdeen Grays7369.5149.5Robert Brown
Spokane Indians7275.49013E.E. Quinn
Butte Miners6373.46316.5Russ Hall
Seattle Siwashes6587.42822.5Dan Dugdale

1909 Northwestern League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Seattle Turks10958.653-Mike Lynch
Spokane Indians10066.6028.5Robert Brown
Aberdeen Grays7881.49127Pants Rowland
Portland Colts7988.47330Perle Casey
Vancouver Beavers7096.42238.5Lou Nordyke
Tacoma Tigers64111.36649Russ Hall / Jerry Hurley / Ike Butler

1910 Northwestern League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Spokane Indians9665.596-Harry Ostdiek
Vancouver Beavers8971.5566.5Robert Brown
Tacoma Tigers7384.46521Cliff Blankenship
Seattle Giants6199.38134.5Mike Lynch / Fred Wood

1911 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Robert Lindsay / Dan Dugdale

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Vancouver Beavers10361.628-Kitty Brashear
Spokane Indians9671.5748.5Harry Ostdiek
Seattle Giants9077.53314.5Jack Tighe / Frank Raymond
Portland Pippins8477.52117.5Nick Williams
Tacoma Tigers8184.49022.5Mike Lynch
Victoria Bees41125.24763T.S. McPherson

1912 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Fielder Jones

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Seattle Giants9966.600-Jack Barry / Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians9572.5685Harry Ostdiek
Vancouver Champions9473.5636Kitty Brashear
Portland Colts7488.45723.5Nick Williams
Victoria Bees7293.43627Lou Nordyke
Tacoma Tigers62104.37337.5Mike Lynch

1913 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Fielder Jones

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Vancouver Bees9966.600-Robert Brown
Portland Colts8673.54110Nick Williams
Seattle Giants8978.53311Frank Raymond
Victoria Bees8190.47421Mike Lynch / Del Delmas
Tacoma Tigers7596.43927Joe McGinnity
Spokane Indians7097.41930Harry Ostdiek / Watt Powell / Mike Lynch

1914 Northwestern League schedule
President: Fielder Jones / E.H. Hughes

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Vancouver Beavers9656.632-Robert Brown
Seattle Giants9561.6093Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians8468.55312Mike Lynch
Victoria Bees6487.42431.5Del Delmas
Tacoma Tigers6493.40834.5Joe McGinnity / Russ Hall
Portland Colts / Ballard Pippins #5896.37739Nick Williams

#Portland (36-60) moved to Ballard July 20.

1915 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Bob Blewett

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Seattle Giants8868.564-Frank Raymond
Tacoma Tigers8672.5443Russ Hall / Joe McGinnity
Spokane Indians8174.5236.5Bob Wicker
Vancouver Champions7479.48412.5Hank Scharnweber
Aberdeen Black Cats #4662.426NACharley Stis / Pug Bennett
Victoria Bees #4161.402NAMartin Nye

# Victoria and Aberdeen withdrew with league permission, August 1.
Playoff: Seattle 3 games, Tacoma 2; abandoned when the sixth game broke up in a dispute.

1916 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Bob Blewett

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Spokane Indians7948.622-Nick Williams
Butte Miners6859.53511Joe McGinnity
Tacoma Tigers6361.50814.5Russ Hall
Great Falls Electrics6061.49616Dick Hurley / Herb Hester
Seattle Giants6072.45521.5Frank Raymond
Vancouver Beavers5079.38830Robert Brown

1917 Northwestern League - schedule
President: Bob Blewett

Team StandingsWLPCTGBManagers
Great Falls Electrics4229.592-Herb Hester
Seattle Giants4634.575.5Bill Leard / Rube Gardner
Tacoma Tigers3835.5215Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians3641.4689Nick Williams
Butte Miners3138.44910Joe McGinnity / Cliff McCarl
Vancouver Beavers3349.40214.5Robert Brown

The season was shortened to July 15 with National Association approval.

References

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