Calgary Bronchos, 1920 Champions
Joe Devine's Calgary Bronchos beat Regina in a best-of-nine playoff series to capture the 1920 title in the Western Canada League. Calgary had won the second half pennant after finishing second, behind Regina, in the first half standings.
Nelson "Chicken" Hawks (left) of the Calgary Bronchos captured the batting title with a .358 mark. He topped the circuit in hits, with 161, total bases, 226, and in stolen bases, having swiped 40.
Winnipeg shortstop and manager Jack Sheehan was the runner-up at .354 and finished behind Hawks in steals, with 24..
Walter Christensen (right, carrying the nicknames "Cuckoo" and "Seacap") of Calgary was third in the batting race at .345.
Charles Sweeney (left) - later known as Swaney - led the loop in wins, with 19.
Swaney continued to pitch until 1947! He kicked around the minor leagues for a dozen seasons before hooking up with the barnstorming House of David for whom he toiled as a comic and premier hurler for 16 seasons. He was 58 when he called it quits. Al Zweifel of Regina had the best winning percentage with a 14-3 record.
At least seventeen players went on to collect major league pay cheques. Calgary had five of them -- Elwood "Kettle" Wirts, Frank "Stubby" Mack, Milt Steengafe (below right, Walter Christensen and Nelson "Chicken" Hawks.
 Stubby Mack |
 Kettle Wirts |
 Milt Steengafe |
 "Ollie" Fuhrman |
 Ernest Vache |
 Marvin "Red" Smith |
 Jack Sheehan |
 Oscar Ski Melillo |
 Tony Kaufmann |
 Nick Dumovich |
 Elmer Leifer |
 Monroe Swartz |
In addition, the Bronchos had a pair of former big leaguers -- Pat Kilhullen (right) and Carl Manda.
There were four members of the Regina squad to advance - Alfred Ollie Furhman, Ernest "Tex" Vache, Marvin "Red" Smith and Ralph Miller, in his second year in the WCBL. Bert Whaling and Herman Pillette had already seen big league action.
Winnipeg Maroons graduated a quartet - Jack Sheehan, Oscar Melillo, Tony Kaufmann and Rudy Lutzke. Sheehan saw action in 1920, including some at bats in the World Series. Pitcher Lafayette Henion had one appearance late in the 1919 season.
Others to make major league rosters were Nick Dumovich and Arthur Hauger of Edmonton and Denny Williams, Elmer Leifer and Monroe Swartz of Moose Jaw. Pete Standridge of Edmonton had pitched for the Cardinals and Cubs.
Lefty Gervais of the Maroons had a long history in Canada having played with Vancouver of the Northwestern League in 1911 and 1912 and with Winnipeg when the city was in the Northern League in 1915 and 1916. Mickey Keliher of Winnipeg had played a handful of games in the big leagues in 1911 and 1912.
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| Carl Manda | Bert Whaling | Herman Pillette | Mickey Keliher | Lefty Gervais | Art Hauger |
Prairie Amateur Baseball
Northern Saskatchewan playoffs
(September 6) In a hard-fought playoff doubleheader in Prince Albert, the Saskatoon senior amateur team took both ends of the twin-bill from the homesters, triumphing 2 to 1 in the opener and completing the sweep with a 4 to 2 victory in the late game. Winning pitcher Frank Lyle of the Saskatonians limited the hosts to four hits and fanned an equal number in earning the complete game matinee victory. First baseman Campbell had three hits for the invaders.
Lyle (W) and Taylor
Lee (L) and McNeil
Merrill Falby held Prince Albert to two hits in the finale with both base blows being registered by second baseman Allen. The keystone sacker drove in the Shamrocks’ first counter in the third and scored their last tally in the eighth after doubling. All four of Saskatoon’s runs were plated in the second frame on two base hits and three errors. Hub City shortstop Smith led the winner’s offensive production with two hits.
Falby (W) and Taylor
Thompson (L), Lee and McNeil
(September 7) Behind the splendid hurling of Atcheson who tossed a one-hitter, the Saskatoon senior amateurs defeated the Prince Albert Shamrocks 2 to 1 to complete a sweep of their northern Saskatchewan playoff series. The game was a pitcher’s battle with none of the runs being earned. The Hub City crew were only able to muster three safe blows off the slants of losing twirler Cummings. Second baseman Abe Schraeder’s double in the seventh drove in the winning marker for Saskatoon.
Atcheson (W) and Taylor
Cummings (L) and McNeil
Moose Jaw Commercial League final series
(September 11) Coming from behind, the Shaw Candy Boys scored an 8 to 7 victory over the Press in the free-swinging opener of the best-of-three series. Neither pitcher was at his best as the two clubs accumulated 26 base hits with the victors accounting for 14 of them. Second baseman Furchner led the winners at the dish with a double and a pair of one-baggers. Losing twirler Gibson drilled a triple to go along with a brace of singles.
Gallant (W) and Armstrong
Gibson (L) and R. Johnson
(September 14) The Press drew even with Shaw’s in the Commercial League finals when they bombarded losing chucker George Haigh for 15 base blows in romping to a 9 to 4 triumph. Winning tosser Jim MacDonald struck out nine, walked an equal number and limited the Candy Makers to three hits in taking the complete game victory. First sacker Joe Upex was tops with the willow for the winners as he blasted a home run and a double.
MacDonald (W) and R. Johnson
Haigh (L) and Armstrong
(September 16) Behind the one-hit pitching of big Jim MacDonald, the Press captured the 1920 Moose Jaw Commercial League championship with a 4 to 1 win over the Shaw’s Candy Factory team. Losing pitcher George Haigh also had a stellar game on the hillock, surrendering just four hits. MacDonald whiffed eleven while Haigh fanned seven. Shortstop Gibson of the Press nine was the only batter to register two hits, coming through with a double and a single.
Haigh (L) and Armstrong
MacDonald (W) and R. Johnson