1926 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1926 BC Interior
1926 Vancouver Island
CENTRAL OKANAGAN BASEBALL LEAGUE
This four-team loop played an abbreviated schedule beginning May 12 and ending June 24. Winfield proved to be the class of the circuit, winning ten of their twelve contests, and captured the Morrison Cup.
Final Standings W L Pct.
Winfield 10 2 .833
Rutland 7 4 .636
Oyama 6 5 .545
Kelowna 0 12 .000
MAINLINE BASEBALL LEAGUE
(May 5) Pre-season exhibition action saw Kamloops defeat invading Revelstoke 3 to 1 in ten innings. The hosts used a pair of chuckers, starter Moe Brown who surrendered all eight hits gathered by the visitors during his five frames on the knoll, and Clair Dalgleish who chucked hitless ball during his five-inning stint on the hill. Elio Pradolini went the route for Revelstoke, yielding just five safeties while fanning 13. A home run by shortstop E. Donaldson in the opening inning accounted for the lone counter garnered by the Railroaders. Bert Dalgleish tied things in the seventh panel when he singled up the middle to drive in M. Chater. In the overtime session, Revelstoke failed to score but Kamloops shortstop Johnny Craig put an end to things by cranking out a two-run homer.
Pradolini (L) and Kincaid
Brown, C. Dalgleish (W) (6), and Stainton, B. Dalgleish (6)
(May 19) Defending champion Enderby officially opened the 1926 Mainline Baseball League season in Kamloops on a winning note, knocking off the hosts 7 to 4. The North Okanagan nine broke a 4 – 4 deadlock in the top of the ninth round, plating three markers as a result of two base hits and a pair of Kamloops errors. Winning pitcher Sparrow was nicked for six hits and fanned ten. He also led his team with the hickory, drilling three singles off rival chucker Moe Brown. Enderby catcher Bercy helped out with a four-ply clout that drove in two ahead of him. Bert Dalgleish and Jack Stainton had two singles apiece for the losing Thompson River Rats.
Sparrow (W) and Bercy
Brown (L) and Stainton
(May 19) In Revelstoke's home opener in the Mainline League, Salmon Arm got off to a great start notching three runs in the first inning. But, the home squad roared back to dump the visitors 12-7 as Elio Pradolini took over the mound chores and allowed no earned runs over the last four innings. The game was called after seven frames due to rain. Pradolini fanned eight in his relief effort.
A.Watkins (L) and Turner
Hooley, Pradolini (W) (3) and Kincaid
(May 24) Revelstoke downed Kamloops 8-6 Monday to take over second place in the Main Line League. The home nine pounded Kamloops starter Clair Dalgleish for 11 hits in four innings to take an 8-2 lead. The visitors made in close with three runs in the sixth. The game was called after seven to allow Kamloops to catch the west bound train. Granstrom was strong into the sixth until he loaded the bases and walked in a run and another came home on the force play. Elio Pradolini relieved and saved the day for Revelstoke. The winners allowed just four hits, but booted the ball six times.
Dalgleish (L), Brown and Stainton
Granstrom (W), Pradolini (6) and J.Kincaid
(June 2) In a contest where errors were plentiful and hitting on both sides was frequent, the Kamloops baseballers rolled over Salmon Arm 14 to 5. Both teams stung the sphere for eleven safeties but the Shuswap Lakers were guilty of nine fielding miscues, many at critical times, which led to their downfall. Winning pitcher Bob Negrean rang up an impressive 12 strikeouts. Top hickory hacker in the skirmish was Kamloops first sacker Barry “Lefty” McCall who checked in with three singles. A trio of Salmon Arm diamondeers, W. Watkins, second baseman Johnston and catcher Turner, each collected a brace of one-baggers.
C. Watkins (L) and Donnelly, Turner (4)
Negrean (W) and Stainton
(June 2) Defending champion Enderby tasted defeat for the first time this season when hosting Revelstoke took them into camp by a 7 to 5 count.
Sparrow (L) and xxx
Thacker (W), Pradolini (8) and xxx
(June 12) Salmon Arm, playing on their home turf, made a great recovery from a shaky start and went on to hammer league-leading Revelstoke 15 to 9. The victory, which was Salmon Arm’s first of the campaign, came in a contest which featured changing fortunes, hard hitting on both sides and steady hurling by winning flinger C. Watkins who was given inadequate defensive support by his mates during much of the game.
Granstrom (L), Hooley (6) and xxx
C. Watkins (W) and xxx
(June 16) Homestanding Revelstoke knocked off the invading Kamloops nine by a 9 to 2 score in a game which the vanquished nine more than held their own for the first four innings before the wheels came off.
C. Dalgleish, Negrean (L) (5) and xxx
Granstrom, Pradolini (W) (5) and xxx
(July 1) Kamloops edged Revelstoke 3 to 2 in a crisp, well-played match in which the pitching was sharp and the defensive support solid. Revelstoke picked up single counters in both the first and second innings, the opening marker coming on a solo four-bagger by shortstop E. Donaldson. The hosting Kamloops nine narrowed the score to 2 to 1 with a single tally in the eighth and then, in the bottom of the ninth, a two-out double by Kamloops’ Barry McCall allowed the homesters to get back on even terms. This was immediately followed by Danny McGinn’s sharp base rap with brought in McCall with the winning run.
Pradolini (L) and Kincaid
Negrean (W) and Stainton
(July 1) Enderby defeated hosting Salmon Arm 8 to 3. Winning tosser Sparrow, pitching with a sore left arm, was later found to have a torn tendon in his flipper which will inhibit further chucking this season.
Sparrow (W) and xxx
xxx (L) and xxx
(July 7) A misjudged fly ball in the final inning led to an unearned run and a 5 to 4 win for Enderby over visiting Kamloops. The Invaders gathered all four of their runs in the third stanza. M. Chater belted a three-bagger and scored the initial counter on a fielder’s choice. A three-run homer by Jack Stainton followed, pushing Kamloops ahead 4 to 0. Enderby responded with a singleton in their half of the third panel and, in the fifth, tied the game by plating a three-spot. With two retired in the bottom of the ninth, a high fly ball to right field which was catchable, dropped in, allowing a baserunner from the homesters to scamper home with the walkoff winner. Winning pitcher George Jones held Kamloops to six hits. Jack Jones had a two-run, three-bagger for Enderby. Interestingly Sparrow, southpaw pitching ace for the north Okanagan nine, who was manning the initial sack in this contest, went ambidextrous and threw right-handed. Sparrow had recently been advised not to pitch from his normal portside any more in the campaign following an x-ray which revealed a torn tendon.
Negrean (L) and McGinn
G. Jones (W) and Bercy
(July 7) Revelstoke broke out of the gate with ten runs in the first inning and clobbered Salmon Arm 15-2 Wednesday at Revelstoke. Elio Pradolini was robbed of a shutout when Tordoff, from Revelstoke High School, cracked a two-run triple in the eighth inning. It was Tordoff's first appearance in senior ball.
C.Watkins (L) and W.Watkins
Pradolini (W) and Kincaid
(July 14) A loosely-played Mainline League affair in Kamloops saw the hosts defeat Salmon Arm 8 to 4. Bob Negrean tossed a three-hitter to capture the hillock triumph, fanning 11 along the way. Neither side sparkled on defense although mistakes by the visitors were more frequent. Losing chucker W. Watkins was lit up for eight base knocks by the Kamloops’ batters but had his hummer working well, punching out 13 potential swatters. The middle infield combo of the winning diamondeers, keystone sacker M. Cunnington and shortpatcher Barry McCall, each rang up a brace of safeties as did L. Watkins of the vanquished nine.
C. Watkins (L) and W. Watkins
Negrean (W) and McGinn
(July 28) Taking advantage of a wild streak by Enderby starting pitcher George Jones, Kamloops scored ten runs in the first five innings en route to a 10 to 2 thrashing of their Lakeside visitors. Jones, who was derricked to the showers in the fifth canto, walked seven during his stint on the hill as well as being lit up with regularity by the Kamloops batters who finished the game with ten base blows, most of which were surrendered by Jones. A bases-loaded triple by outfielder A. Milton was the most damaging blow for the Thompson River Brigade. Winning tosser Bob Negrean surrendered five hits in going the route.
G. Jones (L), Bercy (5) and Bercy, xxx (5)
Negrean (W) and Stainton
(August 4) Bob Negrean pitched and batted the Kamloops diamond pastimers to a 5 to 1 verdict over the visiting squad from Revelstoke. Negrean whiffed 13 in fashioning five-hitter in his role as a chucker and also nailed the horsehide for three safeties, two of which were doubles, when taking his turn in the batter’s box. The Thompson River gang led from start to finish, collecting a deuce in their first at bat. Fly chaser A. Milton and second sacker M. Cunnington provided ample batting support for Negrean, each poking a double and one-bagger. Outfielder H. Gallicano picked up three of the five hits garnered by the Railroaders, all singles.
Pradolini (L) and Kincaid
Negrean (W) and Stainton
(August 20) Salmon Arm upset Enderby Friday to assure Revelstoke of a first place finish in the Mainline Baseball League. The team is eligible to take on Trail Sheiks for the Interior Senior "B" championship but there is a concern about a lack of funds for the trip.
FINAL STANDINGS
Revelstoke 8 - 4 .666
Enderby 7 - 5 .589
Kamloops 7 - 5 .589
Salmon Arm 2 - 10 .166
(September 6) A Labor Day exhibition double-bill at Riverside Park saw hosting Kamloops of the Mainline League defeat St. Augustine’s of the Vancouver Senior B circuit 6 to 2 in the the finale of the day’s proceedings after the two teams had battled to a 2 – 2 draw in an early scuffle. The morning game was not particularly fast but a number of spectacular defensive plays were made. Both the homesters and St. Augustine’s ripped the apple for six safeties in the sawoff.
Bourne and xxx
C. Dalgleish and xxx
The Vancouverites, defending provincial senior B champions, got off to a fast start in the second contest, their first two batters ripping into the offerings of eventual winning pitcher Bob Negrean for base hits and follow-up runs. After that, however, Negrean tightened up and kept the Saints scoreless for the remainder of the fracas and hitless until the eighth frame when he surrendered a lone bingle to finish with a three-hitter. Meanwhile, his mates were tying things up in the second canto and going ahead to stay with a singleton in the seventh and a four-spot in the eighth to put the game on ice. Bob Potter and Clair Dalgleish both drove in two runs for the winners who amassed nine safeties.
Estabrooks (L), Holden (8) and xxx
Negrean (W) and xxx
BC INTERIOR SENIOR 'B' CHAMPIONSHIP
Trail Shieks vs Revelstoke
(September 7) Costly errors and a home run by Louis Demore, a native of Revelstoke now living at Trail, powered the Shieks to an 11-6 victory in the third and deciding game of the BC Interior Championship. Playing at home, Revelstoke made nine errors and allowed 13 hits, including Demore's three-run blast. Spurgeon held Revelstoke to eight hits in going the distance for the mound triumph. After the visitors had taken a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Revelstoke scored two in the first and another pair in the second to take the lead. But, the visitors erupted for three in the fifth and another three in the sixth to pretty well put the game on ice. Trail is to leave Wednesday for Vancouver and the provincial playoffs.
Spurgeon (W) and Marshall
Granstrom (L), Pradolini (7) and Kincaid
WEST KOOTENAY BASEBALL LEAGUE
Baseball magnates from Trail, Rossland and Nelson met in mid-May, 1926 to form a new senior A baseball circuit to replace the Kootenay International Baseball League of a season past, of which Metaline Falls WA had been a member. The new loop scheduled just 12 games with each of the three entries involved in eight contests. Officially named the West Kootenay Baseball League, this association of clubs registered with the B. C. Amateur Baseball Association so as to be eligible for senior A provincial playoffs.
The Rossland team captured the league pennant and, without any intra-league or regional playoff to contend with, was declared as Interior Senior A representative and advised by the amateur baseball body of the province to travel to the lower mainland for the B. C. finals. Just a half hour before their scheduled boarding of a train to Vancouver, however, they were notified by telegram that, in an attempt to foster the development of the new circuit and encourage the growth of baseball in the interior of the province, the entire series would be played in the West Kootenays.
Along with a franchise in this revised Senior A league, Trail also maintained a pair of snappy Senior B/Intermediate squads which, not only faced each other on a regular basis, but also squared off with other West Kootenay opposition. Interestingly, a few of the players from the Trail senior A team in the W.K.B.L. participated with the Trail senior B nines to keep sharp throughout the season. (Trail Sheiks won the intra-city series with the Giants and travelled to Revelstoke, home of the champions of the Mainline Baseball League, during the Labor Day weekend to face the Mainland Towners in a best-of-three series for the 1926 Interior Senior B Baseball title.)
(May 30) A pair of home runs featured the opening game of the West Kootenay Baseball League at Rossland in which the hosting Miners rolled to a 7 to 4 triumph over Nelson. Although out hit by a 9 to 5 margin, the Golden City gang was able to capitalize on the wildness of losing chucker Slim Kraft and the wobbly defensive play of his mates. Winning flinger Don McKenzie rang up 13 strikeouts in going the route. Keystone sacker Bill Molisky of the victors and Nelson backstop Jim Brennan poled out round-trippers for their respective nines.
Kraft (L) and Brennan
McKenzie (W) and E. Johnson
(June 6) Invading Rossland clobbered Nelson 13 to 5 at the Lakeside town in a game which was replete with fielding miscues. Just five of the Miners tallies were of the earned variety while the losers picked up four. Hot corner guardian Bill Molisky of the Rosslanders swatted the horsehide for three safeties, an output matched by fly chaser Bob Whitehead of Nelson. Winning pitcher Ralls fanned eleven in going the distance.
Ralls (W) and E. Johnson
Kraft (L), Sikora (7) and Brennan
(June 13) The Trail band of diamond pastimers began play in the 1926 West Kootenay loop by crushing the Nelson nine 12 to 6 in wind-swept conditions. The Silver City aggregation hammered out 17 base blows and plated five-run totals in both the second and sixth frames. Regular initial sacker Jim Hanson took a turn on the hill and did a commendable job for the Smelter Towners, finishing with a nine-hitter. Fly chaser Cliff Morgan ripped four singles for the winners. Catcher Ralph “Tuffy” Garland lashed two doubles and a single while third sacker and clean-up hitter “Mystery” DiPasquale belted a home run to go along with a brace of one-baggers. Nelson outfielder Schumaker topped the losers offensively, collecting a pair of doubles and a single.
Kraft (L), Sikora (6) and Brennan
Hanson (W) and Garland
(June 27) Nelson squandered a first-inning 7 to 0 lead and fell to the visiting Trail contingent 16 to 8. Belting home runs for the victors were “Mystery” DiPasquale and “Gus” McDonald. Trail accumulated 18 base swats in humbling the Lakeside Towners with shortstop Ernie Luce leading the way with a pair of triples and two singles.
Hanson, Flaherty (W) (1) and Garland
Kraft(L), Sikora (4), Kraft (8) and Brennan
(July 4) Nelson balltossers battered a trio of Ione WA chuckers for 17 base blows in crushing the Americans 10 to 0 in an exhibition encounter at the Recreation grounds. “Slim” Kraft yielded just one hit in grabbing the shutout mound win. First sacker “Chick” Gillett/Gillette of the Lakesiders led the hit parade for the winners, slamming a double and three singles.
Ogle (L), Ryman (4), , Neely (7) and Ellersick
Kraft (W) and Brennan
(July 5) Nelson outlasted the Ione WA pastimers 16 to 14 in a less-than-classic marathon to sweep their exhibition series.
Neely, Moran (L) (8) and Ellersick, Setters (8)
Sikora, Scanlon (3), Bamford (W) (3) and Brennan
(July 18) Catcher Fred Hunton slammed four base hits including a home run in powering the Trail senior A squad to a convincing 15 to 2 decision over homestanding Nelson. The loss was the Lakesiders’ sixth straight in WKBL play this season. The middle innings, when the Silver City nine added to a close 2 to 1 lead, broke the game wide open. Winning pitcher Leo Letcher fanned five Nelsonites while posting a nine-hitter. Letcher also went yard for a four-bagger in addition to lacing a double and single.
Letcher (W) and Hunton
Kraft (L) and Brennan
(July 25) Rossland defeated Trail 7 to 4 before the largest crowd of the season. The hurling of winning tosser Don McKenzie and the lackadaisical play of the Trailites defensively were the deciding factors. Top willow wielder in the contest was fly chaser Cliff Morgan of the Silver City nine who ripped a trio of one-baggers.
McKenzie (W) and Ferko
Letcher (L) and Hunton
(August 1) Homestanding Rossland hammered Trail 14 to 1 in a West Kootenay League fracas in the Golden City. The Miners collected 18 safeties off a triad of Trail chuckers.
Letcher (L), Hanson (7), Luce (7) and H. Lauriente
Cobain (W) , McKenzie, Marsters and Ferko
(August 6) A promising 3 to 0 lead for Nelson in the early innings vanished in the fourth canto when the visiting Rossland willow wielders came to life to tie things up. The Golden City Miners then netted six in the fifth panel en route to a 14 to 3 pummeling of their Lakeside hosts. Shortstop Herb Rotchford had a triple and double for the winners.
Cobain (W), Marsters (6), McKenzie and Pratt
Kraft (L) and Brennan
(August 22) In a somewhat emotionless yet well-played game that rang down the curtain on the regular schedule for 1926, Trail defeated Nelson 6 to 3. The hosting Smelter Towners had a slight 8 to 6 advantage in base hits. Middle pasture guardian Cliff Morgan paced the victors with the stick, creaming a triple and two singles.
Kraft (L) and Brennan
Letcher (W) and Garland
Final Standings W L Pct
Rossland 7 1 .875
Trail 5 3 .625
Nelson 0 8 .000
Post-season exhibition game
(August 29) Rossland met and defeated a clever ball nine from Chewelah WA 10 to 3 in a heavy-hitting exhibition contest. Four home runs were smashed during the fracas including a pair by outfielder Cosgriff and one by infielder J. Ferko of the Golden City squad.
Hattrup (L) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
BOUNDARY INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Game details of most matches involving the 1926 hometown entry were scarce in the early-season coverage afforded by the Grand Forks Gazette but improved considerably as the season progressed when it became apparent that the local club was a strong contender for the BIBL pennant. However, game results from other BIBL locales, involving teams other than Grand Forks, never appeared in print.
(April 25) A two-out solo home run by third sacker Perry Scott in the bottom-of-the-ninth canto gave the Grand Forks baseballers a 10 to 9 walkoff decision over invading Curlew in the season’s opener at the Columbia ball park.
Brown (L) and xxx
Eamer (W) and Kidwell
(May 9) Grand Forks defeated Malo 6 to 4 in a hair-raising finish at the Columbia grounds. No further details were printed.
(May 16) Playing at Malo in the second of back-to-back clashes, Grand Forks picked off another scalp when they downed the hosts 11 to 10 for their third successive BIBL victory. No game details or batteries were located in print.
(May 23) With the game well in hand at all times, Grand Forks trimmed Midway 11 to 5 before a large home crowd. The victory, their fourth consecutive, has the Forkmen perched on top of the BIBL standings.
xxx (L) and xxxx
Crowe (W) and xxx
(June 6) Invading Republic’s bid for leadership in the Boundary International Baseball League received a setback when they were turned back by a sizzling Grand Forks crew 8 to 3. The Forkmen dominated the clash of top dogs, outswatting the Mining Towners 13 to 6, a margin which included all four of the game’s extra-base blows. Portsider A. Crowe fanned 15 and walked only one in going the route for the hillock decision. Third baseman Perry Scott, batting in the clean-up spot, bagged three hits for the undisputed league-leaders, two of them triples.
Bowman (L) and Pierce
Crowe (W) and Kidwell
(June 13) For the first time in a few years, the upward-climbing Grand Forks baseballers won a BIBL game on the Curlew ball grounds when they blanked the Creamery Towners 2 to 0. The visitors bunched their hits in the second inning to plate the only two counters of the contest, both of which were driven in on a clutch single by winning pitcher A. Crowe. Both Crowe, who yielded six safeties while whiffing 12, and losing chucker Merle Nelson, who was nicked for ten hits while fanning an equal number, went the distance. The Forkmen reeled off three twin-killings in support of Crowe. Curlew had the potential tying runners on base in their final turn at bat but were unable to score as first baseman Atkins’ long drive was pulled in for the last out by left garden patroller George Biddlecombe.
Crowe (W) and Kidwell
Nelson (L) and Brown
(June 20) A free-swinging exhibition tilt at the Columbia grounds saw the Grand Forks nine of the BIBL set back the visiting Orient WA squad 10 to 7. Tunis Scott had three of the victors’ 13 hits, one of which was a double.
Kibby (L) and Brigham
Eamer (W) and Manson
(June 27) After reeling off a number of well-earned victories in the Boundary International loop, the Grand Forks diamond troopers finally tasted defeat in their final league skirmish, taking it on the chin 13 to 5 in a loosely-played affair with previously-winless Midway. Starter and loser, Les Eamer, of the fumble-fingered Forkmen, had nothing on the ball capable of fooling the Kettle Valley batters and was given the hook in the third panel. Portsider A. Crowe, his successor on the bump, was equally ineffective which was understandable considering he was pitching with a torn ligament in his left wing. Grand Forks pulled off a triple play in the fourth inning.
Eamer (L), Crowe (3) and xxx
xxx (W) and xxx
(July 11) Homestanding Republic, purportedly with four new players from other Washington-based BIBL teams in their lineup, crushed Grand Forks 11 to 6 to walk away with the 1926 BIBL championship. Both clubs banged out 11 base hits but those off the hickory of the Republic swatters were the most timely. The Gold Miners went ahead 4 to 0 in the opening stanza and were never headed.
Henderson (L), Smith (7) and P. Scott
Bowman (W) and Pierce