Brothers Ernie (left) and Roy Porkka (right) , who played in Southern Alberta with the Foremost Braves and Picture Butte Royals & Indians in the late 40's and early 50's.  The above pictures taken at the family farm north of Picture Butte, 1948.  (Photos courtesy Rob Porkka)

Picture Butte Royals or Indians ? The beginning of the Picture Butte INDIANS.  Roy Porkka :

" ... Picture Butte was represented by an older team, the ROYALS.  They wouldn't let any of the younger players onto the team and Harry Watson, a businessman in town, put together a team of younger players and others who could not get on to the Royals and took their cast off uniforms. This new team competed around Southern Alberta for a year at various tournaments and made enough money to buy new uniforms the following year.  This new team was the INDIANS.  In the next year there was a big playoff to see who would represent Picture Butte and the Indians won."

Left - 17-year-old Del St. John as a junior with Pincher Creek in 1948.  A catcher, St. John was touted as the best prospect in Southern Alberta, being wooed by teams in Calgary and Lethbridge.  (Lethbridge Herald, July 10, 1948)

Right -  Lethbridge's Joe Tufteland, signed by the Dodgers, went 18-2, 2.29 in his pro debut with Ponca City of the KOM League.