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The
Western Canada League was back for an encore, while the Green
Caps tied for first in Lloydminster's final season in
semi-pro ball.
And, Satch just kept rolling.
 The
legendary Satchel Paige continued on the barnstorming
circuit with a visit to Williston, two days after his 57th
birthday (if, in fact, he was born in 1906 as thought.)
The story in The Herald said Satchel and his son Satchel Jr.
combined to handle the mound work. It
was not the end of the line. Paige would make an
appearance in the major leagues with Kansas City in 1965 and
toss a few innings in the minors in '66. It's believed 1967 was
his final season.
  Two
former Pepperdine University colleagues - Clark Rex (left) and John Carbray
(right) -- were the driving forces behind the revival of the Western
Canada League. Rex, the Edmonton playing-manager in 1961, had
brought Carbray up to play with the Eskimos and to suit up with Rex's
winter league team in California. They transformed the circuit into mainly a development
league for college players.
The Philadelphia Phillies were to supply the entire 17-man roster for
the Saskatoon Commodores while the Edmonton Oilers arranged an
affiliation with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The St. Louis Cardinals
provided players for Lethbridge and Calgary relied on the San Francisco
Giants. Midway through the season, the Saskatoon franchise
shifted to Medicine Hat.
Rex and Carbray, in Edmonton and Calgary, were
one-man bands in their respective cities juggling ownership,
general-manager and field-manager duties. With George Wesley
in Lethbridge not willing to continue his baseball sponsorship in
the area, Rex turned to Dan Royer to run the Cardinals'
franchise as general manager with Ralph Young, 27-year-old baseball coach from
Stanford University, as the team's playing-manager. Spero
Leakos headed the Saskatoon entry, with Lyle Olsen back as
the playing manager.
The circuit attracted the best of college talent from the California
schools including the California All-Star
 pitching combo of righthander
Walt Peterson from the University of Southern California and
lefty Tom Pederson from UCLA. Peterson was fresh off
a 17-win season in leading the Trojans to the College World Series
title. Other first team & honourable
 mentions to suit up in the WCBL
included second baseman George Thatcher of Stanford,
shortstop Gary Malvini of Santa Clara, catchers Bud
Hollowell and Marty Piscovich of USC, third baseman
Tim Cullen of Santa Clara and first baseman Bob
Cox of Stanford.
 Quite
a number of the 1963 competitors graduated to the major leagues,
including such Western Canada stars as Tug McGraw, Nelson
Briles (left) Tim Cullen, Gary Sutherland,
Jan Dukes, Ray Lamb, Larry Loughlin, Paul
Edmondson and
Rene Lacheman. Among
the Canadian stars was outfielder Fergie Olver, later to
become recognizable across Canada for his work on Blue Jays' telecasts.
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1963 Stats
1963 Rosters
1963
Tournaments
WESTERN CANADA LEAGUE
Medicine Hat 42 26
Edmonton 33 35 9.0
Lethbridge 33 38 10.5
Calgary 31 40 12.5
1963 Game
reports
1963 Photo Gallery
1963 Snapshots
NORTHERN SASK LEAGUE
N Battleford 19 11
Lloydminster 19 11
Kindersley 19 11
Neilburg 17 13 2.0
Unity 15
15 4.0
Biggar 1
29 18.0
1963 Photo
Gallery
1963 North Battleford Beavers
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Moose
Jaw 19 11
Swift Current 16 10 1.0
Melville 17 13 2.0
Regina 16 14
3.0
Notre Dame 9 16 7.5
Fort Qu'Appelle 8 21 10.5
1963
Game Reports
NORTHEASTERN SK LEAGUE
NESBL
History
BASIN LEAGUE
Winner 30 18
Valentine 29 19 1
Pierre 25 23 5
Sturgis 19 29 11
Rapid City 17 31 13
Valentine Hearts downed Sturgis
in the playoffs to win the
Basin championship.
1963 Game/Playoff
Reports
1963 Photo Gallery
In September, 1963 the St. Louis Cardinals inked two former Western
Canada stars on the same day. Dave Dowling, California, (Lethbridge
1961) and Nelson Briles, Santa Clara (Calgary 1963) were assigned
to the the Cards' farm team in Atlanta.
The Sporting News, October 24, 1964
A sign of the times. George Wesley, who built powerhouse
teams for Granum beginning in the early 50s, marked the demise of his
efforts by putting all the baseball gear up for sale. "All
professional type equipment in first class condition."
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