ALBERTA
CALGARY SEMI-PRO LEAGUE
With the professional Western Canada Baseball League forced into a break because of the outbreak of the First World War, Calgary attempted to fill this void in 1915 with the creation of a four-team semi-pro circuit which began play, utilizing a split schedule, in early May.
In mid-to-late June, one of the original entries, the Moose Orphans, disbanded, reducing the field within the circuit to three teams. The results of the games in which the Moose Orphans had played were thrown out as first-half standings were adjusted to reflect the contraction. Concurrently, the league-leading Empires changed affiliations and were renamed the Orphans. The league stagnated for close to a month as a new playing venue, from Savage Field to Mewata Stadium, was unsuccessfully sought out and only a handful of games, all of the exhibition variety, were played during that time frame.
The struggling loop survived into the second-half of play which finally got underway in mid-July. The first-half champion Orphans appeared listless in their few second-half performances, losing with regularity as the league fizzled to a halt. In the first week of August, the league moguls officially called it quits, leaving the Orphans (nee Empires) team, the first-half winners, as de facto champions at the time of disbandment. Surviving the death of the circuit was the News-Telegram squad which stayed afloat and went on to complete the summer with the occasional exhibition match.
Crists
Empires
Moose Orphans
News-Telegram
First-half standings at contraction
from four to three entries W L Pct.
Empires 9 3 .750
Crists 8 4 .667
News-Telegram 4 9 .308
Moose Orphans 2 7 .222
Final adjusted
First-half standings W L Pct.
Orphans 8 2 .800
Crists 7 5 .583
News-Telegram 2 10 .167
Second half standings
at time of dissolution W L Pct.
Crists 2 0 1.000
News-Telegram 1 0 1.000
Orphans 0 3 .000
CALGARY CITY LEAGUE
Expected to be a highly competitive force within the four-team 1915 Calgary amateur circuit, the defending champion Athletics were nothing but disappointing also-rans, finishing well behind the two front-runners, the Hillhurst Hustlers and the Cubs. A fourth entry, the Iroquois, was woefully weak and occupied the cellar from start to finish. Once play got underway, an attempt was made to entice the Hustlers, considered the strongest entry in the City League, from the amateur ranks into the Calgary Semi-Pro loop. A discussion took place amongst players from the Hustlers and the proposal was ultimately voted down.
The Hustlers and Cubs were evenly matched through most of the campaign but, as the end of the season closed in, the Hillhurst nine began to pull away from their closest pursuer and copped the pennant.
Athletics
Cubs
Hillhurst Hustlers
Iroquois
(July 19) Playing on an awkwardly re-designed diamond because of a water-logged area around home plate, the Athletics pulled an upset by holding the Hillhurst Hustlers to a 7-7, 10-inning draw. The diamond was pushed ahead so that the catcher's box was established on the old pitching mound and second base was in short centre field. Not surprisingly, the fielding was erratic by both teams. Hustlers poked out 13 hits, three apiece by Cal Spence, "Squib" Ross and McCoy. Joe Carnegie, Steele and Chuck Henderson each poled a pair for the Athletics.
McCoy and F.Lewis
McLean, Frairey, Carnegie and Donnelly
(July 20) "Squib" Ross cracked five hits in six trips to the plate Tuesday as the Hustlers made up for their tie the night before with a 20-4 drubbing of the Athletics. Hustlers ran wild in the third inning plating seven runs and coasted to the triumph, made easy by 10 A's errors. Steele, the A's second baseman and centre fielder racked up seven of the errors. Hustlers rapped 19 hits and piled up 11 stolen bases. Stoddard added three hits for the winners and Turner had two safeties and scored four times. Ab White and Newt Ward combined to hold the Athletics to eight hits.
White, N.Ward and F.Lewis
Mowbray (L), Carnegie, Corbett and McLean, Walsh
(July 26) Athletics came from behind with four runs in the ninth inning to shade the Iroquois 9-7. Joe Carnegie's three-bagger was the key blow. It was his only hit of the game.
Bryant (W) and Donnelly
McKellar (L) and McTeer
(July 27) In a game shortened to seven innings, the Cubs found the Iroquois to be easy pickings racking up 18 runs to just three for the tail-enders, now with one victory in fifteen games. "Smokey" Adams fashioned a five-hitter for the win. Although he walked five, he managed to fan nine and be in control throughout. Orley Louden led the winners with three hits, one of them a triple. Mooney took the loss yielding 12 hits and six walks.
Adams (W) and Fraser
Mooney (L) and McTeer
(July 29) It was no contest Thursday as the Hillhurst Hustlers demolished the Athletics 18-5 before a crowd of 1,200. Eight runs in the first inning put the game on ice early. Hustlers smacked 13 hits, stole 13 bases and were further helped by 11 A's errors. Frank Lewis was one of six Hustlers with two hits. He had a double, single, three scores and four steals. Newt Ward added a triple, single,and three runs scored. Chuck Ward had a triple and single. Chuck Henderson was a lone bright spot for the losers with four hits.
Mowbray (L), Frairey and McLean
Weir (W) and C.Ward
(July 30) The Iroquois walked away from a potential victory over the Hustlers Friday giving up five walks, a wild pitch and two errors in the bottom of the ninth inning to turn a 5-4 lead into a 6-5 defeat. They survived the first walk, wild pitch and error to get two outs but, with a runner on first, McKeller walked four straight batters to force in the tying and winning runs. Through the first eight innings, McKellar had issued just one free pass. Iroquois out-hit the winners 9 to 6. Earl Lewis led the Hustlers with a double and triple and scored twice.
McKellar (L) and McTeer
McCoy, White and C.Ward
(August 2) The Cubs survived nine errors and six walks Monday at Mewata Park to crush the Iroquois 13 to 6 as "Smokey" Adams tossed a five-hitter and fanned 11 in a game shortened to six innings. He also led the winners' attack with three hits, all doubles, and three runs. Black and Rudolph each added two hits and two runs.
Adams (W) and Fraser
McEwing (L) and McTeer
(August 3) The game went just six innings but produced 24 runs on 12 hits, 12 errors and 19 walks and ended in another huge disappointment for the Iroquois who took an 8-0 lead in the first inning but saw the Cubs rebound to win with four runs in the fifth and two more in th sixth. Cubs managed just seven hits, three by Orley Louden, but the losers made it easy as starter McKellar walked 12 and the Iroquois booted the ball seven times. Rudolph banged a triple and single for the Cubs, scoring three times.
McKellar (L) and McTeer
Avis, Gill (W) (1) and Fraser, Adams
(August 4) The Athletics held the Hustlers off the scoreboard for two innings but then stood by as the league leaders ran wild scoring 17 times in the last five innings to crush the A's 17-3. Five errors and six walks by the Athletics made it easy for the Hustlers who rapped nine hits.
A.Donnelly, Jenkins and F.Donnelly
N.Ward, F.Lewis and F.Lewis, xxx
(August 5) Hillhurst Hustlers tallied five times in the first inning then had ace pitcher Ab White toss a five-hitter in a crucial 6-1 triumph over the Cubs. White fanned 13 and walked two. Hustlers pounded 12 hits, two apiece by Cal Spence, Chuck Ward and Newt Ward.
Gill (L) and Fraser
White (W) and C.Ward
(August 6) This time the Iroquois pulled out a victory in the late innings, scoring three times in the top of the eighth and holding off an Athletics' rally in the bottom of the final frame to win 12-11. The win came in spite of an A's 17-hit offensive. The winners managed just ten hits, three by shortstop Mooney, who also scored three times. Iroquois were aided by 9 free passes by Jenkins and six errors by the Athletics. Walsh and Bryant each pounded three safeties for the losers.
McKellar, McEwing and McTeer
Jenkins (L) and McLean
(August 9) High schooler Ab White held the Cubs to just five hits Monday in pitching the Hustlers to a 13-2 verdict which practically cinches the league championship for the Hustlers. They tallied 12 hits, two apiece by Cal Spence, Newt Ward, Stoddart, Turner and "Squib" Ross. Spence had a three-bagger and Newt Ward rapped a pair of doubles. White fanned seven and walked three.
White (W) and C.Ward
Gill (L) and Fraser
(August 10) Cubs scored five in the first inning and coasted to a 12-5 win over the Athletics, the defending Alberta champions. "Smokey" Adams hurled a four-hitter with nine strikeouts for the pitching win. Cubs had just seven hits but were aided by eight errors by the Athletics. Fraser and Rhodes each cracked a pair of hits for the winners.
A.Donnelly, Bryant and McLean
Adams (W) and Fraser
(August 11) Hillhurst Hustlers wrapped up the Calgary amateur baseball championship Wednesday making a decisive statement with a nine-run first inning in a 19-3 slaughter of the Iroquois. Frank Lewis powered the Hustlers with a home run and two singles, scoring four times. Stoddart singled four times and scored three. Cal Spence also had three hits while "Squib" Ross and Watson each had three scores. Walter Weir held the Iroquois to four hits.
Weir (W) and C.Ward, E.Lewis
Robertson (L), McKellar, McEwing and G.McTeer
(August 12) Iroquois did it again. Trailing 5-4 after eight innings, they rallied for five in the ninth to down the Athletics 9-5. Iroquois went out-hit 13 to 9 but took advantage of seven walks and five A's errors. Venini had three hits for the winners and Mooney added a triple and single.
Jenkins (L) and Walsh
McEwing (W) and G.McTeer
(August 13) The defending provincial champions showed some spark Friday at Mewata Park punching out 14 hits in a 12 to 6, six-inning win over the Cubs. Corbett led the attack with three hits while Fred Bryant scattered seven hits in his mound duties for the winners.
Bryant (W) and McLean
Gill, Avis and Fraser
(August 16) For the third straight time, Iroquois downed the Athletics, this time 6-4. A three-run first inning, highlighted by Babe McCrystle's two-run triple, set the stage for the victory. McEwing tossed an eight-hitter for the win.
A.Donnelly (L) and F.Donnelly
McEwing (W) and McTeer
(August 17) Cubs, the runners-up for Calgary Amateur League honours, got revenge for an early setback to the Athletics by downing the A's 7-5 in a six-inning contest. Third sacker Smith powered Cubs to the win with a homer, triple and single. "Mooch" Gill got the pitching win over Bryant for the Athletics. Walsh, the A's third baseman, poked three hits and scored a pair.
Gill (W) and Fraser
Bryant (L) and F.Donnelly
(August 18) In his first appearance for the Hustlers, "Smokey" Adams dazzled, yielding just two hits as the North Hill boys whipped Iroquois 8-1. The lone marker against Adams was unearned. He fanned ten and walked two.
Adams (W) and C.Ward
Fletcher (L) and Oliver
Final Standings W L Pct.
Hillhurst Hustlers 20 2 .909
Cubs 14 6 .700
Athletics 5 16 .238
Iroquois 4 19 .174
(August 21) In a post-season exhibition match, the Hustlers blanked the Carnegie All-Stars 5-0 Saturday at Mewata Park. Walter Weir and Ab White combined for the six-hit shutout. The top of the Hustlers batting lineup was key to the victory as Cal Spence, Earl Lewis, Chuck Ward and Newt Ward each had two hits and scored a run. "Mooch" Gill allowed just nine hits in taking the loss.
Weir (W), White (6) and C.Ward
Gill (L) and Fraser
EDMONTON CITY LEAGUE
Borden Club Bearcats
City Dairy
Knights of Columbus
Wholesalers
The Borden Club Bearcats handily won the first-half of the split-schedule and had an unbeaten record in second-half competition when the three also-ran squads decided to throw in the towel in early August, conceding the pennant to the Bearcats. The also-rans pooled their resources and picked an all-star team from their ranks to play a three-game series against the Borden Clubbers to complete the season.
Final first-half standings W L Pct.
Borden Club Bearcats 18 8 .692
City Dairy 15 14 .517
Wholesalers 13 14 .481
Knights of Columbus 10 20 .333
Second-half schedule
at time of dissolution W L Pct.
Borden Club Bearcats 6 0 1.000
City Dairy 3 3 .500
Knights of Columbus 2 4 .333
Wholesalers 0 4 .000
(August 18) Playing on a soggy Diamond Park field, the Edmonton City League All-Stars upended the Borden Bearcats 4 to 1. Harryett, The Wholesalers’ southpaw flinger, and Louis Grant of the Bearcats hooked up in a fine exhibition of pitching. Harryett was much steadier than usual, issuing just one free pass while fanning eight. Six hits were secured by the Clubbers off his deliveries, Grant made a creditable showing in defeat, yielding nine safeties while punching out eight. Third baseman Heinie Tice, another recruit from the Wholesalers, topped all swatters, slamming a double and two singles.
Harryett (W) and Spencer
L. Grant (L) and Chipman
(August 20) Outhit by a 9 to 4 margin, the pennant-winning Borden Bearcats still managed to blank the Edmonton City League All-Stars 2 to 0. The Bearcats scored their first run in the opening panel when leadoff batter Calavan walked and moved around to touch home on consecutive singles by Eddie Marskell and fly chaser Chipman. Their other counter was a seventh-inning tally which was unearned. Calavan again started things off, this time with a one-out single. He moved to second on an infield out and came around to score on a dropped outfield fly ball. Winning hurler Pat Patterson had four strikeouts while Knights of Columbus’ chucker, Pat Murphy, the hard-luck loser, rang up seven. Heinie Tice, Sid Worth and first baseman Duncan of the Stars as well as the Bearcats’ Chipman all registered two hits.
Murphy (L) and Greider
Patterson (W) and Dunlop
(August 21) Another fine exhibition of baseball entertained Diamond Park fans as the Borden Bearcats squeezed out a 4 to 3 triumph over the Edmonton City League All-Stars. The winning Clubbers were only able to acquire three hits off portsider Harryett but were better able to cash in their opportunities. Five bases on balls issued by Harryett were also a factor in his mound defeat. The Borden nine trailed 3 to 2 heading into the eighth round but were able to knot the count on a soft run when catcher Chipman was beaned by Harryett, moved to the keystone cushion on a passed ball, stole third and romped home when All-Star backstop Greider, a City Dairy recruit, threw wild to the hot corner. Then, in the top-of-the-ninth stanza, second baseman Bissett’s nervy work on the basepaths allowed the Bearcats to plate the winner. He opened the frame with what appeared to be a single to left field but stretched it into a double by sliding around Knights of Columbus second sacker Dolighan who had the ball at the keystone pillow waiting to tag him. First baseman Davidson’s follow-up sacrifice placed him on third, setting up a stylish squeeze bunt by winning tosser P. X. Burns. The Stars got a runner as far as third in the bottom-of-the-ninth chapter but City Dairy shortstop John Starky, who had already driven in a pair of runs, lined out to end the game. The two most productive baton swingers in the contest were both members of the vanquished nine. Catcher Greider ripped four singles while Starky stroked a pair.
Burns (W) and Chipman
Harryett (L) and Greider
The Borden Club Bearcats entered the 1915 Alberta senior amateur playoffs and were drawn against Lacombe in a best-of-three series for the championship of Central & Northern Alberta.
EDMONTON MERCANTILE LEAGUE
Hudson’s BayJournal
Ramsey’s
CENTRAL / NORTHERN ALBERTA CHAMPIONSHIP
Lacombe defeated Red Deer to qualify for the 1915 Central/Northern Alberta finals against the Borden Club Bearcats, champions of the Edmonton City Baseball League.
Central/Northern Alberta senior amateur baseball championship series
(best-of-three series)
(August 27) Pat Patterson stymied the visiting Lacombe nine on three hits in pitching the Edmonton Borden Bearcats to a convincing 10 to 2 victory in the opener of the Central/Northern Alberta senior baseball finals at Diamond Park. Only Lacombe outfielder Bullis, with a double and single, had any success against the Bearcat twirler. The Borden Clubbers ripped into a brace of Lacombe chuckers for 11 bingles with Bagley and Chipman leading the way with three base raps each.
Miller (L), Metzgar/Metzger (3) and Train/Trayne
Patterson (W) and Dunlop
(August 28) The flourishing town of Lacombe was subjected to a bombardment, the likes of which have seldom been scene. With both teams belting the ball frequently and with explosiveness, the invading Borden Bearcats of Edmonton clobbered the hosts 24 to 10 in a sloppily played and highly-charged offensive second game for the Central & Northern Alberta senior baseball crown. The Edmontonians easily captured the tiara with wins in successive matches. The Borden Clubbers creamed the orb for 29 base blows while winning tosser P. Burns was lit up for 9 Lacombe safeties. The winners slugged three home runs, one each by Eddie Marskell, catcher Dunlop and shortstop Calavan. Ringing up four hits apiece for the Bearcats were Calavan as well as fly chasers Grant, Bagley and Chipman. Calavan’s sum of swats included three triples in addition to his dinger.
Burns (W) and Dunlop, Chipman
Metzgar/Metzger (L), Garland and Train/Trayne
The double victory for the Edmonton Borden Bearcats moved them into the 1915 Alberta senior baseball finals against the Calgary Hillhurst Hustlers.
MEDICINE HAT CITY LEAGUE
Medicine Hat had a three-team city league.
Canadian Pacific Railway
Conservatives
Liberals
Final Standings W L T Pct.
Liberals 9 5 1 .642
C. P. R. 6 5 1 .545
Conservatives 3 8 2 .273
LETHBRIDGE CITY LEAGUE
KnoxNorth Lethbridge *
U.C.T.
* 1915 Lethbridge City Baseball League pennant winners
No playoffs held
CENTRAL ALBERTA LEAGUE
BlackfaldsLacombe *
Ponoka
Red Deer
* 1915 Central Alberta Baseball League champion
(July 20) Lacombe clinched the championship of the 1915 Central Alberta Baseball League at Red Deer, overcoming a fifth-inning 5 to 1 deficit to triumph 10 to 7.
Miller (W) and Trayne
Mann (L) and Braton
SOUTHERN ALBERTA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
1915 Southern Alberta senior amateur baseball championship series
(best-of-three series)
(August 25) Medicine Hat scored twice in the bottom of the 9th inning to edge the Hustlers of Calgary 10-9 in the opening game of the semi-finals for the Alberta amateur title. The Hatters capitalized on 10 Hustlers' errors. Calgary had taken a 9-7 lead with four runs in the top of the 8th inning but the Hatters rebounded with one in the 8th. One run in arrears as they came to bat in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning, the hosting Hatters successfully used two pinch-hitters in their last-ditch stand to plate a pair of counters and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The two teams split 24 base hits right down the middle. Outfielder Clark and shortstop Reem collected three hits each for the Gas City nine with a triple included in Reem’s total of bingles. Shortpatcher Cal Spence drilled a double and two singles to lead the Hustlers at the dish.
Adams (L) and C. Ward
Purdy, Hartley (W) (4) and Andrews
(August 27) After picking up a three-spot in the top of the seventh frame to soar into an 8 to 7 lead, the Medicine Hat senior baseballers allowed an unearned counter in the bottom of the round and had to settle for an 8 – 8 tie against the hosting Calgary Hillhurst Hustlers in the second game of the Southern Alberta senior baseball finals. The Mewata Park skirmish, witnessed by 3,000 fans, ended after the seventh canto because of darkness. After singling to open the final inning, Newt Ward stole both second and third base, then plated the tying counter for the Calgarians when Smeaton, the Hatters’ first baseman, gummed up a drive off the bat of Stoddart. Outfielder Dean had three of the eleven Medicine Hat hits, one of which was a home run, while Ward paced the Hustlers’ nine-hit offense with three singles and a trio of swiped sacks.
Hartley, Purdy and Andrews, W. Cory
Adams, White (7) and C. Ward
(August 28) Hillhurst Hustlers of Calgary defeated Medicine Hat twice by scores of 9 to 6 and 10 to 1 to capture the Southern Alberta senior baseball crown. Pitcher Ab White was the hero of the double victory as he assumed the iron-man role in going the route in both games. The Calgarians will now face the Edmonton Borden Bearcats for the 1915 Alberta championship. White fanned 11 while surrendering nine hits in the opener. His mates, with shortstop Spence leading the way with a triad of swats, ripped a dozen hits off a pair of Medicine Hat flingers
Purdy (L), M. Cory (6) and W. Cory
White (W) and C. Ward
The Hustlers broke open the late game with a four-run output in the second frame. White appeared even stronger in the one-sided finale, punching out a dozen Hatters while issuing seven bingles. First baseman Newt Ward led a 13-hit Calgary charge at the plate with three safeties while teammate Earl Lewis ripped a double and triple.
Hartley (L), Reem (2) and W. Cory
White (W) and C. Ward
ALBERTA SENIOR BASEBALL FINAL
1915 Alberta senior amateur baseball finals
(best-of-three series)
(September 1) The invading Hillhurst Hustlers used a 14-hit attack to down Borden Bearcats 9-3 in the opening game of the Alberta amateur baseball championship. "Squib" Ross, with a triple and two singles, and Cal Spence each had three hits for the winners. Earl Lewis, Newt Ward and Stoddard each had a pair of safeties. Iron-man Ab White went the distance for the winners holding the Edmonton club to seven hits. He fanned 11 and walked two. Down 3-1 after four innings, Hustlers took the lead for good with a three-run outburst in the fifth. A single, a walk, a sacrifice and three errors put Calgary up 4-3.
White (W) and C. Ward
Burns (L), Patterson (6) and Dunlop
(September 6) Before a crowd of between 4,000 and 5,000 at Mewata Park, the Calgary Hillhurst Hustlers annexed the 1915 Alberta senior baseball championship by narrowly edging the Edmonton Borden Bearcats 4 to 3. In contrast to the opening fracas, it was an exciting contest undecided until the last batter was out. The Edmontonians had the potential tying marker at the hot corner cushion in the ninth panel when winning chucker Ab White fanned Bearcat keystone sacker Bissett to bring the curtain down on the season. The dangerous Bissett had already nicked White for two safeties and was eagerly looking for a third bingle when the whiff occurred. The Bearcats had a seven to six base-hit edge in the well-pitched clash in which losing flinger Pat Patterson rang up seven strikeouts to 13 for White. The Hustlers plated the winning run in the bottom-of-the-eighth canto when first sacker Newt Ward singled home shortstop Spence who had reached base on an error. Ward and Edmonton’s Bissett were the only two swatters in the scuffle to achieve plural hit totals, each acquiring a brace of base knocks.
Patterson (L) and Dunlop
White (W) and C. Ward
GRANDE PRAIRIE & DISTRICT
(May 29) Grande Prairie 5, Deep Creek 3
Ludington (W) and Ford
R. Carveth (L) and Hegler
(June 5) Beaver Lodge 20, Grande Prairie 13
Lee (W) and Carroll
Ludington (L) and Ford
(June 12) Lake Saskatoon 10, Grande Prairie 3
Ludington (L) and Ford
M./U. Douglas (W) and C. Douglas
(June 12) Deep Creek 10, Buffalo Lakes 3
(June 19) Grande Prairie 12, Buffalo Lakes 2
Johnston (L) and Cole
Ludington (W) and Ford
Ed Ludington – one-hitter
(June 19) Deep Creek 9, Beaver Lodge 3
R. Carveth (W) and Hegler
Lee (L), Bert (7) and Carroll
(June 26) Deep Creek 4, Buffalo Lakes 3
R. Carveth (W) and Hegler
Johnston (L) and Cole
(June 26) Beaver Lodge 11, Grande Prairie 6
Ludington (L) and Miller, Ford
Lee (W), Burt, Allen and Sherk
(July 3) Deep Creek 10, Grand Prairie 0
R. Carveth and Hegler
Ludington (L) and Ford
(July 17) Lake Saskatoon 4, Beaver Lodge 3 (11 innings)
M. Douglas (W) and C. Douglas
Lee, Allen and Carroll
M. Douglas – three-hitter
Ralph Johnston (Lake Saskatoon) – steal of home
(July 17) Deep Creek 10, Grande Prairie 8
Wishart (L) and Harris
Anderson (W) and Mattinson
(August 14) Deep Creek 15, Lake Saskatoon 1
(pennant-clinching win for Deep Creek in the 1915 GP & D Baseball League)
xxx (L) and xxx
R. Carveth (W) and Hegler
Rube Carveth – 15 strikeouts
H. Mattinson (Deep Creek) – two triples