Canadian League

The first Canadian League played in 1885, then again from 1896-1900 before becoming the International League in 1900. In 1905 there was a four-team class D loop known as the Canadian League. Another league using that title ran from 1911 through 1915 - it was originally ranked a D league as well, moved to a C rating a year later and in 1914 got a B classification. Frank Shaughnessy managed the Ottawa team from 1913-1915

Cities Represented, Teams & Statistics

1885

• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Clippers, Hamilton Primrose
• London, ON: London Cockneys
• Toronto, ON: Toronto Torontos

1885 Canadian League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Hamilton Clippers	34	10	.773	-	George Stroud
London Cockneys	27	12	.692	4.5	Fred Goldsmith
Toronto Torontos	24	20	.545	10	Harry Spence
Guelph Maple Leafs	8	28	.222	22	Haver
Hamilton Primrose	8	31	.205	23.5	Jimmy Henigan

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
John Paul Rainey	Hamilton	BA	.405		Joe Knight	London	W	22
John Paul Rainey	Hamilton	Runs	58		Elton Chamberlain		SO	189
John Paul Rainey	Hamilton	Hits	66		John Hendricks	Clippers	PCT	1.000 10-0
Edward Stapleton	Hamilton	HR	5

1896-1899

• Chatham, ON: Chatham Babes 1898 Chatham Reds 1899
• Galt, ON: Galt Galts 1896
• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs 1896-1897, 1899
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Hams 1896 Hamilton Blackbirds 1897-1899
• London, ON: London Tecumsehs 1896 London Cockneys 1897-1899
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints 1898-1899
• Stratford, ON: Stratford Poets 1899
• Toronto, ON: Toronto Canucks 1897
• Woodstock, ON: Woodstock Bains 1899

1896 Canadian League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Guelph Maple Leafs	24	12	.667	-	James Hewer
Hamilton Hams	16	18	.471	7	Arthur Richardson
London Tecumsehs	14	18	.438	8	A.D. Holman
Galt Galts #	10	16	.385	9	Chub Collins

# Galt disbanded early

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Mike Morrison	Hamilton	BA	.434		George Bradford	Guelph	W	16
Bill Roberts	Guelph	Runs	48		Charles McGinnis	Galt/Hamilton	SO	84
Bill Baker	Hamilton	Hits	61		George Bradford	Guelph	PCT	.800 16-4
John Lyons	Galt	HR	4

1897 Canadian League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Hamilton Blackbirds	34	22	.607	-	William Stroud
London Cockneys	26	27	.491	6.5	A.D. Holman
Guelph Maple Leafs	21	32	.396	11.5	James Hewer
Toronto Canucks			.500	NA	Charles Maddock

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Gus Lauer	Hamilton	BA	.355		John Cochran	Hamilton	W	24
Jim Dean	Hamilton	Runs	59		Lute Johnson	London	SO	100
Marr Phillips	Hamilton	Hits	86		David Hardy	Toronto/Hamilton	ERA	0.87
Jim Dean	Hamilton	SB	56		John Cochran	Hamilton	PCT	.727 24-9

1898 Canadian League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Hamilton Blackbirds	35	22	.614	-	Chub Collins
St. Thomas Saints	35	23	.603	0.5	Bill Kuehne / Frank Pears
London Cockneys	30	28	.517	5.5	A.D. Holman (6/13) / Pop Smith (7/12) / Samuel LaRocque
Chatham Babes	16	43	.271	20	Dan Lowney

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
James McKevitt	Hamilton	BA	.375		Emil Frisk	Hamilton	W	14
Kid Mohler	London	Runs	58		George Bradford	Hamilton	SO	74
James McKevitt	Hamilton	Hits	83		Emil Frisk	Hamilton	PCT	.824 14-3
Charles Jones	Chatham	HR	6

1899 Canadian League
Secretary: Cal Davis

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
London Cockneys	64	28	.696	0	George Lohman
Hamilton Blackbirds	49	43	.533	15	Chub Collins
Guelph Maple Leafs	42	48	.467	21	George Black
Stratford Poets / Woodstock Bains #	34	53	.391	27.5	Fred Popkay / Jim Davis
Chatham Reds ##	19	23	.452	NA	Leslie Snyder
St. Thomas Saints ##	11	24	.314	NA	Joe Knight

# Stratford (5-20) moved to Woodstock June 8.
## Chatham and St. Thomas disbanded July 4.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bunk Congalton	Hamilton	BA	.391		Thomas Cooper	London	W	23
Kid Mohler	London	Runs	73		Thomas Cooper	London	SO	103
Billy Reed	London	Hits	99		Thomas Cooper	London	Pct	.885 23-3
Kid Mohler	London	SB	43

Home Runs, four players tied with 5.

Cities Represented, Teams & Statistics

1905

• Brantford, ON: Brantford Indians
• Ingersoll, ON: Ingersoll
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints
• Simcoe, ON: Simcoe
• Woodstock, ON: Woodstock Maroons
• Guelph, ON: Guelph Biltmores

1905 D Canadian League
President: NA

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Woodstock Maroons	48	32	.600	0	Will Roche
Ingersoll	45	38	.542	4.5	Weldon
St. Thomas Saints	39	39	.500	8	Ponsford
Brantford Indians	31	38	.449	11.5	Watty Lee
Guelph Biltmores	22	41	.349	12.5	??
Simcoe #	10	27	.270	NA	Barwell(6/28) ___?___

#Simcoe disbanded around July 15.

data is from Woodstock "Sentinel-Review". Paper skips from June 30 to July 17. Simcoe disbanded around that time. Won-loss stats are from June 30th paper and are unbalanced. (195-216)

No Individual Statistics Available.

Cities Represented, Teams & Statistics

1911-1915

• Berlin, ON: Berlin Green Sox 1911; Berlin Busy Bees 1912-1913
• Brantford, ON: Brantford Red Sox 1911-1915
• Erie, PA: Erie Yankees 1914
• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs 1911-1913, 1915
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Kolts 1911-1912; Hamilton Hams 1913-1915
• London, ON: London Cockneys 1911; London Tecumsehs 1912-1915
• Ottawa, ON: Ottawa Senators 1912-1915
• Peterborough, ON: Peterborough White Caps 1912; Peterborough Petes 1913-1914
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints 1911-1915
• Toronto, ON: Toronto Beavers 1914

1911 D Canadian League
President: Donald Ferguson

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Berlin Green Sox	70	40	.637	0	George Deneau
London Cockneys	59	51	.536	11	Lou Bierbauer / Joe Keenan
Hamilton Kolts	58	52	.527	12	Knotty Lee
Brantford Red Sox	53	58	.477	17.5	Ambrose Kane
Guelph Maple Leafs	45	62	.421	23.5	Abbie Johnson / William Lane / Hugh Shannon
St. Thomas Saints	43	65	.398	26	Edwin Elliott

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Lou Bierbauer	London	BA	.367		Shad Barry	Brantford	Hits	141
Jack Cameron	Berlin	Runs	89		Harry Kane	Brantford	HR	7

1912 C Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	63	35	.643	0	Louis Cook
Brantford Red Sox	54	44	.551	9	Ambrose Kane
Hamilton Kolts	51	46	.526	11.5	Knotty Lee
London Tecumsehs	48	49	.495	14.5	Frank Bowerman / Albert Barrett
St. Thomas Saints	46	50	.479	16	Carlton Stewart
Berlin Busy Bees	42	50	.457	18	George Deneau
Guelph Maple Leafs	39	51	.433	20	George Needham / Fred Applegate
Peterborough Whitecaps	40	58	.408	23	Curtis Templin / Dave Rowan

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jack Fryer	Guelph	BA	.372		Pat Hynes	London	W	19
Frank Burke	Ottawa	Runs	79		Tom Donovan	Brantford	SO	138
Harry Corns	Hamilton	Hits	113		Joe McManus	Ottawa	Pct	.875; 14-2

1913 C Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	66	39	.629	0	Frank Shaughnessy
London Tecumsehs	64	39	.621	1	George Deneau
St. Thomas Saints	56	48	.538	9.5	George Orth
Peterborough Petes	55	48	.534	10	John Barthold
Guelph Maple Leafs	54	49	.524	11	Louis Cook
Hamilton Hams	52	52	.500	13.5	Knotty Lee
Berlin Busy Bees	38	66	.365	27.5	Joe Keenan
Brantford Red Sox	30	74	.288	35.5	Ambrose Kane / Red Rowe / Clarence Wagner

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bill Wright	Guelph	BA	.396		Bob Heck	London	W	24
Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	Runs	104		Erwin Renfer	Ottawa	SO	185
Bill Wright	Guelph	Hits	152		Bob Heck	London	Pct	.800; 24-6
Bill Wright	Guelph	HR	10

1914 B Canadian League - schedule
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	76	45	.628	0	Frank Shaughnessy
London Tecumsehs	71	43	.623	1.5	Doc Reisling
Erie Yankees	64	57	.529	12	Heinie Smith / Frank Gygli
Toronto Beavers	55	55	.500	15.5	Joe Keenan / Knotty Lee
St. Thomas Saints	48	60	.444	21.5	George Orth / Midge Craven
Peterborough Petes	49	62	.441	22	John Barthold / Curley Blount
Hamilton Hams	47	66	.416	25	Robert Yates / John White
Brantford Red Sox	46	68	.404	26.5	Clarence Wagner / George Deneau

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
J. Trout	Toronto	BA	.349		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	W	20
Rex Dawson	Erie	Runs	90		Lou Schettler	Peterborough	W	20
Owen Harris	Erie	Hits	138		Lou Schettler	Peterborough	SO	174
George Deneau	Brantford	HR	7		Joe McManus	Ottawa	Pct	.875; 14-2

1915 B Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	72	39	.649	0	Frank Shaughnessy
Guelph Maple Leafs	59	51	.537	12.5	Knotty Lee
Hamilton Hams	55	48	.534	13	Bill Cristall / Gus Ziemer
Brantford Red Sox	52	55	.485	18	George Deneau / John Warner
London Tecumsehs	50	58	.463	20.5	Doc Reisling / Walter Hartwell
St. Thomas Saints	38	75	.337	35	Carlton Stewart / Lou Bierbauer

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ralph Burrill	Brantford	BA	.344		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	W	19
Buzz Murphy	Guelph	Runs	66		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	SO	186
D.J. Bullock	Ottawa	Hits	130		Tom Caesar	London	Pct	.727; 8-3

League Records 1911-1915

Batting
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Frank Dolan	Ottawa	GA	125	14		Bill Wright	Guelph	BA	.396	13
Frank Shaughnessy	Ottawa	AB	446	14		Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	RUNS	104	13
Bill Wright	Guelph	HITS	152	13		Hackenbush	Hamilton	2B	28	11
E.T. Rogers	Ottawa	3B	16	13		Bill Wright	Guelph	HR	10	13
Bill Wright	Guelph	EBH	44	13		Bill Wright	Guelph	TB	231	13
Matty Matteson	London	SAC	36	13		A.E. Schwind	Ottawa	SAC	36	12
Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	SB	63	13		Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	BB	83	13
George Deneau	London	SO	71	13

Pitching
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Urban Shocker	Ottawa	GA	36	14		Ernest Chase	Brantford	CG	26	14
Ray Keating	Hamilton	W	25	13		Howick	St. Thomas	L	20	15
Bob Heck	London	PCT	.800	13		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	IP	303	15
Joe McManus	Ottawa	WS	14	12		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	SO	186	15
Joe Lill	Ottawa/Brantford	BB	140	13

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Sam Crawford, 1899 Chatham Reds
• Chaucer Elliott, a Hockey Hall of Fame referee managed the St. Thomas Saints in 1911. [1]

Source

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second and Third Editions.