Pacific National League

From BR Bullpen

In 1903 the Pacific Northwest League changed its name to the Pacific National League. This was a result of the independent California League deciding to expand north into Seattle and Portland, and changing its name to the Pacific Coast League as a result. The Pacific Northwest League decided to oppose the move by placing franchises of its own in Los Angeles and San Francisco in a bid to see which of the two leagues would drive out the other.

The class A Pacific National League had teams in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco, which all also had teams in the Pacific Coast League; these were complemented by teams in the smaller cities of Butte, Helena, Spokane and Tacoma. Travel would prove to be a nightmare for the smaller and more distant cities, and on July 1, the franchise in Portland disbanded, being replaced by a new team in Salt Lake City. On August 15, Helena left the league, and was soon followed by Tacoma, Los Angeles and San Francisco; only four teams finished out the season. The head-on war with the Pacific Coast League had proved disastrous.

With four cities left in 1904, the league was downgraded to class B as the remaining teams were in Boise, Butte, Salt Lake City and Spokane. In 1905, Ogden replaced Butte as the league remained a four team league, operating as an independent league. The season lasted just under two months. The league was gone by 1906, while its 1903 rival endures to this day.


Cities Represented[edit]

Teams and Statistics[edit]

1903-A[edit]

1903 Pacific National League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Butte Miners 85 62 .578 - Jerry Kane / Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians 82 68 .547 4.5 W.V. Garrett / C.H. Williams
Seattle Chinooks 78 71 .523 8 Dan Dugdale
Portland / Salt Lake City # 56 91 .381 29 John Grim / John McCloskey
Los Angeles ### 65 42 .607 NA Charlie Reilly
San Francisco Pirates ### 56 52 .519 NA John McCloskey
Tacoma Tigers ## 46 60 .434 NA Byron McKibben
Helena Senators ## 40 62 .392 NA John Flannery / Fred Carish

# Portland (21-42) moved to Salt Lake City July 2.
## Tacoma and Helena disbanded August 16.
### Los Angeles and San Francisco disbanded August 21.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Frank Huelsman Spokane BA .392 Pete Dowling Butte W 30
She Donahue Portland/Salt Lake City Runs 114 Pete Dowling Butte SO 249
She Donahue Portland/Salt Lake City Hits 192 Ernest Nichols Spokane Pct .833; 20-4
Joe Marshall San Francisco HR 25

1904-B[edit]

1904 Pacific National League - schedule
President: William Henry Lucas

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Boise Fruit Pickers 82 49 .626 - John McCloskey
Spokane Indians 73 57 .562 8.5 Charlie Reilly
Butte Miners 54 75 .419 27 Walt Wilmot
Salt Lake City Elders 51 79 .392 30.5 Dad Gimlin / Frederick Clarke
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Carney Spokane BA .366 Dan McFarlan Boise W 30
Ike Rockenfield Spokane Runs 113 Bill Hogg Spokane SO 259
Farmer Weaver Boise Hits 188 Dan McFarlan Boise Pct .698; 30-13
Ralph Frary Spokane HR 13


1905-IND[edit]

1905 Pacific National League - schedule
President: William Rishel

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Boise Infants 22 15 .595 - William Weaver/John McCloskey
Ogden Lobsters 20 17 .541 2 Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians 20 19 .513 3 Charlie Reilly
Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers # 13 24 .351 9 Frederick Clarke

# The league disbanded June 20 when Salt Lake City withdrew. The league was expelled from the National Association February 20.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Charles McIntyre Boise BA .372 Dan McFarlan Boise W 8
Eddie Hammond Boise Runs 34 Charles Steztz Boise SO 70
Charles McIntyre Boise Hits 54 Gus Thompson Ogden SO 70
Hugh Kellacky Boise HR 5 George Hodson Boise PCT .833 5-1

Source[edit]

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

Further Reading[edit]

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