Provincial League

From BR Bullpen

Based in Quebec, the Provincial League, known as the Ligue Provinciale in French, was first founded in 1898 with three teams based in Montreal, QC and three in nearby cities; its first President was Raoul Dumouchel. While this early edition did not last long, a new circuit of that name was established in 1935. It had a checkered existence in and out of Organized Baseball. It was an affiliated league from 1940 to 1943 and 1950 to 1955. From 1935 to 1939, 1944 to 1949, and 1958 to 1971, the league was not a member of the National Association. The league operated as an Independent League in 1948 and 1949. From 1950 through 1955 it was listed as a class C operation. It was again active in the 1960s until 1970 as independent league, after which teams in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke joined the AA Eastern League.

Cities Represented[edit]

1948-1955[edit]

Teams and Stastics[edit]

1948-1949 (I)[edit]

1948 Independent Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Sherbrooke Athlétiques 61 37 .632 - Gene Oliver / Roland Gladu
St. Jean Braves 56 44 .560 6 Jean-Pierre Roy / Bobby Estalella
St. Hyacinthe Saints 54 46 .540 8 Paul Martin
Granby Red Sox 48 50 .490 13 Armand Proulx
Drummondville Cubs 39 58 .402 21.5 Johnny Bezemes / Joe Tuminelli
Farnham Black Sox 36 59 .379 23.5 Lou Foreys / Dave Pope / Joe Crimmins
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Connie Creedon St. Hyacinthe BA .406 Jean-Pierre Roy St. Jean W 19
Roland Gladu Sherbrooke Hits 116
Eugene Nance St. Hyacinthe RBI 98
Buzz Clarkson St. Jean HR 29


1949 Independent Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Drummondville Cubs 63 34 .650 - Max Lanier / Stan Breard
Granby Red Sox 55 42 .567 8 Gene Oliver
Sherbrooke Athlétiques 53 47 .530 11.5 Roland Gladu
St. Jean Braves 45 53 .459 18.5 Don Savage / Red Hayworth
Farnham Pirates 43 55 .439 20.5 Vern Thoele
St. Hyacinthe Saints 36 64 .360 28.5 Paul Martin / Del Friar
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Al Armour Farnham BA .342 Sal Maglie Drummondville W 18
Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke Hits 126
Claro Duany Sherbrooke RBI 99
Quincy Barbee St. Jean HR 23

Teams and Statistics[edit]

1950-1955 (C)[edit]

1950 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
St. Jean Braves 58 49 .542 - 86,268 Steve Mizerak
Sherbrooke Athlétiques 57 51 .528 1.5 95,053 Roland Gladu
Farnham Pirates 55 52 .514 3 62,151 Packy Rogers
Drummondville Cubs 53 52 .505 4 110,350 Fido Murphy / Jack White / Breard
St. Hyacinthe Saints 52 55 .486 6 89,521 Jay Kirke Jr.
Granby Red Sox 45 61 .425 12.5 82,512 Bob Latshaw / Bud Kimball

Playoffs:St. Jean 4 games, Farnham 1; Sherbrooke 4 games, Drummondville 2.
Finals: St. Jean 4 games, Sherbrooke 3.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke BA .365 Louis Shapiro Sherbrooke W 18
Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke Hits 150 Fred Luciano Drummondville SO 140
Joe Scott Farnham Runs 89 Melvin Nee St. Hyacinthe ERA 1.69
Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke RBI 116 Bob Doyle Farnham PCT .833 10-2
Silvio Garcia Sherbrooke HR 21


1951 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Sherbrooke Athlétiques 73 50 .593 - 100,933 Roland Gladu
Granby Red Sox 74 51 .592 0 76,823 Oscar Major / Bud Kimball / Vernon Thoele
Drummondville Cubs 71 49 .591 .5 87,615 Stan Breard
Quebec Braves 65 58 .528 8 103,712 George McQuinn
St. Hyacinthe Saints 55 67 .451 17.5 57,476 Bull Hamons / Hank Camelli
St. Jean Braves 52 68 .423 19.5 48,500 Steve Mizerak
Farnham Pirates 52 71 .423 21 33,519 Sam Bankhead
Trois Rivieres Royals 48 76 .387 25.5 69,139 Al Gardella / Del Bissonette

Playoffs:Sherbrooke 4 games, Drummondville 2; Quebec 4 games, Granby 0.
Finals: Sherbrooke 4 games, Quebec 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Joseph Montiero Granby BA .353 John Andre Granby W 20
Johnny Davis Drummondville Runs 106 Connie Johnson St. Hyacinthe SO 172
Joseph Montiero Granby Hits 171 Carl Willey Quebec ERA 1.95
Frank Gravino St. Jean RBI 123 Carl Willey Quebec PCT .750 15-5
Frank Gravino St. Jean HR 42


1952 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
St. Hyacinthe A's 79 49 .617 - 60,147 John Sosh
Quebec Braves 78 51 .605 1.5 111,800 George McQuinn
St. Jean Canadians 63 66 .488 16.5 61,899 Gordon Maltzberger
Trois Rivieres Yankees 59 68 .465 19.5 85,526 Frank Novosel
Drummondville Cubs 57 68 .456 20.5 40,192 Herb Crompton
Granby Phillies 45 79 .363 32 31,554 Al Barillari

Playoffs: St. Hyacinthe 4 games, St. Jean 3; Quebec 4 games, Trois Rivieres 3.
Finals: Quebec 4 games, St. Hyacinthe 3.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Al Pinkston St. Hyacinthe BA .360 John Wingo Trois Rivieres W 16
Hector Lopez St. Hyacinthe Runs 115 Stan Wotychowicz St. Hyacinthe W 16
Fred Pacitto Trois Rivieres Hits 176 Thomas Smith Drummondville W 16
Al Pinkston St. Hyacinthe RBI 121 Bob Trice St. Hyacinthe W 16
Al Pinkston St. Hyacinthe HR 30 Robert Long St. Jean SO 179
Marco Mainini Trois Rivieres ERA 2.61
Bob Trice St. Hyacinthe PCT .842 16-3


1953 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Sherbrooke Indians 84 41 .672 - 58,288 Pinky May
Granby Phillies 72 52 .581 11.5 46,935 Al Barillari
Quebec Braves 71 52 .577 12 115,943 George McQuinn
Thetford Mines Mineurs 59 65 .476 24.5 72,530 Bill Krueger (minors)
Trois Rivieres Yankees 58 65 .472 25 73,982 Frank Novosel
St. Jean Canadians 57 65 .467 25.5 39,607 George Genovese
St. Hyacinthe A's 49 73 .402 33.5 30,501 John Sosh / Joe Rullo
Drummondville Royals 42 79 .347 40 35,202 Al Gionfriddo / Joseph Oliffe

Playoffs: Quebec 4 games, Sherbrooke 1; Granby 4 games, Thetford Mines 2.
Finals: Quebec 4 games, Granby 3.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John Waters Sherbrooke BA .348 William Diemer Thetford Mines W 20
David Mann Thetford Mines Runs 114 Michael Munsinger St. Hyacinthe W 20
John Waters Sherbrooke Hits 182 Marco Mainini Trois Rivieres SO 194
John Werner Quebec RBI 118 Alfred Dumouchelle Quebec ERA 2.29
Robert Diers Sherbrooke HR 26 Angelo LiPetri Granby PCT .882 15-2


1954 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Quebec Braves 80 48 .625 - 105,269 George McQuinn
Sherbrooke Indians 76 53 .589 4.5 44,541 Mark Wylie
Trois Rivieres Phillies 73 57 .562 8 64,902 Al Barillari / George Stirnweiss
Drummondville A's 60 69 .465 20.5 36,302 Hank Biasatti
St. Jean Canadians 53 73 .421 26 35,222 George DeTore / Steve Mizerak
Thetford Mines Mineurs 43 85 .336 37 47,334 Bill Krueger (minors)

Playoffs: Quebec 4 games, Trois Rivieres 3; Drummondville 4 games, Sherbrooke 3.
Finals: Quebec 4 games, Drummondville 2.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Michael Fandozzi Quebec BA .331 John Luthern Sherbrooke W 20
Michael Fandozzi Quebec Runs 110 Matt Peoplis Quebec SO 220
Michael Fandozzi Quebec Hits 173 Matt Peoplis Quebec ERA 2.34
Bill Williamson Sherbrooke RBI 118 Paul Bletz Trois Rivieres PCT .783 18-5
William Stuifbergen Drummondville RBI 118
Bill Williamson Sherbrooke HR 27


1955 C Provincial League
President: Albert Molini

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
St. Jean Canadians 86 44 .662 - 45,000 Steve Mizerak / Fred Luciano
Quebec Braves 81 49 .623 5 101,695 Sibby Sisti
Burlington A's 65 64 .504 20.5 51,267 Vincent Plumbo
Trois Rivieres Phillies 62 68 .477 24 47,873 Al Barillari
Sherbrooke Indians 53 76 .411 32.5 38,509 Edgar Hartness
Thetford Mines Mineurs 42 88 .323 44 35,556 Barney Lutz

Playoffs: Burlington 4 games, St. Jean 1; Quebec 4 games, Trois Rivieres 2.
Finals: Quebec 4 games, Burlington 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Robertson Quebec BA .342 Jack Hale Burlington W 17
Bill Causion St. Jean Runs 105 Dean Lakatosh St. Jean W 17
Bill Robertson Quebec Hits 173 Richard Mitchener Sherbrooke So 1.71
Bill Robertson Quebec RBI 108 Ramon Salgado St. Jean ERA 2.21
Bill Causion St. Jean HR 24 Dean Lakatosh St. Jean PCT .850 17-3

History of Black Players in the League[edit]

Black players had an easier time playing ball in Quebec as they faced less discrimination, and as the Provincial League was not yet recognized by Major League Baseball (in the early years at least), it had no restrictions on hiring players of color. The first black player to play in the Provincial League was Alfred Wilson who was a pitcher for Granby in 1935. Unfortunately, once the League was recognized by the Majors, Black players were forced to retire from the League. Attitudes changed after the Second World War, when colored players were again allowed to join the Provincial League.

With the demise of the Negro Leagues, several players who were not of Major League quality or were too old to be deemed prospects were scooped up by the Provincial League and other Canadian circuits. Notably, the Saints from Ste-Hyacinthe had several Black players in the 1950s.

Sources[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

Related Sites[edit]

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