Far West League (1948–1951)

The Far West League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1948 to 1951. The Far West League was a Class D level league, with franchises based in California, Nevada and Oregon. The Santa Rosa Pirates (1948), Pittsburg Diamonds (1949), Redding Browns (1950) and Klamath Falls Gems (1951) won league championships.

Far West League

Classification	Class D (1948–1951)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1948
Ceased	1951
President	Jerry Donovan (1948–1951)
No. of teams	11
Country	United States of America
Most titles	1 Santa Rosa Pirates (1948) Pittsburg Diamonds (1949) Redding Browns (1950) Klamath Falls Gems (1951)

History

The Far West League had eight teams in each of its first three seasons, before reducing to six teams in its final season of 1951. The league began play in 1948 with the Klamath Falls Gems, Marysville Braves, Medford Nuggets, Oroville Red Sox, Pittsburg Diamonds, Redding Browns, Santa Rosa Pirates and Willows Cardinals as the charter members.^[1]

In 1948, the Klamath Falls Gems were a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate; the Marysville Braves a Boston Braves affiliate; the Medford Nuggets, a Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate; the Oroville Red Sox, a Boston Red Sox affiliate; the Pittsburg Diamonds, a New York Giants affiliate; the Redding Browns, a St. Louis Browns affiliate; the Santa Rosa Pirates, a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate and the Willows Cardinals were a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate.^[1]

The league held four–team playoffs from 1948 to 1950 and a two–team final in 1951. League championships were won by the Santa Rosa Pirates (1948), Pittsburg Diamonds (1949), Redding Browns (1950), and Klamath Falls Gems (1951).^[2][3]

The Far West League permanently folded following the conclusion of the 1951 season.^[4][3]

Cities represented

• Chico, CA - Chico Red Sox (1949)
• Eugene, OR – Eugene Larks (1950–1951)
• Klamath Falls, OR – Klamath Falls Gems (1948–1951)
• Marysville, CA – Marysville Braves (1948–1949); Marysville Peaches (1950)
• Medford, OR – Medford Nuggets (1948–1949); Medford Rogues (1950–1951)
• Oroville, CA – Oroville Red Sox (1948)
• Pittsburg, CA – Pittsburg Diamonds (1948, 1949–1951)
• Redding, CA – Redding Browns (1948–1951)
• Reno, NV – Reno Silver Sox (1950–1951)
• Roseville, CA – Roseville Diamonds (1948)
• Santa Rosa, CA – Santa Rosa Pirates (1948); Santa Rosa Cats (1949)
• Vallejo, CA – Vallejo Chiefs (1949)
• Willows, CA – Willows Cardinals (1948–1950)

Standings & statistics

1948 Far West League
schedule

Team standings	W – L	GB	Managers
Oroville Red Sox	67–51	–	Nino Bongiovanni
Medford Nuggets	66–56	3.0	Larry Shepard
Klamath Falls Gems	67–58	3.5	Joe Gantenbein
Santa Rosa Pirates	63–59	6.0	Dan Reagan
Willows Cardinals	62–63	8.5	James Tyack / Bill Krueger
Redding Browns	61–62	8.5	Ray Perry
Marysville Braves	59–63	10.0	Edward Wheeler / James Keller / Spencer Harris
Pittsburg Diamonds / Roseville Diamonds	38–71	24.5	Gus Suhr / Arnold Rose / Bill Shewey

Pittsburg (31–48) moved to Roseville July 30
Playoffs: Klamath Falls 3 games, Oroville 1; Santa Rosa 3 games, Medford 1
Finals: Santa Rosa 4 games, Klamath Falls 3.^[3]

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ray Perry	Redding	BA	.411		Larry Shepard	Medford	W	22
Don Taylor	Medford	Runs	139		Jules Hudson	Oroville	SO	237
Ray Perry	Redding	Hits	179		Ronald Lee	Medford	ERA	2.53
Ray Perry	Redding	RBI	163		Larry Shepard	Medford	Pct	.880; 22–3
Ray Perry	Redding	HR	36

1949 Far West League

Team standings	W – L	GB	Managers
Pittsburg Diamonds	84–43	–	Vince DiMaggio
Klamath Falls Gems	78–46	4.5	Hub Kittle
Willows Cardinals	68–58	15.5	Bert Bonomi / Fred Fass
Redding Browns	63–64	21.0	Ray Perry
Marysville Braves	59–66	24.0	Rex Carr
Medford Nuggets	39–84	43.0	Dan Reagan
Santa Rosa Cats	43–49	NA	Joe Abreu / Alvin Kruk / Lembert Serpa / Lou Vezilich
Vallejo Chiefs	34–58	NA	Lou Vezilich

Vallejo disbanded July 31; Santa Rosa disbanded August 4.
Playoffs: Pittsburg 3 games, Willows 2; Redding 3 games, Klamath Falls 2
Finals: Pittsburg 4 games, Redding 3.^[3]

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Lou Vezilich	Vallejo/Santa Rosa	BA	.406		William Carr	Pittsburg	W	21
Ray Perry Ted Hess	Redding Klamath Falls	Runs	135 135		James Howard	Redding	SO	226
Ted Hess	Klamath Falls	Hits	188		William Carr	Pittsburg	ERA	3.28
Ray Perry	Redding	RBI	155		Blair Simpson	Pittsburg	Pct.	.882; 15–2
Ray Perry	Redding	HR	45

1950 Far West League
schedule

Team standings	W – L	GB	Managers
Klamath Falls Gems	87–52	–	Hub Kittle
Redding Browns	86–54	1.5	Ray Perry
Reno Silver Sox	75–63	11.5	Joe Borich
Medford Rogues	69–70	18.0	Tommy Nelson / Wilfred Jonas
Pittsburg Diamonds	67–73	20.5	Vince DiMaggio
Eugene Larks	62–77	25.0	Lou Vezilich
Marysville Peaches	56–82	30.5	Bert Kenmuir / Charles Welchel
Willows Cardinals	54–85	33.0	Ray Malgradi

Playoffs: Klamath Falls 3 games, Reno 2; Redding 3 games, Medford 0
Finals: Redding 3 games, Klamath Falls 1.^[3]

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Joe Borich	Reno	BA	.387		Andy Sierra	Klamath Falls	W	22
Ray Perry	Redding	Runs	162		Andy Sierra	Klamath Falls	SO	258
George Triandos	Klamath Falls	Hits	183		Eugene Valentine	Pittsburg	ERA	1.82
Ray Perry	Redding	RBI	170		Hub Kittle	Klamath Falls	Pct	1.000; 10–0
Ray Perry	Redding	HR	44

1951 Far West League
schedule
revised schedule after Pittsburg disbanded

Team Standings	W – L	GB	Managers
Redding Browns	76–55	–	Ray Perry
Klamath Falls Gems	74–54	0.5	Bill DeCarlo
Reno Silver Sox	52–65	17.0	Cotton Pippen
Eugene Larks	51–70	20.0	Duster Mails / George Matile / Cliff Dapper
Medford Rogues	47–67	20.5	Frank Lucchesi
Pittsburg Diamonds	29–18	NA	Vince DiMaggio

Pittsburg disbanded June 14
Playoff Final: Klamath Falls 3 games, Redding 0^[3]