Northwestern League (1905–1917)

For the same-named league in the late 19th century, see Northwestern League. For the current Minor League Baseball league, see Northwest League.

The Northwestern League was a professional sports league in minor league baseball that operated from 1905 to 1917. It was represented by teams based in British Columbia, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The league became the Pacific Coast International League in 1918.

Northwestern League (1905–1917)

Classification	Class B (1905–1917)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1905
Ceased	1917
Replaced by	Pacific Coast International League
President	William Henry Lucas (1905–1910) Robert Lindsay (1911) Dan Dugdale (1911) Fielder Jones (1912–1914) E.H. Hughes (1914) Bob Blewett (1915–1917)
No. of teams	21
Country	United States of America
Last champion(s)	4 Vancouver

Teams

21 teams played in the league throughout its existence. Those teams include the: Aberdeen Black Cats (1905, 1917), Bellingham Gillnetters (1905), Everett Smokestackers (1905), Spokane Indians (1905–1917), Vancouver Horse Doctors (1905, 1907), Victoria Legislators (1905), Butte Miners (1906–1908, 1916–1917), Grays Harbor Lumbermen (1906), Tacoma Tigers (1906–1917), Seattle Siwashes (1907–1908), Grays Harbor Grays (1908–1909), Vancouver Beavers (1908–1911, 1914, 1916–1917), Portland Colts (1909, 1912–1914), Seattle Turks (1909), Seattle Giants (1910–1917), Portland Pippins (1911), Victoria Bees (1911–1915), Vancouver Champions (1912, 1915), Vancouver Bees (1913), Ballard Pippins (1914), a Great Falls, Montana team (1916) and Great Falls Electrics (1917).^[1]

League champions

For most of the league's history, there were no official playoffs following the regular season. The only season with a playoff was 1915. Therefore, the team that finished in first place was often the de facto league champion.

The Everett Smokestackers were the league's first champions, finishing in first place in the four team league in 1905. In 1906, the Tacoma Tigers finished in first place, and in 1907, the Aberdeen Black Cats took the crown. The Vancouver Beavers finished in first place in 1908 and again in 1911 and 1914. The Seattle Turks won in 1909 and the Spokane Indians in 1910. In 1912, the Seattle Giants were first, while in 1913 the Vancouver Bees finished on top.^[1]

In 1915, the league played its only official playoff, which matched the first-place Seattle Giants against the second-place Tacoma Tigers. The Giants won the playoff three games to two, though it was presumably supposed to be at least a seven-game series - however, the playoff was abandoned during game six when a dispute broke out.

The Spokane Indians finished in first place in 1916 and the Great Falls Electrics finished in first place in 1917.

Cities represented

• Aberdeen, WA: Aberdeen Black Cats 1907, 1915; Aberdeen Grays 1908–1909
• Aberdeen, WA & Hoquiam, WA: Grays Harbor Grays 1906
• Ballard, WA: Ballard Pippins 1914
• Bellingham, WA: Bellingham Yankees 1905
• Butte, MT: Butte Miners 1906–1908, 1916–1917
• Everett, WA: Everett Smokestackers 1905
• Great Falls, MT: Great Falls Electrics 1916–1917
• Portland, OR: Portland Colts 1909, 1912–1914; Portland Pippins 1911
• Seattle, WA: Seattle Siwashes 1907–1908; Seattle Turks 1909; Seattle Giants 1910–1917
• Spokane, WA: Spokane Indians 1905–1917
• Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Tigers 1906–1917
• Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Horse Doctors 1905, 1907; Vancouver Beavers 1908–1911, 1914, 1916–1917; Vancouver Champions 1912, 1915; Vancouver Bees 1913;
• Victoria, BC: Victoria Legislators 1905; Victoria Bees 1911–1915

Standings & statistics

1905 Northwestern League

schedule pt 1 - pt 2

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Everett Smokestackers	60	37	.619	–	Billy Hulen
Bellingham Yankees	49	48	.505	11.0	Kirby Drennen / Frederick Clarke
Vancouver Horse Doctors	45	52	.464	15.0	John McCloskey
Victoria Legislators / Spokane Indians	41	58	.414	20.0	G.G. Howlett / Ed Hutchinson / Charles McIntyre

Victoria (14–38) moved to Spokane July 11.
The season was shortened to September 11.
Playoffs: None. The first half finished in a tie and it was decided that if Everett won the second half, the championship would be awarded to Everett. Everett won the second half.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Kirby Drennan	Bellingham	BA	.320		Carl Druhot	Bellingham	W	18
Billy Hulen	Everett	Runs	85		Hick Belt	Everett	W	18
Ed Hutchinson	Vict/Spoke	Hits	107		Ira Harmon	Vancouver	SO	194
Joe Marshall	Vancouver	HR	7		John McInnis	Everett	Pct	.800; 12–3

1906 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Tacoma Tigers	54	36	.600	–	Mike Lynch
Butte Miners	43	42	.506	8.5	Charles McIntyre
Grays Harbor Grays	41	47	.466	12.0	Robert Brown / Bill Hurley
Spokane Indians	37	50	.425	15.5	Bill Hurley / Matthew Stanley

Grays Harbor represented Aberdeen–Hoquiam, Washington.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Mike Lynch	Tacoma	BA	.355		Ike Butler	Tacoma	W	20
Mike Lynch	Tacoma	Runs	76		Irv Higginbotham	Tacoma	SO	153
Mike Lynch	Tacoma	Hits	130		Oscar Bandelin	Butte	Pct	.733; 11–4
Mike Lynch	Tacoma	HR	7

1907 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Aberdeen Black Cats	85	51	.625	–	Robert Brown
Tacoma Tigers	90	59	.604	1.5	George Shreeder
Seattle Siwashes	83	65	.561	8.0	Dan Dugdale
Butte Miners	70	73	.490	18.5	Russ Hall
Spokane Indians	68	76	.472	21.0	E.E. Quinn
Vancouver Horse Doctors	34	106	.243	53.0	Parke Wilson / Butch McIntyre / James Evans / Con Strothers / William Hurley

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ed Householder	Aberdeen	BA	.347		Ike Butler	Tacoma	W	32
Hunky Shaw	Tacoma	Runs	105		Irv Higginbotham	Aberdeen	SO	295
Hunky Shaw	Tacoma	Hits	174		Bill Brinker	Aberdeen	Pct	.714; 15-6
John Clynes	Tacoma/Vancouver	HR	10

1908 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Vancouver Beavers	85	62	.578	–	Richard Dickson
Tacoma Tigers	74	66	.529	7.5	Mike Lynch
Aberdeen Grays	73	69	.514	9.5	Robert Brown
Spokane Indians	72	75	.490	13.0	E.E. Quinn
Butte Miners	63	73	.463	16.5	Russ Hall
Seattle Siwashes	65	87	.428	22.5	Dan Dugdale

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Steamer Flanagan	Vancouver	BA	.352		George Engel	Vancouver	W	22
Ham Hyatt	Vancouver	Runs	102		Ed Erickson	Vancouver	W	22
Ham Hyatt	Vancouver	Hits	185		Spec Harkness	Butte	W	22
Ham Hyatt	Vancouver	HR	15		Gus Thompson	Grays Harbor	SO	263
					George Engel	Vancouver	Pct	.733; 22-8

1909 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Seattle Turks	109	58	.653	–	Mike Lynch[2]
Spokane Indians	100	66	.602	8.5	Robert Brown
Aberdeen Grays	78	81	.491	27.0	Pants Rowland
Portland Colts	79	88	.473	30.0	Perle Casey
Vancouver Beavers	70	96	.422	38.5	Lou Nordyke
Tacoma Tigers	64	111	.366	49.0	Russ Hall / Jerry Hurley / Ike Butler

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Pug Bennett	Seattle	BA	.314		Gus Thompson	Seattle	W	26
Pug Bennett	Seattle	Runs	111		Jesse Baker	Tacoma/Spokane	SO	249
Pug Bennett	Seattle	Hits	201		Frank Allen	Seattle	Pct	.769; 20-6
George Capron	Seattle	HR	15

1910 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Spokane Indians	96	65	.596	–	Harry Ostdiek
Vancouver Beavers	89	71	.556	6.5	Robert Brown
Tacoma Tigers	73	84	.465	21	Cliff Blankenship
Seattle Giants	61	99	.381	34.5	Mike Lynch / Fred Wood

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Lou Nordyke	Spokane	BA	.290		Jesse Baker	Spokane	W	28
Charles Swain	Vancouver	Runs	88		Jesse Baker	Spokane	SO	227
Lou Nordyke	Spokane	Hits	163		Jesse Baker	Spokane	Pct	.737; 28-10
Charles Swain	Vancouver	HR	11

1911 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Vancouver Beavers	103	61	.628	–	Kitty Brashear
Spokane Indians	96	71	.574	8.5	Harry Ostdiek
Seattle Giants	90	77	.533	14.5	Jack Tighe / Frank Raymond
Portland Pippins	84	77	.521	17.5	Nick Williams
Tacoma Tigers	81	84	.490	22.5	Mike Lynch
Victoria Bees	41	125	.247	63.0	T.S. McPherson

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Art Bues	Seattle	BA	.352		Ralph Willis	Spokane	W	23
Phil Cooney	Spokane	Runs	130		George Engel	Vancouver	Pct	.786; 22-6
Art Bues	Seattle	Hits	219
Art Bues	Seattle	HR	27
Pug Bennett	Vancouver	SB	64

1912 Northwestern League

schedule

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Seattle Giants	99	66	.600	–	Jack Barry / Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians	95	72	.568	5.0	Harry Ostdiek
Vancouver Champions	94	73	.563	6.0	Kitty Brashear
Portland Colts	74	88	.457	23.5	Nick Williams
Victoria Bees	72	93	.436	27.0	Lou Nordyke
Tacoma Tigers	62	104	.373	37.5	Mike Lynch

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jack Meek	Victoria	BA	.344		Bill James	Seattle	W	26
Hap Myers	Spokane	Runs	121		Bill James	Seattle	SO	201
Hap Myers	Spokane	Hits	207		Bill James	Seattle	Pct	.765; 26-8
Les Mann	Seattle	HR	23
Hap Myers	Spokane	SB	116

1913 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Vancouver Bees	99	66	.600	–	Robert Brown
Portland Colts	86	73	.541	10.0	Nick Williams
Seattle Giants	89	78	.533	11.0	Frank Raymond
Victoria Bees	81	90	.474	21.0	Mike Lynch / Del Delmas
Tacoma Tigers	75	96	.439	27.0	Joe McGinnity
Spokane Indians	70	97	.419	30.0	Harry Ostdiek / Watt Powell / Mike Lynch

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jack Meek	Victoria	BA	.358		Erv Kantlehner	Victoria	W	23
Charles Swain	Victoria	Runs	112		Erv Kantlehner	Victoria	SO	253
Ed Kippert	Vancouver	Hits	202		Clyde Hall	Vancouver	Pct	.696; 16-7
Charles Swain	Victoria	HR	34

1914 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Vancouver Beavers	96	56	.632	–	Robert Brown
Seattle Giants	95	61	.609	3.0	Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians	84	68	.553	12.0	Mike Lynch
Victoria Bees	64	87	.424	31.5	Del Delmas
Tacoma Tigers	64	93	.408	34.5	Joe McGinnity / Russ Hall
Portland Colts / Ballard Pippins	58	96	.377	39.0	Nick Williams

Portland (36–60) moved to Ballard July 20.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Emil Frisk	Vancou/Spokane	BA	.322		Wheezer Dell	Seattle	W	21
Kid Butler	Spokane	Runs	95		Stan Coveleski	Spokane	SO	214
Emil Frisk	Vancou/Spokane	Hits	178		Oscar Harstad	Vancouver	Pct	.867; 13-2
Charles Swain	Seattle	HR	12

1915 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Seattle Giants	88	68	.564	–	Frank Raymond
Tacoma Tigers	86	72	.544	3.0	Russ Hall / Joe McGinnity
Spokane Indians	81	74	.523	6.5	Bob Wicker
Vancouver Champions	74	79	.484	12.5	Hank Scharnweber
Aberdeen Black Cats #	46	62	.426	NA	Charley Stis / Pug Bennett
Victoria Bees	41	61	.402	NA	Martin Nye

Victoria and Aberdeen withdrew with league permission, August 1.
Playoff: Seattle 3 games, Tacoma 2; abandoned when the sixth game broke up in a dispute.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ed Kippert	Sea/Aber/Tacoma	BA	.332		Richard Kaufman	Tacoma	W	25
Jack Smith	Aberdeen/Seattle	Runs	99		Duster Mails	Seattle	SO	250
Ted Kaylor	Spokane/Victoria	Hits	197		Chuck Rose	Seattle	Pct	.667; 20-10
Bill Brinker	Vancouver	HR	11

1916 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Spokane Indians	79	48	.622	–	Nick Williams
Butte Miners	68	59	.535	11.0	Joe McGinnity
Tacoma Tigers	63	61	.508	14.5	Russ Hall
Great Falls Electrics	60	61	.496	16.0	Dick Hurley / Herb Hester
Seattle Giants	60	72	.455	21.5	Frank Raymond
Vancouver Beavers	50	79	.388	30.0	Robert Brown

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ed Kippert	Butte	BA	.358		Suds Sutherland	Tacoma	W	23
Roy Grover	Butte	Runs	119		Rudy Kallio	Great Falls	SO	190
Rod Murphy	Vancouver	Hits	182		Suds Sutherland	Tacoma	Pct	.767; 23-7
Dave Hillyard	Butte	HR	17
Dave Hillyard	Butte	RBI	101

1917 Northwestern League

schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Great Falls Electrics	42	29	.592	–	Herb Hester
Seattle Giants	46	34	.575	0.5	Bill Leard / Rube Gardner
Tacoma Tigers	38	35	.521	5.0	Frank Raymond
Spokane Indians	36	41	.468	9.0	Nick Williams
Butte Miners	31	38	.449	10.0	Joe McGinnity / Cliff McCarl
Vancouver Beavers	33	49	.402	14.5	Robert Brown

The season was shortened to July 15 with National Association approval.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Harry Harper	Tacoma	BA	.382		Herman Pillette	Tacoma	W	13
Charles Jackson	Spokane	Runs	74		Jim Clark	Great Falls	W	13
Harry Harper	Tacoma	Hits	113		Harry Gardner	Great Falls/Tacoma	SO	108
Dave Hillyard	Butte	HR	12		Pat Eastley	Seattle	Pct	.750; 9–3

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

• Dave Bancroft, 1913 Portland Colts
• Stan Coveleski, 1913–1914 Spokane Indians
• Harry Heilmann, 1913 Portland Colts
• George Kelly, 1914–1915 Victoria Bees
• Joe McGinnity, 1913–1915 Tacoma Tigers, 1916–1917 Butte Miners, 1917 Great Falls Electrics^[3]