# Northwestern League (1905–1917)

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.

## 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).

## 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.
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 |
| 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