http://torontodreamsproject.blogspot.com/2015/04/an-illustrated-history-of-baseball-in.html Toronto
https://web.archive.org/web/20221208094510/https://torontoist.com/2013/09/historicist-the-unknown-impresario/ Lol Solman
https://web.archive.org/web/20230128060420/https://torontoist.com/2009/04/historicist_the_best_minor_league_c/ Jack Kent Cooke
https://web.archive.org/web/20221208094510/https://torontoist.com/2013/09/historicist-the-unknown-impresario/ Lol Solman
https://web.archive.org/web/20230128060420/https://torontoist.com/2009/04/historicist_the_best_minor_league_c/ Jack Kent Cooke
Bruce League
1934 6-15 standings
1934-6-15 ad for 6-16 game. Admission 25 cents. Bush McWhirter is manager of Southampton Fishermen, who are 4-0.
Canadian League
1904 8-20 standings
1904-8-06 Berlin. Box. Fred Hickey signed by Acton - Hickey pitched for Waterloo for two or more years a number of years ago.
Central Ontario League
1919
1920 Hillcrests
1921 Oshawa
1919-7-17 Cannonball Ed Scott picture; with Lindsay - k'd 15, allowed 1 hit.
1921-9-12 Oshawa won championship by beating Belleville. Will meet winners of Hillcrest v. Simcoe. Their three baseball & hockey stars, Fair, Rowden, and Jacobi, are not in condition.
1921-9-29 Hillcrests will face Oshawa in Ontario semi-finals; in the lefty Dainty Oshawa has one of the top pitchers in the province. He is an "average-sized, wiry lad."
1942-9-10 Some former players now playing softball.
1945-8-11 "Mr. [Josh] Craig, [lately deceased sports editor of the Peterborough Examiner,] had always exhibited keen interest in the old Central Ontario League, a loop that produced miniature warfare among Peterborough, Oshawa and Kingston teams. It couldn't have been otherwise with such notables as Jake Solomon, Knotty Lee and Joe Daley doing the team managing."
1950-8-22 Kingston. Died today. Worked many years at the post office.
1950-8-23 Montreal. Died yesterday, Known as Kingston's "Mr. Baseball."
1950-8-24 Joseph J. Daley, former manager and coach of many league teams, died in Kingston.
Central Ontario League
1948 Peterborough Marines
Rothrock, Dean p 1950 Smiths Falls Royals 17K shutout
Scrutton, Stanley .261 1948PROV
Stelmach, Joe 23 BB, 33 AB, 1951 CAML 1950 Smiths Falls Royals
1948-9-13 Ole Olsen had thought Kingston could sweep Marines.
(1948-9-10) G#3.
(1948-9-13) Kingston. COBL deciding game - box. "Peterborough now advances into the Senior A playdown, probably against a western Ontario team, while Locos go into OBA Senior B competition, meeting an Ottawa team in the first round."
1950-9-24 Ottawa. Line for deciding game of championship series. Trophy presented to Joe Levandoski, who lead the league with a .438 average.
Essex County League
1945 6-01 standings
1950
Windsor Colored Giants
Inter-County League
1932
Judd, Oscar p - became pro at 26, MLB at 33. 1930 Ingersoll
1930-4-29 Preston Riversides will play in white uniforms purchased from Toronto IL. Bush McWhirter is coach. Roster listed.
Galt Terriers deny charges that they are after Preston players. "There is not a better coach in Ontario than Bush McWhirter." Preston Athletic Association is considering whether to hire him.
1930-5-05 Preston Riversides do not like their nick-name.
1930-7-09 Top batting talk.
1933-12-11 About Oscar Judd. "In amateur company a wild streak is beneficial. It keeps the batters guessing. But in pro. company it is just so much sugar to the batters."
In bowling Bush McWhirter made perfect score of 450 at the bowling alley he owns. First perfect fivepin score registered here, it is believed.
1934-8-10 Intermediate playoffs talk. Alf White of London is leading the league with a .465 average - descr. of his batting style.
1934-8-10 Lists K leaders from 1928 to 1934. Descr. of Stratford ball field - Brantford will face them in play-offs.
1935-6-08 Bush McWhirter resigns as manager of Twin City Panthers. He lives in Galt and cannot come to Kitchener for daily practices.
1947-9-20 On Bush McWhirter day the honored man put himself in as a pinch-hitter, singled, then stole second. He is 57. A firebrand. Coached Toronto clubs to three Ontario titles in four years before coming to Galt. Fairly detailed account of managing career.
1926-4-27 Holding meeting with O.B.A.A. to try to contest withheld playing certificates.
1926-7-31 Galt man offers to bet $200 on Galt Terriers v. Walkerville Chicks.
1926-8-04 coach of Walkerville Chicks is in town to scout Galt Terriers, their prospective opponents O.B.A.A.
1926-8-18 Galt Terriers will play St. Thomas Saints in three-game series for championship of Intercounty League.
1926-8-28 St. Thomas to play Walkerville. Accompanied on trip by hundreds of fans. Before joining Intercounty League St. Thomas won three straight Southern Ontario League titles, and have compiled good O.B.A.A. record.
In regular season St. Thomas was hit by loss of players; pitcher Tiny Monk was ill and it is only in the last few weeks that he has regained his form.
1926-10-27 "The Brantford club will be represented at the Inter-County meeting to-day with Billy McKinnon, who is treasurer of the league, and President Alderman William Hampel of the local club.
The Brantford executive is going to favor a smaller circuit with Wednesday afternoon games out. It has been found very difficult to get the players off for the half day particularly when the man has been forced to lose his pay and then work under amateur laws. The executive wasted a lot of time last summer persuading the employers of the players to allow them to lose the half day on Wednesdays and on many occasions the whole day was lost especially, with the long distance to Stratford St. Thomas.
and
The other delegates will be sounded out on this proposition of the exceeding cost of transportation and the loss of time required for the longer trips. Brantford being at one extreme end of the circuit is harder hit than teams in the centre of the loop."
Also about status of some of the other clubs.
1927-8-10 Much misc.
1932-5-12 game ad for 5-14 game. General 35 cents, grandstand 50 cents, children 10 cents.
1932-5-21 game ad for 5-24 game.
1932-7-08 ad for doubleheader at Victoria Park, 7-19, commencing at 3.15. Senior: Guelph Leafs v. Twin City Panthers. Junior: Guelph Leaflets v. Panther Cubs. Admission 35 cents; grandstand 15 cents; children 10 cents.
1932-4-19 Bush McWhirter. will coach Twin City Panthers.
1932-5-12 Ray Vaughan. Pitching ace of 1930 who will return to Twin City Panthers this year. A .300 hitter.
1926-7-07 Twin Cities 13, Guelph 11. Very detailed game account.
1964-5-06 Bush McWhirter died 5-03 of a heart attack. Recounting of career.
Inter-County League (post WWII section)
https://attheplate.com/wcbl/intercounty_league.html list of MLB & NLB players
1950 final batting
1952
1953 final batting
1954 Galt Terriers final batting WCBL does not have
Breard, Stan 1954
Casanova, Bill of vg 1955 St. Thomas Elgins
Dumouchelle, Alfred 1950 Waterloo Tigers 1955 St. Thomas Elgins
Gavey, Alf 575K in 553 milb IN. 1951 Brantford
Lefevre, Roy 1955 Oshawa Merchants - P-M
Alexander, Ted NLB1950-51 London Majors SABR bio
wore Homestead Grays jersey because too fat for any London jersey
Biasatti, Hank VG 1b born in Italy 1953 Waterloo Tigers PM - pitched
Clifford, Luther NLB c 1951 Brantford 1954 Brantford "Shanty"
Judd, Oscar p 1950 Guelph
Marchildon, Phil won 19 for A's in 1947 - two-time AL walk leader - 1951 Guelph. Interesting SABR bio. link Dramatic signing story to begin pro career. Miner. Survived WWII but did not recover.
1951-6-22 Ronnie Hadara, Brantford, if
1951-7-06 Johnny Moore, Brantford Red Sox, pitcher
1951-8-18 Johnny Moore, Luther Clifford, Alf Gavey,
1951-8-22 Alf Gavey, Brantford
1951-8-24 local outfield of Brantford Red Sox
1951-8-27 three Brantford infielders
1951-9-01 Wilmer Field receiving MLB award
1953-9-18 Waterloo. Post-game celebration pic.
1954-8-25 Wilmer Fields. led league with .379 average.
1955-9-07 Wilmer Fields. led league with .425 average.
1956-9-15 Ken McDowell on ground with leg injury.
1951-7-28 all-star voting
1951-8-18 Wilmer Fields named MVP - Freddie Thomas finished 2nd by one vote.
1951-8-22 league K record in 1951 was 11- in 1949 Billy Gibbs k'd 16 in a game.
1951-8-24 last Saturday Ted Alexander jumped the Majors, right on the eve of the play-offs- said he quit because he wasn't getting enough work. Says he will pitch 18 games for a San Francisco team and after that job is finished will play in Puerto Rico.
1951-9-01 players make $300/month in Intercounty League - minor leaguers make about half that.
It's a good paying league.
1951-10-30 Brantford boy Hugh King while pitching in Puerto Rican Winter League faced Wilmer Fields
1951-12-28 Wilmer Fields was the league's #1 gate attraction. Last summer Wilmer Fields turned down $10,000 offer from Toronto Maple Leafs.
1951-12-29 Freddie Thomas, Kitchener Legionaires, won batting title with .380 avg. Plays basketball with Toronto Tri-Bells, defending Canadian champions.
1954-3-13 Wilmer Fields signs contract with Brantford Red Sox. Team pres. Mike King says he purchased Fields' contract from Toronto Maple Leafs.
1954-7-12 "one or two thousand fans" is a "small crowd". Stuff about Gallinger Panthers.
Last week the PA man called Gerry Fryfogle "Gerry Bifocals"
1954-12-11 John Gillies, lawyer as well as commissioner of I-C, was elected to London township. It's possible he'll step down from I-C duties.
It's possible Brantford will sell Wilmer Field's contract for 1955 to another team as they can't afford his salary and therefore don't intend to offer him a job.
1954-12-16 1955 league line-up decided. Meeting was surprisingly peaceful. Most clubs want 25 home dates over 13 week season. Gallinger is notable exception to the consensus. Alt proposal.
1954-12-31 summary of individual record-book rewriting Brantford season
1955-6-21 Rumblings about collapse - complaints of poor attendance. But great pennant race. One man bet another that Wilmer Fields would get six hits in a day - other person of course accepted. What the Other did not realize was that Fields had collected four hits in afternoon game - so when Fields got two in night game he lost.
1955-9-07 some fans cynically say the I-C is a class C league with AAA salaries - others concede
it is class B quality. Don Robertson who played in WINT last year says the I-C is a strong class A league. He says the biggest difference is depth of pitching - I-C staffs are thin. But he believes that
if the Oshawa Merchants had some more pitchers they could beat any A team in North America, and even beat a lot of AA teams. Don Robertson is very happy with how he has been treated.
Some I-C teams have done a disservice by allowing their teams to rot. The Oshawa Merchants are especially guilty. They are a shadow of their former selves. On Monday in the Finals St. Thomas beat them 15-2 and felt they had to apologize to the 3234 ladies & gentleman in the bleachers. "It became so ridiculous that when Oshawa used two infielders as pitchers the St. Thomas players went to the plate batting from the wrong side."
Russ Evons, "Russell the Muscle", London Majors' veteran, has announced his retirement.
1955-10-31 At the meeting Gallinger dominated the talking, as is his wont, even though he claims he will run baseball clubs no longer. Usually his blather is self-serving and heard with suspicion, but this time he spoke regarding a common cause: the lowering of salaries. He proposes the use of the residency rule which has not been used in four years. No more "mass importation and uncontrolled salaries."
Dwindling attendance over the last few seasons is probably not due to a surfeit of Americans, as Gallinger claims. The imports are good - they're just no longer affordable.
In years of residency rule Ernie Goman of Waterloo caught the London Majors using a pitcher, Bob Brake, who commuted from Detroit although he was supposed to be living in London.
1955-11-02 "We don't believe the average fan is for cheaper baseball." American imports are a staple in many fields. Would stars play for less money? Discussion of effects of TV. Intercounty League is facing tough problems.
1955-12-06 the era of the high-priced import is finished. Residence rule will bring league closer to amateurism. American players can only play if they establish residency in Intercounty territory by February. Max of three US college players per team. All teams will be required to carry three junior players on roster as an aid to developing local talent.
League quality will take a hit as some of the big stars like Wilmer Fields leave, but it will still be respectable. The London Majors who were decent last year will be able to retain almost their entire roster. Even St. Thomas Elgins, who may be the hardest hit by changes, will be able to put a good nine on the field. The league will most likely be better balanced. On the other hand it's not even clear the league will be operating when next spring comes.
1956-9-15 Oshawa Motors say they lost money this year but their operating costs have been $10K less than last year.
1951-6-21 Brantford 6, Guelph 0. Wilmer Fields wins long-awaited match with Phil Marchildon.
Marchildon still dreams of returning to the IL.
1951-8-21 riot. Woman slapped. Crazy. 3K ATT. Game forfeited to Brantford.
1951-8-23 4K+ ATT. Wilmer Fields beat Kitchener on 3 hits with 11K. 1200 of the 4K had purchased tickets.
1954-8-24 Brantford 2, St. Thomas 1. (12) St. Thomas 4, Brantford 2.
"When the Red Sox bought John Clarke from the Guelph-Waterloo Royals, they did so because John had a reputation as a relief specialist. They said he couldn't go beyond three or four innings with any measure of success, but for those few frames he was an effective fireman."
finals:
1951-8-26 Brantford 5, London 2. 12 innings. London has one of the finest parks in Ontario. Play by play. 7K ATT.
1951-9-03 Brantford 6, London 1. 5K ATT.
In play-off series Wilmer Fields was 12-24 and 2-0.
1955-9-06 (no box) Oshawa Merchants 5, St. Thomas Elgins 4. St Thomas leads series 2-1. Wilmer
Fields, usually an outfielder, pitched, as he did a few times late in the season.
1956-9-14 London 11, Brantford 10. Almost 1000 fans came out for a frigid game.
For his career Wilmer Fields was an eight-time MVP.
Interprovincial Amateur League
1918 Ottawa East Final stats
1918-9-03 Journal. Commentary on Sunday's games. St. Brigid's used Joe Smith, a sixteen-year-old from the Bingham Park playgrounds team, and he allowed only one hit, losing 1-0. "
"Smith, who is only a mite, showed good speed and a fine assortment of curves. He. however, is inclined to use a big drop too much, and he has not yet gained very good control of that curve. When he gave his only base on balls two of four were called on his drop. The youngster has the making of a smart ball player.
Jack Touhey of St. Brigid's made three great catches in left field. Joe Breen caught an errant throw at first with his bare hand.
1918-10-01 Journal. Final stats. Ottawa East hit .311 - no other team hit more than .233. Gariepy was 1-4. Roger Smith, Ottawa East 1b, led the league with a .459 mark.
1918-6-02 Citizen. Fine weather prevailed for the weekly doubleheader at Dupuis Park.
1918-7-28 Ottawa Journal. Two boxes - games at Dupuis Park. Percy Scott, former City Leaguer, pitched for Hull A.A. Joe Breen, future Toronto Osler, and his brother T. Breen in Hull A.A. infield.
1918-8-18 Journal. Boxes. Ottawa East strengthened hold on first place. One of the largest crowds of the season. Gariepy knocked out of box early in 13-3 loss to St. Brigid's.
1918-9-01 Journal. Boxes.
Niagara District League
1926
1927
1926-6-27 box
Niagara District League
1945
Kazmierczak, Edward p 1 pro g 1945 Hamilton Cardinals
Ontario Baseball Amateur Association (O.B.A.A.)
1918 Toronto Hillcrests
1919 Belleville Grand Trunks
1920 Hamilton Plowites
1921 Toronto Hillcrests
1920 Hamilton Plowites
1921 Toronto Hillcrests
1922 Galt Terriers
1923 Galt Terriers
1924 Toronto Oslers
1925 Copper Cliff
1925 Copper Cliff
1926 Toronto Oslers
1931 Galt Terriers
1921-9-12 semi-finals scores
1926-9-12 Walkerville 8, Niagara 0. 5K ATT.
1926-9-19 Walkerville Chicks 11, Niagara Falls Cataracts 7. 2K ATT. Very good game account.
1926-9-17 Five teams in running. Walkerville fans are hoping for a late autumn. Cartoon of Joe Spring, Oslers pitcher.
"Copper Cliff's team is supported largely by the International Nickel Company of that centre, and is loyally followed by the miners and other workers who are isolated in the district and have few other varieties of recreation. The team has a magnificent clubhouse, probably one of the finest of its kind in the world, situated near the top of a mountain..."
1926-10-12 Champs of all divisions listed up to 1926.
1926-10-23 Two Windsor teams have applied for membership in O.B.A.A. : new team led by Al Edwards and M&G team. Probably only one will be admitted - there may be a fight.
1926-11-03 Both "Cad" Campau and "Punch" Brophey are sure that they will be the one who win the Windsor franchise in the O.B.A.A. Reg Brophey gives six lines of reasoning he hopes will convince the governing body in Toronto.
1927-9-19 4K ATT. St. Georges, Toronto champs, still in running for Ontario championship.
1930-8-29 Windsor All-Stars, comprised entirely of former Chicks players, last year's O.B.A.A. champs, will face the Detroit Firemen.
Ontario Baseball Association (O.B.A.)
1945
1946
1950
1946-8-09 Russ "The Black One" Nantais - Windsor pitcher / MG
Red Nantais is older brother of Russ
1950-9-29 Waterloo Tigers will face Oshawa in senior semi-finals.
(1948-9-13) Kingston. COBL deciding game - box. "Peterborough now advances into the Senior A playdown, probably against a western Ontario team, while Locos go into OBA Senior B competition, meeting an Ottawa team in the first round."
1947-9-04 Junior A. Ottawa Victorias 4, Kingston Athletics 3. Good game. Frank Dyer pitched for Athletics.
1947-9-11 Junior A. Kingston Athletics 5, Ottawa Victorias 4. One of the most exciting and best-played games of this or any other season. Gave the A's a 2-1 victory over the Vics. Dyer pitched the finest game of his career, k'ing 13 despite throwing six wild pitches.
1949-8-24 1st game of junior playoffs. Kingston Junior Ponies 16, Belleville Kiwanis 4. Box. Al "Belky" Murray won.
(1949-9-06) Kingston Junior Ponies 6, Ottawa Victorias 4. Line. Belky Murray, diminutive Kingston pitcher, k'd 12. Pics of Belky Murray and Jerry McCormick, Kingston players.
Ontario League (class C)
1930 BR No stats, partial rosters
1930-5-17 (Brantford) Ballpark talk - Agricultural park. Holes in fences have to be fixed to keep out gatecrashers. New dugouts put in. Player talk. 1500 saw St. Thomas Blue Sox lose 8-7 in 11 innings to HOD.
Burchell, St. Thomas manager, announced it is unlikely that Charlie Dalton, Windsor amateur, will be able to play. He works for the Michigan Central Railroad which is uninterested in giving him a three-month leave of absence.
1930-5-21 (Brantford) Profiles of every player on Brantford team - VG. Pics of league officials. George (Knotty) Lee is described as "Organizer and baseball promoter extraordinary, who started more leagues than a minister has marriages. He has taken the London franchise and will doubtless make a good showing in the Forest City."
VG box for opener.
1930-7-08 (Brantford) 1st half stats. .300 + and local for batting, all pitching.
1930-7-23 League to cease operations. Players cannot be sold - are made free agents when wages are more than five days overdue, so that source of revenue is gone.
"Industrial conditions, which materially affected the finances of the men who patronize ball games, were responsible for the failure of the league to finish." The league was too extravagant in its early days. "Golf has played havoc with the attendance too, and the automobile has made deep inroads on the people's money."
Review of Ontario players.
1930-7-24 Knotty Lee claims he lost $3200 for the season from his London team, the fans not supporting it at all. The league had been trying to arrange a final play-off series between St. Catharines and London, but the St. Kitts Brewers players walked out. Pat Doherty and most of the players went to their PA homes. The Brewers took close to $8K from the gates but salaries were too high. Now a play-off has been arranged between London and St. Thomas.
1930-7-24 Warrant issued for arrest of Dixie Walker, Brantford manager, for nonpayment of wages.
1930-7-07 (Brantford) Box + good talk.
1930-7-08 (Brantford) Local box. Foreign line - 700 ATT. Some good talk.
1930-4-17 Teams busy signing players. Every team was after George Mahon, one of the best semi-pro pitchers developed in the Dominion in years. Last year he was 21-5 for the London Solloway-Mills team that went to the intermediate provincial championship last year. He has been signed by London.
1930-4-17 Profile + pic of league president Walter McMullen, Hamilton sportswriter.
1930-8-07 Standings + boxes of league championship play-off.
Ottawa Independent League
1921
Gariepy, Albert p Montreal ECAN 1921 Strathconas
1921-6-19 Citizen. Gariepy set a new local record by striking out 18 batters in 9 innings. A Ladouceur caught Gariepy - one of the Ladouceurs of Ogdensburg?
Southern Ontario League
1926
1926-7-31 "The first year is always the tough year in any organized sport. Until this season organized baseball on a scale such as attempted this year was unknown in the border cities." League may have six clubs in 1927.
Island Amateur League
1898
1898-6-23 Evening Star. Standings, team and individual batting. Walsh of Athenaeum is the only player to have homered thus far. Four teams, four games played.
Commentary. Lee, Toronto Athletic Club pitcher, is doing the best pitching. Shorty Holden, Queen City catcher, has a good arm. Ramblers players: pitcher Bert Orr, Burr Maxwell. Ed. Lawson is Q.C. 1b. Bill Drohan is Ramblers 1b. Ed. Trowbridge is now the Ramblers' captain. Charley Good played well for T.A.C.
1898-6-25 Waterloo. Berlin 2, T.A.C. 1. At Berlin grounds. Good attendance - good game. Doc Sheppard with T.A.C. Play by play.
1898-6-25 Contin. Play by play concluded. Box score.
1898-9-05 Kingston W-S. T.A.C. 6, Kingston 0. Kingston 12, T.A.C. 3. Lines. Lee, the boy wonder, pitched a phenomenal game for T.A.C. in the first game of the doubleheader. He was so speedy the catcher could hardly hold his pitches.
Toronto City Amateur League
1902
1902-4-16 Star. St. Mary's will play the Torontos tomorrow - new players listed.
1902-4-24 Star. Schedule given. All games will be played at the Toronto Ball Grounds. Season runs from 5-03 to 9-20. When Toronto is away, two games will be played on Saturdays - when they are home, only one.
Toronto Senior League (Senior Amateur League) (City Amateur League)
1901 Crescents
1902
1910
1911
1913
1919
1920
1921
Auld, Robert p CANL also [1911 Guelph]
1902-10-15 Star. Final batting. Doc Shepherd, the oldest active player in Toronto, led in batting with .467. He pitched for Toronto in the International Association 15 years ago.
1908-3-13 Star. There is a strong movement on hand to reorganize the Senior Amateur League, which closed a few years ago due to a lack of enclosed playing fields. Doc Shepherd is considering reorganizing "the old and well-known Crescent team, which for so many years under his able leadership held the premier amateur baseball honors."
1917-9-29 Beaches ' catcher Robert McWhirter reinstated after suspension.
1920-3-06 Only four teams in league this year after five-team arrangement of 1919 was unsatisfactory. Team/player comments.
1921-5-07 St. Andrew's putting team together.
1908-5-30 Star. Boxes. Games at Brock avenue grounds.
1921-5-28 Opening game (7 innings) played in 1:05.
1901-8-28 Kingston. Kingston Ponies 13, Toronto Crescents 8. Box. Doc Shepherd described as nearly 60 - "the hairs of his head are decidedly numbered." Shepherd called "Chaucer" Elliott's Ponies the best team Kingston has ever had. Ponies' batting and fielding averages since 7-01.
1902-4-23 Star. Toronto 21, Crescents 4. Box. Crescents missing some of their star players.
Toronto Amateur Baseball Association (T.A.B.A.)
1921-5-07 has a total of 4K players
Toronto amateur leagues:
1917-7-23 Game commentary, talk. Pitcher deserted St. Mary's Colts.
1917-9-29 If St. Mary's Colts win intercity championship they will play all-star team for benefit of Sportsmen's Patriotic Association. Batting averages given for members of all-star team.
1918-3-07 Star. "Prospects Bright for Amateur Ball." "In some quarters there is a feeling of pessimism about the possibilities of baseball, but on every hard there are signs that the four senior leagues - Stanley Park, Western City, Riverdale and Playgrounds - will be doing business again this year."
The Stanley Park league has been hit hardest by the draft - lists stars that have been drafted.
"The idea of any manager having an all-star aggregation, similar to St. Mary's Colts of last year, should be banished. If the teams have the interest of their leagues at stake they will see that the teams are evenly-balanced in order to have a strong circuit, that will give their patrons ball all season."
1920-6-16 Basil Healey surprises with sudden departure from St. Mary's. Russell Hickey signed by Oslers. Billy Benson, Osler youth, is hitting .600+. Several Hillcrest players are complaining about coach McWhirter. Carlton Park Oslers have fine team; roster listed.
1921-7-08 in general
1921-12-31 Hillcrests beat Guelph Maple Leafs for championship of Ontario. Osler, of Perth Avenue League, won city title in 1919 and 1920 with same team but did not show the same harmony in 1921. "Seniors should support juniors." vg
1924-4-19 Hillcrests trying to see if they can repeat for fourth time.
1925-6-12 Scheduled games listed. Separate listings for open & enclosed parks.
1926-5-15 Receipts of games of 6-12 will be devoted to emergency fund which pays for medical attention for players.
"McCormick Playground is a great place for developing pitchers. 'Irish' Rasson, the sensation of the sandlots last year, was with with McCormick juniors in 1924, and this season their pitching ace of last year, 'Lefty' Wills, is with West St. Andrew's in the Ossington League, and his two performances for the Highlanders have been the talk of amateur balldom. Wills made his senior debut by setting a season's strikeout record by fanning 14 of the Oakmounts in 7 innings and he came right back and piled 13 more on top of it against the Beavers. Wills puts every ounce of strength behind every pitch."
"Toronto Senior League at Stanley Park have been playing a good article of ball and attracting large crowds but the majority of their patrons absolutely refuse to lend financial support. Secretary Charlie Leake says: "If each adult who watches the games dropped in ten cents the league would finish the season with a nice cash balance."
1926-5-25 commented game results
1926-10-15 The T.A.B.A. emergency fund is insufficient; benefit show must be held to bolster it.
"Members expressed the belief that there were still many hard ball admirers willing to finance junior clubs if proper leagues and playing grounds were secured in which to place minor teams. Next summer may see a real revival in the interest of 'kid' players."
1928-7-28 league favorites may get upset.
1935-3-16 The Ulster Stadium Senior Baseball League has abandoned the split schedule. Five teams have entered in league - the 3rd and 2nd place teams will play each other for right to face 1st place team. Ralph Findlay is the league's president. Joe Spring and Tommy Burt, "two of the best umpires in town," have been hired.
1935-3-16 The Ulster Stadium Senior Baseball League has abandoned the split schedule. Five teams have entered in league - the 3rd and 2nd place teams will play each other for right to face 1st place team. Ralph Findlay is the league's president. Joe Spring and Tommy Burt, "two of the best umpires in town," have been hired.
Doug May fell afoul of Bill Smith of the O.B.A.A. last summer, who claimed May insulted him. "Smith threatened to suspend the whole Western Senior League if they insisted on letting May continue to play," but Doug May played with the McIntyre team of Timmins instead. This season he will play with Copper Cliff of the Nickel Belt League.
Star Trophy tournament
1912
1921 Hillcrests
1922 Hillcrests
1923 Hillcrests
1926 Oslers
1927 St. Georges
1926-8-14 "SENIOR LEAGUES MAY BREAK AWAY FROM THE T.A.B.A.." "Four Champions Unwilling to Play for Star Trophy at Ossington Park."
Four of the five senior leagues (Spalding, Toronto Senior, Western City, and Eastern Toronto) voted against playing there.
1926-8-23 T.A.B.A. has decided weird ground rules for balls hit out of Ossington Park. Fans and clubs unhappy.
"In 1914-15-16-17-18 the series was played Y.M.C.A. field at the Broadview where the right field fence was considerably shorter from home plate than is the present fence at Ossington Park. No ground rules were enforced with regards to balls hit over the fence.
In 1919-20-21 the finals were played at Scarboro Beach Park where a two- base hit was allowed on a ball hit over the short fence and a home run on hits over the large fence, which was about twenty feet further from home plate than was the short fence, but even then the large fence was closer to home plate than the left fence at Ossington.
In 1922-23 the series was played at Hampden Park. Home runs were allowed over the right field fence, although the shortest point in the right fence was 229 feet, which was 6 feet under the home run distance of 235 feet.
In 1924 objection was raised as to the distance to right field fence. The fence was marked at a distance of 235 feet and a white pole was put up and all balls hit south of it were home runs while a ball hit north of it and between the foul line was called a two-base hit.
In 1925 Ossington Park was used and a home run was given on hits over the fence. Since then the fence has been moved back about 40 feet. Last year the authorities in charge of professional baseball changed the legal distance for a home run from 235 feet to 250 feet. Ossington Park is about 290 feet."
1928-7-21 Star Trophy tournament will be held at Ulster Field. Field dimensions given.
1912-9-19 Only one game will be played on 9-21. Belated entries received from the Strollers, champs of the Don Valley League, and the Toronto Railway Club, champions of the Central Manufacturers' League. Their eligible players listed, with full names.
1918-9-10 Hillcrests will face Brown Brass in final. Babe Dye of Hillcrests will probably not play. Bush McWhirter is Hillcrest coach. Hillcrests' shortstop is 16-year-old Jack Egan who is a great fielder. Line-ups discussed.
1918-9-13 Hillcrest and Brown Brass line-ups compared. Rip Stringer has been playing almost since Jack Egan was born; has .511 average to Egan's .259.
1920-9-08 Bush McWhirter began season with Hillcrests; is now coach of Oslers.
Hillcrests' players consider Freddie Hamilton the best amateur athlete in Toronto. "There are few -if any - short stops in Toronto that has the class of young Jackie Egan, Hillcrest eighteen-year-old short stop.
1920-9-20 Before 6,776 cash customers Oslers beat Hillcrests 8-4. Oslers make fifteen hits off "Cannonball" Edward Stickney Scott. Scott's first loss this season - his first in sixteen games, and the first in 25 games he has pitched for Hillcrest.
1921-8-20 series will open Labor Day at Scarboro Beach field, when Hillcrests will face St. Andrew's. Winners will play winners of Oslers-Simcoes.
Hillcrests have five of St. Mary's Colts from last year. Breakdowns of Hillcrest and St. Andrew's. Art Lancaster has won five straight but will take place at 2nd for Hillcrest. Joe Spring is 27.
Last year three-game series at Scarboro field saw 21,000 fans. Freddie Hamilton, shrewdest player, will write series view in Star Weekly next week.
1921-9-03 Oslers were 16-2 in league season. Should be given 2-1 odds over Simcoes. Breakdown of team line-ups.
1921-9-10 preview of Hillcrests v. Oslers. Art Lancaster called wonder man and chief strategist of Hillcrests. George "Pete" Irwin has played in Toronto for years but has never shown such fine form as this season.
Toronto amateur baseball receives no assistance from city fathers but is popular and flourishes.
The Chicago Tribune is calling for less coverage of pro sports and more coverage of amateur sports.
1921-9-17 Chuck Glover is pitching ace of Simcoes. Joe Spring, Oslers, lost his first Star Trophy game in three years.
1925-9-11 Granites play Oslers tomorrow. Lefty Bert Cayley will pitch for Granites. Jack Egan has returned to third base for Oslers after recovering from attack of appendicitis that sidelined him after the beginning of the Star Trophy series.
1926-8-13 "To-morrow marks the last Saturday afternoon when senior baseball leagues play scheduled games. Next week all leagues must declare champions to go into the Star Trophy city championships at Ossington Field." Hillcrests and Oslers have a tense rivalry this year.
1926-9-04 Oslers close to third straight championship.
1926-9-10 Oslers will face Arcadians tonight at Ossington. Tomorrow the Oslers will play the Granites.
1927-9-09 preview for tomorrow. One hurler has knuckleball.
1921-9-10 Simcoes 2, Oslers 1. 3.5K ATT. play by play.
1920-9-20 Bill Buchanan, Joe Spring - Oslers battery.
1921-9-03 Rabbit Mulcahy, Hugh Crilly
1926-6-26 Joe Spring & Tommy Burt, Oslers
Beaches League
1910
Greenwood Park League
1921
Intermediate Industrial Baseball Association
1926 Gooderham & Worts
Lake Shore League
1918 Brown Brass
1919
1919-7-17 one of league officers is betting on games.
Ossington Park Senior League
1925 Beavers
1926 5-15 standings
1926-4-23 League opens tomorrow with a double-header. Five-team league.
"Ossington Park is on Ossington avenue in the second block above Boor street and below Hallam. Harbord street cards stop outside the door. The usual low amateur ball prices prevail."
Comments about teams and players.
1926-4-27 Beavers will have lefty George "Bunny" Kenney on the mound in their opener against the Hillcrests. He won eight straight games last season.
From June 27 to July 17 the Oslers will tour western Canada. They plan on playing in Winnipeg, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Vancouver. Have league permission for tour. Work has been started on Ossington Park.
1926-5-15 Hillcrests have receded from Toronto picture; Oslers are top team. They're still good, just not as good. Review of roster.
Perth Avenue League - Playgrounds League
1921 Oslers
Riverdale Senior League - Greenwood Park?
1921 Simcoes
1921-8-20 Classic club team pic
1920-9-08 Some batting leaders listed. Harry Carl, first baseman of Classics, won batting title with .373 average.
Stanley Park League
1921
1921-7-08 Sam Leonard trophy
Tri-County League
1921
1921-9-29 in courts
Willowvale Park League - Western City League - "Pit League"
1921 Hillcrests
1921-7-30 Hillcrest lost five of ablest players in month and a half - still battling. Cannonball has thrown a no-hitter - made name of Cannonball in 1917.
1921-7-30 Moose 9, St. Francis 2
1921-8-20 Hillcrests 2, Monarchs 2. Old rivals. Field day after game.
1921-5-07 Hillcrest putting team together. Cannonball Ed Scott would not be so effective without catching of Duke Hennessy.
1921-7-04 Lionel Conacher. Pic. On Sat. won game for Hillcrest then was driven to lacrosse game where his team was down 2-1 at half-time; won game.
1921-7-08 Harry Batstone pic
1921-9-10 Fred Hamilton, 2b, St. Francis. Writes column predicting Hillcrests will beat Oslers.
Victory League
1945
Ballam, Dean p 8-13 1946 COPL at 31 1945 Toronto Baers
1945-7-13 Hamilton. Standings, top batting, and pitching.
West York League
Windsor Federation
1942
1942-9-20 Dumouchelle throws 17K no-hitter for Ottowa Cartage over Sandwich Merchants
Windsor League
1946
Pros:
Conacher, Lionel 3g with 1926 Toronto wiki named top male Canadian athlete of 1st half of 20th century. Also politician.
Hickey, Fred also p 1902 Waterloo No box. Players curse too much. 1902-10-06 Did good work this season - left for Toronto home.
News:
1921-5-28 Really good. About teams of Toronto Senior League, and teams of other four senior amateur leagues. Cannonball Ed Scott praises Guelph of Inter-County League.
1922-6-30 Hillcrests, champions of Ontario, will play series against St. Patrick's. Managed by Nip Dwan, top amateur manager in Toronto. Have won league five years out of six, and have been champions of Ontario in 1918 and 1921. "Cannonball" Ed. Scott has been one of top twirlers in province for years.
1935-6-08 "The report that Ontario baseball clubs are offering players who cavort on Detroit leagues, $35 a week seems far fetched. True, ball players are moving for positions and will keep on doing so. The dope will have to be proved, those concerned having to do a lot of legal and detective work to get the goods on the players and club officials concerned. Looking things over the O.B.A.A. has, in the past, stepped on some imports.
"Time was when Windsor teams were well filled with Detroit players, the result being that many protests came from teams farther east in the province. The St. Lawrence League has a lot of New York State players in the line-ups. This loop is said to be mighty strong. The Tom Cat players, imported into Brockville last year, made a poor showing, Weeks, Udell and Vaughan not getting anywhere and this failure was taken to mean that the St. Lawrence loop was quite hot. The trouble is that some fellows, when they are imported, think all they have to do is appear at the ball games and workouts. They get lethargic, losing interest, and their keenness fails."
Disappointment for people who participate in pools that night-games of e.g. the AA are no longer being reported.
Disappointment for people who participate in pools that night-games of e.g. the AA are no longer being reported.
1926-8-17 Walkerville Chicks will get first real test tomorrow when they play the Toronto Highlanders, "running mates of the widely-known Hillcrests, and the Oslers." "The Queen City team is travelling here with a heavy guarantee, and it is no secret that the financial status of the Walkerville club, at the moment, would not cut a notable swath in Wall Street if published." Some details on rosters of Highlanders and Oslers, who are both in Ossington Park circuit.
1926-9-17 Something about league baseball in Southern counties; not exactly sure what, but important. About Southern Ontario League & Intercounty League.
Pics:
1921-5-28 Red Batstone; Norm. Waldron
1922-6-30 "Cannonball" Ed. Scott.
Toronto Canucks
1887 BR No stats.
1902-1-04 Star. The only championship Toronto has won was in the International Association in 1887. Good commentary. Lists final batting averages for team and league final standings. Gives box scores for doubleheader which Ned [listed on BR as Ed] Crane won both ends of. Toronto won 15 games without a defeat - finished 1st in final standings with a record of 65-36. Mike Slattery stole 111 bases.
1887 BR No stats.
1902-1-04 Star. The only championship Toronto has won was in the International Association in 1887. Good commentary. Lists final batting averages for team and league final standings. Gives box scores for doubleheader which Ned [listed on BR as Ed] Crane won both ends of. Toronto won 15 games without a defeat - finished 1st in final standings with a record of 65-36. Mike Slattery stole 111 bases.
1934-8-18 Star Weekly. "Doc Sheppard, for one, will tell you that [Ned Crane] could drink more beer and throw more swifts than any pitcher before or since. His speed was terrific."
Doc Sheppard threw five games in a five day stretch.
Toronto Maple Leafs
George "Knotty" Lee
1962-9-08 Montreal Gazette. Manager, player, scout.
1906-8-03 Brantford. Pic. Knotty Lee killed in baseball game.
1906-8-07 Kingston W-S. Knotty Lee undead. Still in bed but out of danger.
1906-9-18 Kingston Daily Telegraph. Is home and looking well. Describes accident - was unconscious for 28 hours and abed for six weeks. Was 12-8 with a .334 average prior to the accident - finished the season at 12-12, .298.
Alfred "Doc" Shepherd (Sheppard)
FamilySearch
1938-3-08 Obit. Alt Will be buried Memorial Park Cemetery.
FamilySearch
1938-3-08 Obit. Alt Will be buried Memorial Park Cemetery.
1925-11-28 Star Weekly. Team pic of 1881 Toronto Amateur team, with full names.
Some memories of early days.
1933-6-30 Star. Two pics - one as player, one as he is today. Came to Toronto from Smiths Falls around1883. He had a job as a machinist and played for the Toronto amateur club.
A bit after he got married, quit pro ball and got a job in the C.P.R. shops at North Bay. Later, when he moved to Chatham, he pitched for the London Alerts every Saturday and holiday. Then when he returned to Toronto, he organized the Crescent Athletic Club and played 1b-of.
He says that Crescent-Kingston Ponies games were big - drew crowds of more than 7500.
1935-8-05 North Bay League final standings. Two good pics, including one of Nickel Belt League player.
Memories of Allan McKinnon, the best softball pitcher in North Bay when softball was North Bay's major summer sport.
(1935-8-12 North Bay. Good pic of Bill Douglas who starred last year with the Pirates, North Bay champs, and is now playing for New Liskeard.
4K ATT for softball game - Hockey players 11, North Bay Travellers 10. Good pics.
Sportswriters.
1949-11-18 Star. Charlie Good obit. Dean of baseball writers. Pic. Was a good sandlot pitcher in his youth.
Sportswriters.
1949-11-18 Star. Charlie Good obit. Dean of baseball writers. Pic. Was a good sandlot pitcher in his youth.
Toronto
Hamilton, Hugh "Toady" 1938-4-29 Star. Facts-only obit. Died at 61.
1910-3-14 Star Weekly. A catcher, now with Beach team in the Beaches League - has been playing for fifteen years and is still as gingery as a youngster.
1910-3-14 Star Weekly. A catcher, now with Beach team in the Beaches League - has been playing for fifteen years and is still as gingery as a youngster.
Hickey, Joe 1943-3-16 Star. Popular 1b with Park Nine, Wellingtons, and St. Mary's about 35 years ago. Died 3-15 in Buchanan MI where he lived for the last 23 years of his life. Fred Hickey's brother.
Fred Hickey
Fred Hickey
1939-4-04 Star. Was a consistent winner for the Maple Leafs when grabbed off the sandlots.
1940-1-31 Star. Remembered.
Memories
1953-10-28 Ottawa Citizen. Old-timers pick Ontario all-star team; with full names.
1940-1-31 Star. Remembered.
Memories
1953-10-28 Ottawa Citizen. Old-timers pick Ontario all-star team; with full names.
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