Far West League (1948–1951)

Last updated
Far West League
Classification Class D (1948–1951)
Sport Minor League Baseball
Inaugural season1948
Ceased1951
PresidentJerry Donovan (1948–1951)
No. of teams11
Country United States of America
Most titles1
Santa Rosa Pirates (1948)
Pittsburg Diamonds (1949)
Redding Browns (1950)
Klamath Falls Gems (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.

Contents

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 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

Standings & statistics

1948 Far West League
schedule

Team standingsW – LGBManagers
Oroville Red Sox 67–51 Nino Bongiovanni
Medford Nuggets 66–563.0 Larry Shepard
Klamath Falls Gems 67–583.5 Joe Gantenbein
Santa Rosa Pirates 63–596.0Dan Reagan
Willows Cardinals 62–638.5James Tyack / Bill Krueger
Redding Browns 61–628.5 Ray Perry
Marysville Braves 59–6310.0Edward Wheeler /
James Keller / Spencer Harris
Pittsburg Diamonds /
Roseville Diamonds
38–7124.5 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
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Ray Perry ReddingBA.411 Larry Shepard MedfordW22
Don TaylorMedfordRuns139Jules HudsonOrovilleSO237
Ray Perry ReddingHits179Ronald LeeMedfordERA2.53
Ray Perry ReddingRBI163 Larry Shepard MedfordPct.880; 22–3
Ray Perry ReddingHR36

1949 Far West League

Team standingsW – LGBManagers
Pittsburg Diamonds 84–43 Vince DiMaggio
Klamath Falls Gems 78–464.5 Hub Kittle
Willows Cardinals 68–5815.5Bert Bonomi / Fred Fass
Redding Browns 63–6421.0 Ray Perry
Marysville Braves 59–6624.0Rex Carr
Medford Nuggets 39–8443.0Dan Reagan
Santa Rosa Cats 43–49NA Joe Abreu / Alvin Kruk /
Lembert Serpa / Lou Vezilich
Vallejo Chiefs 34–58NALou 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
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Lou VezilichVallejo/Santa RosaBA.406William CarrPittsburgW21
Ray Perry
Ted Hess
Redding
Klamath Falls
Runs135
135
James HowardReddingSO226
Ted HessKlamath FallsHits188William CarrPittsburgERA3.28
Ray Perry ReddingRBI155Blair SimpsonPittsburgPct..882; 15–2
Ray Perry ReddingHR45

1950 Far West League
schedule

Team standingsW – LGBManagers
Klamath Falls Gems 87–52 Hub Kittle
Redding Browns 86–541.5 Ray Perry
Reno Silver Sox 75–6311.5Joe Borich
Medford Rogues 69–7018.0 Tommy Nelson / Wilfred Jonas
Pittsburg Diamonds 67–7320.5 Vince DiMaggio
Eugene Larks 62–7725.0Lou Vezilich
Marysville Peaches 56–8230.5Bert Kenmuir / Charles Welchel
Willows Cardinals 54–8533.0Ray Malgradi

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

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Joe BorichRenoBA.387Andy SierraKlamath FallsW22
Ray Perry ReddingRuns162Andy SierraKlamath FallsSO258
George TriandosKlamath FallsHits183Eugene ValentinePittsburgERA1.82
Ray Perry ReddingRBI170 Hub Kittle Klamath FallsPct1.000; 10–0
Ray Perry ReddingHR44

1951 Far West League
schedule
revised schedule after Pittsburg disbanded

Team StandingsW – LGBManagers
Redding Browns 76–55 Ray Perry
Klamath Falls Gems 74–540.5Bill DeCarlo
Reno Silver Sox 52–6517.0 Cotton Pippen
Eugene Larks 51–7020.0 Duster Mails /
George Matile / Cliff Dapper
Medford Rogues 47–6720.5 Frank Lucchesi
Pittsburg Diamonds 29–18NA Vince DiMaggio

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

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References

  1. 1 2 "1948 Far West League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1949 Far West League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN   978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. "1951 Far West League". Baseball-Reference.com.