Pacific National League

Pacific National League

Formerly	Pacific Northwest League
Classification	Class A (1903) Class B (1904–1905)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1903
Ceased	1905
President	William Henry Lucas (1903–1904) William Rishel (1905)
No. of teams	11
Country	United States of America
Most titles	2 Boise Fruit Pickers / Boise Infants
Related competitions	California League

The Pacific National League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1903 to 1905. The league evolved from its predecessor, the Pacific Northwest League and was a competitor of the newly formed Pacific Coast League. The league began play in 1903 as a Class A level league, the highest level of minor leagues in the era, before becoming a Class B level league in 1904 and 1905. Member teams were based in California, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Utah and Washington.

History

In 1903, the Pacific Northwest League changed its name to become the Pacific National League. This was a result of the independent California League deciding to expand north into Seattle and Portland and changing its name to the Pacific Coast League as a result. The Pacific Northwest League decided to oppose the move by placing franchises of its own in Los Angeles and San Francisco (San Francisco Pirates), with William Henry Lucas continuing as president of the newly named league. ^[1]

The Class A level Pacific National League began play on April 14, 1903, with eight teams. ^[2] The league had teams based in Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco, which all also had teams in the Pacific Coast League; these were complemented by teams in the smaller cities of Butte, Helena, Spokane and Tacoma. Travel would prove to be a challenge and on July 1, 1903, the Portland franchise was replaced by a new team in Salt Lake City. On August 15, Helena left the league, and was soon followed by Tacoma, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as the remaining four teams finished out the season. ^{[1] [3]}

With four cities left in 1904, the league was downgraded to Class B level league. 1904 league franchises were based in Boise, Butte, Salt Lake City and Spokane. In 1905, Ogden replaced Butte as the league remained a four–team league. The 1905 Pacific National League permanently folded on June 20, 1905, when the Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers disbanded. The league was expelled from the National Association on February 20, 1906, and never reformed. ^{[1] [3]}

Pacific National League member teams

Team name	City represented	Stadium	Year(s) active
Boise Fruit Pickers / Boise Infants	Boise, Idaho	Riverside Park (10th & Miller)	1904 to 1905
Butte Miners	Butte, Montana	Columbia Gardens ballpark (east of city)	1903 to 1904
Helena Senators	Helena, Montana	Unknown	1903
Los Angeles Nationals	Los Angeles, California	Prager Park	1903
Ogden Lobsters	Ogden, Utah	Glenwood Park (Madison, Monroe, & Canyon Road)	1905
Portland Green Gages	Portland, Oregon	National Park (8th & Hawthorne)	1903
Salt Lake City Elders / Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers	Salt Lake City, Utah	Walker's Field	1903 to 1905
San Francisco Pirates	San Francisco, California	National Park (9th & Bryant)	1903
Seattle Chinooks	Seattle, Washington	YMCA Field	1903
Spokane Indians	Spokane, Washington	Natatorium Park	1903 to 1905
Tacoma Tigers	Tacoma, Washington	South 11th Street Grounds	1903

Standings & statistics

1903 Pacific National League schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Butte Miners	85	62	.578	–	Jerry Kane / Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians	82	68	.547	4½	W.V. Garrett / C.H. Williams
Seattle Chinooks	78	71	.523	8	Dan Dugdale
Portland Green Gages / Salt Lake City Elders	56	91	.381	29	John Grim / John McCloskey
Los Angeles Nationals	65	42	.607	NA	Charlie Reilly
San Francisco Pirates	56	52	.519	NA	John McCloskey
Tacoma Tigers	46	60	.434	NA	Byron McKibben
Helena Senators	40	62	.392	NA	John Flannery / Fred Carish

Portland (21–42) moved to Salt Lake City July 2; Tacoma and Helena disbanded August 16; Los Angeles and San Francisco disbanded August 21.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Frank Huelsman	Spokane	BA	.392		Pete Dowling	Butte	W	30
She Donahue	Portland/Salt Lake City	Runs	114		Pete Dowling	Butte	SO	249
She Donahue	Portland/Salt Lake City	Hits	192		Ernest Nichols	Spokane	Pct	.833; 20–4
Joe Marshall	San Francisco	HR	25

1904 Pacific National League schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Boise Fruit Pickers	82	49	.626	–	John McCloskey
Spokane Indians	73	57	.562	8½	Charlie Reilly
Butte Miners	54	75	.419	27	Walt Wilmot
Salt Lake City Elders	51	79	.392	30½	Dad Gimlin / Frederick Clarke

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bill Carney	Spokane	BA	.366		Dan McFarlan	Boise	W	30
Ike Rockenfield	Spokane	Runs	113		Bill Hogg	Spokane	SO	259
Farmer Weaver	Boise	Hits	188		Dan McFarlan	Boise	Pct	.698; 30–13
Ralph Frary	Spokane	HR	13

1905 Pacific National League schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Boise Infants	22	15	.595	–	John McCloskey / William Weaver
Ogden Lobsters	20	17	.541	2	Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians	20	19	.513	3	Charlie Reilly
Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers	13	24	.351	9	Frederick Clarke

The league disbanded June 20 when Salt Lake City withdrew.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Charles McIntyre	Boise	BA	.372		Dan McFarlan	Boise	W	8
Eddie Hammond	Boise	Runs	34		Charles Steztz	Boise	SO	70
Charles McIntyre	Boise	Hits	54		Gus Thompson	Ogden	SO	70
Hugh Kellacky	Boise	HR	5		George Hodson	Boise	PCT	.833 5–1

^[1]

References

1. Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
2. "1903 Pacific National League (PNL) minor league baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
3. "Pacific National League (B) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.

External links

• Sanborn map of Spokane showing Natatorium Park, as it was in 1910
• Sanborn map of Tacoma showing the ballpark, as it was in 1896
• Sanborn map of Tacoma showing another ballpark, as it was in 1950