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.
The Class A level Pacific National League began play on April 14, 1903, with eight teams. 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.
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.
Pacific National League member teams Team nameCity representedStadiumYear(s) activeBoise Fruit Pickers/Boise InfantsBoise, IdahoRiverside Park(10th & Miller) to Butte MinersButte, MontanaColumbia Gardens ballpark(east of city) to Helena SenatorsHelena, MontanaCentral Park, east of the Broadwater HotelLos Angeles NationalsLos Angeles, CaliforniaPrager Park Ogden LobstersOgden, UtahGlenwood Park (Madison, Monroe, & Canyon Road) Portland Green GagesPortland, OregonNational Park (8th & Hawthorne)Salt Lake City Elders/Salt Lake City Fruit PickersSalt Lake City, UtahWalker's Field to San Francisco Pirates San Francisco, CaliforniaNational Park (9th & Bryant) Seattle ChinooksSeattle, WashingtonYMCA Field Spokane Indians Spokane, WashingtonNatatorium Park to Tacoma TigersTacoma, WashingtonSouth 11th Street Grounds
Standings & statistics 1903 Pacific National League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Butte Miners8562.578–Jerry Kane / Walt Wilmot Spokane Indians8268.5474½ W.V. Garrett / C.H. Williams Seattle Chinooks7871.5238Dan Dugdale Portland Green Gages / Salt Lake City Elders 5691.38129John Grim / John McCloskey Los Angeles Nationals 6542.607NACharlie Reilly San Francisco Pirates 5652.519NA John McCloskey Tacoma Tigers 4660.434NA Byron McKibben Helena Senators 4062.392NA 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 TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Frank HuelsmanSpokaneBA.392Pete DowlingButteW30 She DonahuePortland/Salt Lake CityRuns114Pete DowlingButteSO249 She DonahuePortland/Salt Lake CityHits192 Ernest Nichols SpokanePct.833; 20–4 Joe MarshallSan FranciscoHR25
1904 Pacific National League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Boise Fruit Pickers8249.626–John McCloskey Spokane Indians7357.5628½Charlie Reilly Butte Miners5475.41927Walt Wilmot Salt Lake City Elders5179.39230½ Dad Gimlin / Frederick Clarke +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Bill CarneySpokaneBA.366Dan McFarlanBoiseW30 Ike RockenfieldSpokaneRuns113Bill HoggSpokaneSO259 Farmer WeaverBoiseHits188Dan McFarlanBoisePct.698; 30–13 Ralph FrarySpokaneHR13 1905 Pacific National League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Boise Infants2215.595– John McCloskey / William Weaver Ogden Lobsters2017.5412Walt Wilmot Spokane Indians2019.5133Charlie Reilly Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers 1324.3519 Frederick Clarke The league disbanded June 20 when Salt Lake City withdrew. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Charles McIntyre BoiseBA.372Dan McFarlanBoiseW8 Eddie Hammond BoiseRuns34 Charles Steztz BoiseSO70 Charles McIntyre BoiseHits54Gus ThompsonOgdenSO70 Hugh Kellacky BoiseHR5George HodsonBoisePCT.833 5–1
References
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