Pacific National 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.

Pacific National League
FormerlyPacific Northwest League
ClassificationClass A (1903)
Class B (1904–1905)
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1903
Ceased1905
PresidentWilliam Henry Lucas (1903–1904)
William Rishel (1905)
No. of teams11
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles2
Boise Fruit Pickers / Boise Infants
Related
competitions		California League

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 standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Butte Miners8562.578–Jerry Kane / Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians8268.5474.5W.V. Garrett / C.H. Williams
Seattle Chinooks7871.5238.0Dan Dugdale
Portland Green Gages /
Salt Lake City Elders		5691.38129.0John Grim / John McCloskey
Los Angeles Nationals6542.607NACharlie Reilly
San Francisco Pirates5652.519NAJohn McCloskey
Tacoma Tigers4660.434NAByron McKibben
Helena Senators4062.392NAJohn 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
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Frank HuelsmanSpokaneBA.392Pete DowlingButteW30
She DonahuePortland/Salt Lake CityRuns114Pete DowlingButteSO249
She DonahuePortland/Salt Lake CityHits192Ernest NicholsSpokanePct.833; 20–4
Joe MarshallSan FranciscoHR25

1904 Pacific National League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Boise Fruit Pickers8249.626–John McCloskey
Spokane Indians7357.5628.5Charlie Reilly
Butte Miners5475.41927.0Walt Wilmot
Salt Lake City Elders5179.39230.5Dad Gimlin / Frederick Clarke
Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bill CarneySpokaneBA.366Dan McFarlanBoiseW30
Ike RockenfieldSpokaneRuns113Bill HoggSpokaneSO259
Farmer WeaverBoiseHits188Dan McFarlanBoisePct.698; 30–13
Ralph FrarySpokaneHR13

1905 Pacific National League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Boise Infants2215.595–William Weaver / John McCloskey
Ogden Lobsters2017.5412.0Walt Wilmot
Spokane Indians2019.5133.0Charlie Reilly
Salt Lake City Fruit Pickers1324.3519.0Frederick Clarke

The league disbanded June 20 when Salt Lake City withdrew.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Charles McIntyreBoiseBA.372Dan McFarlanBoiseW8
Eddie HammondBoiseRuns34Charles SteztzBoiseSO70
Charles McIntyreBoiseHits54Gus ThompsonOgdenSO70
Hugh KellackyBoiseHR5George HodsonBoisePCT.833 5–1

[1]

References
  1. 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)
  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.
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