Canadian League

The Canadian League was a minor league baseball league that operated in Canada in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first version of the league operated in 1885, then from 1896–1899, becoming a Class-D league in 1899 and merging into the International League in 1900.

In 1905 there was a four-team class D loop known as the Canadian League. Another league using that title ran from 1911 through 1915 — it was originally ranked a D league as well, moved to a C rating a year later and in 1914 got a B classification. Frank Shaughnessy managed the Ottawa team from 1913 to 1915.

The league briefly returned in 1905 and then operated again from 1911 to 1915.

Team statistics

1885

• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Clippers
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Primroses
• London, ON: London Cockneys
• Toronto, ON: Toronto Torontos

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Hamilton Clippers	34	10	.773	0	William Stroud
London Cockneys	27	12	.692	4.5	Fred Goldsmith
Toronto Torontos	24	20	.545	10	Harry Spence
Guelph Maple Leafs	8	28	.222	22	George Sleeman?
Hamilton Primroses	8	31	.205	23.5	Jimmy Henigan

1899

• Chatham, Ontario (ON): Chatham Reds
• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Blackbirds
• London, ON: London Cockneys
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints
• Stratford, ON: Stratford
• Woodstock, ON: Woodstock

1899 Canadian League
Secretary: Cal Davis

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
London Cockneys	64	28	.696	0	Pete Lohman
Hamilton Blackbirds	49	43	.533	15	Bill Collins
Guelph Maple Leafs	42	48	.467	21	Bob Black
Stratford #Woodstock	34	53	.391	27.5	NA
Chatham Reds ##	19	23	.452	NA	Leslie Snyder
St. Thomas Saints ##	11	24	.314	NA	Joe Knight

#Stratford (5–20) moved to Woodstock June 8.
##Chatham and St. Thomas disbanded July 4.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bunk Congalton	Hamilton	BA	.391		Thomas Cooper	London	W	23
Kid Mohler	London	Runs	73		Thomas Cooper	London	SO	103
Billy Reed	London	Hits	99		Thomas Cooper	London	Pct	.885: 23–3

Home Runs, four players tied with 5.

1905

• Brantford, ON: Brantford Indians
• Ingersoll, ON: Ingersoll
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints
• Simcoe, ON: Simcoe
• Woodstock, ON: Woodstock Maroons

1905 D Canadian League
President: NA

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Woodstock Maroons	48	32	.600	0	Will Roche
Ingersoll	45	38	.542	4.5	Weldon
St. Thomas Saints	39	39	.500	8	Ponsford
Brantford Indians	31	38	.449	11.5	Watty Lee
Simcoe #	10	27	.270	NA	Barwell

#Simcoe disbanded around July 15.
No Individual Statistics Available.

1911–1915

• Berlin, ON: Berlin Green Sox 1911; Berlin Busy Bees 1912–1913
• Brantford, ON: Brantford Red Sox 1911–1915
• Erie, PA: Erie Yankees 1914
• Guelph, ON: Guelph Maple Leafs 1911–1913; Guelph Maple Leafs 1915
• Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Kolts 1911–1912; Hamilton Hams 1913–1915
• London, ON: London Cockneys 1911; London Tecumsehs 1912–1915
• Ottawa, ON: Ottawa Senators 1912–1915
• Peterborough, ON: Peterborough White Caps 1912; Peterborough Petes 1913–1914
• St. Thomas, ON: St. Thomas Saints 1911–1915
• Toronto, ON: Toronto Beavers 1914

1911 D Canadian League
President: Donald Ferguson

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Berlin Green Sox	70	40	.637	0	George Deneau
London Cockneys	59	51	.536	11	Lou Bierbauer / Jim Keenan
Hamilton Kolts	58	52	.527	12	Watty Lee
Bradford Red Sox	53	58	.477	17.5	Harry Kane
Guelph Maple Leafs	45	62	.421	23.5	Abbie Johnson / William Lane / Frank Shannon
St. Thomas Saints	43	65	.398	26	Chaucer Elliott

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Lou Bierbauer	London	BA	.367		Shad Barry	Brantford	Hits	141
Jack Cameron	Berlin	Runs	89		Harry Kane	Brantford	HR	7

1912 C Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	63	35	.643	0	Doc Cook
Brantford Red Sox	54	44	.551	9	Harry Kane
Hamilton Kolts	51	46	.526	11.5	Watty Lee
London Tecumsehs	48	49	.495	14.5	Frank Bowerman / Jimmy Barrett
St. Thomas Saints	46	50	.479	16	Joe Stewart
Berlin Busy Bees	42	50	.457	18	George Deneau
Guelph Maple Leafs	39	51	.433	20	George Needham / Fred Applegate
Peterborough Whitecaps	40	58	.408	23	Curtis Templin / Dave Rowan

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Jack Fryer	Guelph	BA	.372		Pat Hynes	London	W	19
Frank Burke	Ottawa	Runs	79		Tom Donovan	Brantford	SO	138
Harry Corns	Hamilton	Hits	113		Joe McManus	Ottawa	Pct	.875; 14–2

1913 C Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	66	39	.629	0	Frank Shaughnessy
London Tecumsehs	64	39	.621	1	George Deneau
St. Thomas Saints	56	48	.538	9.5	Al Orth
Peterborough Petes	55	48	.534	10	John Barthold
Guelph Maple Leafs	54	49	.524	11	Doc Cook
Hamilton Hams	52	52	.500	13.5	Watty Lee
Berlin Busy Bees	38	66	.365	27.5	Jim Keenan
Brantford Red Sox	30	74	.288	35.5	Harry Kane / Bill Wagner

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bill Wright	Guelph	BA	.396		Bob Heck	London	W	24
Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	Runs	104		Erwin Renfer	Ottawa	SO	185
Bill Wright	Guelph	Hits	152		Bob Heck	London	Pct	.800; 24–6
Bill Wright	Guelph	HR	10

1914 B Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	76	45	.628	0	Frank Shaughnessy
London Tecumsehs	71	43	.623	1.5	Frank Reisling
Erie Yankees	64	57	.529	12	Charlie Smith / Frank Gygli
Toronto Beavers	55	55	.500	15.5	Jim Keenan / Watty Lee
St. Thomas Saints	48	60	.444	21.5	Al Orth / Midge Craven
Peterborough Petes	49	62	.441	22	John Barthold / Curley Blount
Hamilton Hams	47	66	.416	25	Robert Yates / Jack White
Brantford Red Sox	46	68	.404	26.5	Bill Wagner / George Deneau

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
J. Trout	Toronto	BA	.349		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	W	20
Rex Dawson	Erie	Runs	90		Lou Shettler	Peterborough	W	20
Owen Harris	Erie	Hits	138		Lou Shettler	Peterborough	SO	174
George Deneau	Brantford	HR	7		Joe McManus	Ottawa	Pct	.875; 14–2

1915 B Canadian League
President: J. P. Fitzgerald

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ottawa Senators	72	39	.649	0	Frank Shaughnessy
Guelph Maple Leafs	59	51	.537	12.5	Watty Lee
Hamilton Hams/Tigers	55	48	.534	13	Bill Cristall / Gus Ziemer
Brantford Red Sox	52	55	.485	18	George Deneau / John Warner
London Tecumsehs	50	58	.463	20.5	Doc Reisling / Walter Hartwell
St. Thomas Saints	38	75	.337	35	Mark Stewart / Lou Bierbauer

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Ralph Burrill	Brantford	BA	.344		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	W	15
Buzz Murphy	Guelph	Runs	66		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	SO	186
D.J. Bullock	Ottawa	Hits	130		Tom Caesar	London	Pct	.727; 8–3

League records, 1911–1915

Batting
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Frank Dolan	Ottawa	GA	125	14		Bill Wright	Guelph	BA	.396	13
Frank Shaughnessy	Ottawa	AB	446	14		Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	RUNS	104	13
Bill Wright	Guelph	HITS	152	13		Hackenbush	Hamilton	2B	28	11
E.T. Rogers	Ottawa	3B	16	13		Bill Wright	Guelph	HR	10	13
Bill Wright	Guelph	EBH	44	13		Bill Wright	Guelph	TB	231	13
Matty Matteson	London	SAC	36	13		A.E. Schwind	Ottawa	SAC	36	12
Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	SB	63	13		Merlin Kopp	St. Thomas	BB	83	13
George Deneau	London	SO	71	13

Pitching
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Urban Shocker	Ottawa	GA	36	14		Ernest Chase	Brantford	CG	26	14
Ray Keating	Hamilton	W	25	13		Howick	St. Thomas	L	20	15
Bob Heck	London	PCT	.800	13		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	IP	303	15
Joe McManus	Ottawa	WS	14	12		Urban Shocker	Ottawa	SO	186	15
Joe Lill	Ottawa/Brantford	BB	140	13

External links

• Baseball Reference