With their two terms during the 1950s and 1960s, Mounties were the first and second of Vancouver's three Triple-A baseball teams. The city had previously hosted numerous clubs at lower levels, including the Horse Doctors (1905; 1907), Beavers (1908–17 and 1922, although the team was alternatively known as the "Champions" and "Bees" in 1912–13 and 1915), Maple Leafs (1937) and Capilanos (1939–42; 1946–54). The Capilanos, owned by SeattlebrewerEmil Sick, were a Western International Leaguefarm club of Sick's PCL Seattle Rainiers and named after his Vancouver brewery. Sick also built Capilano Stadium, which opened in 1951.[1]
The first edition of the Mounties was created after the 1955 season when the Oakland Oaks, a PCL member since 1903, relocated because of falling attendance and a dilapidated home stadium. But the 1956 Mounties, a last-place team, drew only 53,000 fans—almost a third of the Oaks' home gate during their last year in the San Francisco Bay Area.[4] However, a contending team in 1957 caused a spike in attendance to over 300,000 fans, tops in the Pacific Coast League. This pattern continued through 1962: Vancouver fans supported the Mounties during years when they ranked high in the PCL standings, and stayed away when the team was at the bottom.
In 1962, the Mounties finished seventh in the eight-team league in both win–loss record (72–79) and attendance (88,000).[4] During the off-season, massive changes swept the minor leagues. The Triple-A American Association folded its tent completely. Four of the Association's six franchises survived, including the Dallas-Ft. Worth Rangers, which joined the 1963 Pacific Coast League—where it displaced the Mounties and inherited their Twins' affiliation and playing roster.
However, this same franchise would struggle in Dallas in 1964 and return the PCL to Vancouver the following season to become the second edition of the Mounties. Attendance held at between 120,000 and 140,000 fans for competitive, but non-playoff, clubs from 1965 to 1967, but below .500 seasons in both 1968 and 1969 dropped fan support to 83,000, then 63,000 paying customers.[4] In 1970, the club moved to Salt Lake City and became the Angels.
Vancouver was without professional baseball in the 1970s until 1978, when it received an expansion PCL franchise, the Vancouver Canadians, owned by Harry Ornest. After 22 seasons, the club moved south after 1999 to Sacramento and became the River Cats. They were immediately replaced by the current Canadians franchise in 2000, in the High-A (formerly Class-A short season) Northwest League.
Lefty O'Doul, manager; at age 59, during his term as skipper of the 1956 Mounties, O'Doul (who batted .349 in 970 MLB games over 11 seasons), tripled as a pinch hitter in his lone at bat — the last hit of his baseball career
^Empey, Dave (9 April 1969). "It's an itch of impatience". Vancouver Sun.
^ abcJohnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN978-0-9637189-8-3.
October 20, 2023
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The Vancouver Mounties were a high level minor league baseball club based in Vancouver British Columbia that played in the Pacific Coast League PCL from 1956 62 and 1965 69 Its home field was Capilano Stadium During the Mounties first two seasons 1956 57 the PCL still was a member of an experimental organized baseball ranking the Open Classification as it made a bid for Major League status However in 1958 the PCL reverted to Triple A when the Dodgers and Giants moved to California Vancouver Mounties1956 1969 1956 1962 1965 1969 Vancouver British ColumbiaMinor league affiliationsPrevious classesTriple A 1958 1962 1965 1969 Open 1956 1957 LeaguePacific Coast League 1956 1962 1965 1969 Major league affiliationsPrevious teamsSeattle Pilots and Montreal Expos 1969 Kansas City Oakland Athletics 1965 1968 Minnesota Twins 1962 Milwaukee Braves 1961 Baltimore Orioles 1956 1960 Team dataPrevious namesVancouver Mounties 1956 1962 1965 1969 Previous parksCapilano StadiumWith their two terms during the 1950s and 1960s Mounties were the first and second of Vancouver s three Triple A baseball teams The city had previously hosted numerous clubs at lower levels including the Horse Doctors 1905 1907 Beavers 1908 17 and 1922 although the team was alternatively known as the Champions and Bees in 1912 13 and 1915 Maple Leafs 1937 and Capilanos 1939 42 1946 54 The Capilanos owned by Seattle brewer Emil Sick were a Western International League farm club of Sick s PCL Seattle Rainiers and named after his Vancouver brewery Sick also built Capilano Stadium which opened in 1951 1 Contents 1 History 2 Notable alumni 3 Yearly record 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistory EditThe Mounties were affiliated with a number of Major League Baseball parent clubs the Baltimore Orioles Milwaukee Braves Minnesota Twins the Athletics of both Kansas City and Oakland and as a co op club working with the expansion Seattle Pilots and Montreal Expos in 1969 2 3 The first edition of the Mounties was created after the 1955 season when the Oakland Oaks a PCL member since 1903 relocated because of falling attendance and a dilapidated home stadium But the 1956 Mounties a last place team drew only 53 000 fans almost a third of the Oaks home gate during their last year in the San Francisco Bay Area 4 However a contending team in 1957 caused a spike in attendance to over 300 000 fans tops in the Pacific Coast League This pattern continued through 1962 Vancouver fans supported the Mounties during years when they ranked high in the PCL standings and stayed away when the team was at the bottom In 1962 the Mounties finished seventh in the eight team league in both win loss record 72 79 and attendance 88 000 4 During the off season massive changes swept the minor leagues The Triple A American Association folded its tent completely Four of the Association s six franchises survived including the Dallas Ft Worth Rangers which joined the 1963 Pacific Coast League where it displaced the Mounties and inherited their Twins affiliation and playing roster However this same franchise would struggle in Dallas in 1964 and return the PCL to Vancouver the following season to become the second edition of the Mounties Attendance held at between 120 000 and 140 000 fans for competitive but non playoff clubs from 1965 to 1967 but below 500 seasons in both 1968 and 1969 dropped fan support to 83 000 then 63 000 paying customers 4 In 1970 the club moved to Salt Lake City and became the Angels Vancouver was without professional baseball in the 1970s until 1978 when it received an expansion PCL franchise the Vancouver Canadians owned by Harry Ornest After 22 seasons the club moved south after 1999 to Sacramento and became the River Cats They were immediately replaced by the current Canadians franchise in 2000 in the High A formerly Class A short season Northwest League Notable alumni EditGeorge Bamberger manager and longtime MLB pitching coach Sal Bando All Star third baseman Jim Bouton pitcher author of landmark book Ball Four his two week stint with the club in April 1969 forms part of the book Ed Charles third baseman 1969 Miracle Mets Pat Gillick Hall of Fame executive Bobby Knoop All Star second baseman Tony La Russa Hall of Fame manager who racked up over 2 900 wins in 35 MLB seasons Charley Lau influential hitting coach Denis Menke All Star shortstop Lefty O Doul manager at age 59 during his term as skipper of the 1956 Mounties O Doul who batted 349 in 970 MLB games over 11 seasons tripled as a pinch hitter in his lone at bat the last hit of his baseball career Blue Moon Odom All Star pitcher Brooks Robinson Hall of Fame third basemanYearly record EditYear Record Finish Full Season Attendance Manager Postseason1956 67 98 Eighth 52 893 Lefty O Doul No playoffs held1957 97 70 Second 306 145 Charlie Metro No playoffs held1958 79 73 Third 245 590 Charlie Metro No playoffs held1968 82 69 Second 238 970 Charlie Metro No playoffs held1960 68 84 Seventh 144 278 George Staller No playoffs held1961 87 67 Second 200 143 Billy Hitchcock No playoffs held1962 72 79 Seventh 88 075 Jack McKeon No playoffs held1965 77 69 Third West Division 124 048 Haywood SullivanBobby Hofman DNQ1966 77 71 Second West Division 121 482 Mickey Vernon DNQ1967 77 69 Third West Division 143 541 Mickey Vernon DNQ1968 58 88 Sixth West Division 82 028 Mickey Vernon DNQ1969 77 71 Second tied North Division 62 666 Bob Lemon DNQSee also EditVancouver Beavers Vancouver CanadiansReferences Edit John Mackie The Vancouver Sun 2014 06 14 Mountie club slates battle for franchise Spokane Daily Chronicle Associated Press 7 December 1962 Empey Dave 9 April 1969 It s an itch of impatience Vancouver Sun a b c Johnson Lloyd Wolff Miles eds 1997 The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball 2nd ed Durham North Carolina Baseball America ISBN 978 0 9637189 8 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vancouver Mounties amp oldid 1179883225, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
