Western International League

Western International League

Sport	Minor League Baseball
Inaugural season	1922/1937
Ceased	1954, Became Northwest League
President	Roger Peck (1937) F.H. Knickerbocker (1938-1939) Stanley A. Webster (1940) Robert Abel (1941-1942; 1946-1954)
No. of teams	13
Country	United States of America
Most titles	4 Vancouver/Spokane
Classification	Class B (1922, 1937-1942; 1946-1951) Class A (1952-1954)
Official website	northwestleague.com

The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level circuit in American and Canadian minor league baseball that today is the Northwest League. It operated in 1923, 1937–1942, and 1946–1954.^[1][2] In 1955, the league changed its name to the Northwest League,^[3] and still operates today as a Class A-Short Season loop under that name.

The WIL consisted of teams in the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. It was a Class B league through 1951 and was upgraded to Class A in 1952. In its final season in 1954, it started with ten teams in Calgary, Edmonton, Lewiston, Salem, Spokane, Kennewick–Richland–Pasco (playing as "Tri-City"), Vancouver, Victoria, Wenatchee, and Yakima.^[4] Three teams did not finish the season (Spokane, Victoria, Calgary).^[5] The final champion was the Vancouver Capilanos, who swept the Lewiston Broncs in four games. Vancouver was the first half champion while third-year Lewiston won the second half.^[6]

Throughout much of the 1930s and 1940s, its teams were largely unaffiliated with major league farm systems and provided talent to the strong Pacific Coast League of the era.

Member teams

Bellingham Chinooks Bremerton Bluejackets Calgary Broncos Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Lewiston Broncs Salem Senators

Spokane Hawks Spokane Indians Tacoma Tigers Tri-City Braves Vancouver Beavers Vancouver Capilanos Vancouver Maple Leafs

Victoria Athletics Victoria Tyees Wenatchee Chiefs Yakima Bears Yakima Packers Yakima Pippins Yakima Stars

Champions

1923—Calgary 1937—Tacoma 1938—Bellingham 1939—Wenatchee 1940—Tacoma 1941—Spokane

1942—Vancouver 1946—Wenatchee 1947—Vancouver 1948—Spokane 1949—Vancouver

1950—Yakima 1951—Spokane 1952—Victoria 1953—Spokane 1954—Vancouver

References

1. "Spokane gets berth in new ball league". Spokane Daily Chronicle (Washington). November 8, 1954. p. 18.
2. "Indians "on first" in baseball plans". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). November 9, 1954. p. 14.
3. Missildine, Harry (April 20, 1972). "Northwest League goes back to 1890". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). p. 22.
4. "Baseball standings: Western International". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). May 1, 1954. p. 8.
5. "Pennant progress: Western International". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). September 8, 1954. p. 17.
6. "Vancouver takes WIL crown, 12-2". Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington). September 13, 1954. p. 11.

• 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.