Western League (1939–1941)

Western League (1939-1941)
FormerlyNebraska State League
ClassificationClass D (1939–1941)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1939
Ceased1941
Replaced byNebraska State League
PresidentJ. Roy Carter (1939–1941)
No. of teams9
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Sioux City Soos
Sioux Falls Canaries
Pueblo Rollers

The Western League of 1939–1941 was a low-level American circuit in Minor League Baseball. The Class D level league was born when the Nebraska State League changed its identity after the 1938 season. It is not related to the Class A level Western League of 1900–1937 and 1947–1958, a higher-level league that suspended operations during the latter years of the Great Depression through World War II.

The 1939–1941 Western League included teams based in Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota and Wyoming. After the United States entered the war, the league did not return for 1942 and was succeeded by its revived Class A namesake in 1947. The Nebraska State League was revived as a Class D circuit from 1956 to 1959.

Member clubs

Standings & statistics

1939 Western League

Team Name W L PCT GB Managers
Norfolk Elks 75 44 .630 - Doc Bennett
Sioux Falls Canaries 66 52 .559 Ralph Brandon
Sioux City Soos 63 52 .548 10 Pete Monahan
Lincoln Links 64 55 .538 11 Pug Griffin
Mitchell Kernels 49 69 .415 25½ Red Davis (8/1) / Charles Moglia
Worthington Cardinals 36 81 .308 38 Joe McDermott

Playoffs: Sioux City 3 games, Norfolk 2; Lincoln 3 games, Sioux Falls 2
Finals: Sioux City 4 games, Lincoln 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Howard Conners Sioux Falls BA .365 Ox Miller Lincoln W 21
Wendell Finders Norfolk Hits 167 Ox Miller Lincoln SO 208
Bob Dillinger Lincoln Runs 139 Lawrence Kempe Sioux Falls ERA 3.02
Ted Kakaloris Lincoln RBI 114 Leonard Bobeck Norfolk PCT .864 19-3
William Morgan Norfolk HR 17

1940 Western League - schedule

Team Name W L PCT GB Managers
Norfolk Yankees 73 39 .652 - Doc Bennett
Sioux Falls Canaries 59 58 .504 16½ Robert Fenner
Worthington Cardinals 50 59 .459 21½ Ray Martin / George Payne
Sioux City Soos /
Mitchell Kernels
44 70 .386 30 Jimmy Zinn / Ed Grayston

Sioux City moved to Mitchell July 24
League played four quarters: Norfolk won the first, second and fourth quarters, Sioux Falls won the third quarter.
Playoff: Sioux Falls 4 games, Norfolk 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Johnny Lucas Worthington BA .356 Frank Wagner Sioux Falls W 17
Leo Bohanan Sioux Falls Hits 158 Frank Wagner Sioux Falls SO 193
Robert Duby Norfolk Runs 112 Fred Whalen Norfolk ERA 1.36
Fred Schenk Norfolk RBI 97 Fred Whalen Norfolk PCT .786 11-3
Russell Burns Norfolk HR 17

1941 Western League - schedule

Team Name W L PCT GB Managers
Norfolk Yankees 64 44 .593 - Ray Powell
Cheyenne Indians 59 44 .573 John Kerr
Sioux City Cowboys 54 56 .491 11 Richard Tichacek
Pueblo Rollers 52 54 .491 11 Pug Griffin
Sioux Falls Canaries 51 56 .477 12½ Robert Fenner / Tony Koenig
Denver Bears 42 68 .382 23 Cobe Jones

Playoffs: Norfolk 3 games, Sioux City 2; Pueblo 3 games, Cheyenne 1
Finals: Pueblo 3 games, Norfolk 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bernard Steele Pueblo BA .383 George Milstead Cheyenne W 19
Bernard Steele Pueblo Hits 158 Robert Bergen Pueblo SO 183
Bernard Steele Pueblo Runs 88 Frank Wagner Sioux Falls ERA 2.15
Frank Bocek Norfolk RBI 92 George Milstead Cheyenne PCT .792 19-5
Mel Bergman Cheyenne HR 10

References

  • Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 2007.