Western International League

Western International League

Classification	Class B  (1922, 1937–1942; 1946–1951) Class A  (1952–1954)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1922, 1937
Ceased	1954
Replaced by	Northwest League
President	Roger Peck (1937) F.H. Knickerbocker (1938–1939) Stanley A. Webster (1940) Robert Abel (1941–1954)
No. of teams	13
Country	Canada United States
Most titles	4 Spokane Indians Vancouver Capilanos
Related competitions	Western Canada League Pacific Coast International League
Official website	northwestleague.com

The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level minor league baseball circuit in the Pacific Northwest United States and western Canada that operated in 1922, 1937 to 1942, and 1946 to 1954. In 1955, the Western International League evolved to become the Northwest League, which is still playing today.

History

Informally known as the "Willy" loop,^[1][2] The Western International League operated in 1922, 1937 to 1942, and 1946 to 1954.^[3][4] In 1955, the league changed its name to become the Northwest League,^[5] and operated through 2019 as a Class A-Short Season loop under that name. In the minor league reorganization of 2021, most Northwest League teams became members of the High-A West circuit, before resuming the former name in 2022

The WIL consisted of teams in the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.^[1] 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.^[6] Three teams did not finish the season (Spokane, Victoria, Calgary).^[7] 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.^[8]

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.

Cities represented

Bellingham, WA: Bellingham Chinooks 1938–1939 Bremerton, WA: Bremerton Bluejackets 1946–1949 Calgary, AB: Calgary Bronchos 1922; Calgary Stampeders 1953–1954 Edmonton, AB: Edmonton Eskimos 1922, 1953–1954 Kennewick, WA, Richland, WA & Pasco, WA: Tri-City Braves 1950–1954 Lewiston, ID: Lewiston Broncs 1937; Lewiston Broncs 1952–1954

Salem, OR: Salem Senators 1940–1942, 1946–1954 Spokane, WA: Spokane Hawks 1937–1939; Spokane Indians 1940–1942, 1946-1954 Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Tigers 1922, 1937–1942, 1946–1951 Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Beavers 1922; Vancouver Maple Leafs 1937–1938; Vancouver Capilanos 1939–1942, 1946–1954 Victoria, BC: Victoria Athletics 1946–1951; Victoria Tyees 1952–1954 Wenatchee, WA: Wenatchee Chiefs 1937–1941, 1946–1954 Yakima, WA: Yakima Pippins 1937–1941; Yakima Stars 1946–1947; Yakima Packers 1948; Yakima Bears 1949–1954

League champions

1923 Calgary Bronchos 1937 Tacoma Tigers 1938 Bellingham Chinooks 1939 Tacoma Tigers 1940 Tacoma Tigers 1941 Spokane Indians 1942 Vancouver Capilanos

1946 Wenatchee Chiefs 1947 Vancouver Capilanos 1948 Spokane Indians 1949 Vancouver Capilanos 1950 Yakima Bears 1951 Spokane Indians 1952 Victoria Tyees 1953 Spokane Indians 1954 Vancouver Capilanos

References

• 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.

1. "Lewiston OK's enlargement of Willy loop". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). October 23, 1952. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
2. "Willy loop race tighter". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). Associated Press. July 17, 1953. p. 6. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
3. "Spokane gets berth in new ball league". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 8, 1954. p. 18. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
4. "Indians "on first" in baseball plans". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 9, 1954. p. 14. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
5. Missildine, Harry (April 20, 1972). "Northwest League goes back to 1890". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 22. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
6. "Baseball standings: Western International". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 1, 1954. p. 8. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
7. "Pennant progress: Western International". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 8, 1954. p. 17. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
8. "Vancouver takes WIL crown, 12-2". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. September 13, 1954. p. 11. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2015.