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Northwest League

Today’s Northwest League is actually the third name this league has gone by since its inception in 1918. It began life as the Pacific Coast International League and played under that name for its first and third seasons, playing under the name of the Northwest International League in 1919. (Those early days were not the most stable of times: in 1919 the league played 30 or so games before the Tacoma Tigers went under on June 5, with the remaining three teams throwing in the town on June 8.) A more lasting name change was made in 1921, when it was renamed the Western International League (reflecting a move away from cities close to the Pacific coastline). The Western International League gradually rose up the grade ladder from Class B in 1942 to a Class A league in 1954 — and that was a time when a Class A league was a higher-level league. By 1955 the league had shed its international roots and underwent another moniker change: this time to the Northwest League. Today the Northwest League is a Class A short-season league.

Class B / 1918-1922, 1937-1942, 1946-1951, 1955-1962
Class A / 1952-1955, 1963-present

Current teams (in alphabetical order)
Boise Hawks
Eugene Emeralds
Everett AquaSox
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
Spokane Indians
Tri-City Dust Devils
Vancouver Canadians
Yakima Bears

Teams (in alphabetical order)
Aberdeen Black Cats, 1918
Bellingham Chinooks, 1939
Bellingham Dodgers, 1973-1976
Bellingham Giants, 1995-1996
Bellingham Mariners, 1977-1994
Bend Bucks, 1987-1991
Bend Phillies, 1982-1986
Bend Rainbows, 1970-1971
Bend Rockies, 1992-1994
Bend Timber Hawks, 1978
Boise A’s, 1975-1976
Boise Buckskins, 1978
Boise Hawks, 1987-present
Bremerton Bluejackets, 1946-1949
Calgary Broncos, 1922
Calgary Stampeders, 1953-1954
Central Oregon (Bend) Phillies, 1979-1981
Coos Bay-North Bend A’s, 1970-1972
Edmonton Eskimos, 1922, 1953-1954
Eugene Emeralds, 1955-1969, 1974-present
Everett AquaSox, 1995-present
Everett Giants, 1984-1994
Grays Harbor Loggers, 1977-1978, 1980-1981
Grays Harbor Mets, 1979
Grays Harbor Ports, 1976
Lewiston Broncs, 1937, 1952-1974
Medford A’s, 1979-1982, 1983-1987
Medford Dodgers, 1970-1971
Medford Giants, 1967-1968
New Westminster Frasers, 1974
Portland Buckaroos, 1918
Portland Mavericks, 1973-1977
Portland Rockies, 1995-2000
Rogue City (Medford) Dodgers, 1969
Salem Angels, 1982-1987
Salem Dodgers, 1961-1965, 1988-1989
Salem Senators, 1940-1942, 1946-1960, 1977-1981
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 1997-present
Seattle Drydockers, 1919
Seattle Giants, 1918, 1920
Seattle Rainiers, 1972-1976
Southern Oregon (Medford) A’s, 1988-1995
Southern Oregon (Medford) Timberjacks, 1996-1999
Spokane Hawks, 1937-1939
Spokane Indians, 1918, 1920, 1940-1942, 1946-1956, 1972, 1983-present
Tacoma Tigers, 1918, 1919, 1920-1922, 1937-1942, 1946-1951
Tri-City A’s, 1969
Tri-City Angels, 1963-1964
Tri-City Atoms, 1961, 1965-1968
Tri-City Braves, 1950-1960, 1962
Tri-City Dust Devils, 2001-present
Tri-City Padres, 1970-1972
Tri-City Ports, 1974
Tri-City Triplets, 1973, 1983-1986
Vancouver Beavers, 1918-1922
Vancouver Canadians, 2000-present
Vancouver Capilanos, 1939-1942, 1946-1954
Vancouver Maple Leafs, 1937-1938
Victoria Athletics, 1946-1951
Victoria Bees, 1921
Victoria Blues, 1980
Victoria Islanders, 1920
Victoria Mussels, 1978-1979
Victoria Tyees, 1919, 1952-1954
Walla Walla Bears, 1969, 1083
Walla Walla Padres, 1973-1982
Walla Walla Phillies, 1970-1971
Walla Walla Rainbows, 1972
Wenatchee Chiefs, 1937-1941, 1946-1965
Yakima Bears, 1949-1964, 1990-present
Yakima Braves, 1965-1966
Yakima Indians, 1920-1921
Yakima Packers, 1948
Yakima Pippins, 1937-1941
Yakima Stars, 1946-1947

Read all stories about the Northwest League on Ballpark Digest.

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