1948 Saskatoon Merchants

Team (1988)

Softball

Western Canadian Men's Softball Champions

The Merchants finished in first place in a hotly contested six-team league, which provided Saskatoon softball fans with many close and entertaining contests. The Merchants continued their superiority in the playoffs by defeating the Saskatoon Empires, three games to one, in a best-of-five final. The Merchants then went on to defeat the North Battleford Cardinals, two games to one, in a best-of-three Northern final.

In the Provincial Final, the Merchants were again the best by defeating the Regina Legion, three games to one, to advance to the Western Canada Championship. As reported in the Star-Phoenix, "the Merchants came up with a smashing display in finishing off Vancouver Narrows in three straight games (best-of-five series) and proving that they had all the requisites of good champions". In 1948 there was no Canadian Championship so this was the highest achievement possible, and the Merchants won it all.

Front row: Harold Balfour (President), Ken McAuley, Glenn Richardson ** (Coach), Jack Monell (Batboy), Bobby Smith, Art Dehmke, Jack Miller.
Back row: Dave Livingstone **, Gerry Webster, Cliff "Porky" Hulme ** (Assistant Coach), Ernie Fast, Joe Thompson, Don Tunnicliffe, Cliff Aitken, Doug Dunlop, Ralph Almas. Inset: Gil Strumm.

** Deceased