Western League
Standings 1913 President: Norris L O'Neill |
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Standings | Wins----- | Losses--- | GB |
Denver Bears | 104 | 62 | -- |
Des Moines Boosters | 94 | 72 | 10 ½ |
St. Joseph Drummers | 89 | 79 | 15 ½ |
Lincoln Greenbackers | 87 | 90 | 17 ½ |
Omaha Rourkes | 79 | 86 | 24 ½ |
Sioux City Packers | 73 | 92 | 30 ½ |
Topeka Jayhawks | 73 | 92 | 30 ½ |
Wichita Jobbers | 65 | 101 | 39 |
BA: Roxy Middleton, Wichita, .370 | |||
Runs: Les Channell, Denver, 137 | |||
Hits: Bill Congalton, Omaha, 227 | |||
HR's: Les Channell, Denver, 26 | |||
Doubles: Bill Congalton, Omaha, 50 | |||
SBs: Joseph Kelly, St. Joseph, 68 | |||
Wins: George Boehler, St. Joseph, 27 | |||
Doubles: Bill Congalton, Omaha, 50 | |||
SOs: Red Faber, Des Moines, 265 |
The Rourkes were hoping to improve on their third place finish in 1912. The hot stove season was full of expectations but when the season started, reality set in and the team finished in fifth place.
Roster:
Bill "Bunk" Congalton led the Western League in hits and doubles in 1913. The 38 year old from Guelph Ontario Canada started his professional career in 1901 with Minneapolis. He played in the major leagues for four years before coming to Omaha. He averaged .350 in 164 games.
Jim Kane played first for the Rourkes in 1913. The Scranton native played in Omaha from 1909-1913. He played for Pittsburg (NL) in 1909 and averaged .241. He settled in Omaha after his playing days.
BillShipke played second in 1913. The 30 year old from St. Louis averaged .256 in 124 games. Muskrat Bill had a cup of coffee with Cleveland (AL) in 1904 and played for Washington (AL) from 1907-1909. Like Jim Kane, Bill settled in Omaha after his professional career.
Edward Justice played 165 games and short and averaged .217.
Elmer Johnson played 147 games with a mask on and 149 games total. The Beard Indiana native averaged .327. He was picked up by the Giants for the 1914 season. He played in 11 games and averaged .167. He then went to St. Paul, Lincoln and San Antonio before ending his professional career in 1920.
Clyde Neff played in 67 games and averaged .280. He started with Seward in the Nebraska State League in 1910 and played for Fremont in 1913 along with Omaha. He was in Beatrice in 1914.
Norman Coyle tended the garden for Pa Rourke in 1913. He played in 129 games and averaged .270.
Charles Payne played in 33 games and averaged .252.
Thompson played in 160 games and averaged .332.
Pitchers:
Harry Hicks led Omaha and the Western League in percent in 1912 with a 18-5 record. He led the league in ERA in 1913 with a 2.27 ERA.
Luke Glavenich played for New Orleans, Omaha and Cleveland in 1913. He was 1-7 for Omaha. Originally from Jackson California he also pitched one game for Cleveland (AL) in 1913.
Dutch Brenner was a 5 year old from Minneapolis. He played for New Orleans and Omaha in 1913. He had a cup of coffee with Cleveland in 1912.
Bill Schlitzer played for Omaha, Kansas City and Toledo in 1913. He played for Philadelphia (AL), and Boston in 1908 and 1909.
Abell Applegate from West Point Kentucky had a 3.05 ERA in 1913. He played from 1912 through 1925.
Hank Chelette was a 23 year old from Shreveport Louisiana. He played for Waterloo and Omaha in 1913. He started his professional career in Shreveport in 1908 and finished in 1916.
Karl Robinson
Wallace Closman pitched for Omaha from 1912-1914.