Let's Play Ball

Early Days of Baseball

The Lake of the Woods League began in the early 1900s with three teams from Kenora. Soon other teams from the region joined the League, including a team from Dryden.

Newspaper clipping from the June 24, 1909 Dryden Observer for the new Dryden Baseball Club.

In 1911, a team from Dryden challenged for the Lake of the Woods League championship, winning it in a sudden death playoff. 

Dryden Baseball Team Champions 1911.

In 1912, the Schragge Trophy was donated to the League by Alex Schragge. That year, the League was also formally organized into the Kenora Baseball League, later renamed the Kenora-Keewatin Senior Baseball League. 

The League was suspended for brief periods of time during its early days due to the First World War, the Great Depression, and the Second World War.

The teams playing in the League would vary from year to year, but were a combination of - Kenora Paper Mill, Kenora Legion, Keewatin, Lakelands, Redditt Legion, Norman Cubs, Sioux Lookout, and the Dryden Red Sox.

Golden Era of Baseball

The majority of the League's teams came from the Lake of the Woods area, so most of the games were played near Kenora. The Dryden Red Sox were on the road at least twice a week. With cars becoming more and more common, and with the opening of the Trans-Canada Highway, travel did become easier and fans flocked to the games. The stands would be full and intense rivalries were developed.

If the hours spent dodging moose on the road took their toll on the players, it didn't show on the field. The Dryden Red Sox were always a top team. They were often winning the pennant and were contenders for the championship. They brought home the Schragge trophy in 1952 and 1954.

Dryden Red Sox baseball team, 1952. [Names left to right] Back row: Pete Ross, Bill Saskoley, Len Dyck, Tommy Hoshizaki. Middle row: Ted Adair, Don Nicholson, Ron Titze, Cec. Wilson, John Saskoley. Front row: Kiyo Shoguchi, Don Mawby, Duke Kusano, Ed Wolanin.

The League reached its peak during the 1950s and teams were made of returning veterans and rookie players in their teens.

Baseball was the top priority for many players with career ambitions taking a back seat to their ambitions on the ball diamond.

"There was nothing we wouldn't do to play" -- Frank Harrison who played with the Dryden Red Sox from 1953 to 1958 and later elected President of the League.

The League came to an end in 1963. Teams represented at the annual meeting were Dryden Red Sox and Kenora Legion. The Red Sox were the only team declaring their intentions to enter the League for the season. Since this League was suspended indefinitely, the Red Sox entered the Thunder Bay League and continued to play for another year or two, with the team now including some players from the Kenora area.

Left: Dryden Red Sox Uniform worn by Willy Yasinski, '21' on the back. Right: 1958 Dryden Red Sox Jacket.