Bellingham Chinooks

The Bellingham Chinooks was the primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Bellingham, Washington between 1905 and 1939. Early Bellingham teams played as members of the Northwestern League in 1905 and Western International League in 1938 and 1939. The Bellingham Chinooks were succeeded in Bellingham by the Bellingham Dodgers, who began play as members of the 1973 Northwest League.

History[]

In 1905, the Bellingham Gillnetters were founded as the first minor league baseball team in Bellingham, Washington. The team is also referred to as the "Bellingham Yankees". The Bellingham franchise was charter members of the four–team Class B level Northwestern League. With a 49–48 record under managers Kirby Drennen and Dad Clarke, Bellingham finished behind the 1st place Everett Smokestackers (60–37) and ahead of the Vancouver Horse Doctors (45–52) and Victoria Legislators/Spokane Indians (41–58) in the final Northwestern League standings. The Bellingham franchise folded from the Northwestern League after the 1905 season.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]}

Baseball resumed in Bellingham in 1938 with a championship season. The Bellingham Chinooks became members of the six–team Class B level Western International League and captured the league championship under manager Ken Penner. With a 68–65 regular season record, the Chinooks placed 2nd in the regular season standings, behind the 1st place Yakima Pippins. In the 1938 playoffs, the Bellingham Chinooks defeated the Vancouver Maple Leafs 3 games to 1 and advanced. In the Final, Bellingham defeated the Yakima Pippins 4 games to 3 to become league champions.^{[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]}

The 1939 Bellingham Chinooks finished last in the Western International League standings and the franchise folded after the season. With a 40–102 regular season record, the Chinooks placed 6th in the six-team standings, playing under managers Ken Penner, Jimmie Reese and Al Lightner. Bellingham finished behind the Wenatchee Chiefs (86–57), Tacoma Tigers (78–63), Vancouver Capilanos (76–63), Spokane Indians (75–69) and Yakima Pippins (72–73) in the final standings. After the 1938 season, the Bellingham franchise relocated to Salem, Oregon to become the Salem Senators.^{[9][10][17][18][19][20][7][21]}

Bellingham was without a minor league team until the 1973 Bellingham Dodgers began play as members of the Northwest League.^[22]

The ballpark[]

The Bellingham Chinooks were noted to have played minor league home games at Battersby Park. Battersby Park had a capacity of 3,000 (1939) and dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 290–350–435 (1939). The ballpark was torn down in 1968. It was located near Whatcom Middle School in Bellingham, Washington.^[23][24]

(2018) Whatcom Creek And Maritime Heritage Park. Bellingham, Washington

Timeline[]

Year-by-year records[]

Notable alumni[]

See also[]

Bellingham Chinooks players
Bellingham Gillnetters players

References[]

External links[]

Baseball Reference Bullpen
1939 team photo