1906 Playoffs
Northern League Championships
Grand Canyon defeats Flagstaff, 4-1
The River Runners earn their third shot at a Cactus Champions Cup title in the six-year history of the Arizona League. Their first two attempts came up short in 1902 and 1904 (every even year, it seems, Grand Canyon makes it to the final).
The 'Runners won the first two games of the NL series, including a 16-7 stomping of the Lumberjacks in Game Two. After Flag captured Game Three, Grand Canyon cruised in Game four by an 8-1 score. They closed things out with a 6-4 decision.
Winning pitcher
Frank Smith had a key hit and two RBIs in the decisive Game Five. Despite the losing cause, Flagstaff's
Sam Crawford batted .556 for the series. He was 3-for-4 in Game Five, but only had one RBI for the whole series. It wasn't his fault, the 'Jacks just couldn't get guys on ahead of him.
Outfielders
Jimmy Sheckard and
Cy Seymour had six RBIs apiece for the River Runners...
Southern League Championships
Prescott defeats Bisbee, 4-3
While Grand Canyon is seeking its first Arizona League title, Prescott is trying to go 3-0 in the Cactus Champions Cup series. The Antelopes had to knock out the defending AZL champs to get their shot.
Bisbee got off to a hot start, crushing the 'Lopes 11-0 in the opener, in Prescott.
Frank Owen pitched a three-hitter. Game Two also went to the Prospectors 8-3. This time Otto Hess did the honors and got the pitching victory.
Prescott then took the middle two games of the seres, both of which were played in Bisbee. The teams then split Games Five and Six, forcing a Game Seven. Fittingly, the decisive contest went 11 innings before the Antelopes finally snuck away with a 2-1 triumph. Both teams scored a run apiece in the second. Then, the pitching held until
1B Tim Jordan's walk-off home run (with two outs) in the bottom of the 11th...
Cactus Champions Cup
Prescott defeats Grand Canyon, 4-3
This series went back-and-forth. Grand Canyon took the opener 3-2, scoring the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the ninth. Prescott won Game Two and Game Three, and the teams traded wins the rest of the way till the Antelopes won Game Seven 7-5. A six-run fifth inning keyed the victory, clinching Prescott's third Arizona League title in six years. The River Runners led 4-0 and 4-1 before the onslaught of Antelope runs.
A bases clearing double by 3B
Germany Schaefer (he was 3-for-4 with four RBIs for the game) proved the biggest hit of the series. Schaeffer had nine RBIs and batted .351 in the playoffs. Kaiser Wilhelm (another name with German connections) was the winning pitcher for Game Seven.
Hats off to the 'Lopes -- the 1906 Arizona League Cactus Champions Cup winners!!!
Cactus Cup Champions
1901- Payson Longhorns (4-2 over Nogales)
1902- Nogales Apaches (4-1 over Grand Canyon)
1903- Prescott Antelopes (4-2 over Jerome)
1904- Prescott Antelopes (4-2 over Grand Canyon)
1905- Bisbee Prospectors (4-3 over Flagstaff)
1906- Prescott Antelopes (4-3 over Grand Canyon)
NOTES: Prescott has had GC's number twice. GC is now 0-3 in the Cactus Cup series. Prescott is 3-0 ... The Southern League has now won the last five titles...
