The ManDak League: Haven for Former Negro League Ballplayers, 1950-1957

The ManDak League may be one of baseball’s best kept secrets. Operating in Manitoba, Canada, and North Dakota from 1950 to 1957, it was the outlet for former Negro Leaguers to continue playing and entertaining fans, occupying fields with ex-major leaguers, minor league stars and some of the best Manitoba, North Dakota and Minnesota born players. It featured such greats as Willie Wells, Leon Day, Ray Dandridge and Satchel Paige, who pitched briefly for the Minot Mallards in 1950. The author attended many of these games, and remembers fondly that the former Negro League stars would take time to talk to kids and sign autographs. This book is a chronological history of the semi-professional ManDak organization, which was launched during the era called the Golden Age of Baseball. It began in January 1950, and the name Manitoba-Dakota Baseball League was soon shortened to the ManDak League. Stadiums, officials, lineups, managers, and other elements are detailed to set the stage. The author follows with season highlights from 1950, and then action from each season through 1957, when the league fell to financial troubles. The book concludes with the debate over how the league would be classified by today’s standards.
It will never be decided and it doesn’t matter that much, as the baseball was great,
the author maintains.
Fans got to see some of the big stars of the Negro Leagues, and many talented ex-major and -minor league stars.
The appendices offer detailed profiles of the players, a glimpse into rules given to the Minot Mallards, batting and pitching records, and rosters.