Photographs courtesy of the Paul Hamaker Collection As the war took over the country and much of the Rainiers talent pool, Seattle's dynasty moved south to San Francisco where the Seals became the new powerhouse in the Pacific Coast League. The Rainiers would compete throughout the war in the playoffs but there weren't any championships to be had here at Sicks Stadium any longer. (Though nearly every Minor League system suspended operations during war-time, the Major Leagues and all Triple-A organizations including the Pacific Coast League, the American Association, the International League and even the Southern Association, continued to play on). By the time the war ended in 1946, the Rainiers had gone from a 112 game winning team, to a 109 game losing franchise. The Rainiers would continue to play as an independent co-op franchise until 1948 when they finally received their first official Major League affiliation. |