Pre-Season - April 3, 1950

Indian Rookies Due To Feel Cutting Axe
LEWISTON, Ida., April 4, (UP)—The axe is scheduled to fall among rookies of the Spokane Indians baseball team at the end of this week, Manager Alan Strange said today.
He said at training camp here that the youngsters will get their chance to show what they can do in several practice games this week. The Indians have games slated with North Idaho College of Education, Washington State College, Idaho and the Great Falls, Mont., Selectrics.

Tonsilectomy Restores Sinovic's Arm
HAD DICK SINOVIC, 25-year-old Seattle outfielder, submitted to a tonsilectomy a year ago instead of this spring he probably would be wearing the uniform of the Pittsburgh Pirates—and the Oaks might have won a couple of games they lost to his powerful bat last week.
Dick was purchased from Portland by the Pirates early in 1949, and assigned to Indianapolis. He suddenly developed a sore arm and jn quick succession moved from Indianapolis to New Orleans to Macon and back to Portland. The deal was canceled because Sinovic couldn't throw.
The Bevos sent the young man to Salem, their farm, club in the Western International League, but it was only a matter of days before he was released outright. He was promptly signed by Vancouver where the fence is so short an outfielder doesn’t need to have an arm. Sinovic, always a good hitter, sent his batting average soaring to the .350 mark, and at the end of the season he was claimed by Seattle.
Seeking to find the cause of his arm trouble, the Seattle club physician made a thorough physical examination and decided that it might be a set of infected tonsils. Sinovic had them removed and his sore arm improved immediately.
Today his throwing is adequate and is improving every day. It wouldn't be surprising if, at the end of the season, Pittsburgh or some other major league club should be bidding for his services again.
- Oakland Tribune, Apr. 3, 1950

Eddie Miller Former Fight Manager Dies
SEATTLE, April 3—Edward (Eddie) Miller, 46, once manager of fighter Freddie Steele and ex-owner of the Tacoma Tigers baseball team died Monday night after a long illness.
He was one of the owners of the Manganese Products, Inc., of Seattle.
Miller was born in New York City but had lived in Seattle since his early youth, graduating from the University of Washington. For many years he was connected with sports enterprises in Tacoma. At the death of his brother, Dave Miller, in 1937, he took over management of Steele, world's middleweight champion.
He was a co-owner and general manager of the Tacoma team in the Western International baseball league in 1947 and 1948, after which he sold his interest in the team and returned to Seattle. He also had operated a hotel in Tacoma.
He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Eva Miller, and a brother, George Miller, in Seattle, and a sister in Omaha, Neb., Mrs. David Greenberg.

Braves Go On Scoring Rampage,
Trample Tulare All-Stars 24-3
By DON BECKER
HERALD SPORTS EDITOR
LINDSEY, Cal. April 3, — If the Tri-City Braves can remember how to score runs like they did tonight when the Western International League swings in to play, the fans in the area can start counting on a championship team right now.
In an abbreviated contest, the Braves rollicked to a 24-3 win over the Tulare All-Stars before a crowd of 250.
Lefty Bob Felizzatto was the first pitcher to go the route for the Braves during the exhibition contests. He held the All-Stars in check all the way, giving up only five hits.
It was a hot time for the Braves who moved this year to the Tri-Cities from Wenatchee. They couldn't miss at the plate Every one of the starting nine—and Manager Charley Peterson didn't use any subs—connected for singles.
Johnny Scherger, Kennewick's contribution to the Braves who was holding down left field, started the ball rolling as he singled down the first base line to bring across the first two runs. From then on, it was throw away the score book and buy an adding machine.
Third baseman Neil Bryant brought the fans to their feet with the play of the game.
A slow dribbler down the third baseline and Bryant scooped it up for what should have been an easy put-out. As he took his step to throw, he stumbled. Firing as he fell, Bryant nailed the runner at first by one step.

Collegians Blank Great Falls
LEWISTON, Ida.. April 3 (AP) — Collegians swung the heavy bats today as play opened in the "banana belt" baseball league.
The northern Idaho college Loggers drubbed the Spokane Indians 13-1 and Washington State college's Cougars blanked the Great Falls, 7-0.
Both the Indians of the Western International league and Great Falls of the Pioneer league are in spring training here.