Wednesday, April 26, 1950

STANDINGS
             W L Pct. GB
Spokane .... 5 2 .714 —
Tacoma ..... 5 3 .625 ½
Wenatchee .. 5 3 .625 ½
Yakima ..... 5 3 .625 ½
Salem ...... 5 4 .556 1
Tri-City ... 4 5 .444 2
Vancouver .. 2 6 .250 3½
Victoria ... 2 7 .222 4

YAKIMA, April 26—The time honored squeeze play earned the Yakima Bears a 7-6 decision over the Tri-City Braves in a 12-inning Western International League game here tonight. It was the second straight victory for Yakima, with only 524 fans on hand to cheer.
Yakima, backed up by some fancy hurling by Lloyd Dickey, held a 6-0 edge when the top of the sixth opened and then the Braves exploded to lock the game and drive Dickey from the mound.
Jim Warner drew a free pass to open the sixth and moved to second on Neil Bryant's single. Another pair of passes to Artie Wilson and Jim McKeegan scored Warner. Dick Faber unleashed a double to unload the bases and Manager Petersen's single scored Faber from second. Vic Buccola then singled to score Petersen.
The Braves blew a scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth when Al Spaeter singled. However, Spaeter's attempted steal of second didn't quite jell. Vic Buccola then walked and Warner's double, which would have scored Spaeter, just moved up Warner's hitting average.
LOU DOES FINE JOB
Lou McCollum hurled his second overtime game of the year and did a masterful job except for the fifth inning when he allowed five runs. Al Jacinto opened the last of the 12th inning for Yakima by drawing a free pass. Jacinto then moved to third on a wild pitch and Petersen came in to talk things over with McCollum.
McCollum purposely passed Jim Westlake and Nick Cheso to load the bases hoping for a double killng. However, catcher Will Tiesiera's perfect squeeze bunt scored Jacinto and turned out the lights in Parker Field.
Ernie Domenichelli, who pitched shutout baseball after he relieved Dickey in the sixth, was the pitching victor.
The game lasted two hours and 55 minutes.
GREENLAW ON MOUND THURSDAY
Braves' Manager Charlie Petersen will probably send a portsider to the mound Thursday night in the conclusion of the series in an effort to break the jinx of injuries and defeats. Cy Greenlaw is expected to get the starting assignment against the heavy left handed Bears batting roster.
Two regulars were still on the sidelines in tonight's loss for the Braves. Clint Cameron rode the bench for the fourth successive game and Nick Pesut, first string catcher, was also out of the lineup with a split finger.
After Thursday night's game here the Braves move over to Tacoma to open a four game stand. In their first series with the Tigers, it was an even split, 2-2.
Tri-City ....... 000 006 000 000—6 8 1
Yakima ........ 010 050 000 001—7 12 0
McCollum and McKeegan; Dickey, Domenichelli (6) and Tiesiera.

VICTORIA, B. C., April 26 — Victoria defeated Salem, 9 to 4, Wednesday night in a Western International league baseball game.
Victoria tucked away its second win of the year with a six-run splurge in the fourth inning. The spree was helped along by four walks off Salem starter John Burak and Nick Muti's erior. The Oregonians collected 10 hits off Bob Jensen but the Victoria moundsman left 13 men stranded on the basepaths. The smallest crowd in Victoria's WI history — 371 fans — watched the contest.
Salem ....... 010 110 001—4 10 5
Victoria .... 002 610 00x—9 11 2
Burak, Lew (4) and McMillan; Jensen and Ronning.

Vancouver-Wenatchee, postponed, rain.
Tacoma-Spokane, postponed, rain. Doubleheader Thursday.

Buzzer 'Backfield' Complete With Wedemeyer Signing
SALT LAKE CITY, April 26—Salt Lake's "backfield" was set for the Saturday night Pioneer league opener with the Ogden Reds with the signing of Squirmin' Herman Wedemeyer Wednesday, but Manager Earl Bolyard still was studying the pitching nominees for the class C inaugural in Utah's capital city.
Squirmin' Herman, one of the greatest football players ever developed by St. Mary's college, was assigned to the Bees Wednesday afternoon after a series of "off-agin, on agin" transactions with Yakima of the Western International league. Several days ago Wedemeyer was ticketed to Salt Lake City, only to run afoul of Yakima commitments. But Wednesday everything was ironed out and all-America Wedemeyer joins all-America Bob Celeri of California U. and Wally Yonamine of the San Francisco 49ers on the Bees' roster.
Wedemeyer may not get into the lineup, at least for the opening game, until he recovers his "land legs" in Utah's mile high altitude.

NON-WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS

Excited Fan Hurt in Fall During Rally
SAN DIEGO, April 26— A baseball fan, excited when the home team tied the score, fell off a railroad boxcar here Tuesday night.
Eugene Lloyd, 21. was taken to naval hospital with a possibly serious back injury.
The boxcar was outside the Pacific Coast league baseball park. Lloyd, perched on it with other non-paying fans, fell in the sixth inning. San Diego tied the score 2-2 in that inning and then went on to beat Seattle, 3-2.

Night Baseball 'Father' Dies
ST. LOUIS, April 26 — E. Lee Keyser, whose colorful career stretched from peanut vendor to recognition as the "father of night baseball," died Wednesday.
The 64-year-old Keyser had been in a coma most of the time since he suffered a brain hemorrhage April 12. He will be buried Saturday morning in Des Momes where 20 years ago Keyser launched the first successful season of regular night ball in organized baseball.
Keyser was minor league secretary of the St. Louis Browns at the time of his death.
First Night Game
Keyser in 1920 purchased a half-interest in the Des Moines Western League club. His career at Des Moines was topped by the first night baseball game—an idea he had nursed through several years of dwindling daytime attendance.
Culmination of the Keyser dream came in early May of 1930. His Des Moines team played Wichita in a contest attended by many of baseball's highest dignitaries. It was a huge success and lights soon illuminated other minor league parks. Later all the majors except the Chicago Cubs installed lights to catch and serve the added nighttime patronage.
Sold Cissell
One of Keyser's most profitable deals came in 1925 when he bought the release of the late Chalmers (Bill) Cissell from the Army for $60. Cissell was stationed at Fort Des Moines and playirig with a Des Moines Athletic club.
The shortstop attracted Keyser's harp eye for talent. Lee arranged the deal with Uncle Sam and Cissell became a Des Moines "Demon." Cissell played part of the 1925 season and late in 1926 was sold to Portland for $13,000 and another player.
A year later Cissell was bought by the Chicago White Sox for $123,000 and players in what is believed the highest minors-to-majors transaction.

ON THE INSIDE

By Don Becker - Herald Sports Editor

[April 27, 1950]

There are a couple of rumors wending their way among local baseball fans that are going to be punctured right now. Both these "pipeline" stories concern our Tri-City Braves. Item one: That we're going to get a new infielder either at third base or shortstop. False. Why would the Braves want help there? True there have been a few boots on the left side of the infield, but these self-appointed critics fail to look at the batting averages.
As of Tuesday Neil Bryant, the shortstop, is just hitting .364 and Artie Wilson, third baseman, only .333.
If that isn't satisfactory work with the stick, then what is. And suppose there have been some errors over there. After all the season is still young and the infield at Sanders Field isn't as smooth as a table-top. Or did any of these second guessers ever take the trouble to go out there and look. Apparently not.

ANOTHER FALSIE

Item two: That a new pitcher is coming to join the staff. False. This one apparently got started with Bill Caplinger in mind. "Cappy" was in spring training with the team and fully intended to play as far as we know.
However, he went home for a visit just before the Braves broke camp and has never checked back in. As we get it, he had a chance to go to work for the federal government ... so it looks like that's what he did.
That infielder rumor by the way was built around the possible return of Richie Myers, who played with the Braves last season. However, a check reveals that Richie hasn't even turned out in a baseball uniform this year.

POLISHING UP CAMERON
That's Clint Cameron down in the third base coaching box when Manager Charlie Petersen goes into the lineup. "Pete" relies on Clint's baseball savvy and so Cameron is also grooming himself for a possible managerial position some day he'd make a good one too.
Some game that was Tuesday night. The Braves had the hitting power, but how those free passes to first hurt. Yakima won the game, that's true, but they didn't have to win it. . . .it was practically handed to them. Well, get the bad ones off your system quick, they say. Let's hope that this was one of them.

SHORTS IN SPORTS WORLD
Chances of a new WIL attendance mark appear slimmer than Betty Grable's waist right now. The current cold wave is keeping the fans away in droves. Yakima set a new mark last year, but couldn't muster 4,000 when they opened their park this week. It looks like we're going to get a flood alright . . . . but it isn't going to one of fans.