Friday 31 August 2007

Wednesday, August 30, 1950

S T A N D I N G S
              W  L  PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 84 50 .627 —
Yakima ..... 85 52 .620 ½
Tri-City ... 73 62 .541 11½
Wenatchee .. 72 64 .529 13
Vancouver .. 57 76 .429 26½
Victoria ... 59 79 .428 27
Spokane .... 56 78 .418 28
Salem ...... 55 80 .407 29½


YAKIMA, Aug. 31—The Yakima Bears have served a 14-inning on the Tacoma Tigers that the race for the Western International baseball league's 1950 title is not over.
The Bears delivered the notice Wednesday night with a 3-2 win over the Tigers in five extra innings. It reduced the Tacoma lead to a mere half game which could be wiped out Thursday in the final meeting of the season for the two bitter rivals.
Tacoma led 2-0 going into the last half of the ninth when the Bears rallied to score twice and tie up the game. Neither side could tally again until the bottom of the 14th when Tiger relief hurler Dick Conger walked Bill Andring on four pitched balls with the bases loaded.
Dewey Soriano, pitching president of the Yakima nine, limited the Tigers to seven hits until he was relieved in the ninth. One of Tacoma's runs was unearned.
Tacoma ..... 000 110 000 000 00—2 11 0
Yakima ...... 000 000 002 000 01—3 7 1
Kipp, Conger (14) and Sheets; Soriano, Domenichelli (9) and Tornay.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 30 — The Spokane Indians blanked Tri-City 4 to 0 on Wednesday night on the strength of four-hit pitching by Ward Rockey and the timely hitting of Glenn
Stetter. The Spokane victory evened the Western International league series at one game apiece.
Stetter, the league's leading hitter, socked a two-run double in the first inning and that was enough.
- - - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 31 (Don Becker, Herald)—It was short, but it wasn't very sweet for rooters of the Tri-City Braves out at Sanders Field last night. The short part crept into the picture on the magnificent four-hitter Spokane's Ward Rockey threw at the Braves to shut them out 4-0. The victory gave the Indians an even split in the three-game series which ends tonight.
Also on tap for fans attending tonight's frame is the celebration of Charlie Petersen flight. Progame ceremonies will highlight the current season when fans present the Braves manager with gifts.
Last night's contest really ended in the first inning when Glen (Jeep) Stetter's double scored outfielders Ed Murphy and Edo Vanni The Spokane thirrl baseman caught a Joe Nicholas pitch on the nose and slammed it deep into left field ro send Murphy and Vanni hustling around the sacks. It was Nicholas' sixth loss against as many wins.
The Western International's leading hitter scored himself in the ninth inning after reaching first safely on a single. Big Joe Rossi, the Indian's catcher, then pounded a triple to the center field wall to score Stetter.
Spokane had all the big hits of the night as the Braves were held to four singles. Longest blow of the evening was a four-ply smash by Jim Wert that carried over the right field wall. The circuit-trotter came in the second with none on.
Al Spaeter tried his best to last score last night. Three times the hard-hitting Brave second baseman got on. In the number two stanza he moved to second where he was stranded and in the sixth he got all the way to third before they blew the "all
ashore" whistle. In the eighth Spaeter, who collected two of the four Tri-City hits, was idled at first.
Rockey struck out two in going the route and was pulled out of a tight spot in the sixth with a fast infield double-play. Jim Warner and Vic Buccola got the other two hits for the Braves.
Rangy, right handed Lou McCollum will he out to turn the tide for the Braves tonight. The big veteran will also be seeking his 19th victory of the season. Opposing him on the hill for Spokane will be John Holder (8-8).
MoCollum is within striking distance of the 20-victory mark a win tonight would mean his chances were very good. A capacity crowd is expected to be on hand both to celebrate Charlie Petersen night and to see McCollum got one step closer.
Spokane ....... 210 000 001— 4-13-0
Tri-City ........ 000 000 000— 0- 4-0
Rockey and Rossi, Nicholas and McKeegan.

VANCOUVER [Erwin Swangard, Province, Aug. 31]—General Manager Bob Brown and manager Bill Brenner of Vancouver Capilanos took stock Wednesday night of a rather discouraging season and they discovered all was not lost.
And among the bright spots is a 22-year-old righthander from Hamilton, Ohio, named Bob Bruenner.
Bob is a pitcher whom the Caps board of strategy entertained high hopes but his early-season failure was disappointing, to say the least.
HO-HUM
On July 28 his achievements were no victories and six losses. Management toyed with the idea of shipping down the lad for more seasoning. Finally it was decided to wait for awhile.
Now Bob’s score reads five victories and seven losses and that one loss since July 28 was a creditable 4-1 defeat at Victoria.
Wednesday night Bruenner pitched another masterful game to give the Caps a clean sweep of their current three-game series with Victoria. Bruenner had a three-hitter with two away in the eighth when lightening struck for a moment.
It was like this: Bob Maguire [sic] beat out an infield hit to short. Marty Krug singles and so did Lou Novikoff. Gene Thompson doubled and three runs were in. At that point Bob had an 8-4 game and he protected it by striking out Jimmy Moore with vengeance.
The other run was unearned as the Athletics scored on errors to brothers Ray and Len Tran in the third.
Former Cap Jim Hedgecock was the loser. Caps tied the score in the fourth and a five-run rally on five hits [unreadable] pitch sealed Victoria’s fate.
ISLAND SERIES
Caps are off to Victoria today to finish off the week with four games there. Bob McLean or Dick Alvari will pitch tonight.
There is a possibility Sandy Robertson is through for the season. For some time now he has been troubled by a groin injury. He started on the mount Tuesday but was shelled in no time.
Keen competitor that he is, Sandy didn’t complain about the pain. Wednesday night he finally confessed and today he is undergoing a thorough examination by the club physician.
As a result Sandy will not play in Victoria as previously planned. Jimmy Robinson, who excelled at third Wednesday night, will leave the club after the Victoria series but will be back to play Friday and Saturday next week in the Caps’ final home stand.
Victoria ....... 001 000 030—4- 7-2
Vancouver ... 001 511 00x—8-13-2
Hedgecock, Noyes (9) and Ronning; Bruenner and Brenner.

SALEM, Aug. 30 — A seven-run blast in the third inning carried the Wenatchee Chiefs to an 8-6 verdict over the Salem Senators Wednesday night, giving the visitors a 2-0 lead in the series.
Wenatchee spotted Salem three runs in the first two innings before knocking John Tierney out of the box with a seven-run surge in the third inning that salted away the game. Al Treichel gave up 11 hits to the Senators and was in trouble much of
the time but timely hitting by his mates pulled him through.
Wenatchee ..... 007 000 100—8-10-0
Salem ............ 120 100 200—6-11-2
Triechel and Neal; Tierney, Valentine (3) and Martin.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 31/50]
There are two teams, Tri-City and Wenatchee, battling for third in the Western International League race. . .but neither of them will win it. And it isn't going to be be Victoria or Vancouver either. And that bit of choice dope comes to you straight from the men who know. . .Charlie Petersen pilot of the Braves, and Tommy Thompson who master-minds the fortunes of the Chiefs.
Charlie was none to [sic] happy about losing that Spokane series and when he heard about Nick Pesut's accident his dobber hit bottom. “How many games are we ahead of the fifth place team?” he inquired anxiously. “You've got a 14 game margin," a fan piped up. Counting rapidly Pete found the Braves still had 16 to play. "Well at least we might stay in the first division,” he said sadly.
“Losing that guy Pesut is going to hurt, and hurt hard. I hope we can go out and win those two we need to stay in the first four in a hurry.” The Braves pilot wasn't taking anything away from Jim McKeegan with these statements. The young red-head is out the backstop post with Pesut flat on the hospital bed.
MAY USE THE CLINKER
“How about Clint Cameron,” another coffee-cupper chimed in, “he used to catch in the Coast league.” “Yeah, that's true,” answered Pete, “but remember the Clinker hasn't caught a game in three years and he's also just getting that heal back in good shape!! And as for myself,” he continued, answering the next question before it was asked, “It's been four years since I put on the tools and unless McKeegan breaks a leg, I don't think I will.”
Meanwhile Cameron is warming up his catching eye in daily practice. . .just, in case. “Got to get by that blinking stage, you know,” Cameron grinned.
THOSE WENATCHEE BLUES
Ask the Wenatchee manager where the Chiefs will finish in the league and he's apt to answer you with, “If we're we'll finish in the Western International, otherwise don't be surprised if we suddenly turn up holding the anchor down in some semi-pro organization. If we had a stinker of a ball club and had been floundering around the second division all year, then you might easily account for our long losing streak,” Thompson said dourly.
“But players like Fraccia, Pocekay, Unfried, and Ragni, who have been .300 hitters all year can't seem to but a base hit any more. They're the best power we have and now they're all in a slump. Usually someone in the lineup will carry the others when they're in a slump, but we haven't been that lucky.”
Thompson also had the towel out and dripping when the subject of Larry Neal, their injured shortstop, was brought up. Our friend John Richardson of the Wenatchee World says in fact that the Chiefs slump stems directly from the loss of Neal. Says Richardson:
“Since Larry fell down and broke his crown—and also fractured a rib—the Chiefs have turned in a record unbefitting a first division club. To put it any other way would be unkind.”

ANOTHER RED FACE
To the list of people who'd rather forget certain quotes you can add Joe Orengo of the Yakima Bears. Quoth Joe on the eve of the current Tacoma-Yakima series, “The Bear will feast for three days on Tiger meal.” Instead of chomping on a big Tiger steak, the Bears lost a bit of their hide. Maybe Joe should have checked the record before he went on same, because on Yakima's last trip to the coast city they tumbled for four straight.

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