WIL Baseball - 1950

Salem, Yakima Get New GMs

2007-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Hugh Luby Will be Salem's Manager
SALEM, Ore., Dec. 27—Hugh Luby, for many seasons a steady second baseman in the Pacific Coast League and major leagues, was named manager of the Salem Senators of the Western International Baseball League Wednesday.
Luby and club presentative Dewey Soriano met with the Salem board of directors three hours before the announcement.
The 36 year old former infielder, who lives in Oakland, played for several years with the San Francisco Seals. He has managerial experience at New Orleans in the Southern Association. He will take over both general manager and player-manager duties shortly after January 1st.
The Salem Club hired another California man. Mike Radan, Sacramento, will be in charge of office affairs.

Brenner New Yakima Boss
YAKIMA, Dec. 27—President Frederick Mercy Jr., of the Yakima Bears Wednesday night announced the appointment of Bill Brenner as general manager of the Yakima baseball club.
Brenner will also take over the player-manager duties of the Western International league club.
Brenner had served the past four years as pilot of the Vancouver Capilanos, directing them to the pennant in 1947 and to a second place finish in 1949. Brenner expects to move here from Olympia next week to assume his new duties.
As field leader, Brenner fills the vacancy created when the parent San Francisco Seals elevated Joe Orengo, 1949-50 pilot, to the position of business manager of the Coast league club.

Victoria Athletics Losing $

2007-09-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

Victoria Ball Club Sends Out Appeal
VICTORIA, B. C., Dec. 20—Victoria Baseball and Athletic Co., local entry in the Western International Baseball league, today appealed to Victoria fans and businessmen for financial support.
Club directors said the team showed a net operating loss of $31,646 during the last two years and would need $25,000 to begin 1951 operations.

Bill Brenner's Replacement in Vancouver

2007-09-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Schuster Seeks Berth
SEATTLE, Dec. 16 (UP)—Bill Schuster, infielder for the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast league, who was handed an outright release, was reported Saturday negotiating for a manager's berth with the Vancouver, B. C. team of the Class "B" Western International league.
The popular 36-year-old infielder also played with Los Angeles in the PCL and with the Chicago Cubs in the National league.

Caps Post Still Empty
SEATTLE, Dec. 19— The Seattle Baseball club is having trouble helping the Vancouver Capilanos fill their vacant managerial post. Three candidates have been proposed — two have declined and the third is doubtful.
Earl Sheely, general manager of the Pacific Coast league club, said the latest refusal came from Catcher Bill Salkeld. Infielder Tony York rejected this offer earlier. Both said they prefer to continue playing in faster leagues.
Still a possibility, but also believed shopping for a Coast league berth, is shortstop Bill Schuster.

Schuster Named Vancouver Boss
VANCOUVER, B. C., Dec 23 (UP) —Fun-loving Bill Schuster, former Seattle and Los Angeles infielder, has been signed to manage the Vancouver Capilanos of the Western International Baseball League it was announced today.
Vancouver general manager Bob Brown said Schuster, 36, would be a playing manager. While Brown did not disclose salary details he said "he almost priced me out of the league."
Schuster, whose clowning antics added many a grey hair to the heads of his managers was released by Seattle at the end of the 1950 season.
He broke in with Scanton in 1935, later going to Montreal and Toronto before coming to Seattle in 1940 He went from Seattle to Los Angeles and in 1944 to the Chicago Cubs. He returned to the Angels in 1946 and to Seattle in 1949.

Give the Gift of WIL Baseball

2007-09-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Chiefs Start Ticket Drive
WENATCHEE, Dec. 13 — In an effort to get a leg up on cash expenditures tor the 1951 Western International League baseball season, the Wenatchee Chiefs are offering season's tickets for sale as Christmas "gift packages" to fans here.
Mayor Arthur Pohlman, president of the locally-owned ball club, is acting as business manager of the team following the resignation of George Clark, Nov. 1.

Never on Sunday for Capilanos

2007-09-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Voters Turn Down Bid For Open Sunday
VANCOUVER, Dec. 14 — Sundays with hockey, baseball, movies, horse racing and open-doored taverns got thumbs down from Vancouver voters in a plebiscite Wednesday—by a majority of nearly 10,000 votes.
The scrap over commercialized Sunday sports completely overshadowed the mayoralty election in which sportsman - Fred Hume ousted Charles Thompson, chief executive for the last two years.
With results of the 31 polls complete Mr. Hume, co-owner of New Westminster Royals of the Pacific Coast Hockey league, had received 33,161 votes, 11,636 more than Mr. Thompson, wealthy motor dealer. Mr. Thompson had 21.425.
Complete returns showed 34,571 had voted against wide-open Sundays while 25,051 were in favor.
WILFan note: the first Sunday baseball game in Vancouver wouldn't be until 1957. As for having a beer at a baseball game, add another two decades-plus to that number.

More Transactions

2007-09-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

CAN'T DRAFT THEM
Tacoma is loading their roster with Mexican players. There are probably two reasons for this. One is that if the military draft should dig deep into the nation's youth they would still be able to field a team. The Mexicans of course not being subject to the draft unless their nation gets dragged into the conflict.
Another reason is that indirectly San Diego, through their Tacoma farm, are bidding for a slice of the Mexican business. With a lot of Mexican nationals living in the San Diego vicinity a couple of players would help a lot to lure these people into the park. And if the players can make fhe grade at Tacoma no doubt they'll move right up to their parent organization.
BACK WHERE HE STARTED
Reno Cheso, former Yakima third baseman who figured in a sale from San Francisco to Seattle, has now been shipped to Vancouver. That puts him right back in the Western International league from where he started. However, Seattle is going to try and make a catcher out of Cheso. They said he was too slow to make a good hot sacker.
- Tri-City Herald, Dec. 13, 1950
WILFan note: The Herald reported in its Jan. 17, 1951 edition that Cheso had been drafted by the U.S. military.

Jim Warner may hit some round trippers over the fence next year that a lot of Tri-City Braves fans won't like. For it could easily be that some of those four masters will be beating the Braves. Warner has worked out a deal with Dick Richards, general manager of the team, whereby he is permitted to try and sell himself to any other club in the league . . . or anywhere else for that matter.
But Warner likes the Northwest and if he can work it out will engineer the deal with some other team in the Western International league.
Should the WIL home run king be able to sell himself at the price he is asking he will pick up a part of the sale price. That was part, of the agreement entered into between he and Richards. There are a lot of factors lying behind this Some of them are personal reasons, that much is for sure. Warner of course would like to swing the deal because as head of a growing family the money would be more than welcome, particularly in these days of continually rising prices.
In some respects this is a departure from the usual system. It's not unordinary for a player to be permitted to try and sell himself, but usually in those cases he is given his release or told that he will be released before the season starts. It could be that this is a new precedent in baseball because never before to our knowledge has a baseball player been given permission to go out and seek a better contract than what the owning club is willing to offer. However, that's precisely the situation between Warner and the Tri-City Braves.
- Tri-City Herald, Dec. 15, 1950

Victoria Infielder Sold To Salem
VICTORIA, B.C., Dec. 26 — Infielder Jack Hack of the Victoria Athletics in the Western International Baseball League has been sold to the Salem Senators.
The sale price for Hack was not disclosed. He wound up last season with a .296 batting average.
The Salom club is also reported angling for southpaw pitcher Aldon Wilkie and shortstop Bill Dunn from Victoria.

December 1950 Minor League Meetings

2007-09-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

Minor League President Hopeful Over Outlook
By JOE REICHLER
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4—(AP)—Mindful of war clouds hanging overhead and a 19 percent drop in attendance last year, President George M. Trautman sounded an optimistic note today when he declared that all of his 57 Minor leagues are prepared to operate in 1951.
The ruddy faced boss of more than 400 clubs, fully recovered from a serious illness that absented him from last year's convention, admitted that baseball was at the crossroads," but felt confident that "we can survive it just as we did during World War 1 and 2."
"We've got our problems, Trautman said grimly as the baseball people prepared to inaugurate their 49th annual convention with the customary draft. "But they all sink into insignificance when they are compared to the critical world situation."
"I have been asked to try and find out what the government can do for us," Trautman added, "and my answer always was what can we do for our government? "We are ready and willing at all times to do what Washington wants us to do. However, I don't think we'll be asked to stop playing."
CONTINUES PLAYING
Trautman pointed out that 100 Minor league players have been called into service thus far and he expected many more to follow. However, he was encouraged by the fact that every one of the Minors' 432 clubs was prompt in paying its protective fee to the association for the '51 season.
"Although all of our clubs are optimistic about starting the 1951 season," he said. "It is my guess that we probably will lose a few leagues simply because of the manpower shortage. There are not enough older men, most of our young ones will be drafted."
Trautman blamed the 8,000,000 drop in attendance last year to a combination of things. While he attributed most of the decline to the increase of radio broadcasting and televising of major league games into minor league cities, he laid some blame on unusually poor weather and poor playing talent. Three of the 60 leagues which operated in 1950 folded. They were in the New England, Colonial and Eastern Shore.
SEND BETTER TALENT
"I believe that major league organizations should operate more intelligently with their minor league affiliates," he said. "If they want to help their lower class clubs, they should send them better playing talent."
Trautman said of the 632 operating minor league clubs, 101 are owned outright by the majors. Another 125 have working agreements.
"Broadcasting and televising of big league games in our towns have hurt us tremendously," Trautman said. "We simply can't compete with the majors. Our folks are being alienated from their own parks.
"Baseball is at the crossroads. It's in trouble. The big fellows ought to be able to see that. It's about time they got wise to themselves. It is as much their problem as ours. They are ruining their own market for the sake of the dollar. Did you know that only seven of the majors' 600 players did not come up through the minor leagues?"
"I recognize that the majors are entitled somewhat to their market potential and that big league broadcasting is desired by the public. But at the same time, it is a matter of survival.
"I still like to think of baseball as a national institution. The American public cites its virtues."
PLAYER DRAFT TODAY
As the convention opened, the player draft was the first important topic to be tackled.
The gigantic lottery, in which some 5,000 players were up for selection for bids ranging from $6,500 to $400, began with only the triple, double and single A leagues making their picks. Class B and C clubs will have their turn tomorrow.
High on the agenda once the draft is out of the way will be the bonus rule. Best informed opinion is that the controversial law is doomed. Of all the leagues polled, all unofficially, not one was in favor of retaining the bonus rule which requires a youth receiving more than $6,000 in his first years to be kept by the big leagues after only one year of minor league experience.

Big Problem To Hold Draft Proof Players
Nearly 10,000 Players Necessary To Have Loops Operate
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4 (UP)—Baseball's minor leagues, the spawning grounds for the majors, began battling for their existence today.
A desperate manpower situation, brought on by the Korean crisis, left it doubtful how many of the 57 minor leagues which survived last year could carry on in 1951.
Part of the answer will come out today as the top minor league circuits, the Class Triple A, the Double A and the A draft players from the lower minors. These leagues are virtually sure to operate next year, even in the event of another full scale war.
When they get through, the lower minors will complete the drafting and when it's all over baseball executives will have a general idea of how many men they can count on to carry on.
President George Trautmann of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues — the minors—estimated it would lake nearly 10,000 ball players to make sure that all leagues in operation this year would be back in business next season.
"And we just don't know if we are going to have that many," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see."
The problem was for the minors to obtain—or hold on to—players who are military draft-proof. That is even going to be a problem for the majors—let alone the minors which opened their annual winter meetings today. The majors follow with their annual December sessions next week.
In all, some 3000 ball players were up for the minor league draft, but of that number at least half may be in the armed forces before the next baseball season opens.
Because of that, the number of those drafted was not expected to approach last year's figure of 222. Too many of those eligible for the draft also are subject to a more important draft—the one Uncle Sam has going on.
With the minor league draft prices varying from $6500 for Class AAA to $700 for Class C, few ball clubs were expected to claim players whose military status is in doubt. In other words, unless a player is over-age, saw World War II service or has dependenls he is a poor baseball draft risk. And most of the draft eligibles are subject to call to the armed forces.

Big Minors Draft Total of 26 Men
By LEO H. PETERSON
United Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4.—The 24 triple-A minor league teams drafted a total of 26 players from leagues of lower classifications today as the National Assn. of Profossional
Baseball Clubs began its annual meeting.
The total was four players less than these three top minor leagues—the Pacific Coast, the International and the American Assn.—drafted last year.
Buffalo, which finished last in the International League had the first selection and chose Pitcher Thomas Acker from Sioux City, Ia. Buffalo later selected [.400-hitting] Outfielder Frank Carswell from Texarkana.
Two former major leaguers, Hal Gregg and Shortstop Wes Hamner, were among the players drafted. Oakland chose Gregg from New Orleans, where he had been sent by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hamner was selected from San Antonio by Seattle.
Other players included:
By Sacramento — Pitcher Walter Kress from Tulsa.
By Toronto—Outfielder Jame Morton from Dallas.
By Seattle—Pitcher Michael Clark from Houston [and Outfielder Marcus Rivers from Pensacola.]
By Hollywood—Outfielder Frank Marchio from Beaumont.
Having first choice in the minor league draft, the triple-A teams had no manpower problem for next year but the leagues of the lower class ifications were going to come face to face with player shortages before the draft is completed today and tomorrow.

Three WIL Players Drafted
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4—Greco's Garden will need a new name next year. It will be minus one Greco.
Dick Greco, the Western International League's leading slugger in 1950, has been drafted by Birmingham of the class AA Southern Association, one of three players from the league to be selected by a team in a higher classification in the annual minor league draft.
Outfielder Joe Burgher of Tacoma was grabbed by Oklahoma city of the class AA Texas League and catcher Al Ronning of Victoria went to Pueblo, Colo., of the class A Western League.
The Tri-City Braves emerged unscathed from the draft. Thus, aside from shortstop Buddy Peterson, who was sold to Beaumont of the AA Texas League, nearly the entire roster of the 1950 edition of the Braves will be available.
However, there are several who will probably not be with the team in the coming season. Merle Frick, pitcher-outfielder has gone into the armed forces. Outfielder Dick Faber, and Pitcher Gene Roenspie, have been optioned out three times, the maximum, by their owners, the Sacramento club, thus preventing their return.
Joe Orrell, another pitcher has asked for his outright release and will most likely not be in the lineup either.

Minor League Changes Told
St. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4— Here's a quick rundown of Monday's developments at the major-minor league baseball meetings:
George Selkirk, former new York Yankee outfielder, was named manager of the Yanks' Kansas city farm team in the American Association.
Zack Taylor signed to manage the St. Louis Browns for the third straight year.
Jimmy Adair was appointed third-base coach of the Chicago White Sox.
Rollle Hemsley quit as pilot of the Columbus Redbirds of the American Association.
Manager Joe Gordon of Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League said he hoped to have his former teammate, Ken Keltner, play third base for him in 1951.
Reliable sources said Dutch Meyer, former Detroit infielder, will be named new manager of the Dallas club of the Texas league.
The Cleveland Indians announced the appointment of Tom Downey as their west coast scout.
Ottawa paved the way for taking up the Jersey City franchise in International league by transferring its own franchise to Cornwall, Ontario, in the Border league. The New York Giants would control both clubs.
The classifications of two Texas baseball league also were advanced. The Gulf State League was
upped from class C to B and the Longhorn Loop from D to C.
Permission was given for Corpus Christi to transfer from the Rio Grande to the Gulf Coast League.
Presidents of 20 class D leagues met to discuss the 1950 baseball situation.

Oaks Ink Ott, Minor League Draft Complete
By JACK HAND
St. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 5—(AP)—Mel Ott, the all-time home run king of the National league, returned to baseball Tuesday as manager of the Oakland club of the Pacific Coast league. Clarence (Brick) Laws, Oakland president, signed Ott to a two-year contract at an undisclosed salary.
The news about Ott overshadowed other developments at the baseball winter meetings as the minor leagues polished off their draft in two long sessions.
After a spending spree Monday by higher class leagues, the lower minors slumped way off Tuesday.
The minors selected a total of 148 players for $335,900. Last year 222 players were called up for $449,050.
The obvious great decline by the lower leagues, which depend heavily on teen-age players, was because of the war scare.
Class B leagues picked 61 players and two umpires for $56,000. The class C circuits drafted only 12 men for $98,400.
Minor league teams are permitted to make delayed player selections until 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Grandfather Picked By Vancouver
St. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 5—Veteran Pacific Coast League southpaw Antonio (Tony) Freitas has been selected by the Vancouver Capilanos of the Western International League from Modesto of the class 'C' California League.
Freitas, a 42-year-old grandfather, posted a 20-6 record with Modesto last season. He had trials with the A's and Cincinnati in the 1930s. He was released early last year by Sacramento, having posted 228 wins in 16 years in the PCL.
Freitas was only one of two players drafted by WIL teams. Tacoma selected catcher Marlon Watson, 23, who batted .317 for El Centro of the class 'C' Sunset League in 1950.

Seattle Deals
St. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 7—The Seattle Rainiers have disposed of utility infielder Leon Mohr, who played part of last season in Spokane in the Western International League. He has been sent outright to Oklahoma City of the Texas League.
Joe Montalvo, the catcher who leads the Puerto Rican winter league with a .385 average, has been purchased from Shreveport of the Texas loop.
They also traded .261-hitting second baseman Mickey Witek to the Atlanta Crackers of the AA Southern Association for second baseman Ellis Clary, a .301 hitter.

Majors Warned to Curtail Broadcasting
By Carl Lunquist
United Press Sports Writer
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 6 (U.P.) — The minor leagues told the big leagues today to "quit flooding us with your radio broadcasts and telecasts or we'll be out of business and some day so will you."
At the end of a four-hour stormy session in which President George M. Trautman of the Minors laid his cards on the table, he emerged and said that "we have a three point program which we are going to present to the Majors at their meetings next week."
Trautman said he felt that the solution of the problem "fundamentally rests with individual Major League clubs themselves."
He was the instigator of the emergency meeting at which baseball commissioner A. B. Chandler also was present. The others representing the Majors were Will Harridge, president of the American League and Warren Giles, head of the Cincinnati Reds, who represented the National League. The other Minor league representatives besides Trautman were Herman White, president of the Northern league, Frank Shaughnessy, president of the International league, and Charley Hurth, president of the Southern association. "We just told them that we are the backbone of baseball and If you cut off interest in Minor league games by flooding us with big league games, you are going to wreck the whole structure," Trautman said.
Trautman said that at the Major league meetings next week the Minors would request three things and that they would have to get them all agreed upon or "a lot of us are going to be out of business."
"First of all we are going to ask the Individual Major League clubs to curtail their Minor league networks," Trautman said.
"Second, we want better supervision of the conduct of these networks. We want a little more consideration of the local situation — a little more looking after the little guy in minor league territory.
"Third, we want to limit television broadcasts to the home territory of the club involved. That is a tremendous potential problem."
Trautman said the minors had gone to the Department of Justice in Washington and had done everything possible to get restrictions put into effect on the virtually unrestrained broadcasting of big league games into minor league territory.

Minors See Hope of Radio Control
ST. PETERSBERG, Fla., Dec. 6 (AP) — Baseball's minor leagues Wednesday night received evideace of the majors' "sympathetic attitude" to their radio-television problem.
After a three-hour conference with Commissioner A. B. Chandler and a major-minor league committee, President George Trautman of the minors expressed hope of a solution.
"It is the conclusion of the committee." said Trautman "that fundamentally the solution of this problem rests with the individual major league clubs."
Trautman outlined a three-point program that he will take in person to the American and National league meetings next week:
1. The major league clubs will be asked to curtail their own major league networks.
2. The majors will be asked for better supervision of the conduct of their own broadcast outlets.
3. Majors will be asked to limit television outlets to their own territories.
The committee has been continued and will meet at some future unannounced future date.
Trautman indicated the minors did not object vigorously to the so called "game of the day" broadcast as they did not blanket their territory as much as the majors network.
Trautman recently went to Washington to discuss the radio situation with the attorney general He said Wednesday night's conclusions were not a result of that conference.
Time after time he pointed out that this must be a matter settled by major league clubs and not by leagues.
The minors claim widespread broadcasts of major league games in their cities was an important factor in their 19 per cent attendance decline. They are asking the majors, who control the rights, for relief.
Indications were that the majors, alert to the situation would make concessions.
The department of justice is interested from a restraint of trade possibility standpoint. It has made no public rule on the matter but has discussed the problem with big league lawyers and executives several times.
The high school rule, under fire for some time, probably will be scrapped when the contract rans out December 31. 1951. Many baseball men want the right to talk to and negotiate with high school players before they graduate. Under the present rule, no high school boy can be signed until he or his class graduates.
Warren Giles, Cincinnati president, said baseball should continue to encourage schoolboys to complete their education and retain their athletic eligibility, but asked that clubs be not restricted in discussing terms with the boys, particularly during their senior year.
It seemed to be pretty much ansure thing that the much-debated bonius rule will be abolished by an overwhelming vote. Under this rule clubs were sharply restricted in movement of players who received more than a set sum for signing as free agents—$6,000 for a big league club.

Bonus Rule Killed By Ball Moguls
BULLETIN
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 7 (UP)—The Minor Leagues today abandoned the controversial bonus rule.
The 57 Minor league presidents voted unanimously to rescind the rule, climaxing a two year fight by the Major League clubs to get it off the books.
There was no discussion when the amendment came up for vote.
[here's the earlier story]
By LEO H. PETERSEN
United Press Sports Editor
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 7 (UP) — The most controversial legislation in the history of organized baseball, the bonus rule, finally was doomed today.
The presidents of the 57 Minor leagues were ready to vote it off the books in their final executive meeting of the annual convention of the National Association of professional baseball clubs — the Minors.
The action will climax a two year fight to have the rule, which has cost Major league club owners hundreds of thousands of dollars rescinded.
For two years most of the Major league club owners have been fighting to have the rule repealed. But the Minor leagues, with the support of President Warren Giles of the Cincinnati Reds, had managed to keep it in effect.
Its fate was sealed, however, when Giles switched his stand and President George Trautman said there was no question but that it would be voted out today.
SOME BUSTS TOO
A three-quarters vote — or 43 of the minor league presidents — is necessary for repeal. Trautman predicted the vote to rescind the rule would be close to unanimous.
Because the rule is part of the major-minor league agreement, the Majors at their winter meetings here next week, also must vote formally to rescind it. But that is only a formality.
The rule has been on the books for five years. Under it any player signed for more than $6,000 by the Major league clubs was designated as a bonus player and he was subject to certain restrictions which meant for the most part that the club was stuck with the player for the rest of his baseball career. There were exceptions to it, but in every case it meant the club which signed the player lost a big chunk of money.
The rule has cost owner Bob Carpenter of the Philadelphia Phillies the most money over the years, although none of the three highest bonus players are with his club. The record bonus was the $100,000 which the Pirates gave to sign pitcher Paul Pettit, the California schoolboy, last winter. Next came the $75,000 which the Detroit Tigers paid to sign catcher Frank House and then the $65,000 which the Boston Braves shelled out to get pitcher Johnny Antonelli to sign a contract. Thus far, those three players have been busts.

Baseball Officials Warned To Be Set for Emergency
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 7 —(AP)—Baseball Commissioner A. B. (Happy) Chandler told the minor leaguers at their annual banquet Thursday night to be ready for any emergency and make their plans accordingly.
"We're living in terrible times," he said. "We've got to look facts in the face. We've got to be ready for every emergency. We must be prepared to face the uncertainty and you fellows must make your plans accordingly."
Chandler denied, in effect, statements attributed to him that total mobilization was planned and that baseball may have to cease operations.
"I understand I've been quoted as saying we're going to have total mobilization;' he said. I don't claim to know. When you deny something it's like being asked, "when did you stop beating your wife?"
''I don't know whether have total mobilization," the commissioner said. "Even if we do I have no idea what effects it would have on baseball."
During a recent visit with President
Truman in Washington. Chandler said he assured the president that baseball was prepared to do anything asked of it in the event of a third world war.
"Baseball never has and never will ask for any special favors," he said.
Chandler said the president has told him every effort would be made to keep baseball going, and that he hoped the time would never come when baseball would be asked to cease operations.
"There was total mobilization in the last war." Chandler reminded, "and baseball survived it."
The representatives of the 571 minor leagues, more than a thousand baseball executives and official left the banquet in a sober frame of mind.
One baseball executive, who asked not to be identified, put his fears this way:
"If a third world war comes the people will realize that this is it. In the last war a few fought for many. This time everybody will be in it and everything else will have to be forgotten for the time being."

Central Loop To Operate On Full Basis
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4—(AP)—The Central baseball league is planning to operate at full strength in 1951 and may even try to expand.
The six-team league voted unanimously yesterday to operate all teams again next season and if possible try to take in two more teams.
The league also re-elected Tom J. Halligan of Flint as president for his fourth term. Halligan won out over two other candidates, Frank Colley of Columbus, President of the Ohio-Indiana league, and William Corey, president of the Zanesville baseball club.
The league also reinstated the Saginaw club. Earlier the league had ordered its franchise dropped after the club had some financial difficulties. The lengue said the team had settled things financially to its liking.
The vote to operate next summer apparently answered the question about whether owner John Vanderplow of the Muskegon club would try to sell his franchise.
Vanderplow declined to comment on his plans for next season, but indicated that the league's action had settled him on his plans.
The league said Erie and Johnstown of the Middle Atlantic lengue had shown some interest in entering the Central League. But club owners said they didn't intend to go out to grab the teams away from the Middle Atlantic loop.
Jim Williams was elected league vice-president for a one-year term. He is president-owner of the Grand Rapids club.

Deans' Lease on Lubbock Baseball Club Probed
By United Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 4.—Minor league president George Trautman announced he planned an investigation of the reported leasing of the Lubbock West Texas-New Mexico League franchise to Dizzy and Paul Dean.
Trautman said baseball regulations prohibit leasing of a franchise.

Yakima's Field Namesake Dies

2007-09-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

Called By Death
SEATTLE, Nov. 30—Shirley D. Parker, 62, one of the class B Western International league's original franchise holders, died yesterday in Beverly Hills, Calif. friends were notified.
He was a retired attorney, clubman and sportsman who practiced law in Portland, Oregon, was later owner of the Darwin zinc and lead mine in Washington state and late associated with the University of Chicago and the Alexander Hamilton Institute.
During the baseball circuit's formative years in the late 1930's Parker held franchises at Yakima and later at Spokane. He built Yakima's present Parker field, which he later gave to the city.
He had lived in California for the last 10 years. Survivors include his widow, Eleanor, and a son, Daryl, both of Beverly Hills.
[photo of Parker Field from BALLPARK REVIEWS]

New Stadium For Vancouver Closer

2007-09-03T00:27:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Capilanos Plan Miniature 'Sick's Stadium'
WENATCHEE, Nov. 2—Western International baseball league directors looked wide-eyed here Thursday at plans for the new ball park of the Vancouver Capilanos.
Spritely Bob Brown, the Caps general manager who built the present Vancouver ball yard 38 years ago, spread the plans before the directors and proudly read off the facts and figures.
“It's a miniature copy of Sick's Seattle stadium,” he said gleefully. There's a seat with a back for each of the 7,500 fans the park will hold.
“The ball park will be ready for play next spring as concrete is being poured for the grandstand now.”
W.I.L. directors chuckled that the Vancouver park will “start a revolution” in the league.
“How deep are the carpets in the general managers office, Bob?” asked Roy Hotchkiss of the Spokane Indians, with a smile.
Ruby Robert proudly announced “It's just like Earl Sheely's office in Seattle.
“Four showers for the visiting teams too,” he reminded the other league directors, “and a press room and a ticket office right on the ground floor.”
Brown said the leftfield wall also is movable so that, in the fall, a football field may be accommodated in front of the leftfield grandstand and bleachers.
“It's a wonderful site,” he said. “Sixteen acres right across from a city park with parking accommodations for 1,400 automobiles.”
The new ball park is in the “Little Mountain” section of Vancouver, 20 blocks from the city center, Brown said.
The playing field, he explained, will be 335 feet down each foul and 410 feet to dead center-field.
WILFan note: This picture was found on the net and I have no idea of the original source. The picture is not from the WIL days; it's from 1956. In 1951, there was no roof and the press box was at the top of the grandstand.

More November WIL Meetings

2007-09-03T00:20:00.000-07:00

Shaughnessy Playoff Readopted By League
WENATCHEE, Nov. 3—The Tri-City Braves will open their 1951 Western International League season in Spokane on April 20. The rest of the league will also open on that date with Tacoma at Yakima, Vancouver at Wenatchee, and Victoria at Salem.
The teams will probably play a 154 game schedule and have brought back the Shaughnessy system of playoffs.
These two pieces of business plus the formal approval of the new price scale were the final decisions rendered by the WIL directors yesterday in their Wenatchee meeting.
Although they set the opening date and teams no further mention was made of the 1951 schedule. That will be taken up in full when the directors meet again in Tacoma on Jan. 13.
As a sidelight they handed the Spalding sports company a contract to use their baseballs for the next three years. They also agreed to a gentleman's contract to hold their ordering of baseballs down to the absolute minimum. Scarcity of wool and horsehide have sent baseball prices rocketing upward and government contracts have made the two items hard to get.
The Shaughnessy playoff, which the league didn't use last season, will follow the end of the season. It involves the first four teams in the race. The third team will open against the winner and the fourth team will play at the home park of the second. The winners of these, two out of three game series, will then meet in a three out of five playoff at the park of the league victor.
The players will share in the gate receipts, getting 40 percent of each game in which they play.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [Nov. 5/50]

The present international situation is having it's [sic] effect on the sports world. [edited] Even our own Western International league may feel the pinch. And here's why. In the WIL they have a rule that calls for each team to carry one rookie and four limited service men. Now limited service in this case doesn't mean that they are disabled in some respect as it means in the armed forces. In baseball this term means a man with less than three years of professional baseball experience. Therefore out of a total of 18 players, the league limit, you have 13 players with unlimited experience. They can be from the majors. AAA baseball clubs or anywhere else. In the case of the WIL many of them are from the majors and the Coast league. The WIL is particularly a stopping off place for men coming down from the latter league.
On the other hand such leagues as the California State league which permits a maximum of five veterans, the balance being divided between rookies and limited service players will stand an excellent chance of being able to fill their rosters should the military draft dig deep into the nation's supply of manhood.
DON'T WANT WIL TIEUPS
Why, for instance, do you think the majors and the Coast league are not very interested in using the WIL as farm clubs. The answer simply comes down to this. Under the present player rules, which we discussed, there is no chance for development of their younger players. That's one reason why Portland wasn't reluctant to give up Salem, and that's the same reason that San Diego is willing to part with Tacoma. After all, the major part of their profits will not come from Tacoma but if they can use that team to develop their younger players with an eye to the future they would be willing continue to subsidize the team.
Furthermore the salaries here are entirely out of line with baseball salaries in general. That's why players who are drafted from this league into class A and even into AA leagues refuse to report. Why should they, when in many cases they will take a cut in their paycheck. It all goes back to the fact that the WIL just isn't a proving ground for the higher leagues no more than the Coast league is for the majors.
COAST LEAGUE THE SAME
Sure there are players here who could go up. In effect there's [sic] more who could go up and won't, than there are those who will. Look at the rosters of the Coast league. Do they sound familiar. They certainly should. Seattle's average age at one time during the season was 37. That's an age in baseball when you are usually written off as an old man.
But to change this situation isn't as easy as it may seem. Suppose for a moment that the WIL was changed to class A league. What would you, the fans, expect in the way of baseball. Well the odds are pretty good that most of them would expect to see better baseball. But the truth is that the WIL is far ahead of class A baseball.
WIL BETTER THAN CLASS A
The league owners realize this and that's why they don't want to make the change. They just couldn't bring you better baseball than what you are now getting unless the classification were jumped much higher. But reclassification is tied closely to attendance and as long as the gate isn't there they can't go into the AA system. And although there has been some talk that this league may not be able to work next season. . .the league directors scoff at the whole idea. "We should, and could have continued to operate during the last war. Unless it becomes an all-out struggle right down to the final man we will still be bringing baseball to the fans." That's the comment of one of the directors.
IT'S DIFFERENT NOW
During the past season Dick Richards, the hard working general manager of the Tri-City club, took quite a verbal blasting from the Wenatchee fans when he appeared in their park. But you should have seen the difference at the recent meeting. Then they came around asking Richards for advice. Some of the very things that he tried to institute, and for which he was so severely criticized, the people now realize must be done.
Wenatchee is in a bad way right now. They lost a lot of money last year and the local boys are having to pony up across the desk to put their team on the field next year. They may not even move out of town for spring practice. But where are those critics we mentioned now. Frankly they are pretty well divided and sniping at one another.
There isn't much of a secret why George Clark their general manager resigned. Despite the huge gate Clark brought into the park and the heavy approval he had from the fans, the boys at the top didn't like the way he spent some of the money. All of it spent by Clark, by the way, in the interest of the club.
That's how the picture looks now in the W.I.L.

November WIL Meetings

2007-09-02T23:38:00.000-07:00

Airing Of Big League Tilts Hit
By DON BECKER
Herald Sports Editor
WENATCHEE, Nov. 2—Some well informed sources believe this meeting of Western International League directors may turn out to be nothing more than just a round of dinners and speeches. They point to the current international situation and predict that the league won't be functioning next year. Their spokesman, who is not a league official though close to the source says a recent conversation with the state director of the draft leads him to believe there just won't be enough players to man the class B league next year.
On the other hand league officials present an optimistic view.
But if they're feeling happy about the coming season, "and they are," they certainly have sounded the death knell for the broadcast of Major league baseball games—at least as far as the W.I.L. is concerned, the league directors have instructed President Bob Abel to inform the national baseball meeting in St: Petersburg, Fla., to that effect. They feel that such broadcasts have had an adverse effect on their gate.
What about the overall picture of Major league broadcasts?
That was the question we throw at President Abel. He shrugged his shoulders and answered it this way, "I think the big boys, and by that I mean the New York Yankees will see the handwriting on the wall." In substance Abel believes that these broadcasts are a thing of the past.
Abel was re-elected as president during yesterday's session. That makes the seventh consecutive year in that post. Although he has held the post since 1941 the league did not operate in 1943, '44, '45. The league directors also raised the minimum prices to 90 and 65 cents respectively for the grandstand and bleacher seats. They did not change the price for children and box seat prices are up to the indivudual club.
Topping today's session will be the one of umpires and gate cuts for the road teams. Umpiring has drawn a lot of criticism but as Abel points out "Where are you going to get better men at the price." Unofficial sources indicated the top umpiring salary in the W.I.L. is $300 per month.
The new Salem group, Salem Senators, Inc., represented here by a Salem attorney, Donald Young, got the go ahead from the Moguls provided Salem can complete their stock sale by Nov. 9. The Salem group expressed confidence they could do that.
The Canadian clubs, always heavy gate attractions at home, want the 40 percent cut for the traveling club pared down. "Why should we subsidize some of the weaker teams in the league," seemed to pretty well reflect their opinion. But they'll have a tough time pushing their plan through.
Along with Abel's election to the presidency was that of Dick Richards of Tri-City as vice president, Roy Hotchkiss, second vice president, and the re-election of George F. Abel as secretary.

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [Nov. 2/1950]
WENATCHEE (Special)—One thing is certain. The price of baseball is very definitely going up. And by that we mean both at the front office and at the gate. It hasn't been voted on yet—as this is written—but a jump to 90 cents for general admission and at least 60 cents for bleachers is almost a foregone conclusion.
But before you start beating your wife or dog about the situation here's what is facing the owners of baseball clubs today. Item one. The price of baseballs has taken a big jump. . . to the point where baseballs alone will cost a class B team using 144 dozen—and that's just average—right over $4,000 next year. Uniforms are on the increase too. The one they bought for $37 last year will cost $45 in 1951. Figure that at 20 per team and you begin to get an idea of the cost of operation.
However, even though the price at the gate will bring the Western International league within the class A classification, don't look for that to happen. For one thing it would mean carrying additional players and would also increase the basic salary limit. The latter item doesn't bother them. . .they are all paying way over that limit now by handing the dough under the table.
But adding more players would mean an increased payroll and that might be tough to manage. But it isn't just going to cost you, the fans, and the owners more to watch the nation's greatest pastime. The players will feel the rap of the upward spiral in prices also. That glove they bought last year for $11.50 will be $15 this time. And by the way, if you intend to buy a baseball for junior better hop right down to the store. From now on a league baseball, such as the WIL uses, will be $3.15 across the counter.
ABOUT PITCHING AND SUCH
Earl Whitehill, a former Major league pitcher, and now western representative for Spalding Sporting Goods Company, is here taking in the WIL confab. Whitehall's big aim of course is to sell the league on using his company's baseballs. Last year the league used Wilson baseballs, but they usually switch every year so Earl shouldn't find the going too rough.
Whitehill holds what is probably one of the all time playing records for a Major league pitcher. He worked the big show for 19 years which in those days of "sore arm" pitchers is quite a feat, as you must admit. Thus what he has to say about the current crop of Major league hurlers is worth some consideration.
HIGH INTO THE THREE
"They don't work hard enough and they don't know how to pitch." That ia brief is the way he sums it up. "The slider is what I call nothing but a lazy man's effort at trying to get away without using a curve. You know originally the slider was developed to help a hurler's fastball. "But today with pitchers throwing it at half speed—the way it was never intended to be used—it' s no wonder the batters knock it out of the park."
But of all the raft of stories which Whitehill has to tell, and they are plenty, the one he likes the best is one on himself. And as you might have guessed there is an umpire involved.
"We were in Washington playing the Yankees," said Earl, "and I had the ball game won 2-1 going into the ninth inning. It was one of those cloudy, dark days and there was a slight drizzle falling. The Yankees had a man on first and the late Lou Gehrig came up to the plate. Now right outside the park, and well back of the foul line was "a big tree. What does Lou do but hammer the ball right into the top of that tree, The base umpire took one look and motioned it foul, but Brick Ownes, behind the plate, called it fair . . . it took five guys to pry me off of Ownes . . . but I got even by throwing his whisk broom into the stands."
The story came up when the press were gathered in the lobby of the hotel waiting until yesterday's morning session was finished. What started the ball rolling about umpires was the general belief among those present that a new batch of "boys in blue" was certainly needed by the league. In fact if there aren't some new ones you'll hear an awful blast from some of the scribes around the league about it.
WHO WILL BE BACK IN 1951
Looking at the teams city by city there is much still to be decided in the way of managers, both front office and out on the field. George Clark, who bossed the books for Wenatchee last year, quit yesterday. Seems that the club didn't want to pay George a year round salary so he just dropped the whole thing. That leaves the front office job here open and Tommy Thompson, the field manager, hasn't been signed yet either. In fact there's a strong rumor that Thompson may wind up in the Coast league working for his old friend Bill Mulligan, who just bought control of Sacramento.
Aside from Charlie Peterson of the Tri-City club, the only other field pilots who have agreed to terms are Alan Strange of Spokane, and Jim Brillheart of Tacoma. But even Brillheart won't be back unless his health improves a lot.
Marty Krug is still the manager of the Victoria club . . . but may not be for long. Edo Vanni, the player Krug fired last year, has applied for the job and may get it. . . Krug isn't too popular with the fans . . . and doesn't seem to care. That is the situation there in a nutshell. Salem is definitely in the market for someone new. They want a general manager who has lots of Major-league contacts . . . but name one club that doesn't. Bill Brenner will be back at Vancouver if they can't find anyone better, but they're looking hard and long . . Yakima has about six on the string for their job of running the team, but definitely would prefer a playing manager if they can find one.

Jim Brillheart

2007-09-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

Brillheart Recovers
TACOMA, Wash. Oct. 19. (U.P.)—Jim Brillheart, field manager of the Tacoma baseball club, was reported in an improved condition today after suffering a serious internal hemorrhage here yesterday. His condition was caused by stomach ulcers.
Brillheart is head of the Western International Tacoma Tigers, the farm club of the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League.
WILfan note: Brillheart recovered and managed Tacoma in 1951.

Orengo Goes

2007-09-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

Fagan Acquires Full Ownership Of S.F. Seals
Charles J. Graham, Sister Dispose Of Shares
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27 (UP) Paul I. Fagan, millionaire sportsman, took over complete control of the San Francisco baseball club today, buying the one-third interest of Charles J. Graham and his sister Clare Graham Smith.
Fagan, who purchased one-third interest in the Pacific Coast League team in 1945 and another third last year from Charles H. Strub, immediately named Joe Orengo as general manager to succeed Graham. No change in the status of manager Lefty O'Doul is contemplated, Fagan said Orengo has been manager of the Seals farm club at Yakima, Wash., winning his second successive pennant in the Western International League this year.

Orengo Named As Manager of ‘Frisco Club
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 27—Joe Orengo, who piloted the Class “B” Western International League Yakima Bears to consecutive baseball pennants the last two years, has been moved upstairs.
San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League today announced Orengo will become general manager of business affairs for the Seals.
The Orengo promotion was part of a front-office reshuffle.
President Paul I. Fagan became sole owner of the Seals after purchasing—for an undisclosed sum—the one-third interest in the club owned by Charles J. Graham, vice-president of the Seals, and his sister, Mrs. Claire Smith.
Graham has been associated with San Francisco baseball for almost a third of a century.
Asked if Lefty O’Doul would continue with the organization as field manager, Fagan replied: “I expect him to and hope he does.”
- - -
YAKIMA, Sept. 27—Frederick Mercy, Jr., part-owner of the Yakima Bears along with President Dewey Soriano and the parent San Francisco Seals, tonight said no effort would be made to name a successor to Joe Orengo as manager until the end of the Pacific Coast League season.“The Seals are in the process of reorganization and Soriano is in Seattle with the Rainiers,” Mercy said. “Soriano has announced his intention to dispose of his quarter interest in the Bears but I hope he can be persuaded to reconsider.”

WIL Not Coming to New Westminster

2007-09-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Plans Revived In Fan Bid For Franchise
SALEM, Ore., Sept. 20—Plans by baseball fans here to buy the Salem club franchise in the Western International League were revived again today.
Donald A. Young, attorney for a group here, said negotiations were again under way with owners of the baseball franchise and Waters Field. Young said George Norgan, owner of both the Salem W.I.L. club and the Pacific Coast League Portland club, had put a $50,000 price tag on the Senators.
This figure is substantially lower than earlier figures and Young said the chances of raising the $12,500 down payment looked good. The balance would be paid over five years, Young said.
Young said it was planned to sell 2,000 shares of stock at $25 a share. Stock option circulators were going the rounds today, the attorney reported.

WIL Circuit Refuses New B. C. Entry
TACOMA, Sept. 23—Western International baseball league directors, in session briefly Saturday in Seattle, “unanimously decided against approval of a franchise for New Westminster, B.C.,” it was announced here by Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Abel declined to elaborate on the statement, but it was assumed that New Westminster interests seeking a W-I berth had been balked by one of two factors involved, or by both, namely:
1—Refusal of the Vancouver, B.C., Capilanos to waive territorial rights, and
2—Progress by a local group in a drive to purchase the Salem Senators from the Portland club of the Pacific Coast league.
Earlier this week, reports from Salem indicated that a money-raising campaign to buy the Senators was virtually assured of success. Portland's asking price for the franchise had been set unofficially at $50,000, with $12,500 required as a down payment and the balance forthcoming within five years.
In view of the fact that all of the other seven members of the circuit were on firm financial ground at the end of the 1950 season, it was considered unlikely a franchise would be available for transfer.
Organized baseball's “territorial rights” regulations provide strong protection, with the result that Vancouver could automatically veto any attempt to place a W-I club in New Westminster.
The league's annual meeting will be held be held November 1 and 2 at Wenatchee, Abel announced.

All Stars and Attendance

2007-09-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

W-I Circuit Names All-Star Ball Team
TACOMA, Sept. 16—The runner-up Tacoma Tigers dominated the Western International league all-star team announced here Saturday by Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Four members or the Tacoma club—pitcher Bob Kerrigan, outfielder Dick Greco, first baseman Wimpy Quinn and second baseman Ronnie Gifford—were picked on the first team, while Jose Bache was a close second to Tri-City's Carl (Buddy) Peterson in the balloting on the shortstop position.
Greco was a near unanimous choice, gaining more votes than any other player.
Rounding out the first team were Don Fracchia, Wenatchee, third base; base; Gene Thompson, Victoria, and Jim Warner, Tri-City, outfielders; Joe Rossi Spokane, catcher; Lloyd Dickey, Yakima, second choice to Kerrigan among left-handed pitchers and John Marshall. Victoria, and Sandy Robertson, Vancouver, right hand pitchers.
The pennant - winning Yakima Bears provided most of the alternates—Jim Westlake, first base; Al Jacinto, second base; Reno Cheso, third base; Bill McCawley, outfielder and Nini Tornay, catcher. Other second choices, in addition to Bache at shortstop were Glen Stetter, Spokane and Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, outfielders.
The first and second teams included every individual league-leader except Tri-City's Cy Greenlaw, who paced the W-I pitchers in won lost percentages with a 9-2 record.
Stetter won the batting crown with a 369 average, while Greco, second best sticker with a .362 mark, led the league in homers with 36, in runs-batted in with 154, largest hit total with 203 and total bases with 363 Warner led in runs scored with 143 and McCawley in triples with 14.
Kerrigan set a new league record by turning in 26 mound victories, as compared with the old mark of 25 set two years ago by Joe Blankenship of Victoria, and the Tiger
southpaw and Robertson both tied the W-I standard for consecutive triumphs by hanging up 12 in a row. The latter record was set by Frank Nelson of Spokane in 1948.

W.I.L. Attendance Holds, Total for Year 782,076
TACOMA, Sept. 16—In the face of a sharp decline in minor league baseball attendance during 1950, the Class “B” Western International attracted 782,076 paying customers, only 11,930 fewer than in 1949, it was disclosed in official figures released here today by Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Gains registered this year at Tri-City, which replaced Bremerton in the league's 1950 lineup; at Wenatchee adt at Tacoma were more than offset by losses in five other W.I.L. cities.
Spokane, perennial league attendance leader, had its poorest season in the circuit's 11-year history, with the Indians playing to only 116,503 spectators as against a 1949 total of 186,648. Vancouver also experienced a sharp drop—from 137,611 to 97.276—and Yakima's league-leading 117,790 for a second-straight pennant-winning season followed a 1949 turnstile count of 133,917.
Tri-City drew 91,797 customers, as compared with the meagre 35,440 count at Bremerton in 1949; Wenatchee with a population far smaller than any other league city, achieved a 105,501 figure, up from 68,668 a year ago, and Tacoma drew 85,777 as against 49,673 in 1949.
Victoria held reasonably firm at 110,317, down from 114,544, while Salem dropped to 56,935 from 67,495.

Up and Down

2007-09-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

Portland Recalls Players
PORTLAND, Sept 14—Two Portland Beavers farmhands have been recalled from the Far West league.
General Manager Bill Mulligan said pitcher Dick Waibel of Eugene and outfielder Marvin Diercks of Reno will finish out the Pacific Coast league season with the Beavers.
Mulligan said that four pitchers from the Portland-owned Salem team of the Western International league had been ordered to report for spring training with the Beavers next spring at Riverside, California. They are John Tierney, Ray McNulty, Bill Osborn and John Burak.
WILfan note: Waibel had pitched for Salem until last June.

Cowboys Buy Infielder
SPOKANE, Sept. 19—Twin Falls of the class "C" Pioneer league has purchased infielder Frank Matoh of the Spokane Indians in the Western International league. Matoh batted :290 this season.
Matoh will report to Twin Falls next spring.

McCormack Scores at Ballot Box

2007-09-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

SPOKANE, Sept. 13—Levi (Chief) McCormick, former Spokane Indians' baseball outfielder, polled 15,483 votes Tuesday in his first time at bat in politics.
McCormack, a veteran Western International leaguer before retiring two years ago, was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for county coroner. He was far behind Republican incumbent Frank J. Glover, however. Glover had 31,891. Both go on the general election ballot to November.

Dewey Soriano Leaves WIL

2007-09-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

Big Sea Calls Yaks' Big Dew
YAKIMA, Sept. 12—“Big Dew,” the pitching president of the Yakima Bears, is going back to sea.
Prexy Dewey Soriano has announced that he'll sell his one-third interest in Yakima's Western International league baseball team, champions for the last two seasons.
Soriano is a skipper of ocean-going vessels as well as baseball teams. He said he was forced to choose between the two professions and had decided to return to the sea. His license would soon have expired under a five-year inactivity regulation.
Soriano said he decided to sell rather than let his baseball interests grow moldy while he was away.
The other co-owners are Frederick Mercy of Yakima and the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast league. It was not known if Soriano had found a buyer.
“I am leaving happy in the thought that I have never been a loser financially as the club's president or as a pitcher on the home field,” said Big Dew, also known hereabouts as Papa Bear. He won 14 games and lost two last year and his 1950 record was 6-2. Many games he saved as a relief pitcher do not show in the record.
Soriano is a Seattle man who saw mound action both in the Pacific Coast league and the majors before coming to Yakima.
WILFan note: Ol' Dew may not have lost financially in Yakima, but when it came to the Seattle Pilots...
- - - - - -
SORIANO SELLS OUT
YAKIMA, Oct. 14— Dewey Soriano, under whose presidency the Yakima Bears won two straight Western International league pennants, today passed out of the Yakima baseball picture with the sale of his one-quarter interest in the organization to Paul Fagan, sole owner of the San Francisco Giants.

Final Stats

2007-09-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Fuller stats are unavailable due to the CUPE strike that continues to shut down the main branch of the local library. However, this story will suffice for now. The batting numbers are out of focus on the page I'm reading from, so they're as accurate as I can make them out. The averages should be OK.

TACOMA, Sept. 12—Glen (Jeep) Stetter nearly skidded off the road but managed to hang on to win his second Western International League batting title, final figures released by the league office here Tuesday, disclosed.
Stetter, the chunky Spokane outfielder, dropped to .362 from his .374 of last week, but that was good enough to nose out Tacoma's Dick Greco, who checked in with a final figure of .361. Greco, the big Tacoma outfielder, was 11 points off the pace the preceding week, but Stetter could manage only seven hits in 26 trips to the plate during the week, and the slump nearly proved costly.
Stetter thus became the first Western International leaguer to win the crown twice, his other title coming back in 1946 when he was with Wenatchee. That year he hit .366.
Honors in the power department were monopolized by Greco, as the Tacoman not only led the league in home runs but in runs batted in. Greco was also the only batsman to rap out more than 200 hits during the capaign, his total reaching 203.
The Bengal outfielder clouted 36 home runs during the season which was 12 more than runner-up Gene Thompson of Victoria could muster. Greco held a commanding lead in RBIs, driving across 154 mates, while Jim Warner of Tri-City was second with 131.
Final averages (includes top 20 players who have participated in 100 or more games):
G AB H RBI HR Ave.
Stetter, Spo. ... 136 500 181 111 15 .362
Greco, Tac. ..... 146 562 203 154 36 .361
McCawley, Yak. .. 105 400 238 81 7 .345
Thompson, Vic. .. 146 361 184 106 24 .334
Warner, T-C ..... 348 548 182 131 20 .334
Rossi, Spokane .. 141 507 167 109 18 .329
Clarkson, Van. .. 144 585 191 61 14 .327
Cameron, T-C .... 117 427 139 90 12 .326
Vanni, Spo. ..... 104 418 134 60 3 .324
Bryant, T-C ..... 139 547 175 94 2 .320
Quinn, Tacoma ... 145 581 183 112 9 .315
Ragni, Wen. ..... 100 202 92 40 3 .315
Zuvella, Yak. ... 180 301 104 61 4 .314
Gifford, Tac. ... 146 319 161 70 3 .312
Mohr, Spokane ... 109 456 142 47 0 .312
A. Spaeter ...... 145 621 193 53 0 .311
Hjelmaa, Wen. ... 142 5?? 16? 62 0 .311
Cheso, Yakima ... 140 521 162 108 5 .311
Pocekay, Wen. ... 150 578 178 9? 13 .308
Fracchia, Wen. .. 139 442 145 9? 6 .306

TACOMA, Sept. 12—Idle through the final week of the campaign, Cy Greenlaw, veteran Tri-City left elbower, backed into the Western International league pitching championship when Vancouver's Sandy Robertson met defeat in the wind-up game of the season.
Greenlaw finished with a 9-2 won-lost record for an .818 percentage, as against Robertson's 12-3 and .800.
Bob Kerrigan, Tacoma southpaw, emerged as the league's big winning with 26 triumphs against 7 defeats, establishing a new W-I record in the process. The old standard of 25 wins was set in 1948 by Joe Blankenship, who toiled for Victoria that year.
Kerrigan and Robertson both gained an interest in another record by posting 12 consecutive successes, thus equaling a mark set by Frank Nelson of Spokane in 1948.
Lloyd Dickey of Yakima captured the strikeout crown with 214, while Don Ferrarese established another league record by issuing 209 bases on balls, wiping out the mark of 186 passes given up by Claude Williams, also a Wenatchee elbower, during the 1941 season.
The final unofficial records, released Tuesday by the office of Robert B. Abel, league president:
W L SO Pct.
Greenlaw, T-C ........ 9 2 40 .818
Robertson, Van. ..... 12 3 53 .800
Kerrigan, Tac. ...... 26 7 114 .788
Soriano, Yak. ........ 6 2 39 .750
Domenichelli, Yak. .. 13 6 65 .684
Kipp, Tac. ........... 8 4 56 .667
Dickey, Yak. ........ 18 10 214 .648
Stone, T-C .......... 10 6 40 .625
Ragni, Wen. ......... 18 11 151 .621
McCollum, T-C ....... 21 13 120 .618
Bradford, Yak. ...... 14 9 143 .609
Larner, Yak. ........ 17 11 109 .607
Dahle, Wen. ......... 13 9 118 .591
Powell, Yak. ........ 13 9 84 .591
Loust, Tac. ......... 13 9 45 .591

Sunday, September 10, 1950

2007-09-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

F I N A L
W L Pct GB
Yakima ..... 92 58 .618 ——
Tacoma ..... 90 58 .608 1
Tri-City ... 83 66 .557 8½
Wenatchee .. 80 80 .533 12
Victoria ... 66 84 .440 26
Vancouver .. 64 82 .438 26
Spokane .... 63 85 .426 28
Salem ...... 57 92 .383 34½

SPOKANE, Sept. 10—Bats boomed in three run-filled innings Sunday night as the Spokane Indians defeated the Tri-City Braves 8 to 5 in their final Western International league game of the season.
The game didn't change the relative positions of the two teams in the league standings. Tri-City remained in third place, and the Indians still stood seventh in line.
The Braves opened stoutly with four runs in the first frame on two singles, two doubles and a wild pitch, but weakened in succeeding innings and scored only once more, in the eighth.
The Indians bunched four runs in the third inning, collected three more in the seventh and one in the eighth. They tagged losing pitcher Lou McCollum, a 21-game winner, for 12 hits.
762 fans watching the game brought the season's official attendance total to 115,387, one of the lowest marks in Spokane baseball history.
history.
Tri-City ...... 400 000 010—5 10 2
Spokane ...... 004 000 31x—8 13 1
McCollum and McKeegan; Conant and Weatherwax.

WENATCHEE, Sept. 10—The Wenatchee Chiefs closed out the Western International league season by sweeping a twin-bill from the Salem Senators, here Sunday night, 12-1 and 9-3.
Wenatchee finished with four wins in a row over the Senators to wind up in fourth place in the WIL pennant race. Salem finished deep in the league cellar.
First Game
Salem ............. 000 000 1— 1 7 1
Wenatchee ...... 750 000 x—12 15 1
Linebarger, Costello (1) and Martin; Blankenship and Billings.
Second Game
Salem ............ 000 100 002—3 8 3
Wenatchee ..... 203 021 10x—9 12 1
Osborn, Lew (7) and Martin; Treichel and Billings.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

Saturday, September 9, 1950

2007-09-02T06:18:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Yakima ...... 92 58 .613 —
Tacoma ...... 90 58 .608 1
Tri-City .... 83 65 .561 8
Wenatchee ... 78 70 .527 13
Vancouver ... 64 82 .438 26
Victoria .... 66 84 .434 26
Spokane ..... 62 85 .422 28½
Salem ....... 57 90 .388 33½

Yakima Bears Again Annex Willy Pennant
VANCOUVER, Sept. 9—The Yakima Bears became the first Western International League team to win two successive pennants Saturday night as they ran over Victoria Athletics, 18-3, to snatch the flag from the Tacoma Tigers, who lost 7-5 at Vancouver.
Two crucial doubleheaders Saturday told the story as Tacoma relinquished a lead of two percentage points by dropping an afternoon tilt to the Capilanos, 6-5 in 13 innings, while Yakima beat the Athletics, 6-3.
George Nicholas, the New York tailor, won the afternoon contest. Dick Alvari started for Vancouver put left for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning. Kevin King lasted exactly one batter before Nicholas arrived in the seventh inning and finished it off.
The score was then 4-3 for Tacoma. Nicholas scored the tying run himself after he opened the eighth inning with a single. He fell behind 5-4 in the 13th but Dick Sinovic doubled in the Cap half of the inning, which was followed by a double by Jim Keating and a single by Charlie Mead.
The most thrilling inning, however, was the Cap half of the seventh when Manager Jim Brillheart used three pitchers in successfully choking off a big Cap threat.
In the anti-climactic second game, Vancouver manager Bill Brenner called on Sandy Robertson to start. He was obviously tired from playing a week's schedule of eight games in the infield, tried for his 13th victory once again and failed, making his season's record 12 wins and three defeats.
First Game
Tacoma .......... 001 012 000 000 1—5 11 4
Vancouver ...... 000 000 003 010 2—6 10 1
Knezovich, Kerrigan (6), Conger (6) Kipp (13) and Sheets, Fischer (9); Alvari, King (6), Nicholas (6) and Heisner, Brenner (7).
Second Game
Tacoma .......... 202 011 001—7 11 0
Vancouver ...... 300 000 020—5 6 1
Loust, Carter (1) and Fischer; Robertson and Heisner.

First Game
Yakima .......... 100 400 010—6 14 1
Victoria ......... 001 001 010—3 7 1
Domenichelli and Tiesiera; Wilkie and Danielson.
Second Game
Yakima .......... 150 060 204—18 23 1
Victoria ......... 000 001 002— 3 4 5
Dickey and Tiesiera; Marshall, Smith (3) and Danielson.

WENATCHEE, Sept. 9 — Wenatchee's Chiefs made it two in a row over the Salem Senators here Saturday night with a 5-1 win behind the seven-hit pitching of Southpaw Dave Dahle.
Dahle struck out nine Salem batters as he posted his 13th win of the year against nine losses. Leftfielder Mel Wasley got three of the Salem hits, including two doubles, and drove in the Senator's only run.
Salem ............ 001 000 000—1 7 3
Wenatchee ..... 000 003 02x—5 9 0
Burak and Martin; Dahle and Len Neal.

VICTORIA, Sept. 10 [Victoria Colonist] — Yakima Bears are again W.I.L. champions and they can thank Victoria Athletics for making it possible. After knocking Tacoma Tigers out of the lead with a 3-1 series victory earlier this week, the A’s could manage no better than a 2-2 split with the Bears, who edged Tacoma by that single game. One more Yakima defeat and the 1950 flag would have been flown at Tacoma next season.
Faced with the loss of a title they won by a big margin last year, the Bears played like the champions they turned out to be yesterday as they cooled off the Victoria Athletics twice by combining good pitching with some lusty clouting.
The Bears moved back into the league lead in the afternoon when Ernie Domenichelli pitched them in a 6-3 win while Vancouver Capilanos edged the Tigers, 6-5, in 13 innings. But a Yakima defeat and a Tacoma win in the last games of the season for both clubs would have given it to the Bengals.
Tacoma managed to squeeze past the Caps, intent on finished ahead of Victoria, 7-5, in the finale, but the Bears were not to be denied as they plastered John Marshall and Ron Smith with a 23-hit attack in an 18-3 game which was decided as early as the second inning.
A well-rested Lloyd Dickey, ace of the Yakima mound staff, was the big gun for the league champions. The hard-throwing lefthander had a no-hitter with one out in the fifth when Smith cracked a fat pitch to centre field to end his bid. He had a one-hitter going into the ninth but, perhaps tired from an overindulgence of base running, he eased up long enough for the A’s to plate two runs on three balls.
BATS IN SIX
Dickey was also the game’s offensive star, batting inn six runs with a grand-slam homer and three doubles.
It was Yakima’s good fortune that the A’s were unable to field their best line-up for the season’s two most important games. Lou Novikoff missed the afternoon game but dragged his bad leg into the finale to fill a position when Gene Thompson was put out of action through a back injury in the fourth inning of the first game.
The A’s finished up in the afternoon affair with Pitchers Warren Noyes and Jim Propst in the outfield. Propst replaced Thompson while Noyes replaced Ronning, who had replaced Novikoff. Ronning had to be called in to catch when Umpire Doc Regele threw Hal Danielson out for some reason.
Despite the two losses, the A’s managed to finish in fifth place, just two percentage points ahead of the Caps. Four games will be played today, between Tri-City and Spokane and Wenatchee and Salem but results will not affect the standings.
First Game
Tri-City .......... 101 020 0—4 8 2
Spokane ......... 000 100 0—1 4 3
Roenspie and McKeegan; Holder and Rossi.
Second Game
Tri-City .......... 401 251 001—14 14 2
Spokane ......... 020 000 002—4 9 7
Nicholas and McKeegan; Curran, Aubertin (1), Yerkes (5) and Weatherwax.

Caps Hold Key to NW
Pro Baseball Franchise
Norgan Says Salem Definitely Won’t Operate in WIL Next Year
[Keith Matthews, Vancouver News Herald, Sept. 9, 1950]
It is possible, though at the moment only remotely, that the Salem Western International League franchise will transfer to New Westminster by 1951.
On Friday, Bill Mulligan, general manager of the Portland Beaver organization (parent club of Salem), said flatly that the Salem franchise was for sale for $50,000 and that if there were no takers, the transfer to New Westminster would go into effect.
It isn’t quite as easy as that.
The biggest obstacle in the path of this shift is the Capilano Baseball Club, who must grant territorial rights to the Salem owners before New Westminster can even be considered.
At the moment Capilano officials are definitely against such a move.
With a team in New Westminster it would mean that there would be baseball in this area every night during the summer. This, it is felt, would seriously injure Vancouver attendance.
While George Norgan, owner of both Salem and Portland franchises, appreciates the Capilanos’ views, he disagrees that attendance would fall.
“I don’t believe for a minute that the Caps draw any patrons from New Westminster right now,” he said. “If we were allowed to move in there, I feel people over there would come to see the Capilanos just as they want to see the Canucks in hockey. Of course, that would work the other way, too, but I can’t see attendance being seriously hurt by this proposed transfer.”
BROWN SAYS NO
“I have talked with both George Martin (president of Sick’s Capilano Breweries) and Torchy Torrance (vice president of the Seattle Rainiers) and they both felt I had a point worthy of consideration.” George went on, “Mind you, neither of them tried to elevate my hopes but they did see that it was worth looking in to.”
While Bob Brown, general manager of the Capilanos, has voiced strong points against the shift, Norgan has hoped all along that he could gain enough support from within other WIL franchise owners to perhaps sway Bob and Caps.
The proposed Salem transfer will come up at the next league meeting, which is still a month in the future. At this meeting it will be pointed out that Salem will lose close to $35,000 for its 1950 operation.
“I’M PULLING OUT”
Also at this meeting Norgan will state flatly that no matter what the outcome, THERE WILL BE NO SALEM REPRESENTATION IN THE WIL IN 1951.
“I have lost money for several years there now am convince it is not a good ball town,” he said. “I am pulling out of there no matter if I have a place to go or not.”
Norgan has already investigated the facilities for baseball in New Westminster and find them to be to his liking. The stadium there has a short right field fence but this would be lengthened to make a tough target to any hitter.
As it now stands, Queens Park stadium seats 5000 people but this would be increased to another 1000 if a WIL club were represented there.

Ball Club, Theatre In Accord
WALLA WALLA, Sept. 9 — The feuding Tri-City Braves baseball club and the Kennewick Highland Drive-In Theatre reached agreement today—they’re going to build a 30-foot-high barrier between the ball park at the theatre.
The barrier, which is to be 400 feet long, will be to keep the rays of the ball park lights out of the theatre.
Operators of the theatre filed suit last spring against the ball cub and the Tri-City Baseball Association. It alleged lights from the ball diamond interfered with the operation of the theatre, and sought an injunction.
Under terms of the settlement reached today as the result of a hearing in Federal Court, the baseball organizations will provide three-fourths of the cost of constructing the barrier.

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang
[Colonist, Sept. 10, 1951]

Another baseball season is over and Victoria Athletics, for the third time in five seasons in the W.I.L., wound up leading the second division. The past season has been a disappointing one but disappointing mainly because everyone from club directors to the most casual fan expected more than they got. Actually, looking objectively at the results and being fair, the club management did about as well as could be expected in its first try on its own. Few, if any, clubs operating independently for the first time do as well.
The A’s started out with two players and only one of those could be termed an asset. Somehow, somewhere, the management had to procure 20 players. Critics who don’t think this is something of a task have little knowledge of professional baseball operation. Almost every young player with any ability is owned by major league or Triple A clubs, who are committed to send them to their own farm clubs for any seasoning they need. You may be certain they are never going to sell to an independent club any player who has any promise of developing.
So for the A’s, it was just a case of taking what appeared to be the best of what was offered. This, for the most part, consisted of high-salaried veterans on their way down and players whose temperament blocked the developing of any baseball ability they had. A tough combination from which to fashion a winning team, but had no Seattle recalled K Chorlton, it is reasonable to believe that Victoria would have at least finished in the first division.
As for the undue spring optimism. Well, who could suspect that Jack Mooty would have a sore arm which made him valueless when he was expected to be the stopper of a powerful-looking pitching staff? Or who could know that Joe Mishasek, another who could reasonably be counted on to be a big winner, would pitch half a season with a sire arm and then be forced to give it up altogether? Or that Aldon Wilkie would have trouble winning ten games and that Jim Propst and John Marshall, selected to the All-Star team last season, would fall so far off their 1949 pace? Or that Snag Moore and Buzz Sporer would refuse to report? Or even that Bob Jensen could not regain his old form?
Alibis? Perhaps, but they are facts, too. This club was meant to be a winner and a lot of money was spent in the attempt. There would be a lot less criticism if more people acknowledged the reasons for the failure.
What is on Tap for 1951?
Good reasons or not, it is imperative that the A’s be among the leaders from the start next year. Nothing will restore the public relations the club needs for successful operation except a winning club. It may be that undue optimism but at least the chances for that are brighter than they were when the Yankees terminated their working agreement and management was left without a ball club. The A’s own 14 of the 16 players currently on the roster. While some of them won’t be back, the club isn’t going to need too much of a rebuilding job.
It starts with a pitching staff which will probably remain almost intact. While the staff didn’t come through as expected this season there is every reason to believe it will be better in 1951. Marshall is anxious to return. Propst is a potential 20-game winner. Jim Hedgecock seems to have found himself again. Ron Smith should be better. Warren Noyes and John Brkich will have the added year of experience. Alden Wilkie’s back condition has been improved by Trainer George Wilkinson and the southpaw veteran can’t be counted out.
Catching is well set. Al Ronning will very likely be sold or drafted but Hal Danielson is a handy fellow to have around even if his batting average isn’t too high. The A’s start with Lou Novikoff and Gene Thompson in the outfield. Thompson may get another chance to go up but the A’s will get a comparable replacement or the cash to buy one. Novikoff has expressed a desire to return and if he does, the amiable Russian could be quite a hitter in this league with the benefit of spring training.
Most of the changes will come in the infield, where only one position can be said to be filled. That is at first base, where Junior Krug is a thoroughly acceptable performer. Second-baseman Jim Moore is not Victoria property but the A’s would be glad to get him back from Seattle along with Outfielder Bob McGuire. However, it appears likely that Moore may figure in Vancouver plans for next year.
Just what will happen to the left side of the infield is something that is not likely to be known for some time. The A’s almost had Ray Tran this year and it is possible they may be able to purchase the veteran shortstop for 1951. John Hack’s improvement at third base may include him in infield plans but it is known that the management would like to come up with something special in a defensive inner cordon that would give what should be good pitching to be just that.
In any event, the club has enough players so that it won’t have to grab at chances to buy what other clubs have decided won’t do.

Friday, September 8, 1950

2007-09-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ...... 89 57 .610 —
Yakima ...... 90 58 .608 —
Tri-City .... 81 65 .555 8
Wenatchee ... 77 70 .524 12½
Victoria .... 66 82 .446 24
Vancouver ... 63 81 .438 25
Spokane ..... 62 83 .428 26½
Salem ....... 57 89 .390 32

VANCOUVER, B. C., Sept. 8—Tacoma Tigers got nowhere fast Friday night in their down-to-the-wire tussle with Yakima Bears for the league leadership as they succumbed, 4-2, to Vancouver Capilanos.
The Tigers had a 2-0 lead off Bob Snyder after five innings. The Caps evened it in their half of the inning when lefthander Tom Kipp made the error of throwing a fat fastball to Snyder, who hit it for a single. Two were out. The next batter, Reg Clarkson, belted Kipp's second offering onto Sixth Avenue for his fourth homer in four games.
The Caps won the game in the eighth and made reliefer Hunk Anderson, a Cap castoff, the loser by scoring two runs on three walks, a hit batsman and two singles.
The crowd's biggest thrill came in the ninth when Snyder forced the league's leading home run hitter and RBI champion to send a towering fly to right centre field with two aboarrd. Another 20 feet and Dick Greco would have had a home run.
Tacoma ........... 100 010 000—2 12 1
Vancouver ....... 000 020 02x—4 6 0
Kipp, Anderson (5), Carter (8) and Sheets; Snyder and Heisner.

VICTORIA, B.C., Sept. 8—The large crowd of “Ladies Night” fans at Royal Athletic Park on Friday night were rewarded with one of the season’s finest games, with the revitalized Victoria Athletics playing more like league champions than also-rans. They made it two in a row over the defending champions, 3-2, in an eleventh inning thriller. It was their fifth victory in six starts this week against the two clubs battling for the flag.
Friday night’s battle was a tense one from the start, with runners on the bags in almost every inning, but runs were at a premium. Jim Hedgecock went the distance for his 13th game, although he almost threw it away with one bad pitch in the ninth inning when he was within one pitch of a 3-2 triumph. Bill Dunn, Al Ronning and Gene Thompson provided him with the offensive support.
The Bears took the lead with two runs in the thing inning when two errors figured in the Yakima scoring. Dunn squared matters in the fourth when he hit his third home run of the season, first of four hits, with John Hack on the bags.
Victoria went out in front in the seventh when Ronning connected for the third of five hits to drive in Bob McGuire. Hedgecock held the Bears until the ninth, when Nino Tornay led off with a double. The next two batters were easy outs but pinch-hitter Frank Mascaro tied it with a long single when Hedgecock came in with a fat pitch on an 0-2 count.
Lloyd Dickey, ace Yakima lefthander, came in to face the A’s in the ninth, but two singles around a sacrifice brought in Dewey Soriano, who stopped the A’s but then failed in the eleventh and went down to his second defeat in two nights.
Bob McGuire grounded out to open the 11th, but Marty Krug Jr. drew a walk. Ronning sent him to third with his fifth hit. The Bears elected to pitch to Thompson, their former teammate, who gained credit for his second double of the night when he lined Soriano’s first pitch to left centre. Krug held up at third to see if the ball would be caught then came in with the winning run.
Yakima ......... 022 000 001 00—3 10 0
Victoria ........ 000 200 010 01—4 16 3
Bradford, Dickey (8), Soriano (9) and Tornay; Hedgecock and Danielson.

SPOKANE, Sept. 8—The Spokane Indians needed six innings to solve the pitching of Tri-City's Joe Orrell and then rapped him for six quick runs to beat the Braves, 7 to 5 Friday night.
The game opened the final Western International league series of the season for both teams and drew 1,032 fans to Ferris field.
Tri-City ......... 002 000 003—5 13 3
Spokane ........ 000 010 33x—7 11 0
Orrell and McKeegan; Rockey and Rossi.

WENATCHEE, Sept. 8 — Southpaw Tommy Breisinger pitched no-hit ball for seven and one-third innings here Friday night to lead the Wenatchee Chiefs to a 10-1 win over the Salem Senators.
Jay Ragni, Wenatchee pitcher-outfielder, hit the jackpot during the evening. He received a complete stream-fishing outfit as being selected the most valuable Wenatchee player of the season.
Brick Laws, president of the Pacific Coast league Oakland Acorns announced Ragni will join the PCL club Saturday as the player selected under a working agreement between Oakland and Wenatchee.
Salem ........... 000 000 010—1 2 1
Wenatchee .... 220 010 14x—10 14 3
Tierney, Costello (2) and Martin; Breisinger and Len Neal.

Salem Senators Reported For Sale; Price Tag Is $50,000
KENNEWICK, Sept. 7—The Salem Senators baseball club is for sale for $50,000 and if there are no takers it probably will be moved to New Westminster, B. C., next year.
Bill Mulligan, general manager of the Portland Pacific Coast league club which owns the Solons, was quoted to that effect today by the Tri-City Herals.
The $50,000 price tag includes Waters Park in Salem and the Senators' Western International League franchise. Don Becker said after an interview with Mulligan that Portland has decided not to operate the club at Salem next year “in any event.”
The Senators are a dismal last in the WIL this season and have drawn poorly at the gate at home. They were drubbed 18 to 3 by Tri-City Thursday night, their third straight lop-sided shellacking at the hands of the Braves during the five game series. Salem lost all five.
It is understood that the other seven clubs in the league have agreed to let Portland take the franchise to New Westminster in the event the Beavers can't peddle the club.
New Westminster was picked because of a hot hockey rivalry between that town and Vancouver, B. C. and Victoria, B. C., both of which have teams in the WIL, it was said. Mulligan hopes the hockey rivalry will swing over into baseball and be a good gate attraction, it is disclosed. All three are in the Pacific Coast hockey league.
The Senators have been on the block before but haven't drawn many likely buyers.
Mulligan was here Thursday night to see the Solons take the 18 to 3 trouncing.
- - - -
TACOMA, Sept. 8—The proposed sale or transfer of the Salem franchise in the Western International League as reported earlier in Kennewick, has not yet been brought formally to the attention of league directors, Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit, said here Saturday.
Commenting on the possibility that the Portland Beavers, who own the Salem club, might seek a transfer of the franchise to New Westminster, B.C., Abel pointed out that such a move would have to be conducted in accordance with the rules laid down by the National Association of Professional Baseball League. Essentially, the Vancouver Capilanos, whose territorial rights would be involved, would have to approve any such move.
WILfan note: New Westminster had a team in pro ball for one season — the 'Frasers' of the Northwest League in 1974. It drew just over 10,000 fans before folding. The keen Vancouver-New West-Victoria hockey rivalry, dating to the time when the Patricks put pro hockey on the West Coast, fizzled out once Vancouver got an NHL franchise.

IT BEATS ME
By JIM TANG [Victoria Colonist, from Sept. 9, 1951]
Jack Harsham [sic], former Victoria first baseman who slipped all the way from the New York Giants to Jacksonville of the Class “A” Sally League this year, is trying his hand at pitching. He defeated Augusta, 5-2, in his first start. . . . W.I.L. clubs were polled last week on the question of the Saughnessy play-off this season, but the idea apparently died in the early stages. The league should have a play-off, but it should be announced at the start, not the end of a season. . . . Dewey Soriano, president of the Yakima Bears, its reported to be selling his interest in the club and returning to sea. Soriano holds a master’s certificate and will probable [sic] captain a freighter. . . . Apparently upset by the criticism it contained, Umpire Doc Regele read a newspaper account of his banishment of John Marshall Wednesday night over the phone to League-president. Bob Abel. Abel instructed Business-manager Reg Patterson to inform the writer it was an “amateurish” bit of writing. Wonder if he thinks that the W.I.L. has been getting professional umpiring this season, , , , Al Ronning has made 14 hits in 19 official trips to the plate this season and the big Victoria catcher is almost certain to reach his second successive .300 batting average. . . . Wee Teddy Savarese, smallest pitcher in the W.I.L. for the past two seasons, has been doing well since he was recalled by the parent San Francisco Seals. The Seals have also recalled Nino Tornay from the Bears and the hard-hitting catcher will leave for Coast League action immediately after the end of the W.I.L. season. . . . Too bad the Athletics didn’t start playing the brand of ball they are exhibiting this week a couple of months sooner. Any club troubles have been straightened out and the players are now solidly behind Manager Marty Krug, several of the expressing themselves on that subject.

Thursday, September 7, 1950

2007-09-02T04:44:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ...... 89 56 .614 —
Yakima ...... 90 57 .612 —
Tri-City .... 81 64 .559 8
Wenatchee ... 76 70 .521 13½
Victoria .... 65 82 .442 25
Vancouver ... 62 81 .434 26
Spokane ..... 61 83 .424 27½
Salem ....... 57 88 .393 32

VANCOUVER, Sept. 7 — During the 1949 Western International League season, Tacoma’s Bob Kerrigan was just another member of the pitching staff. This season the strong left-hander is just about the Tacoma Tiger pitching staff.
Tonight, Kerrigan southpawed his way to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Capilanos at Capilano Stadium. It was Kerrigan’s 26th win of the year. And a new WIL pitching record.
Kerrigan’s neat chore kept the Tigers in contention for the WIL pennant as Yakima los to Victoria.
All three Cap runs were unearned, the last one coming in the ninth with two out. George Nicholas lost his 16th game of the season against 15 wins.
The Tigers scored three runs in the very first inning on five hits and two walks, and only some fine infield play saved Nicholas from disaster.
Kerrigan's record exceeds the mark of 25 victories set in 1948 by Joe Blankenship, then of Victoria and now with the Wenatchee Chiefs.
Actually, the Tigers dropped another half game behind Yakima because Bob Bruenner, the Caps’ freshman right-hander, registered his seventh triumph in the opener of a twin bill. The rookie worked his way out of continuous trouble to cuff the Tigers 9-7.
He allowed 12 hits, two of them home runs by Wimpy Quinn, which accounted for four runs. Quinn batted two consecutive homers and two singles in four times at bat. Sol Israel also homered off him.
On the other side of the ledger Reg Clarkson had a perfect night at the plate, going four for four, and racing all the way around on an inside-the-park homer.
Two players were honoured between games. Charlie Mead received gifts and a couple of cups for being the people's choice, the clubs's leading home run hitter and for having batted in more runs than any other Cap this season. Sandy Robertson will display a new suit soon after being chosen the most valuable player.
Len Tran and Reg Clarkson went out of the park for Vancouver — Clarkson’s was a two-run blast — while Dick Sinovic tripled in two runs.
Kerrigan’s feat of 26 wins broke the existing record of 25 set by Joe Blankenship when he was with Victoria in 1947. Along with Sandy Robertson and Frank Nelson, the latter formerly of Spokane, Kerrigan also holds the record for consecutive pitching wins. The trio all won 12 straight games.
First Game
Tacoma ......... 303 000 1 — 7 12 4
Vancouver ...... 201 042 x — 9 11 0
Conger, Anderson (5) Loust (6) and Sheets; Bruenner and Heisner.
Second Game
Tacoma ......... 300 100 000 — 4 10 2
Vancouver ...... 000 020 001 — 3 8 1
Kerrigan and Sheets; Nicholas and Brenner.

VICTORIA, Sept. 7—Playing no favourites, Victoria Athletics Thursday night knocked Yakima out of the W.I.L. lead and restored the Tacoma Tigers, the club they knocked down earlier in the week, to the top rung. Playing before a “Ladies’ Night” crowd estimated at 1,300 at Royal Athletic Park the A’s handed Dewey Soriano, Yakima pitcher-president, his first defeat of the season, pounding him out of the box in a seven-run fourth inning and going on to take a 9-7 decision.
Although two of the league’s better pitchers started, the game was one of the longest of the season with four hurlers delivering a total of 348 pitches plate-wards. John Marshall, who asked for the assignment, was the surprise Victoria starter. Neither he nor Soriano managed to survive the fourth inning.
Lacking control, Marshall escaped being scored on in the first two innings, although he walked one batter in the first and three in the second. He lost the 2-0 lead a double by Jim Moore gave him in the first with plate umpire Estes ruled a smash by Bill McCawley a fair ball. It rolled deep into right field and McCawley races across the plate ahead of two of his teammates to receive credit for an inside-the-park home run. The blow, a hard-hit bounder down the first base line, appeared to be foul by at least a foot when it passed the bag, and the A’s protested to no avail.
Four successive bases on balls with two runners aboard in the fourth forced in three more runs and brought in Warren Noyes to replace Marshall.
Yakima’s lead evaporated quickly when the A’s took their turn in the fourth. Bill Dunn was hit by a pitched ball and Al Ronning walked to start it. Noyes laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out to load the bags. Bob McGuire grounded out, one run scoring, and Marty Krug, Jr. plated two more with a single. Lou Novikoff singled and Gene Thompson walked to load the bags again. Krug scored after Moore flied out and John Hack put the A’s ahead when he tripled.
Soriano went out in favour of Larry Powell and Dunn greeted him with a single which scored Hack. Powell finally got the side out and went on to pitch a fine game but the Bears could do nothing with Noyes.
The young righthander, who appears to be getting the control he lacked, scored his third win of the season and his second in successive relief appearances as he held Yakima to one run and three hits in five-plus innings.
Yakima ......... 003 300 100—7 7 0
Victoria ........ 200 700 00x—9 12 0
Soriano, Powell (4) and Tornay; Marshall, Noyes (4) and Ronning.

KENNEWICK, Sept. 7—The Tri-City Braves swamped Salem's sagging Senators 18 to 3 for the third straight time Thursday night in their last home game of the Western International league season.
The Braves also clinched third place in the standings, taking a 5½ game lead over fourth place Wenatchee which has no chance to move up.
Salem ......... 000 200 010— 3 9 2
Tri-City ....... 726 102 00x—18 20 1
Woodson, Costello (1), Osborn (3) and Martin; McCollum and McKeegan.

Wenatchee ...... 000 100 010 — 2 6 2
Spokane .......... 200 000 001 — 3 3 2
Ferrarese and Neal; Conant and Rossi.

Salem Ball Club For Sale Again
SALÈM, Sept. 7—The Salem Senators of the Western International Baseball League are for sale again.
Business Manager George Emigh said the parent Portland Beavers either want to sell the club or transfer it to another city because of poor attendance the last two seasons. The Senators are at the bottom of the league.
The Beavers tried to sell the club to a group of Salem citizens last winter, but they couldn't agree on a price. Now, nobody around here seems interested in buying the team.

G AB H RBI HR Ave
Stetter, Spok. … 131 474 178 110 15 .376
Greco, Tac. ……143 543 197 147 35 .363
McCawley, Yak. 101 382 129 72 5 .338
Thompson, Vic. 143 543 182 105 24 .335
Rossi, Spo. …… 138 498 166 110 18 .334
Warner, T.C. …. 142 536 177 127 20 .330
Runs batted in — Greco, Tacoma, 147; Warner, Tri-City, 127; Westlake, Yakima, 120; Mead, Vancouver, 113; Stetter, Tacoma, 113; Rossi, Spokane, 113.
Home runs — Greco, Tacoma, 35; Thompson, Victoria, 24; Warner, Tri-City, 20; Mead, Vancouver, 19; Rossi, Spokane, 18.
Pitching — Robertson, Vancouver, 12-2; Greenlaw, Tri-City, 9-2; Kerrigan, Tacoma, 25-7; Domenichelli, Yakima, 12-6; Kipp, Tacoma, 8-4.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Chorlton Runs Fast Century
SEATTLE, Sept. 7 — Rookie K. Chorlton, Seattle outfielder, with the steamlined first name, outlegged Portland's speedball Luis Marquez in a special 100-yard race prior to tonight's Portland-Seattle Pacific Coast League baseball game.
Chorlton stepped the distance in 11 second flat, fully clothed in baseball garb. Marquez was just a whimper behind. Seattle's Bill Ramsay was third and Portland's Johnny Rucker was fourth.

Wednesday, September 6, 1950

2007-09-02T03:33:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Yakima ...... 90 56 .616 —
Tacoma ...... 88 55 .615 ½
Tri-City .... 80 64 .555 9
Wenatchee ... 76 69 .524 13½
Victoria .... 64 82 .438 26
Vancouver ... 61 80 .433 26½
Spokane ..... 60 83 .420 28½
Salem ....... 57 87 .396 32

VANCOUVER, Sept. 7 [Dan Ekman, Sun] — With no local pennant conention to distract them, the town’s baseball fans are voting this waning week of the WIL schedule to a clinical study of the Capilanos’ current flaws and capabilities.
All hands are in agreement that a major pruning job must be done on this year’s second.division crew. And for more than the usual reasons, the management will be trying to please its customers obviously nothing less than a pennant-winning car suitably dedicate that new stadium promised for April, 1951, delivery. Moreover, there will be a lot more seats to fill next year.
All of which adds interest to this windup week, since even now future prospects are being tabbed and pink slips mentally filled out.
CASE OF McLEAN
Last night, two Cap crewmen put up a strong argument for 1951 jobs as the Brenners beat the Yakima Bears, 6-2. One Reg Clarkson figured to be back anyway, but the second—Bobby McLean—has often felt the sharp edge of the axe at his collar this season, so his case is worth detailed discussion.
McLean, who came to the Caps in 1949, worked until recently at first base, where his defensive play was almost faultless. But his hitting, especially this year, has been what you might expect of a pitcher, which may explain why the tall lefthander was consigned permanently to the mound a few weeks back.
His new job may be the making of the quiet, likeable Oaklander. Last Saturday at Victoria, he stopped the Athletics with a three-hitter and against the league-leading Yakimas, last night, he was scarcely less effective.
Not that you would call Bob a finished pitcher yet. He hit three batters and walked four more. But errors set up Yakima’s only two runs in the first inning, and McLean’s good assortment limited the powerful Bears to only six hits.
TWO FOR REG
The Caps meanwhile stroked freely at the offerings of Dick Larner and, as mentioned earlier, Reggie Clarkson was a big part of the show. He hit two home runs over the right field fence to pace the local attack.
Jim Keating batted in two more runs with a third-inning triple, but the most consistent man at the plate was handy Sandy Robertson, who filled in at third base for the departed Jim Robinson. Sandy went three for three.
Since Victoria beat Tacoma 8-0 on the Island, the locals didn’t gain in their struggle to nail down fifth place. Nor did Yakima lose ground to the Tigers in the pennant argument, which means that the last four days of the schedule will decide it.
With the Bears at Victoria, Tacoma opens locally tonight in a double bill starting at 7. Bob Bruenner and George Nicholas will be the Cap pitching choices.
Yakima ............. 200 000 000—2 6 1
Vancouver ......... 102 210 00x—6 10 3
Larner and Tiesiera; McLean and Brenner.

VICTORIA, B. C., Sept. 6 [Victoria Colonist] - Looking far more like a second-place club than their opponants, Victoria Athletics last night won their final series of the season from Tacoma by blanking the Tigers, 8-0, and keeping them from regaining the W.I.L. kead they held when they arrived in Victoria Monday.
The victory gave the A’s the series, 3-1, and left them with a half-game grip on fifth place. The Tigers hold the edge for the season, 13-9, but had far more trouble with the A’s than the final standings would indicate.
John Marshall and Jim Propst collaborated for the three-hit shut-out, both pitching some of their finest baseball of the season. Marshall lost credit for his 16th win of the season when Plate-Umpire Doc Regele tossed the righthander out of the game while he was batting in the fourth inning for the flimsiest excuse seen here this season for an eviction.
NO BOWS
Regele, whose official has come in for merited criticism all season, could hardly take any bows for his work last night, coming as it did in the middle of a pennant battle between the Tigers and Yakima Bears and without any reasonable protest.
Marshall was going through his usual contortions at the plate when Regele said something to him while dusting off the plate. This brought a reply from Marshall and Manager Marty Krug on the scene. Krug defended Marshall’s right to bat as he chose and play resumed after some acrimonious discussion.
Marshall then shifted to the first base side of the plate for the third time this season and was waving his bat aimlessly over his head. Regele decided this was the excuse he had apparently been seeking from the first inning and immediately tossed Marshall out. Manager Krug protested the game and it was some time before irate Victoria players finished telling Regele their opinion of him.
SHUTOUT LIKELY
At that time, Marshall had a one-hitter and appeared as if he would have no trouble getting a shutout. Propst came in and limited the Tigers to two hits the rest of the way to protect the 4-0 lead but Regele’s action disrupted the Victoria pitching schedule and may affect the pennant race. Propst was scheduled to open against the Yakima Bears tonight but now Jim Hedgecock will have to take over with less rest than he should have had.
The A’s again found Tiger pitching to their liking and sent the pennant contenders to Vancouver for five games in three days with their mound rotation all out of order. The Tigers were forced to use 11 pitchers in the four games here and the Victorians climbed on them for 55 hits in the series.
Twelve of them came last night and the Tigers tossed in three errors and ten bases on balls as they continued to show sins of a general disorganization in the face of pennant race pressure. Luckily for them the Bears also seem to be suffering the jitters.
Tacoma ........ 000 000 000—0 3 3
Victoria ......... 040 120 10x—8 12 1
Kipp, Knezovich (6), Bowman (8) and Sheets; Marshall, Propst (4) and Danielson.

KENNEWICK, Sept. 5 — The Tri-City Braves walloped Salem again Wednesday night, 14 to 3 with a makeshift Senator lineup contributing five errors to a 17-hit attack.
The drubbing was the second in a row—it was 18 to 4 Tuesday night —and gives the Braves a 4-0 lead in the five-game Western International league series. The crippled Senators had to use an outfield composed entirely of pitchers and they had a bad night in the unfamiliar garden.
Salem ........ 000 010 002— 3 6 5
Tri-City ...... 112 600 31x—14 17 0
Valentine, Linebarger (5) and Martin; Michelson and McKeegan.

Wenatchee ........ 010 050 110—8 14 2
Spokane ............ 003 000 110—7 10 2
Treichel, Blankenship (8) and Neal; Bishop, Curran (5), Holder (9) and Rossi.

ERIC WHITEHEAD’S FAN FARE
[from Daily Province, Sept. 6, 1950]
Well, as a wag once wagged, the frost will soon be on the pumpkin. And along with frosty pumpkins, we will once again be getting that rusty old World Series pitch about the sharpest edges ever honed.
Mel Allen, the eternal voice of the razor blade, will this year be our local contact with such fanciful stuff as ball club championships.
Through the extreme courtesy and kind consideration of our WIL Capilanos, we are this joyous autumn spared the jangled verves and unhealthy excitement of a local pennant chase. And it could be that Mel’s racy account of the pending fall classic will make us all forget that horrible moment way back in the reckless blush of springtime when some of our more dismal citizens were predicting a plague of pennant fever come September.
• • •
Brenner’s impotent (as distinct from “important”) Brownies have at no time this year — for any prolonged spell — either looked or felt sharp enough to pinch-hit for one of Allen’s rustier old razor blades.
On Saturday, the Capilanos wrap up one of the most disappointing campaigns on record and toddle off to their respective winter homes to brood over their scrap-books.
Figured on paper to be individually strong or stronger than any other team in the WIL, the Caps failed dismally to click as a unit. Blessed with the occasional sporadic flashes of good pitching and good hitting, they rarely got the two together.
According to side-line connect, backed up by certain chagrined albeit honest team members, the team’s big sin was a lack of hustle during the gruelling road-stands. More than once, business manager Bob Brown was compelled to come storming onto the scene during certain disastrous road-spells to administer severe “produc-or-else” tongue lashing to his desultory hirelings.
• • •
As that ominious “or else” is very likely to pop up in the form of a complete winter house-cleaning, Bob has to keep the fans happy. They were not happy this year. The Cap lineup that has been practically intact for the past two years is due for a sweeping rebuilding job.
Bluntly, the fans don want Jimmy Robinson back on third or Bob McLean back on first next year, They don’t want any part of a first or second.string catcher with a Bill Heisner .180 batting average, according to a verbal poll whence these facts were gleaned. The fans have turned sour on old guard Charlie Mead, who despite his 19 homers, has this year appeared tired and dispirited.
• • •
The pitching staff, with a fair turn of competent veterans who didn’t get too many breaks, has been unblessed with a crop of rookies who had more “promise” than stuff and control. A year’s mellowing could fix that, and it’s likely that kids like Dick Alvari, Kevin King and Bob Bruenner will be at least hot enough for this ball club next year.
Bob McLean, who hits more like a pitcher than a first-baseman, gets a second change to look more natural tonight as he takes the hill in the last game against Yakima. With a three-hitter already under his belt, the Californian might yet be welcome back in town as a capable hurler.
In the previous, as we said previously, there’s always Mel Allen with that coming Tigers vs. Phillies epic. Yep, I said “Tigers.”
The Bengals will hive the Yanks back to the Indians any day now. I hope.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
3 of Rainiers' Nine Are (Yes!) Those Davises
SEATTLE, Sept. 5 — The Seattle baseball club of the Pacific Coast league made another "initial" investment Wednesday.
The team signed its third gent by the name of Davis.
This one is Orin Davis, a 26-year-old third baseman from Austin, Tex., of the Big State league, where he's been hitting .275. He's a left-handed sticker.
Orin comes here on a 30-day “look” basis and is expected momentarily.
He'll confuse the issue along with pitcher Jim (J.) Davis, and second baseman Tod (T.) Davis in the box scores.

Tuesday, September 5, 1950

2007-09-02T03:22:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Yakima ...... 90 55 .621 —
Tacoma ...... 88 54 .620 ½
Tri-City .... 79 64 .552 10
Wenatchee ... 75 69 .521 14½
Victoria .... 63 82 .434 27
Vancouver ... 60 80 .429 27½
Spokane ..... 60 82 .423 28½
Salem ....... 57 86 .399 32

VANCOUVER, B. C., Sept. 5 — In a contest featured by a mild ninth-inning tangle between the Capilanos’ Sandy Robertson and the visitors’ Bill McCawley, the Yakima Bears moved back into the top of the Western International baseball heap on Tuesday night.
They accomplished this progress by defeating the Caps, 4-3, before a tiny group of patrons huddled in the ancient Stadium which is allegedly seeing its last of baseball this week.
Though the Caps have little to gain from these final games of the 1950 schedule, the series mean plenty to Yakima and the Tacoma Tigers, who lost to Victoria. The American clubs swap opponents on Thursday night and their success against B.C. teams will decide the WIL championship.
The Caps had early foot against the Bears' Ernie Domenichelli. Charlie Mead hit homer number 19 in the second inning and two more runs scored in the third before Yakima start Joe Orengo applied his strategy. With men on second and third and one out, Mead was walked intentionally. Bill Heisner popped meekly to first baseman Jim Westlake in foul territory and Bob McLean struck out.
The same situation prevaioled in the fifth inning. This time, manager Bill Brenner batted for Heisner and hit into an easy trouble play.
Bob Snyder was working on a 3-0 lead for the locals until the sixth inning when Yakima collected three runs off doubles by McCawley and Reno Cheso. Three straight singles in the seventh produced the winner for the Bears.
With two down in the ninth, Dominechelli walked Len Tran and Dick Sinobvic, but pitching president Dewey Soriano came in and retired the side when Jim Keating grounded to second baseman Al Jacinto.
That mild ninth-inning tangle saw Robertson clamp a headlock on McCawley, after the Yakima player had taken umbrage at Sandy’s blocking pivot on a double-play ball (Sandy played shortstop). Nobody was more mildly ruffled but the incident did prove the Yaks are taking that pennant bid quite seriously. No players were ejected.
Yakima ......... 000 003 100—4 9 0
Vancouver .... 012 000 000—3 7 2
Domenichelli, Soriano (9) and Tiesiera; Snyder and Heisner, Brenner (6).

VICTORIA, B. C., Sept. 5—Victoria Athletics knocked Tacoma Tigers out of the Western International league lead and regained fifth place Tuesday night by trouncing the Bengals, 12-5 to take a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.
Tacoma's Bob Kerrigan went into the game seeking two new record. He had won 25 games, 12 of them in a row. A victory would have erased the old marks. Instead, he settled for his seventh setback, as he came back to pitch on two days of rest.
He gave up three hits and one run in each of the first two innings, but couldn't get past the third.
Lou Novikoff and Gene Thompson singled and Jim Moore beat out a neatly-placed bunt. John Hack walked to force in a run and bill Dunn scored another with a line single. Manager Jim Brillheart rushed in Don Carter, who was just as ineffective. The A's blasted him for five more hits and before Hunk Anderson got the side out, nine runs scored. Novikoff hit a double and a single in the big inning and Thompson and Moore each had two singles.
Anderson and Keith Bowman, young righthander who pitched one inning, gave up only one run from there but Aldon Wilkie had no trouble coasting to his tenth win. Wilkie twice lost the lead in the first three innings when Dick Greco, the Tacoma strongman, batted in three runs with his 35th home run and a single. Greco's league-leading runs-batted-in total now stands at 146.

Tacoma ......... 201 101 000— 5 8 1
Victoria ......... 119 001 00x—12 19 2
Kerrigan, Carter (3), Anderson (3), Bowman (8) and Sheets; Wilkie and Ronning.

KENNEWICK, Sept. 5—The Tri-City Braves ran around the bases with monotonous regularity Tuesday night and crushed Salem 18-4 to improve their hold on third place in the Western International League.
Tri-City thus picked up a full game on fourth place Wenatchee which lost 14 to 9 to Spokane.
Salem ........... 000 010 021— 4 6 1
Tri-City ....... 420 119 01x—18 19 0
Tierney, Burak (6) and Beard, Martin (7) ; Frick and McKeegan.

Wenatchee ........ 001 400 004—9 10 1
Spokane ............. 100 035 05x—14 19 2
Ragni, Blankenship (8) and Neal; Aubertin, Yerkes (4) and Rossi.

Glen Stetter Assured Batting Title
TACOMA, Sept. 5—Barring a complete collapse over the final five days of the campaign, Spokane's Glen (Jeep) Stetter seems well on his way toward the Western International League batting championship.
Including the Labor Day games, Stetter had a batting mark of .374, three points higher than a week ago and 11 points in front of his nearest rival, Dick Greco of Tacoma.
Greco had a big week at the plate, collecting 16 hits in 36 times at bat to boost his average six points to .363.
Greco appeared certain to grab the runs-batted-in and home-run honors with 144 RBIs and 34 circuit blows to his credit.

Contract Let For Stadium
VANCOUVER, Sept. 5 Contract for the construction of a new home for Vancouver's Capilanos, a 5,000-seat stadium, was let today to the Commonwealth Construction Co.
The company's tender of $302,688 was the lowest of four bids. It was originally estimated the stadium could be built for $200,000.
Alderman Jack Cornett said terms of the contract with Sick's Capilano Brewery should be revised in the light of the high cost, adding "We would be subject to criticism if we favoured one sport."
A special committee was appointed to negotiate further with the firm.
The grandstand for the new home for the Western International League team will be made of steel and concrete. The contract includes installation of floodlighting.

Monday, September 4, 1950

2007-09-02T02:17:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ...... 88 53 .624 —
Yakima ...... 89 55 .618 ½
Tri-City .... 78 64 .549 10½
Wenatchee ... 75 68 .524 14
Vancouver ... 60 79 .432 27
Victoria .... 62 82 .431 27½
Spokane ..... 59 82 .418 29
Salem ....... 57 85 .401 31½

VICTORIA, The Tacoma-Victoria double-header saw the two teams manufacture a total of 51 hits, four of them home runs. Ted Wenner and Dick Greco smasked four-baggers for Tacoma in teh opening, Ron Gifford in the second. Gene Thompson hit Victoria's lone four-ply clout.
First Game
Tacoma ... 022 000 100— 5 12 2
Victoria .... 026 000 12x—11 12 2
Anderson, Knezovich (6) and Sheets; Smith and Ronning.
Second Game
Tacoma ... 301 301 101—10 14 0
Victoria .... 011 100 030—6 13 0
Loust, Carter (8) and Sheets; Hedgecock, Noyes (4), Brkich (9) and Danielson.

VANCOUVER, Sept. 4—The vancouver Capilanos and Yakima Bears took turns being hitting machines on Monday. The Caps smacked 16 in a 9-3 win in the opener, while the Bears mashed 17 off four Vancouver pitchers in taking the nightcap, 9-1.
Dick Sinovic brought in three teammates with a double in the first game as Vancouver scored five runs in the sixth inning. Bill Brenner hit a two run and Reggie Clarkson swatted a pair of doubles.
Pete Coscarart doubled twice off winning pitcher Carl Gunnarson.
In the opener, young Dick Alvari got only one batter out before he was mauled for three runs on four hits.
Jim Westlake and Jerry Zuvela both doubled twice, as the Bears left 15 runners stranded.
Charlie Mead's single spoiled Lloyd Dickey's shutout bid, as it scored Sandy Robertson, playing shortstop for the Caps, in the sixth.
First Game
Yakima .......... 000 002 001—3 8 1
Vancouver ........ 012 015 00x—9 16 2
Powell and Tornay; Gunnarson and Brenner.
Second Game
Yakima .......... 321 002 001—9 17 0
Vancouver ........ 000 001 000—1 6 4
Dickey and Tiesiera; Alvari, Nicholas (1), Whyte (7), Keating (8) and Heisner.

KENNEWICK, Sharp fielding highlighted the second game between Tri-City and Salem. Seven double plays, four by the Oregonians, cut down the run making as the two clubs matched ten-hit efforts.
Tri-City wrapped up the opener with six runs in the first inning to make Lou McCollum's 20th pitching victory a virtual breeze.
First Game
Salem ........ 210 000 3—6 8 1
Tri-City ...... 611 100 x—9 11 0
Osborn, Whitson (1) and Beard; McCollum and McKeegan.
Second game
Salem ......... 000 010 002—3 10 1
Tri-City ....... 001 001 20x—4 10 1
Lineberger, Costello (7) and Martin; Orrell and McKeegan.

SPOKANE, Wenatchee's Tom Breisinger and Spokane's Jim Holder hooked up the the WIL's best mound duel of the day, with the latter emerging on top despite giving up five hits to Breisinger's four over the seven-inning route.
Wenatchee also topped the hit parade in the second game but scored four of its five runs on errors.
First Game
Wenatchee ....... 000 010 0—1 5 2
Spokane ........... 100 020 x—3 4 0
Breisinger and Neal; Holder and Rossi.
Second Game
Wenatchee ...... 200 000 201—5 14 2
Spokane .......... 100 200 000—3 10 3
Dahle and Billings; Rockey and Rossi.
(game stories unavailable)

Call Ups From WIL
UNDATED, Sept. 4—The Sacramento Solons have recalled Gene Roenspie, 8-7 with the Tri-City Braves this season, and catcher Jim McKeegan. They will report after the Western International League season is finished.
Former Brave Ken Kleasner has been signed by Marysville of the Far West League.
Also recalled by Sacramento are outfielder Dick Faber and Merle Frick. Tey will report next spring.
Paul Spurlock has been recalled by the W.I.L's Vancouver Capilanos from Klamath Falls of the Far West League. He started the season in Vancouver. Former Cap pitcher Bud L. Beasley is back at Reno High School, helping out with the football chores.

Sunday, September 3, 1950

2007-09-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 87 52 .626 —
Yakima ..... 88 54 .620 ½
Tri-City ... 76 64 .543 11½
Wenatchee .. 74 67 .525 14
Vancouver .. 59 78 .431 27
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 27½
Spokane .... 58 81 .417 29
Salem ...... 57 83 .407 30½

YAKIMA, Sept. 3—The Yakima Bears were ousted from first place Sunday night in the Western International league by dividing with Tri-City a baseball doubleheader that ended in a near riot.
Yakima lost the first game 3-1 but rebounded to take the second 8-6.
A series of adverse decisions by the umpire against Yakima resulted in a rain of cushions on the field. Two fans went down on the field and atternpted to attack the umpires but police warded them off.
Police escorted umpires Jerry Mathieu and Gordy Perkins from the field.
No arrests were made.
The outcome of the two games dropped Yakima a hall game behind Tacoma.
Dick Faber hit a homer with two men on for Tri-City in the ninth inning of the second game.
First Game
Tri-City ........ 010 011 0—3 9 1
Yakima ........ 000 001 0—1 5 1
Roenspie and McKeegan; Bradford and Tornay.
Second Game
Tri-City ....... 100 001 004—6 13 1
Yakima ......... 201 001 31x—8 16 1
Nicholas, Stone (2), Olsen (7) and McKeegan; Larner and Tiesiera, Tornay (8).

TACOMA, Sept. 3—The Tacoma Tigers took over the position of first place in the Western International baseball league race here Sunday by sweeping a double-header with the Wenatchee Chiefs, 5-0 and 7-0.
First Game
Wenatchee ...... 000 000 000—0 5 3
Tacoma ........... 003 020 00x—5 6 0
Ferrarase and Neal; Kipp and Sheets.
Second Game
Wenatchee ...... 003 000 2—5 10 3
Tacoma ........... 301 030 x—7 11 1
Treichel, Blankenship (5) and Neal; Conger and Fischer, Sheets (4).

SALEM, Sept. 3 — Spokane's Indians kept Salem in the Western International league cellar here Sunday night by taking the nightcap 10-7 after dropping the opener 4-2 on some scatterarm pitching. The Indians rapped three Senator pitchers for 13 hits to even the series at two games each and maintain their 1½ game edge over the basement dwellers. Jack Curran, who started for Spokane needed help in the seventh to notch the victory.
First Game
Spokane ....... 010 001 0—2 7 0
Salem ........... 030 001 x—4 1 0
Aubertin, Yerkes (2), Roberts (6) and Weatherwax; W. Valentine and Beard.
Second Game
Spokane ....... 000 220 213—10 13 1
Salem ........... 010 000 402— 7 11 4
Curran, Yerkes (7) and Weatherwax; Burak, Lew (6), Woodson (7) and Martin.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

Saturday, September 2, 1950

2007-09-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Yakima ..... 87 53 .621 —
Tacoma ..... 85 52 .620 ½
Tri-City ... 75 63 .543 11
Wenatchee .. 74 65 .532 13
Vancouver .. 59 78 .431 26½
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 27½
Spokane .... 57 80 .416 29
Salem ...... 56 82 .406 30½

YAKIMA, Sept. 2—Yakima's Western International league lead was trimmed to a slim half game Saturday night as the Bears dropped a 10-8 decision to Tri-City.
Tri-City ...... 005 031 001—10 13 11
Yakima ....... 010 231 100—8 12 0
Greenlaw, Michelson (6), Olsen (6) and McKeegan; Powell, Domenichelli (3), Soriano (8) and Tiesiera.

TACOMA, Sept. 2—Bob Kerrigan, Tacoma southpaw, tonight became the second pitcher in Western International League history to win 25 games and the third to capture 12 in a row when he hurled Tigers to a 5-4 decision over the Wenatchee Chiefs.
Ironically, Kerrigan’s mound opponent was Joe Blankenship, who while pitching for Victoria in 1948, hung up the 25-victory record. The standard for consecutive triumphs was also set in 1948 when Spokane’s Frank Nelson turned the trick and the mark was tied earlier this year by Sandy Robertson of Vancouver.
Wenatchee ....... 000 000 004—4 9 3
Tacoma ............ 301 010 00x—5 12 2
Blankenship and Neal; Kerrigan and Sheets.

SALEM, Sept. 2—Spokane's Indians, each day threatened with a fall back into the Western International league cellar Saturday night snared an 8-1 verdict over the basement-dwelling Salem Senators.
The teams close out the Salem home season with a Sunday twin-bill.
Spokane ....... 002 003 102—8 15 1
Salem ............ 100 000 000—1 7 1
Bishop and Weatherwax; McNulty, Lew (6) and Beard, Martin (7).

VICTORIA, Sept. 2 — Vancouver Capilanos slammed back into fifth place in the league standings Saturday night when they completed a Saturday sweep with their second 6-4 victory of the day over Victoria Athletics. The wins were the first for Vancouver at Victoria this season.
Converted infielder Bob McLean won the first game in his second Western International League start on the mound. He pitched a three-hitter, but he walked 11 men and hit another.
Victoria righthander John Marshall, far off form, gave up at least one hit in ever inning and a total of 14 but was deadlocked, 3-3, going into the ninth. Then, a piece of strategy backfired and cost him his 12th defeat in 27 decisions.
With two out, and Ray Tran on second base, Reg Clarkson was intentionally walked to get at Dick Sinovic. The Vancouver outfielder promptly broke it up by hitting a homer over the left centre field fence. Two bases on balls and a hit batsman filled the bases in the Victoria ninth with two out. Bob Snyder came in and walked John Hack to force in the A's fourth run but then induced pinch-hitter Al Ronning to fly out.
In the finale, Bob Bruenner allowed 11 hits, including two triples and a home run by Bob McGuire and doubles by Gene Thompson and Ronning.
Sinovic hit his second three-run homer in the first inning to give Bruenner the leadm but the A's put Jim Propst back in the battle with one run in the first and two in the third. A base on balls, Bill Heisner's first triple and Bruenner's single gave the Caps enough runs to win in the fourth.
First Game
Vancouver ...... 001 100 103—6 14 1
Victoria .......... 102 000 101—4 3 1
McLean, Snyder (9) and Heisner; Marshall and Danielson.
Second Game
Vancouver ...... 300 200 001—6 9 1
Victoria .......... 102 000 001—4 11 1
Bruenner and Heisner; Propst and Ronning.

Friday, September 1, 1950

2007-09-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Yakima ..... 87 52 .626 —
Tacoma ..... 84 52 .618 1½
Tri-City ... 74 63 .540 12
Wenatchee .. 74 64 .536 13
Victoria ... 61 79 .436 27
Vancouver .. 57 78 .422 28½
Spokane .... 56 80 .412 30
Salem ...... 56 81 .409 30½

YAKIMA, Sept. 1—Yakima increased its league lead to a game and a half over Tacoma by defeating Tri-City, 5-3, here Friday night while the Wenatchee Chiefs were trimming the Tigers.
Lloyd Dickey, in registering his 16th win of the season, was wild at the outset of the game and in frequent trouble through the first six frames but gained strength in the last innings to preserve Yakima's lead.
Neil Bryant led the Tri-City attack with three singles in four times at bat.
Tri-City ...... 010 002 000—3 12 0
Yakima ........ 001 012 10x—5 9 0
Frick and McKeegan; Dickey and Tornay.

TACOMA, Sept. 1—Wenatchee defeated Tacoma, 6 to 1, in the opener of their four-game Western International series here Friday night.
Walt Pocekay was the star of Wenatchee's 11-hit attack. He hit a home run with one aboard in the fourth, and also figured in the Chiefs' four-run rally in the sixth.
In that inning Wenatchee made four successive singles, which, with a hit batsman and Red Fischer's' error accounted for the scores.
Tacoma's lone run scored on Dick Wenner's double and Mel Knezovich's single.
Wenatchee ..... 000 204 000—6 11 0
Tacoma .......... 010 000 000—1 4 1
Ragni and Neal; Knezovich, Anderson (8), Carter (9) and Fischer.

SALEM, Sept. 1—A balk called on Spokane relief hurler Hal Yerkes Friday night gave the Salem Senators a 6-5 victory over the Indians in a 13-inning battle which opened the league cellar series between the two clubs.
Manager Alan Strange of the Indians played the game under protest following the arbiter's balk call. Yerkes made a motion to throw to the plate while his third baseman was holding the ball hoping to get an out with the hidden ball trick.
The sacks were loaded in the bottom of the 13th when two out when Spokane attempted to pull the hidden-ball trick. Yerkes made a motion to deliver to the plate but actually the third-sacker had the ball. The balk was called at that point and Bob Goldstein walked in from third to end the tilt.
Spokane ..... 000 103 000 000 1—5 13 1
Salem ........ 301 000 000 000 2—6 3 1
Conant, Yerkes (13) and Weatherwax; Costello and Beard.

VICTORIA, Sept. 1—Three unearned runs in the ninth inning cost Bob Snyder a shut out Friday night as a run in the eleventh game the Vancouver righthander a 4-3 setback as the Victoria Athletics made it two in arrow over the Capilanos. It was the ninth successive loss for the Mainland WIL club in Victoria.
Snyder hadn’t permitted a Victoria runner to get to second base and had only given up four singles when the ninth opened. He had two out and a man on first when Jim Robinson booted a hard grounder from Jim Moore’s bat to put runners on first and second.
John Hack lifted a high fly behind second base and Dick Sinovic just failed to hold it after a long run, he knee hitting his gloved hand just as he made a desperate reach and knocking the ball away.
Two runs scored and Hack went to second to score the tying run when Al Ronning drilled a single to centre field.
A walk to Gene Thompson opened the elevnth inning, who drew a life when no one touched his high foul ball between the plate and first base. Snyder, catcher Bill Brenner and first baseman Charlie Mead converged on the ball but all three stopped when someone yelled "I got it, I got it." It was Jim Hedgecock coaching first base.
Thompson stole second when Jim Moore failed to bunt safely and eventually struck out. Hack was given an intentional walk, but Bill Dunn made the strategy backfire when he grounded a single to left which sent Thompson across with the winning run.
The Caps outhit the A’s, 14-9, but got poor mileage out of their safeties.
Vancouver .... 000 210 000 00—3 14 9 1
Victoria ........ 000 000 003 01—4 9 1
Snyder and Heisner, Brenner (10); Smith, Noyes (9) and Ronning.

Record Mark In Attendance
YAKIMA, Sept 1.—The Western International league series between Yakima and Tacoma produced an all-time record single night turnout and a three-game series attendance mark but actually did not measure up to the crowds at the August, 1949 series at Parker field between the Bears and the Vancouver Capilanos.
Thursday night's record setting assemblage of 4,859 paying patrons boosted the three-night total to 11, 065. The Yakima-Vancouver series extended through four nights and drew 16,140. The attendance for the first three games was 12,095.
"We outdrew almost every Coast League team last night," said president Dewey Soriano.
Total attendance for league games at Parker field through August 31 was 110,221.

Four Caps Recalled by Seattle Suds
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 2, 1950]
Four members of the baseball Capilanos have been recalled by the parent Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League.
Catcher Bill Heisner, outfielders Jim Keating and Dick Sinovic and youthful pitcher Dick Alvari will report to the Rainiers. All will finish out the current WIL campaign with the Caps. Sinovic, unlike the other trio, will join Seattle on September 11 for the balance of the Coast League schedule.

Thursday, August 31, 1950

2007-08-31T23:57:00.006-07:00

W L PCT GB
Yakima ..... 86 52 .623 —
Tacoma ..... 84 51 .622 ½
Tri-City ... 74 62 .544 11
Wenatchee .. 73 64 .533 13
Victoria ... 60 79 .432 27
Vancouver .. 57 77 .425 27½
Spokane .... 56 79 .415 29
Salem ...... 55 81 .404 30½

YAKIMA, Aug. 31 — Yakima's Bears eased into first place in the Western International league by a slim one percentage point when they dropped the erstwhile leaders from Tacoma. 9-5 in a free scoring rubber game here Thursday night. The win gave Yakima the series two games to one.
The game was played before the largest crowd ever to see a baseball game in Yakima. A paid attendance was 4,859.
Tacoma ..... 000 001 310—5 9 0
Yakima ...... 300 050 10x—8 14 0
Knezovich, Anderson (2), Carter (5), Loust (7), Conger (8) and Fischer; Bradford, Powell (7) and Tiesiera.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 31—Veteran Lou McCollum won his 19th Western International league game of the season Thursday night, pitching Tri-City to a 5 to 3 win over the Spokane Indians.
McCollum, who has lost 11, scatered seven Spokane hits, all singles. The win gave the Braves the series, two games to one.
The Braves' Dick Faber broke a 3-3 tie in the seventh with a lusty two-run single off reliefer Jack Curran who came on for Spokane when starter Jim Holder weakened.
Clint Cameron gave the Braves a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a powerful homer.
Spokane ...... 000 001 100—3 7 0
Tri-City ....... 000 120 20x—5 9 1
Holder, Curran (5), Roberts and Rossi, Weatherwax (2); McCollum and McKeegan.

SALEM, Aug. 31—Tom Breisinger muzzled the Salem Senators on three hits Thursday night and also contributed some fancy stick work as the Wenatchee Chiefs roared to a 10-0 victory to make a sweep of the three-game series.
Wenatchee ... 000 144 001—10 12 2
Salem .......... 000 000 000—0 3 2
Breisinger and Neal; Osborn, Woodson (5), Burak (5) Lineberger (6) and Beard.

VICTORIA, Aug. 31—Victoria Athletics spanned a four-game losing streak and moved past Vancouver into fifth place in the WIL standings tonight when they edged the Capilanos before a crowd of 2,000 at Royal Athletic Park.
Marty Krug, Jr. batted in both Victoria runs as Aldon Wilkie, who pitched a no-hit, no-run game against the Caps the last time he faced them, bested rookie Dick Alvari in a well-played mound battle. Krug scored Wilkie with the first run of the game in the third when he bounced out and then lined a double to right centre in the seventh to score Bob McGuire from first and break a 1-1 deadlock.
The A’s made at least one hit in each inning but hit into three double plays. Len Tran picked up two of the six hits allowed by Wilkie to lead Vancouver batters.
Vancouver ...... 010 000 000—1 7 1
Victoria .......... 001 000 10x—2 9 3
Alvari and Brenner; Wilkie and Danielson.

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
(Including games of Wednesday, Aug. 30)

G AB H RBI HR Ave
Stetter, Spo. .... 122 439 162 98 14 .369
Greco, Tac. ...... 134 596 183 139 32 .362
Rossi, Spok. ..... 129 458 154 100 18 .336
McCawley, Yak. .... 92 348 117 68 5 .336
Thompson, Vic. ... 135 510 169 101 23 .331
Clarkson, Van. ... 131 532 175 71 10 .329
Runs batted in—Greco (Tacoma) 139, Warner (Tri-City) 115, Westlake (Yakima) 111, Quinn (Tacoma) 102, Thompson (Victoria) 101.
Home runs—Greco (Tacoma) 32, Thompson (Victoria) 23, Rossi (Spokane) 18, Mead (Vancouver) 18, Warner (Tri-City) 17.
Pitching—Robertson (Vancouver) 12-2, Kerrigan (Tacoma) 24-6, Greenlaw (Tri-City) 8-3, Powell (Yakima) 13-7, Domenichelli (Yakima) 11-6.

Wednesday, August 30, 1950

2007-08-31T23:57:00.005-07:00

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.

Tuesday, August 29, 1950

2007-08-31T23:57:00.003-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 84 49 .632 —
Yakima ..... 84 52 .618 1½
Tri-City ... 73 61 .545 11½
Wenatchee .. 71 64 .526 14
Victoria ... 59 68 .431 27
Vancouver .. 56 76 .424 27½
Spokane .... 55 78 .414 29
Salem ...... 55 79 .410 29½

YAKIMA, Aug. 29—The Tacoma Tigers have a healthier hold on the Western International baseball league lead—thanks to belting Dick Greco and his home run bat. The big outfielder dropped one over the left center field fence at Yakima Tuesday night to break up a tight pitching duel and win the game for the Tigers, 3-2. It increased the Tiger margin over Yakima's Bears to one and one half games—and each team has 14 games left on its schedule before the season winds up next week.
The game was characterized by tight pitching by Tacoma's Boh Kerrigan and Dick Larner of the Bears. They had battled on virtually even terms until Greco lofted the ball over the fence in the eighth inning to break up a 2-all tie. It was Greco's 32nd homer of the season.
Kerrigan had shut out the Bears in all but the fourth inning when he weakened long enough to allow two runs off a triple, a single and a double Tacoma scored single runs in the first and fourth frames.
Tacoma .......... 300 100 010—3-8-1
Yakima .......... 000 200 000—2-6-0
Kerrigan and Sheets; Larner and Tiesiera.

SALEM, Aug. 29—Wenatchee's Davey Dahle tossed a two-hit shut-out while his mates pounded two Salem twirlers for 16 safeties in a 7-0 Western International League game here tonight.
Dahle's two hits were allowed in the first and second innings, after which he handcuffed the Senators.
Wenatchee ..... 100 103 101—7-16-0
Salem ............. 000 000 000—0- 2-4
Dahle and Neal; McNulty, Woodson (7) and Beard.

VANCOUVER [Erwin Swangard, Province, Aug. 30]—Vancouver Capilanos are hopelessly mired in the lower parts of the Western International Baseball League second division but they certainly haven’t lost the zest to win games.
Tuesday night they won one for ace pitcher Sandy Robertson even though veteran Bob Snyder finally received credit for the victory for a superb bit of relief pitching.
But it was Robertson who profited the most by the ninth-inning triumph. Sandy started on his third attempt for victory No. 13 and before he left with but one out in the first inning he had given up five hits, a couple of walks and a sacrifice for a neat 6-0 Victoria lead.
EVEN HEATS
For once luck was with Sandy because lefthander Jim Propst of the Athletics also had a dismal start which permitted the Caps to get three of these runs right back in their half of the first and then went on to load the defeat on an old nemesis, John Marshall.
Kevin King relieved Sandy in the first and forced Bob McGuire to ground into a double play. King left the scene of activity with two away and the bases loaded in the fifth inning and Snyder came in.
Caps had taken a short-live lead in the fourth with a four-run rally as Marshall lost control for three walks and four hits. Athletics got on even terms, however, in the fifth before Snyder erased the threat by making Gene Thompson pop up to Ray Tran at short with the bases loaded.
A’s THREATEN
For a moment it looked as if Athletics would come through in the ninth but Marty Krug popped to Len Tran for an unassisted double play on an attempted squeeze play. Len caught his low pop fly to the right of the mound and raced to third from his second base position for the double killing.
Len carried right on by singling in Reg Clarkson with the winner in the bottom half of the ninth.
The comeback protected Robertson’s position as the WIL’s leading pitcher with a 12-2 record. Tacoma’s Bob Kerrigan is second with a 24-6 and Cy Greenlaw of Tri-City third with 8-2. Dewey Soriano, pitching president of Yakima Bears has won six games without defeat but must with two more before qualifying as a regular.
John Hack of the A’s was thumbed out of the game in the fourth inning for throwing the ball into left field during an argument over a close play.
Caps finish off their latest home stand with a game against Athletics tonight and then move over the Island for the rest of the week. They return to Cap Stadium for their last week opening with a twin bill against Yakima on Labor Day. Jim Robinson leaves the club at the end of this week. Sandy will make his first trip of the season by going to Victoria this week.
Victoria ......... 600 010 000—7-11-0
Vancouver .... 300 400 001—8-11-0
Propst, Marshall (1) and Danielson; Robertson, King (1), Snyder (5) and Brenner.

KENNEWICK, Aug 30 (Herald)—All the 'ohs' and 'ahs' at Sanders Field last night didn't go to the Tri-City Braves in their 7-3 victory over Spokane. There were nearly 1200 of the fair sex glued to the stands for the half-hour fashion show which preceded the three-game series opener.
And the Ladies Night jam of 3,219 also got a demonstration of the latest fashion in hitting when the Braves belted two Indian pitchers for six runs on four hits. This eighth inning revolulion drove starter Dick Aubertin from the hill and gave reliever John Conant a one-two punch.
Jim McKeegan filling in for hospitalized Nick Pesut behind the plate, had the best transformation of the evening. McKeegan got the 'collar' from Aubertin three times running, once, without the red-head moving the bat from his shoulder. But apparently enough was too much of a good thing decided McKeegan. When Conant came on the scene with tha bases loaded the young backstop promptly unload a double down the left field line to score two runs.
STONE WINS 10TH
Dick Stone, who had come to the relief of starter Gene Roenspie on the Brave mound in the eighth, then rifled a single through the box that drove in the winning run. The plate clearer also gave Stone his 10th victory of the season against six losses.
Al Spaeter, Brave second baseman who had set the hitting mode most of the evening, followed Stone with a single. It was Spaeter's third blow of the night. Jim Warner added the coup de grace grace with a scorching double that drove in Stone and Spaeter for the final runs of the game.
The Indians had a 2-1 edge until the bottom fell out in the last of the eighth. They scored their first run in the fifth on a single and three walks, the last of which permitted Leon Mohr to amble in from third.
Jim Wert's double in the eighth scored Joe Rossi who had singled. And in the ninth, hitless Glen Stetter broke the spell by pounding a double off Stone and off the scoreboard to chase Edo Vanni home.
Stone took over from Roenspie with two on in the eighth and walked the first man to face him to load the bases. But Stone then forced Aubsrtin to fly out to Warner to end the inning. The big right-handed slider ace ended the game in true style by striking out Frank Matoh.
Roenspie had a good game going most of the way. But he lost his touch in the fifth to walk three and weakened again in the eighth when Spokane found him for two singles and doubles.
Young McKeegan aced his rival catcher, Spokane's Joe Rossi, with a neat bit of strategy in the second stanza. Rossi's ground ball to Neil Bryant, Brave third baseman, went into the dirt on the throw to first and back to the fence. Rossi pounded his way to second while McKeegan chased down the ball. Then Rossi gambled on making third and the Brave catcher rifled the ball to Bryant to nail him.
Spokane ....... 000 010 011—3-10-2
Tri-City ........ 001 000 06x—7- 8-1
Aubertin, Conant (8) and Rossi; Roenspie, Stone (8) and McKeegan.

Paces League Caps' Hurler
TACOMA, August 30—Without lifting a hand, Vancouver's Sandy Robertson retained his Western International league pitching lead last week—by reason of the fact he doesn't accompany the Capilanos on road trips, his season's record, remained stationary at 12-2.
Meanwhile, however, Tacoma's Bob Kerrigan achieved his 22nd and 23rd victories during the week, to pull within shouting distance of a couple of W-I records—total triumphs (25) set in 1948 by Joe Blankenship, then with Victoria, and consecutive wins (12), established in 1948 by Frank Nelson of Spokane and tied this year by Robertson.
Ten in Row
When Kerrigan notched No. 22 by holding Victoria to five hits for a 2-1 decision and got credit for No. 23 as he appeared in relief and threw just one pitcn Sunday against Vancouver, he had won 10 in a row for the second time during the current campaign.
Kerrigan's 23-6 record for the season put him in second place percentage-wise behind Robertson. Dewey Soriano, Yakima's pitching prexy, has won six without a defeat but needs a couple of additional victories to qualify as a regular.
Lloyd Dickey, Yakima's southpaw strikeout artist, kept his league lead in the whiff department by fooling seven additional batsmen to bring his total to 197.
High, Wide, Wobbly
Don Ferrarese, Wenatchee fork-hander, issued five more bases on balls for a season's aggregate of 193, which happens to be a new league record Wiping out the old mark of 186 set in 1941 by Claude Williams of Wenatchee. Actually Ferrarese had gained possession of his doubtful distinction a week ago when his total reached 188, but his all-time high for tossing 'em high, low and wide previously escaped detection.
W L SO Pct
Robertson, Van. ..... 12 2 48 .857
Kerrigan, Tac. ...... 23 6 105 .793
Greenlaw, T-C ........ 8 2 38 .727
Powell, Yak. ........ 13 7 77 .650
Larner, Yak. ........ 16 9 99 .640
McCollum, T-C ....... 19 11 94 .633
Ragni, Wen. ......... 17 10 141 .630
Domenichelli, Yak. .. 10 6 50 .625
Bradford, Yak. ...... 13 8 133 .619
Knezovich, Tac. ..... 14 9 82 .609
Marshall, Vic. ...... 15 10 159 .600
Dickey, Yak. ........ 15 10 197 .600
Stone, T-C ........... 9 6 39 .600

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from column of Aug. 30/50]

The loss of catcher Nick Pesut to the Tri-City Braves climaxes a season of off and on injuries that has plagued the club since opening day. Pesut will be out for the balance of the season, which means Jim McKeegan will be pulling a full time stint behind the plate. Pesut was out once before during the season when he split a finger.
The absence of the big first string catcher is certain to hurt the Braves, It isn't that McKeegan isn't a good catcher. He is. But he lacks the experience and know-how that Pesut has gained. Pesut's big value isn't just in his knowledge of the other team's hitters. It's also in his ability to handle his own pitchers. Rated on this one point alone, Nick is considered to be the finest backstop in the entire league by many players, and many of the umpires.
Also, taking Nick out of the lineup at this point of the season is going to mean the loss of a left-handed hitter when the Braves will be going against right-handed hurlers most of the rest of way in. Currently, Pesut has been hitting right at the .390 mark and has always been near that point or above.
ONLY TWO UNINJURED
Should the Braves fall from third to fourth when the season's games are finished, much of the loss can he charged to losing Pesut. And as far as that goes if the Braves hadn't been hit by such a continual rash of injuries during the season they might well be in first place. Of today's present starting lineup only two, Jim Warner and Buddy Peterson, have not been out of the lineup because of illness, or illness in the family. That in itself ought to set some kind of a record for a W.I.L. club.

Monday, August 28, 1950

2007-08-31T23:57:00.001-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 83 49 .629 —
Yakima ..... 84 51 .622 ½
Tri-City ... 72 61 .541 11½
Wenatchee .. 70 64 .522 14
Victoria ... 59 77 .434 25
Vancouver .. 55 76 .419 26½
Spokane .... 55 77 .417 27
Salem ...... 55 78 .414 27½

VANCOUVER, [Erwin M. Swangard, Province, Aug. 29]—Among the more reasonably happy people in Vancouver Monday night was George Nicholas, the handsome righthander of the Vancouver Capilanos of the Western International Baseball League.
George is actually considered one of the league’s best pitchers yet by scoring a 6-3 victory over the Victoria Athletics Nicholas’ win-defeat count for the season reached an even 15-15.
That, of course, doesn’t look a bit impressive but it actually is when one considers that Nicholas lost nine games by one-run margins. Of the nine three were 1-0. In addition he lost another three games by shutouts.
NEEDS BACKING
Or, as Manager Bill Brenner put it when Nick recently lost 1-0 on a three-hitter to Victoria, “When are we going to give Nick some runs?”
Well, Monday night the Caps did give Nicholas a working margin all the way and George went along fairly smoothly. He got into a couple of minor jams but bore down to erase all but two threats. Lou Novikoff homered with one aboard in the fifth and Nicholas got into another in the seventh when Nick lost control temporarily with two out to walk the “Mad Russian” and Gene Thompson, and then yielded a single to Jim Moore.
Meanwhile the Caps managed some potent run-getting of their own. With one away in the first, Ray Tran and Reg Clarkson made first on successive errors to shortstop Bill Dunn. Ray scored on a double steal and Reg came home when burly Jim Keating belted one of Ronnie Smith’s Sunday pitches over the left-field fence.
BOTH FENCES
Caps followed it up with some long distance hitting in the sixth. Charlie Mead homered over the right field fence with one away and just to show that they weren’t playing favorites, Len Tran followed him to the plate and homered over the left field fence. Another insurance run came in the seventh which Jim Robinson opened with his third successive single and scored on Ray Tran’s infield single, a fielder’s choice and Dick Sinovic’s long fly ball to centre field.
Tonight, it’s Victoria again and lanky Sandy Robertson will make his third try for victory No. 13. The two teams meet Wednesday at Cap Stadium and then transfer their struggle to keep out of the league basement to Victoria for the rest of the week.
Caps, of course, are definitely out of the running for any honors. Yet, ironically, they can very well decide the league championship. Tacoma Tigers and Yakima Bears, engaged in a bitter struggle for the title, will play four games each here next week. Caps thus can make or break either.
Victoria ........ 000 020 100—3-13-2
Vancouver ... 300 002 10x—6-11-1
Smith and Ronning; Nicholas and Brenner.

Marriage And a New Job Lure Robinson From Caps
[Vancouver Daily Province, Aug. 29, 1950]
November theme song: “The Bells are Ringing . . . for Jim and His Gal . . .”
Right in tune will be Capilano third-baseman James Robinson and Vancouver’s Miss Dianne Addington. They render a chorus of ‘I Do’s’ shortly and then head blithely for a life of happy-ever-after.
Jim will hie his lovely brunette bride swiftly off to the hinterlands of Washington State—where, at Adna High School, he will take up his new post as teacher of history and English and coach the prep baseball and basketball teams.
The newly-assigned job nets the Cap infielder $3800 per annum, and as the school term runs from May 28 to September, he will be free to play in any pro ball in the summer months. Robinson has a masters degree, and is a native Tacoma.

ONLY GAME SCHEDULED

TACOMA, Aug. 29-Glen (Jeep) Stetter, stocky Spokane outfielder seems destined to become the first Western International league batsman to wear the loop hitting crown twice.
With only two weeks remaining in the season, the Indians outfielder held a 14-point bulge over his nearest competitor, figures released today by the league office here disclosed. Stetter won his first title back in 1946 when he clubbed the ball at a .366 clip for Wenatchee, and this season he is bettering that through games of Sunday, August 27.
Dick Greco, the Tacoma bridegroom, continued in the runnerup slot with .357, one. point off his pace of last week, while Bill McCawley, Yakima outfielder, trailed in third place with .343.
Greco, however, continued his mastery in the two other important divisions of the hit chase. His home run production was upped by on to 31 for the top mark while Gene Thompson, Victoria outfielder, was next with 23.
The big Tacoma right fielder also stretched his lead in the runs batted in department, knocking seven mates across the plate during the week to raise his total of 138 for the season. Jim Warner of the Tri-City was second with 112, while Jim Westlake, Yakima third baseman was third with 111.
Averages of top 20 hitters who have appeared in 85 or more games thrugh Sunday, Aug 27th.
AB H RBI Ave
Stetter, Spokane .. 429 159 95 .371
Greco, Tacoma ..... 498 178 138 .357
McCawley, Yakima .. 338 116 67 .343
Rossi, Spokane .... 449 150 99 .334
Thompson, Vic. .... 497 163 99 .328
Clarkson, Van. .... 520 169 69 .325
Warner, Tri-City .. 491 159 112 .324
Vanni, Spokane .... 413 132 58 .320
Quinn, Tacoma ..... 518 163 101 .315
Gifford, Tacoma ... 460 145 64 .315
Hjelmaa, Wen. ..... 475 149 71 .314
Ragni, Wen. ....... 255 80 46 .313
Cheso, Yakima ..... 461 144 93 .312
Cameron, T-C ...... 373 116 74 .311
Zuvella, Yak. ..... 270 84 56 .311
Fracchia, Wen. .... 477 147 83 .308
Mohr, Spokane ..... 401 123 41 .307
Bryant, T-C ....... 483 146 82 .302
Sinovic, Van ...... 398 120 75 .302
A. Spaeter, T-C ... 557 167 400 .300

Sunday, August 27, 1950

2007-08-31T23:56:00.005-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 83 49 .629 —
Yakima ..... 84 51 .622 ½
Tri-City ... 72 61 .541 11½
Wenatchee .. 70 64 .522 14
Victoria ... 59 76 .437 24½
Vancouver .. 54 76 .415 27
Spokane .... 55 77 .417 27
Salem ...... 55 78 .414 27½

TACOMA, Aug. 27—Tacoma regained the lead in the sizzling Western International league pennant race by defeating the Vancouver Capilanos in both ends of a double-header here Sunday, 8-2 and 3-2.
The Tacomans sewed up the first game in the fourth inning after going hitless the first three frames. A homer by Dick Wenner drove in two men. The Tigers added four more unnecessary tallies in the seventh and another in the eighth. Vancouver scored in the fourth and ninth. The final tally was a homer by Charley Mead his 15th of the season.
A single pitch gave Bob Kerrigan, Tacoma southpaw, his 23rd victory of the season in the second game. Kerrigan came into the game to relieve Dick Conger with two out, the bases loaded and the score tied at 2-all.
Vancouver's Jim Robinson grounded out to the mound on Kerrigans first toss. Tacoma then added a game-winner on two singles and an infield error.
First Game
Vancouver .. 000 100 001—2 8 1
Tacoma ..... 000 300 41x—8 6 11
Alvari, King (7) and Heisner; Knezovich and Fischer.
Second Game
Vancouver ... 000 010 1—2 5 1
Tacoma ...... 100 010 1—3 9 1
McLean and Heisner; Kerrigan (7) and Sheets.

YAKIMA, Aug. 27 — Yakima battered ex-major leaguer Aldon Wilkie from the box Sunday night with a 10-hit barrage that was good for eight runs in two innings to take the nightcap, 10-5. Victoria won the opener, 2-0.
Wilkie was driven to the showers in the second inning of the nightcap after scoring five times in the first frame and three more in the second. Ten of Yakima's 15 hits were gained off Wilkie. The A's used three pitchers in stemming the Yakima attack, which added two more runs in the eighth.
Victoria threatened with two runs in the third inning and three more in the seventh but couldn't follow through.
Victoria and Yakima collected only five hits each in their opening tilt but Victoria bunched three of its safeties in the fifth inning to score twice and sew up the game.
A homer by left fielder Gene Thompson coupled with a double by shortstop Bill Dunn, a wild pitch and a single by catcher Hal Danielson accounted for two tallies.
First Game
Victoria ..... 000 020 0—2 5 0
Yakima ...... 000 000 0—0 5 0
Marshall and Danielson; Dickey and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Victoria ..... 002 000 300—5 12 0
Yakima ...... 530 000 02x—10 15 0
Wilkie, Noyes (2), Brkich (8) and Ronning; Powell and Tornay.

WENATCHEE, Aug, 27—The Wenatchee Chiefs broke a nine-game losing streak here Sunday night by edging the Tri-City Braves 4-3 in the second game of a Western International league doubleheader.
Tri-City pitcher Merle Frick threw a bunt away in the ninth with two men on base and the winning Wenatchee run crossed plate.
The Braves took the opening contest, 9-2, with a five-run first inning salting the game away. In the nightcap, Wenatchee southpaw Jay Ragni scattered eight hits to hang up his 17th win of the season against 10 losses.
First Game
Tri-City .......... 510 100 2—9 16 2
Wenatchee ..... 020 000 0—2 7 0
McCollum and Pesut; Ferrarese and Neal.
Second Game
Tri-City .......... 010 020 000—3 8 4
Wenatchee ..... 000 200 011—4 9 0
Frick and Pesut; Ragni and Billings.

SPOKANE, Aug. 27—Spokane's bottom-bumping Indians dumped Salem on Sunday, 15-6 and 10-1, to trade positions with the Senators.
The Spokane nine concentrated its heavy guns on Salem in the second and fifth innings of their opening game. All 12 Indian hits were gained in those innings as they scored seven runs in the second and eight in the fifth frames.
Two runs in the opening inning clinched the second fracas but the Indians added six in the second, one in the sixth and another in the eighth inning fourth frame.
First Game
Salem ....... 300 011 1—6 8 3
Spokane .... 070 080 x—13 12 21
Costello, Tierney (2), Woodson (5) and Beard; Conant and Rossi.
Second Game
Salem ....... 000 100 000— 1 9 2
Spokane .... 260 001 01x—10 14 0
Osborne, Lew (2) and Martin; Bishop and Rossi.

Chiefs May Lose Third Baseman
WENATCHEE, Wash., Aug. 28 (UP) — The question of whether Don Fracchia hold down his Wenatchee third base slot Tuesday was up in the air today.
General Manager George Clark was reported in contact with Western International League basball president Robert Abel about Fracchia's status. The third sacker was notified Friday that he would be suspended indefinitely without pay, effective Thursday, for failure to pay several fines assessed against him this season.
Clark was trying to determine if payment of the fines before Tuesday would nullify the suspension. The Chiefs are shorthanded from injuries, and Fracchia's loss would be a hard blow.

Saturday, August 26, 1950

2007-08-31T23:56:00.003-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 81 49 .623 —
Yakima ..... 82 51 .617 ½
Tri-City ... 71 60 .542 10½
Wenatchee .. 69 63 .523 13
Victoria ... 59 74 .444 22½
Vancouver .. 54 74 .421 25
Salem ...... 55 76 .420 25½
Spokane .... 53 77 .408 27

TACOMA, Aug. 26—The Vancouver Capilanos snapped a nine-game losing streak Saturday with a 6-2 win at Tacoma on Saturday.
Rookie Bob Bruenner snapped the Tigers' eight-game winning skein by hurling a six hitter.
Vancouver .... 301 010 001—6 10 0
Tacoma ......... 000 002 000—2 6 4
Breunner and Heisner; Loust, Anderson (1), Carter (8) and Sheets.

YAKIMA, Aug, 26—The Yakima Bears moved into a one-percentage point lead in the torrid Western International League pennant race by edging Victoria Athletics, 5-4, Saturday night. Tacoma fell into a runner-up spot by losing to Vancouver.
Yakima’s victory was its eighth in a row and the setback was the fourth straight for the A’s on the road. Yakima President Dewey Soriano came to the rescue of Bob Bradford in the ninth and fanned Lou Novikoff with the tying and winning runs on third and second to preserve the triumph.
Before walking the first two men in the ninth, Bradford had contributed three hits himself, batted in the first two Bears runs and kept the A’s away from the plate except in the fifth. In that inning, a hit batter, two singles, and Novikoff’s double accounted for three runs.
Victoria ....... 000 030 001—4 9 1
Yakima ....... 021 200 00x—5 11 1
Hedgecock and Danielson; Bradford, Soriano (9) and Tornay.

SPOKANE, Aug. 26—Home runs by Glen Stetter and Joe Rossi sparked the Spokane Indians as they made a move towards vacating the cellar by downing the seventh-place Senators, 7-2.
Salem ........000 001 001—2 8 0
Spokane ... 100 005 10x—7 10 3
Burak, Valentine (6) and Beard, Martin (7); Holder and Rossi.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 26—Tri-City Braves lengthened their third-place margin over Wenatchee by handing the Bears their eighth straight setback, 9-3.
Relief pitcher Ken Michelson, who came in with the Braves trailing 9-6 in the seventh, doubled home the tying and winning runs in the midst of a five-run Tri-City rally in the eighth.
Tri-City 013 000 250—11 9 1
Wenatchee 060 030 000—9 17 4
Orrell, Stone (2), Michelson (7) and Pesut; Breisinger, Dahle (8), Treichel (9) and Neal.

HEWINS Fragments
By Jack Hewins (AP Seattle Bureau)
TACOMA FRANCHISE SECURE
SEATTLE, Aug. 27—All hands connected with the Tacoma baseball club, plus Western International league prexy Bob Abel says the city is in no danger of losing its team (Those old rumors keep cropping up that one or three WIL clubs will move to Canada and the newest whisper concerned Tacoma's Tigers.
WILfan: Tacoma lasted through 1951 in the league.

Friday, August 25, 1950

2007-08-31T23:56:00.001-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 81 48 .651 —
Yakima ..... 82 50 .621 ½
Tri-City ... 70 60 .538 11½
Wenatchee .. 69 62 .527 13
Victoria ... 58 74 .439 24½
Salem ...... 55 75 .423 26½
Vancouver .. 53 74 .417 27
Spokane .... 52 77 .403 29

WENATCHEE, Wash., Aug. 25—The Tri-City Braves stretched their Western International league third place to a game and one-half by defeating the fourth-place Wenatchee Chiefs, 9 to 3 here Friday night. It was the seventh loss in a row for Wenatchee.
Tri-City ............ 200 700 000—9 15 0
Wenatchee ....... 001 000 002—3 10 1
Nicholas and Pesut; Dahle, Treichel (4) and Neal.

Salem ......... 101 200 004— 8 10 0
Spokane ..... 000 000 100—1 5 2
McNulty and Beard; Yerkes, Aubertin (6), Curran (9) and Weatherwax.

YAKIMA, Aug. 25—Yakima’s second-place Bears kept pace with the pace-setting Tacoma Tigers by trouncing Victoria 13-5 Friday night in a Western International Baseball League series opener.
Two wild Victoria pitchers—starter Jim Propst and his relief Aldon Wilkie—gave up eight runs to the Bears in the first two innings on three hits, seven walks and two hit batters. Propst walked five batters and Wilkie two. Both hit batsmen. Warren Noyes, third Victoria hurler, held the Bears in check except in the sixth when three hits produced four runs.
Rookie Bob McGuire and Lou Novikoff hit homers for Victoria, their second and 11th respectively. McGuire also hit a double and single and drove in two Victoria runs.
Frank Mascaro led the Yakima attack, batting in six runs with two singles and a double.
Victoria .......... 011 101 100— 5 8 0
Yakima .......... 260 104 00x— 13 9 2
Propst, Wilkie (2), Noyes (3) and Ronning; Domenichelli and Tiesiera.

TACOMA, Aug. 25—A six-hit pitching job by southpaw Tom Kipp, supported by some long-distance clouting which included Dick Greco’s 31st home run of the season, and another round-tripper by Sol Israel, gave onrushing Tacoma Tigers their eighth consecutive victory and their nineteenth in 21 starts as they defeated Vancouver Capilanos 8-1 in a Western International Baseball League series opener Friday night.
Capilanos bunched three of their hits to register their lone tally, and the uprising might have gone further but for Greco’s perfect throw to the plate to complete a double play after catching a fly ball to his sector with one out and the bases loaded.
Ronnie Gifford opened the Tacoma fourth with a single for the first hit off Vancouver’s Bob Snyder, whereupon Greco belted his four-bagged deep into “Greco’s Garden,” that fenced off section of centre field some 395 feet from the plate in the Tacoma park.
Vancouver ...... 001 000 000 — 1 6 1
Tacoma ........... 000 330 11x— 8 9 0
Snyder, King (5) and Heisner; Kipp and Sheets.

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
By The Associated Press
(includes games of Thursday, Aug. 24)

G AB H RBI HR Ave.
Stetter, Spokane .. 117 419 154 88 12 .368
Greco, Tacoma ..... 128 487 174 132 30 .357
McCawley, Yak. ..... 86 327 110 65 5 .336
Rossi, Spokane .... 123 437 145 94 17 .332
Vanni, Spokane ..... 96 391 127 52 3 .325
Thompson, Vic. .... 128 482 156 97 22 .324
Warner, Tri-City .. 127 472 153 106 16 .324
Home runs (top five)—Greco, Tacoma, 30; Thompson, Victoria, 22; Rossi, Spokane, 17; Warner, Tri-City, 16; Mead, Vancouver, 15.
Runs batted in (top five)—Greco, Tacoma, 132; Westlake, Yakima, 110; Warner, Tri-City, 106; Quinn, Tacoma, 99; Thompson, Victoria, 97.
Pitching (top five)—Robertson, Vancouver, 12-2; Kerrigan, Tacoma, 22-6; Kipp, Tacoma, 6-2; Greenlaw, Tri-City, 8-3; Larner, Yakima, 16-9; Powell, Yakima, 12-7.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Three Minor Loop Hurlers Toss Perfect Games
New York, Aug. 26—(AP)—Three minor league pitchers hurled no-hit, no-run games last night, one registering the second perfect game of his career.
Dan Stephens, a 20-year-old lefthander, pitched Omaha to a 5-0 victory over Denver in the Western league for his second no-hitter. He hurled the first one in 1947 for Albany, Ga., of the Georgia-Florida league. Stephens walked three.
Righthander Higgins Duncan of Douglas, Pa., retired 27 men in order in defeating Fitzgerald, 4-0, in the Georgia State league. He struck out 13.
Tony Segzda pitched York, Pa., to a 6-0 victory over Sunbury in the Interstate league. The 21-year-old righthander gave up two walks.
WILfan note: Someone at AP should learn what the difference is between a no-hitter and a perfect game. If you walk someone, or allow any baserunner, it's not a perfect game. The second contest was one.

Thursday, August 24, 1950

2007-08-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 80 48 .625 —
Yakima ..... 81 50 .618 ½
Tri-City ... 69 60 .535 11½
Wenatchee .. 69 61 .531 12
Victoria ... 58 73 .443 23½
Vancouver .. 53 73 .421 26
Salem ...... 54 75 .419 26½
Spokane .... 52 76 .406 28

TACOMA, Aug. 24—With the Western International league's winningest pitcher and swattingest outfielder, Tacoma is going to be a might hard to head off in the remaining two-plus weeks of the season. The combine of hurler Bob Kerrigan and slugger Dick Greco worked to perfection Thursday night as the Tigers knocked off Victoria twice 2-1 and 5-3, stretching their percentage point lead over Yakima to a half game.
Kerrigan gave the Athletics only five hits in the seven-inning opener to mark up his 22nd victory against six defeats.
MARRIED AT PLATE
Married in front of “Greco Gardens” before the first game, Greco, who leads the league in home runs, hits, total bases and runs batted in, celebrated by batting in the winning run in the first game and scoring the untying run in the nightcap. The new Mrs. Greco is the former Evelyn Moore of Victoria, who must have watched the proceedings with mixed feelings.
Ron Smith was once more a tough-luck loser in the opener, dropping his seventh decision by one run when Greco singled in the clincher in the last inning. It was his 32nd one-run defeat handed the A’s, four of them by the Tigers.
John Marshall lost his tenth game trying for his 15th triumph in the nine-inning finale. The big righthander can blame himself for the setback, walking three men who later scored and starting Tacoma’s winning eight-inning rally by passing the first two Tiger hitters.
The A’s scored single runs in the first and second innings with Lou Novikoff and Marshall driving in Bob McGuire and Bill Dunn. A walk, a double by Mike Catron and a triple by Sol Israel made it 2.2 in the third.
A’s TAKE LEAD
Jim Moore’s triple and an outfield fly by Dunn put the A’s ahead in the fourth and they held their margin until the eighth. After Marshall had opened by walking Ron Gifford and Greco, Junior Krug messed up Wimpy Quinn’s ground ball and the Tigers had the sacks loaded with no one out. Orrin Snyder plated one run with a single and Jose Bache drove in Greco and Quinn with another one-base shot.
The A’s just missed tying it up in the ninth when Krug and Novikoff failed to reach “Greco Gardens” with long pokes with two runners on the bags.
The setbacks mathematically eliminated Victoria from the pennant race and moved the Tigers a half-game ahead of the Yakima Bears.
First Game
Victoria ............. 010 000 0—1-5-1
Tacoma ............ 010 000 1—2-7 0
Smith and Ronning; Kerrigan and Sheets.
Second Game
Victoria .......... 110 100 000—3-7-1
Tacoma .......... 002 000 03x—5-6-1
Marshall and Danielson; Knezovich, Anderson (5), Carter (8) and Fischer.

YAKIMA, Aug. 24—The Yakima Bears slugged Wenatchee 9-1 Thursday night.
Yakima was virtually handed its tilt as the Chiefs making five infield miscues good for as many unearned runs. The victor's Dick Larner gave up only six hits and shortstop Pete Coscarart singled four times in five trips to pace the win. Yakima swept the three game series.
Yakima ............... 200 103 021—9-11-1
Wenatchee ......... 000 000 100—1- 6-5
Larner and Tiesiera; Ragni and Neal.

SPOKANE, Aug. 25 (Herald)—The Tri-City Braves were pretty much in the same position as an empty guest house today. There was hardly a pitcher left to go. Last night the Braves sent four hurlers to the mound to stop the thunder of the Spokane bats. The night before they had used three in losing, and last night, it was the same song, second chorus to the tune of 15.
Ward Rockey went all the way for the Indians. It was Cy Greenlaw on the hill for the Braves when the game opened, Dick Stone came on in the fourth, and was followed by Jim Olsen in the sixth. Ken Michelson came on in the seventh to finish out the game. Stone was charged with the loss, his sixth of the year against nine victories.
The losers had their best inning in the third when they counted four times 10 move out in front, the only time they led in the game. A three-run error by Leon Mohr, Spokane second baseman. after two were out started the Braves scoring spree. Mohr bobbled an infield roller hit by Clint Cameron. Neil Bryant then hit a sharp single through Mohr to score Cameron. But Spokane retaliated by pulling the same stunt of scoring four runs in the bottom of the third after two were out.
Ken Michelson gave up a pair of triples when he took over the hill job in the seventh. But the young right hander settled down after that and silenced the Indians.
The Braves open a four-game stand against Wenatchee tonight. The series could easily decide which team is going to
wind up in third place in the 1950 race.
Tri-City .......... 004 201 001— 8-10-1
Spokane .......... 104 304 30x—15-18-4
Greenlaw, Stone (3), Olsen (6), Michelson (7) and Pesut; Rockey and Weatherwax.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 24—Salem nipped Vancouver twice by 3-2 scores on Thursday.
Salem got its twin win the hard way, bunching three of its four hits off Bud Beasley in the third inning of the opener for two runs and combining five of its nine blows in the nightcap's sixth frame for three tallies. Two walks and and an error gave the Oregon runs their other run in the opener. John Tierney was credited with the nightcap triumph his first victory in nearly two months.
First Game
Vancouver ........... 100 100 0—2-10-1
Salem ................. 102 000 x—3-4-1
Beasley and Heisner; Costello and Beard.
Second Game
Vancouver ...... 000 002 000—2-8-0
Salem ............ 000 003 00x—3-9-0
Nicholas and Heisner, Brenner (3); Tierney, Osborn (8) and Martin.

INSIDE STUFF
Ty Cobb, Reno State Journal Sports Editor [from Aug. 25/50]
YAKIMA has been sending S.O.S. signs for Reno's star southpaw pitcher. Pat Monahan. He has been with the Silver Sox on option from the Western International League (Class B) team, and had a 12-7 record with Reno at this writing. Yakima, only a game out of first place in the WIL, lost its only southpaw [Ted Savarese] when the S. F. Seals decided to recall a lefty optionee. Reno doesn't want to part with Irish Patrick, naturally, and the contract does not stipulate any immediate recall term. On the other hand, Yakima and the Seals seem a fine source of future talent for the local independent club and it would behoove the Renos to stay on good terms with them. A recall means a little chunk of dough to the local club, too.
Two other Silver Sox players are optionees from other clubs, but will not be recalled before the season's end. One is Marv Diercks, tall outfielder with a magnificent throwing arm and a .300 batting average. He belongs to Salem of the Western International League, which is connected with Portland of the PCL.
First baseman Ed Whitney is owned by Bakersfield of the California League, of the Cleveland Indians' system. The latter have quite a bit of faith in Whitney's future and felt that he'd start rolling if he played steadily where he could develop.
Bud Beasley had a heart-breaker last night in what is probably his season's last start for Vancouver in the WIL, since he has to return to Reno High teaching chores in a few days. Threw a seven-inning four-hitter at Salem, but lost 3-2, although his teammates picked up 10 blows.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald News Editor [from Aug. 25/50]
The Tri-City Braves already have their eyes on a catcher for the 1968 baseball teams. It's the young son born to Mr. and Mrs. Nick Pesut yesterday. The Braves big catcher had been eagerly anticipating this event and particularly so the past few days. In fact he practically wore a path between where ever he was sitting and the nearest telephone booth. It's their first child.
Greco Gardens in Tacoma was the scene of a wedding last night. On the bridegrooms side was the slugging outfielder of the Tacoma Tigers for which the Garden was named. His bride was Miss Evelyn Moore, Victoria, B. C. and a sister of Jim Moore, infielder of the Athletics. Judge Hugh Rosellini of the Pierce County Superior Court, performed the ceremony. Local fans and merchants solved the newlyweds' furnishing problem. They supplied the couple with a complete houseful of furniture and appliances.
HERE'S A NIFTY
Mentioning better than average quotes brings to mind one we were told the other day. It happened when Edo Vanni, now with Spokane, was still playing ball for Victoria. If you've seen Vanni in action you'll recall that he can come up with quite a beef when he thinks he ump has called a bad one on him.
Well that was the situation this night out at Sanders Field. Vanni was jawing away and suddenly this fan cut loose. “That's right Vanni, you tell him. They can't do that to you. Tell him off Edo, don't let him get away with that. Besides the cherry crop is coming in pretty soon.”

Wednesday, August 23, 1950

2007-08-31T19:35:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 78 48 .619 —
Yakima ..... 80 50 .615 —
Tri-City ... 69 59 .539 10
Wenatchee .. 69 57 .535 10½
Victoria ... 58 71 .450 21½
Vancouver .. 53 71 .427 24
Salem ...... 52 75 .409 26½
Spokane .... 51 76 .402 27½

SPOKANE. Aug. 24 — A pair of one-run victories last night pulled Spokane within seven percentage points of climbing out of the cellar and knocked the Tri-City Braves out of a mathematical chance of winning the Western International League pennant. Spokane won the seven inning opener 6-5 and copped the nightcap 8-7.
Two high fly balls that got lost in the sun helped the Indians scalp the Braves in the first game. Both were hit into right field where Clint Cameron of the Braves met the sun and lost the balls, Glen Stetter and Joe Rossi were credited with the triples as the hits rolled to the fence. The two blows came inthe first inning and accounted for three runs, enough of a margin to insure the victory.
Lou McCollum went all the way for the Braves. It was his 12th loss of the season against 17 victories.
The Braves pulled ahead 5-4 and held that lead until the bottom of the seventh. Then Spokane put together four singles to hand John Conant his 14th win of the season. The Spokane hurler lost 16.
Dick Faber's single in the fourth drove in Clint Cameron and Buddy Peterson and Neil Bryant scored from third when McCollum grounded out.
The Braves went ahead in the fifth when Clint Cameron's double scored Jim Warner and Buddy Peterson's single sent Cameron the rest of the way from second.
LOSE THE SECOND
One inning accounted for all the Indian runs in the owl game. The barrage of base hits drove starter Gene Rocnspie and reliefer Jim Olsen from the mound.
Merle Frick came on to put out the fire. Frick came through in a big way for the losers holding Spokane well in check the rest of the route. The Braves had a strong going into the final inning but it was choked off when Nick Pesut grounded out. Pesut, a left-handed hitter, had come in as a pinch hitter for Jim McKeegan. However, Alan Strange, manager of the Indians kept pace with the strategy of Charlie Peterson, the Braves pilot, and sent Dick Yerkes, a portsider, to the mound. The switch paid off for Spokane when Yerkes forced Pesut to hit a ground ball to the second baseman for the final out of the game.
Dick Faber lifted the Braves to seven runs when his triple in the ninth scored Cameron and Peterson who had drawn walks. Then came the rapid switch of hitters and pitchers and the end of them.
First Game
Tri-City ..... 000 320 0—5 10 1
Spokane .... 310 002 x—6 12 3
Maitland and Weatherwax; McCollum and Pesut.
Second Game
Tri-City ...... 000 023 002—7 12 0
Spokane ..... 000 800 00x—8 10 1
Roenspie, Olsen (4), Frick (4) and McKeegan; Bishop, Aubertin (6), Yerkes (9) and Weatherwax.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 23—Clubbing out two onp-sided victories over the fourth place Wenatchee Chiefs, Yakima moved within four percentage points of the rained-out Tacoma Tigers atop the Western International league heap on Wednesday night. The Bears' twin wins, by scores of 5-0 and 7-2, left them all even with Tacoma's pacesetters in the won and lost column.
Spokane's cellar dwellers eked out a pair of one-run margins over third place Tri-City 6-5 and 8-7.
Yakima got effective hurling in both victories. Southpaw Lloyd Dickey gave up only six blows in administering his seven-inning whitewash and veteran Larry Powell, although touched for 14 baseknocks, kept them well-spaced. Bill Andrinff gathered six hits in 10 trips to the plate to pace the victors although it was Bill McCawley's three-run homer in the fourth inning which clinched the opener.
First Game
Yakima ......... 101 300 0—5 13 1
Wenatchee ... 000 000 0—0 6 1
Dickey and Tiesiera; Blankenship and Neal.
Second Game
Yakima ......... 120 040 000—7 8 1
Wenatchee ... 010 000 001—2 14 1
Powell and Tornay; Treichel, Breisinger (5) and Neal.

Victoria at Tacoma, postponed, rain.
Vancouver at Salem, postponed, rain.

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 24, 1950}
Although all but the most unreasonable will admit that the A’s couldn’t have won the pennant this season with Eddie Sawyer as manager, a surprising number of baseball fans believe the club would have been a lot closer under different management. Marty Krug, right or wrong, has failed to sell himself to the paying customers.
Probably much of the complaint over Victoria managing stems from what proved to be over-optimistic Spring-training reports—and I admit my share of the guilt right here—on the A’s and Marty, who was pictures as sort of a veteran miracle man who could take mediocre material and lead it to the top. When he was confronted with just that task and failed, the ensuing criticism was to be expected.
Most of the criticism levelled at Marty has been based on nothing more than unjustified personal dislike by some fans for a man they have never met. He has made his share of mistakes but he has also taken the blame because his players failed to make his strategy good by their inabiliyity to successfully carry out his orders. It shouldn’t be forgotten that strategy is not necessarily good because it worked or bad because it failed.
However, those who claim that Marty has been unable to get the most out of his players are at least partially correct. Although reports of dissention have been exaggerated, it is no secret that the A’s this season have never had proper management-player relationship. The question is whether any manager could have reached that state with the varied group which make up the 1950 A’s.
Too sparing with his praise and sometimes deprecating, Marty can be faulted for not making more of an effort to get the most out of some of his players, but he will never understand any player who has to be coaxed or threatened to give his best. He has no desire to cater to the player who needs “handling” and there will always be a few of them on every class “B” club. Unfortunately for Marty’s managerial return and the club fortunes, there have been too many A’s in that category this season.
It is understandable that fans believe that the A’s could have been higher. The club has enough potential ability to be among the contenders and, at times, shows flashes of that ability. But it has been held back by some players whose only interest in baseball is their pay cheque and the opportunity it affords a good time. Perhaps another manager might have done better but few would be so ready to blame the manager if it were possible for them to know the whole story.
Random Harvest
Business Manager Reg Patterson is determined to get Dick Greco for the A’s next season and would even give up Gene Thompson for the Tacoma slugger, who should find Royal Athletic Park tailored to measure for his long clouts . . . Gil McDougald, second baseman of the 1949 A’s and now hitting .329 with Beaumont in the Texas League, was given a feature spot in last week’s Sporting News . . . Reg Clarkson won’t be permitted to play football for U.B.C. next season, having been declared ineligible by the National Collegiate ruling which makes any athlete competing as a pro in one sport ineligible to play in another . . . Hub Kittle, one-time W.I.L. favorite and now playing manager at Klamath Falls, has a 7-0 pitching record in the latest available Far West League statistics.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
59-Year Old Rookie
LANETT, Ala., Aug. 24 — It took Charley Milner of Riverdale, Ala., a long time to break into professional baseball. Milner signed his first professional contract yesterday with the Valley Rebels of the class D Georgia—Alabama league at the spry age of 59. It was his birthday.
Once in pro ball he went quickly to work. He opened the Opelika, Ala.-Valley game last night and lasted for four innings when a pinch hitter replaced him. During his stint he gave four singles and allowed one run. The Rebels lost the game 5-2, but the 59-year-old rookie wasn't the losing pitcher.

Tuesday, August 22, 1950

2007-08-31T07:59:00.002-07:00

Rain Postpones All WIL Games
UNDATED, Aug. 22—Rain washed out the entire Western International league bill-of-fare tonight, forcing a complete round of doubleheaders Wednesday.
The program pairs Victoria at Tacoma, Yakima at Wenatchee, Tri-City at Spokane and Vancouver at Salem.
Johnny Price, baseball stuntman and comedian, will cavort on the sidelines between games at Tacoma.

WIL Pitching Leaders
TACOMA, Aug. 23— Although tagged for the second defeat of the season last week during the course of Victoria's six-game winning streak against the Capilanos, Vancouver's Sandy Robertson continues to pace the Western International League's regular moundsmen with a 12-2 record.
Meanwhile, however, a solid threat to Robertson's slinging supremacy is appearing in the person of Dewey Soriano, Yakima's pitching prexy, who notched his sixth success without a setback since the last tabulation and now needs only a couple of additional verdicts to be eligible for consideration in the W-I elbowing derby.
Tacoma's Bob Kerrigan, who hurled his 20th and 21st wins last week, remained in the third spot, in addition to have posted the top victory total. Kerrigan has lost six.
In second place with an 8-2 record is Tri-City's Cy Greenlaw.
Having registered seven more strikeouts in two appearances, Yakima's Lloyd Dickey was far and away the whiff leader with a 190 total.
Don Ferrarese, Wenatchee southpaw, likewise retained the league lead in his specialty — bases on halls. Ferrarese issued six more passes during the week
for a total of 188.
W L SO PCT
Robertson, Van. ..... 12 2 48 .857
Kerrigan, Tac. ...... 21 6 102 .778
Greenlaw, T-C ........ 8 2 86 .800
Stone, T-C ........... 9 5 57 .643
Ragni, Wen. ......... 16 9 139 .640
Larner, Yak. ........ 15 9 99 .625
Powell, Yak. ........ 11 7 68 .611
Marshall, Vic. ...... 14 9 153 .609
Dickey, Yak. ........ 14 9 190 .609
McCollum, T-C ....... 17 11 87 .607

ERIC WHITEHEAD’S FAN FARE
[Daily Province, Aug. 23, 1950]
It’s no secret along the old Oregon Trial that Robert Abel is on his way out as President of the Western International League.
As president of said league, Abel has proved to be an excellent Tacoma lawyer. His practise in Tacoma is certainly flourishing more brightly than his career in the WIL. Abel’s consistent alleged mishandling of protests, minor complaints, plus a notoriously bad selection of league umpires has caused the Coast B-circuit owners to start casting tentatively about for a successor to the bland Tacoman.
Although nominations are not in order, we have no hesitation now in forwarding the name of Robert Paul Brown of Vancouver, present business-manager of the local Capilanos.
If any man on this coast—or on this continent for that matter—has the necessarily qualifications for the job of boss of the WIL, then that man is Ruby Robert, the shrewd redhead from Minnesota.
Was A Long Haired-Boy
Now in his 51st hectic year of organized baseball, Bob has a background equalled by few, surpasses only by such reverent gentlemen as Connie Mack, the eternal Cornelius McGillicuddy of Philadelphia.
After playing halfback for Notre Dame in the 1890s (and era where the players wore no helmets, let their hair grow long for head protection) Bob came to the coast, practically weaned and father the old Northwest Pro League. He played alongside the immortal Joe Tinker, build a personal reputation as a battling that would have forever endeared him to the famed St. Louis Gang House gang generations later. He managed three ball clubs, had a hand in the first ball game ever played under the lights, sent dozens of young players into the higher leagues, many into the majors. He has personal contacts with practically every big league club in the business.
One of the best-known and most respected minor league executives in the game, Mr. Brown is known wherever the game is played. He never misses an annual meeting of the National Baseball Congress.
Norgan Would Support Bob
WIL presidents are elected by majority vote of the club owners.
The nominations of Brown would have the support of at least two other clubs in the WIL in addition to Vancouver. It would certainly get the vote of Salem, owned by George Norgan, and presumably, of the other Canadian club, Victoria.
Norgan has stated he would definitely support Brown’s nomination, and feels confident he could swing a major vote from the other league owners. This support by Norgan, who is oft and correctly reported at severe odds with the Capilano business manager, will come as somewhat of a surprise to many, including Mr. Brown, and there will be an inevitable search for an ulterior notice. However, whatever the motive, Norgan would plug for Brown as the next WIL president.
At present, the post is merely a part-time job with a $3000 per annum salary. However, recent inefficiencies seem to in-[unreadable] status should be scrapped, and the post made a full-time job with an increased salary to suit.
It would be very pleasant this time next year to be able to refer herein to “WIL president Robert P. Brown,” and it would be a long-overdue and eminently fitting tribute to the fine professional career of the distinguished 77-year-old dean of western baseball.

Monday, August 21, 1950

2007-08-31T07:59:00.001-07:00

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

Pitcher's Duel Marred By Five Bear Errors
KENNEWICK, Aug. 22 (Don Becker, Herald) — There were 2,893 fans on hand at Sanders Field last night to see who was the better pitcher, Kenny Michelson of the Tri-City Braves, or Gene Conley property of the Boston Braves. And their question never did get an answer even though the Braves won their game 7-2 over the semi-pro Walla Walla Bears.
As far as the pitching statistics are concerned it was pretty much of an even battle between the two Tri-City stars. Each gave up but one earned run, Mlrhelson struck out four, while Conley got five on whiffs, and each walked three men.
What started out as a pitcher's duel fell apart in the sixth inning. Conley had given up just one hit to the Braves and had two out in the bottom of that inning before the comedy of errors set in. Clint Cameron started it off by lifting an easy high cloud buster to John Richardson, the Bears right fielder. However, Richardson diopped the ball, Conley walked the next two batters to load the bases. Neil Bryant then hit a roller to Wendell Dunham at second. Dunham kicked the ball around long enough to second Cameron in and keep the bases FOB.
HERE'S THE CLINCHER
Dick Faber put the clincher on the victory with a single that scored Peterson and Pesut. Michelson, making his third appearance at the plate, rapped a single to left and Ernie Pyne let the ball get past him to clear the bases and perch the Braves young hurler on third. And they weren't through yet. Al Spaeter picked up the third hit otf Conley with a single to score Michelson. Vic Buccola struck out to end the inning.
In many respects that inning resembled the lamous third of the night before when the Braves racked up 15 runs off Wenatchee.
Joe Beidler was the big stick for Walla Walla, The Bears shortstop rapped out two doubles and single in his four trips and counted the first score for the visitors. Beidler scored from second on Paul Chattelton's single.
The Bears notched their second run of the game in the eighth when Bob Dyer led off with a free pass. Then with two out Buidler smashed his second double to send Dyer all the way. However, an infield error prior to the score made it an unearned run.
CONLEY WAS ILL
Conley pitched the first six innings for the Bears and then was lifted for Jim Forsythe. The 20-year-old Richland star was in bed most of last week with the flu and only climbed back on his feet Sunday morning. However, despite his illness Conley
displayed all the ability that has sent the scouts clusteiihg around him.
Bad support behind him put Conley in several bad holes before the sixth opened. Yet the 6' 8" fast ball artist didn't get too disturbed. He maintained his calm and worked his way out of the jams.
Michelson displayed an amazing change over his spring training days. He had a good changeup that fooled the Bears several times, and seldom got behind the batter. He kept his fast ball in check using it only now and then, usually trying for a strikeout.
Although he gave up eight hits three of them were definitely of the scratch variety barely clearing the infield, while another was inches away from Bryant at third base. Aside from the hits only six balls got to the outfield and all of them were easy outs except one which sent Jim Warner back near the centerfield fence.
The Braves sparkled in the infield with two fast double-plays in the first two innings. Al Spaeter and Buddy Peterson teamed up for the first one, while Bryant and Buccola completed the second.
Walla Walla ...... 000 000 110— 2-8-5
Tri City ............ 000 006 10x— 7-6-1
Conley, Forsyth (7) and Hamper, Jorrison (8); Michelson and Pesut, McKeegan (8).

Stetter Stumbles But Keeps Lead
TACOMA, Aug. 22 — After building up his batting average steadily over the period of more than a month, Spokane's Glen Stetter nosedived 13 points last week, but his .367 average was still good enough to top the Western International League hit parade.
While Stetter was being "cooled off" by Wenatchee and Yakima pitchers, who gave the squat swatsmith only three hits in 23 trips, Tacoma's Dick Greco was strengthening his hold on the runner-up spot by macing 12 blows in 31 trips, hiking his willow mark four points to .358.
In third place was Yakima's Bill McCauley at .338, up one point from a week ago.
Greco batted in 11 runs during the week for a season's total of 131, as against the next best aggregate of 105 by Yakima's Jim Westlaken who had pounded six mates across since the last tabulation. Jim Warner of Tri-City was next in line with 103, five more than a week ago.
Three of Greco's dozen hits were homers, giving him a total of 30 for the campaign, eight more than Victoria's Gene Thompson, who was blanked in the boundary-belt department during the Athletics' week-long series with Vancouver.
The other leaders likewise remained stationary, Spokane's Joe Rossi and Tri-City's Warner failing to increase their totals of 17 and 16, respectively.

Sunday, August 20, 1950

2007-08-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 78 48 .619 —
Yakima ..... 78 50 .609 1
Tri-City ... 69 57 .548 9
Wenatchee .. 69 55 .543 9½
Victoria ... 58 71 .450 20
Vancouver .. 53 71 .427 23
Salem ...... 52 75 .409 26½
Spokane .... 49 76 .392 28½

Tacoma In Lead For WIL Pennant
By FRANK VAILLE
Associated Press Sportswriter
UNDATED, Aug. 21—Western International League fans—and the Yakima Bears in particular—were asking today: How long can Tacoma keep it up? "It" being the Tigers' winning ways.
Tacoma dropped Salem twice yesterday 7 5 and 1-0 for its 16th victory in 18 starts and the fifth in a row. Yakima dropped Spokane 10-2 but fell a full game behind the pace-setting Tigers.
The front-running Tacomans were outhit in both Sunday contests and had to come from behind twice in the first game before going in front to stay on Dick Greco's 30th home run of the year. In the seven-inning finale, Salem's Bill Osborn pitched three-hit ball, but the Tigers bunched two of them behind a walk in the second frame to score Orrin Snyder with the game's lone tally Tom Kipp twirled a five-hitter for the victors.
All the league parks are scheduled to be dark tonight. Play resumes tomorrow night with Victoria taking its six game winning streak to Tacoma, Yakima moving in against slipping Wenatchee, Tri-City invading Spokane, and Vancouver going to Salem.

TACOMA, Aug. 20—A walk and successive singles by Bill Sheets and Jose Bache scored Orrin Snyder with the lone and winning run Sunday night as Tacoma nosed out Salem 1-0 in a seven-inning nightcap to a twin bill. Tacoma captured the opener 7-5 to sweep the series.
First Game
Salem ....... 100 021 001—5-15-1
Tacoma ..... 200 012 02x—7- 9-1
Valentine and Martin; Loust, Anderson (6) and Fischer.
Second Game
Salem ....... 000 000 0—0-5-0
Tacoma ..... 010 000 x—1-3-0
Osborn and Beard; Kipp and Sheets.

SPOKANE, Aug. 20 — Bill Bradford scattered 10 hits for his twelfth victory of the year as the Yakima Bears beat the Spokane Indians here Sunday night. The score: 10-2.
Bill Andring, ex-University of Washington star, banged out 11 hits in 18 times at bat in the four game series for a .611 average.
Jim Holder was losing pitcher for the Indians.
Yakima ... 002 020 330—10-16-0
Spokane .. 100 001 000— 2-10-1
Bradford and Tiesiera; Holder, Rockey (5), Yerkes (8) and Weatherwax.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 20—The Tri-City Braves went hog wild on hits to defeat the Wenatchee Chiefs 27-2 here Sunday night in the Western International baseball league.
The Chiefs threw five pitchers into the game in a desperate effort to stop the Braves who went right on piling up hits.
The score stood 0-0 at the bottom of the third when the Braves went to bat. Six hits, three Wenatchee errors and five walks later the score was 15-0. Only two were earned runs.
Braves pitcher Nicholas pitched shut-out ball until the eighth when Hank Sciarra hit a home run. Wenatchee's 10 hits could only bring in one more score.
Nicholas also starred at the bat with two triples, a double, a single and six runs batted in. Clint Cameron shared honors with Nicholas by batting in eight.
Tri-City sent 52 men to bat.
- - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 21 (Don Becker, Herald)—The Tri-City Braves smashed their way back into third place in the Western International League standings last night. And smashed is the word to describe the 27-2 whip lashing they gave five Wenatehee hurlers to depose the former third place team.
The 1,287 cash customers saw one fantastic inning in which the Braves racked up 13 runs. The count was just one short of the league record, 16, which is held by Spokane. The barrage of runs broke a 0-0 tie in the third inning. And it only took six base hits to do it. Three Wenatchee errors counted heavily in the stanza which used up three Chief hurlers before the Braves decided to call it a night. All in all five of them wound their way to and from the mound before the game ended.
For Joe Nicholas, the Braves winning pitcher, it was one of those games you dream about. Not only did he hold the Chiefs well in check most of the nine-inning route, but Joe also starred at the plate. His two triples, a double and a single, accounted for six of the winning runs. Only Clint Cameron with eight runs batted in did better in that department.
There were 18 Braves at the plate in that fantastic third canto. Six of the players cleated the home plate twice. It was a sad affair for Tommy Breisinger, the Wenatchee ace left hander. He had a 12-5 record until the roof fell in. The Chief's [sic] star gave up four free passes, a single, and a base dealing double before he was lifted for Al Treichel.
Neil Bryant got the single to drive in two runs and Clint Cameron's double to the right field wall added three more. But if Breisinger had it rough, what happened to Treichel shouldn't. Every man that faced him scored. Finally Tommy Thompson, the Chiefs manager, took the hill to get the side out.
But the Braves didn't let up. They came back in the fourth to score four more runs off Don Ferrarese who appeared on the hill for Wenatchee in that inning. And just to show they weren't playing favorites the Braves belted Jerry Ballard, who finished out the last four innings, for a total of eight more runs.
There were more heroes on the Tri-City team than you could count Vic Buccola who had been in a bad way when it came to getting those base knocks, broke his dry spell with five hits in six trips. The league's best first baseman made them count, too, by driving home five runs.
Buddy Peterson also had a big night with the stick hitting safely four times in six tries, while Dick Faber hit a .750 clip with three for four.
Even the fans and the players got into the spirit of the occasion. In the eighth inning, for instance,with the score 25-1 Al Spaeter came to bat. An exuberant fan shouted out, "Come on Al, they're depending on you!" Whether the second baseman heard him or not is problematical but anyhow Spaeter rapped out a single to score Nicholas on third as a result of his second triple.
Hank Sciarra robbed Nicholas of a shutout in the eighth when he poled a pitch over the left field wall.
The final run of the game for Wenatchee came in the ninth after two were out. Art Billings got a single, moved to second on Joe Unfried's base hit and scored when Len Neal rapped a double, the second and final extra base hit for Wenatchee.
Wenatchee ........ 000 000 011— 2-10-3
Tri-City ............. 00(15) 401 52x—27-24-1
Breisinger, Treichel (3), Thompson (3), Ferrarese (4), Ballard (5) and Neal; Nicholas and Pesut, McKeegan (7).

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 20, 1950]
Selection of a W.I.L. all-star team this season should cause fewer difficulties than usual although there will be the usual differences of opinion. While the calibre of baseball has been up to standard, the league appears to have produced fewer standout players than in various seasons, particularly at some of the infield positions.
Complying with the annual request from league headquarters, this corner will attempt to name the best players art each position counting team value as being an important as statistics.
Starting behind the plate, the vote for the first team goes to Spokane’s Joe Rossi, one of the few bright spots of a drab season for the Indians. Rossi may not be as good a prospect as Yakima’s Nini Tornay but this season he has been far more valuable to his team.
Moving into infield nominations, one finds no particular standouts at first base or shortstop. Wimp Quinn, Tacoma, and Wally Westlake, Yakima, have been the most dangerous first basemen at the plate and Quinn gets the nod for the greater contribution to the success of the club. At shortstop, it is difficult to vote for Larry Neal, Wenatchee’s colored infielder, who has too often appeared as if he was not giving his best. Bud Peterson, Tri-City, is potentially the best of the top but he has had an in-and-out season. This vote goes to Ray Tran, the steady Vancouver veteran.
It’s a two-way fight at second and third base. Buddy Hjelmaa, Wenatchee, and Ron Gifford, Tacoma, are both excellent defensive players and both are hitting well over the .300 mark. A toss-up here with Gifford, a good prospect, getting a dubious vote. At third base, Don Fraccia, Wenatchee, appears to hold the edge over Yakima’s Reno Cheso although the latter is probably the better hitter at the moment. Fracchia is one of the best defence players to show in the W.I.L. for some time and he has a chance to go all the way.
Thompson, Marshall Get Votes
Naming the top three outfielders is comparatively easy. Dick Greco, the slugging Tacoman, is a must for right field. Nor will many argue with the selection of Gene Thompson for left field. Having his best season, Thompson has been one of the few Victoria hopes who came up to expectations. The big fellow has fielded and thrown exceptionally well and his work on the bases is better than most fans realize. At the plate, he has been a consistent .330 hitter with 22 home runs, 31 doubles and nine triples already to his credit. He will bat in and also score over 100 runs this season.
That leaves centre field open and this vote goes to Jim Warner, the Tri-City veteran who has recovered from his slump and is now pounding the ball with an average of .330. Warner is also one of the better defensive outfielders.
That leaves off Glen Stetter, almost certain to capture the hitting championship but whose defensive weaknesses are great enough so that he can’t be ranked with the above trio. Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, and Bill McCawley, Bill Andering and Jerry Zuvella, Yakima, are good outfielders. Reg Clarkson’s bad arm and Edo Vanni’s defection as a team player put them out of consideration.
Pitching the two southpaw pitchers is the easiest of all. Off their records, there can be no doubt that Bob Kerrigan, Tacoma’s 21-game winner, and Jay Ragni, Wenatcee’s converted outfielder, are the best. The right-handed selection of the four-man mound staff is more difficult. John Marshall can be the best but his recent outs haven’t been up to the usual standard. Just the same, he has won 14 games for a second-division club and must get a call. Sandy Robertson’s record is marred by the fact he is strictly a home-park operator so the other vote from here goes to Lou McCollum, the steady old man of the Tri-City staff.
Naming of a manager was not requested by the vote would go to Jim Brillheart, the dour Tacoma field boss. Brillheart has driven what is not an outstanding club back into the lead after losing his big early margin.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 20—24-year-old Teddy Savarese, up from the Yakima, Wash., farm, won his PCL game today, an 11-9 victory over Oakland in the first game of a double header at Seals Stadium.
Brooks Holder's two-run double in the seventh provided the margin of victory.

Saturday, August 19, 1950

2007-08-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 76 48 .613 —
Yakima ..... 77 50 .606 ½
Wenatchee .. 69 57 .595 8
Tri-City ... 68 57 .591 8½
Victoria ... 58 71 .450 20½
Vancouver .. 53 71 .427 24
Salem ...... 52 73 .416 24½
Spokane .... 49 75 .395 27

TACOMA, Aug. 19 — Tacoma's front-running Tigers notched their third straight victory and their 14th in 16 starts by pummeling a pair of Salem pitchers for 17 hits and an 8-3 decision over the Senators in their game here Saturday night.
Salem ......... 000 000 003—3 6 1
Tacoma ...... 104 010 11x—8 17 2
Burak, Lew (3) and Martin; Knezovich and Sheets.

First Game
Yakima ..... 031 004 4—12 13 1
Spokane ... 110 000 0— 2 8 2
Larner, Orengo (7) and Tiesiera; Yerkes, Aubertin (5) and Weatherwax.
Second Game
Yakima ..... 020 110 400—8 8 0
Spokane ... 000 100 000—1 7 0
Soriano and Tiesiera; Roberts, Curran (7) and Weatherwax.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 19—Outhit 11-5, Tri-City managed to down Wenatchee 6-5 in the second game of a doubleheader here Saturday night.
Tri-City won the first game 2-1.
First Game
Wenatchee ..... 100 000 0—1 5 0
Tri-City .......... 001 000 1—2 8 1
Dahle and Billings; Orrell and Pesut.
Second Game
Wenatchee ...... 200 000 021—5 11 1
Tri-City ........... 002 040 00x—6 5 3
Ferrarese, Blankenship (8) and Neal, Billings (8); Greenlaw, Frick (3) and Pesut.

VICTORIA, [Colonist, Aug. 20]—Playing like the club they were touted to be last Spring, Victoria Athletics yesterday extended their winning streak—longest of the season—to six games by taking two games from the Vancouver Capilanos, 6-1 and 4-3, for a sweep of the current series.
Jim Hedgecock and John Marshall continued to give the A’s the excellent pitching which has been a feature of the win streak, made solely at the expense of the Caps. Hedgecock scored his 12th win, four of them against his ex-teammates, in the afternoon game, while Marshall came up with No. 14 in the arclight finale.
MARVEL AT CHANGE
Crowds totalling 3,500 watched the rejuvenated A’s move two and a half games ahead of the Caps in their private battle for leadership of the W.I.L.’s second division and marvelled at the change in the club which never seemed able to get a win streak well started.
Since the Caps scored 12 runs in the third inning of the Tuesday game at Vancouver and went on to a 15-5 triumph, they haven’t been able to do a thing with the Victoria mound staff. In rattling off the six in a row, Victoria pitchers have limited the Caps to eight runs with Ron Smith, Hedgecock, Propst, Wilkie, Hedgecock again, and Marshall doing the tossing.
ERRORS DECREASE
Probably the biggest reason for the sudden improvement in what was expected to be the league’s best staff in pre-season reports, is the sudden stiffening of the club’s infield play. Close followers will have noticed a big drop in the number of errors and steady customers must have noted the fine defensive play of Shortstop Bill Dunn and Third-Baseman John Hack during the Vancouver series. Both came up with a series of good plays yesterday which gave both Hedgecock and Marshall a lift.
Hedgecock has seldom been better than he was yesterday. The slim southpaw had perfect control of a mocking knuckleball which baffled Vancouver hitters. He had a two-hitter going into the ninth and would up with a four-hit performance. He lost his shutout in the third when Len Tran doubled and came home on two long flies to left field.
Jim Moore, another former Capilano, was Hedgecock’s biggest offensive help. Snapping a slump, the young second-baseman batted in three runs with a triple, double and single.
MORE TRILLING
Played before the larger crowd, the nightcap provided thrilling baseball with Marshall again giving his supporters the jitters before emerging on top when Lou Novikoff broke a 3-3 tie in the eighth with his tenth home run.
Hooked up in a battle with Bob Snyder, Marshall had runners on the bags in every inning but two, but escaped damage except in the fifth, when a bad-bounce double, a cheap infield hit, two solid singles and an error gave the Caps a 3-0 lead.
Moore put the A’s back in the game in the sixth when he tripled in two runs and scored the equilizer after Hack flew out. Novikoff’s game-winning home run was a tremendous clout of a low fast ball which the big fellow golfed out of the park.
EXTRA ENTERTAINMENT
Despite the closeness of the score, Marshall took time out to provide extra entertainment for his faithful followers. He got an unmerciful ribbing from the Vancouver bench but had the last laugh. He put himself in trouble by careless pitching a couple of times and then pitched out of it. At the plate, he combed Snyder for two well-tagged singles, the first of them his second hit of the season from the first-base side. He moved over after fouling a pitch off and then getting knocked down by Snyder’s next delivery and rapped a fast ball right through the box.
The A’s spend the next 12 days on the road. They play an exhibition game at Mt. Vernon tonight and then play series at Tacoma, Yakima and Vancouver before returning home to finish out the season with 12 straight games at Athletic Park.
Out of contention, the A’s will have plenty to say about the pennant winner. The two final series, each four games, are against the Tigers and the Bears. They meet the top two clubs in 15 of the 22 games left on their schedule.
First Game
Vancouver ...... 001 000 000—1 6 1
Victoria .......... 022 000 02x—6 10 1
King, Alvari (3) Gunnarson (8) and Heisner; Hedgecock and Ronning.
Second Game
Vancouver ....... 000 030 000—3 8 1
Victoria ........... 000 003 01x—4 9 2
Snyder and Heisner; Marshall and Danielson.

Friday, August 18, 1950

2007-08-31T05:53:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 75 48 .610 —
Yakima ..... 75 50 .603 1
Wenatchee .. 69 55 .556 6½
Tri-City ... 66 57 .537 9
Victoria ... 56 71 .441 21
Vancouver .. 53 69 .434 21½
Salem ...... 52 72 .419 25
Spokane .... 49 73 .402 25½

VICTORIA, [Colonist, August 19]—Aldon Wilkie, who started his professional baseball career in the W.I.L. and went up to the big leagues with Pittsburgh Pirates after several seasons in the Coast league, came up with the second no-run, no-hit game of his lengthy service at Royal Athletic Park last night. The veteran southpaw thrilled a “television night” crowd of an estimated 2,500 as he set Vancouver Capilanos down without a hit to best George Nicholas in a tense mound duel, 1-0.
Wilkie’s first no-hitter was pitched 13 years ago when he was with Tacoma Tigers. Wenatchee was the victim of that one.
FOUR REACH BASE
Showing almost perfect control of a devastating curve, Wilkie permitted only four runners to get on the bags and only one of those advanced as far as second base. His teammates were charged with two errors and he walked Charlie Mead twice.
Nor was his performance at all marred by two close-scoring plays which might have been called either way and which went for errors to preserve his no-hitter. The first came when lead-off batter Jim Robinson opened the game by topping a ball into the dirty in front of the plate. It bounced high down the first-base line. Wilkie fielded it on the second hop and threw low to first base. The ball appeared to beat the fleet Vancouver third-baseman by a fraction and it was ruled an error. Then, with one out in the ninth, Ray Tran slapped a hot one-bouncer down to Shortstop Bill Dunn, who failed to come up with it. Dunn was charged with an error.
SETS DOWN 17
In between the two walks to Mead, which came in the second and eighth innings, Wilkie set down 17 batters in a row. Only Ray Tran’s liner in the sixth was hit hard and Bob McGuire pulled that one in after a good run. The win was Wilkie’s eighth. He has lost ten.
DUNN SHARES HONORS
Dunn shared whatever honors escaped Wilkie by batting in the game’s only run. Gene Thompson drew the second of two bases on balls given up by the sturdy Vancouver righthander to open the seventh. He moved to second as Jim Moore executed a successful sacrifice bunt and went to third as Ray Tran tossed out John Hack. Dunn followed with a solid line single through the middle.
It was the third—and last—hit off Nicholas, who pitched one of his best games of the season only to get charged with his 14th setback and second of the week against the A’s. McGuire, who drew a walk, singled twice and lined out on a fourth trip, was the only Victorian—except Dunn, of course—who bothered the sturdy Vancouver righthander.
FOURTH IN ROW
The victory was the fourth in a row over the Caps and it moved the A’s back into fifth place. The Caps have lost all five games they have played at Royal Athletic Park and are behind, 9-4, on the season.
The clubs wind up the current series today with afternoon and evening games. Jim Hedgecock, who has an 11-10 rating and is currently at the top of his form, will try to make it four in a row over his former teammates in the afternoon. He will likely be opposed by Kevin King. John Marshall, who has lost five of seven decisions since July 19 and now has a season mark of 13-9 after an 8-1 start, will pitch the arclight fixture with Bob Snyder as his opposition.
Teen-aged Jim Taylor, Athlone Drive, won the expensive televison set given away.
- - - -
VICTORIA [Vancouver Daily Province, Aug. 19]—It’s a long way from the pitcher’s mound at old Cairns Field in Saskatoon to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh and back—especially by way of the Western International League (old and new) and Pacific Coast League, and a guy on the way back can’t expect to add too much to his dreams.
But Aldon “Lefty” Wilkie, the rangy port-sider who made the circuit back to Victoria Athletics picked up the big one for his memory book in Victoria Friday when he hurled a no-hit, no-run performance at Vancouver Capilanos.
TOUGH LOSS
Ironically enough, Capilanos’ George Nicholas, is the only other WIL pitcher to duplicate the performance this season. George worked out a three-hitter, only to lose 1-0.
Wilkie displayed almost perfect control of a heart-braking curve. He faced 31 batters, walked two and two getting on through errors, one of which was credited to Lefty himself. One Capilano reached second. None reached third.
The win moved Victoria back into fifth place in the standings.
TWO ERRORS
In the first inning, Jim Robinson, fleet Vancouver third baseman, pounded a grounder down the first base line. Wilkie fielded the ball and made a low throw to first base which the official scorer ruled had Robinson beaten.
Then in the ninth with one out, Ray Tran hit a sizzling one-bounce grounder which shortstop Bill Dunn failed to come up with. It went as an error but Wilkie got Reg Clarkson and Dick Sinovic on easy ground balls to end the game.
Nicholas almost matched Wilkie pitch for pitch.
He gave up three singles but one of them followed one of his two bases on balls and a sacrifice for the game’s only run.
Gene Thompson drew the important walk to open the Victoria seventh. Jim Moore moved him along with a bunt and he went to third as Ray Tran threw out John Hack. Dunn then came through with a line single over second base and that was the ball game.
Vancouver ..... 000 000 000—0 0 2
Victoria ......... 000 000 10x—1 3 2
Nicholas and Brenner; Wilkie and Ronning.

TACOMA, Aug. 18 — Southpaw Bob Kerrigan hurled his 21st Western International baseball league victory of the season here Friday night as the front-running Tacoma Tigers took the measure of the Salem Senators, 10-5.
3,939 fans took in the game to see shortstop Jose Bache presented with a watch as he was named Most Valuable Player of the Tigers for 1950.
Salem .......... 100 000 004— 5 6 3
Tacoma ....... 301 013 02x—10 13 3
Tierney, Costello (3), Lineberger (8) and Martin; Kerrigan and Sheets, Fischer (5).

Yakima ....... 100 110 001—4 12 3
Spokane ..... 320 040 00x—8 13 1
Domenichelli, Powell (5), Orengo (8) and Tornay, Tiesiera (1); Curran, Aubertin (5) and Weatherwax.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 18 — Wenatchee grabbed the lead with a home run in the first inning of its game with Tri-City Friday night and held it throughout the game for a 5 to 3 victory.
Walt Pocekay made the round-tripper that also scored Norm Barbeau.
Four of Tri-City's hits were made into double plays for the Chiefs.
Wenatchee .... 210 010 001—5 10 1
Tri-City ......... 101 001 000—3 10 3
Ragni and Neal; Roenspie and McKeegan.

Thursday, August 17, 1950

2007-08-31T04:21:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Tacoma ..... 74 48 .607 —
Yakima ..... 75 49 .605 —
Wenatchee .. 68 55 .558 6½
Tri-City ... 66 56 .541 8
Vancouver .. 53 68 .438 20½
Victoria ... 55 71 .437 21
Salem ...... 52 71 .423 22½
Spokane .... 48 73 .397 25½

Bengals Back Atop W.I.L.
BY FRANK VAILLE
Associated Press Sportswriter
UNDATED, Aug. 18—Two slim percentage points separated Tacoma's Tigers and the Yakima Bears atop the Western International League today. And the snarling Bengals from the city of destiny had the points.
Tacoma slid back into the league lead last night on the wings of young Tom Kipp's five-hit pitching and a 16-hit attack drubbing Salem 10-2 while Yakima was being humbled 9-1 by Tri-City's fourth place Braves. It is the fifth time this year Tacoma has led the pack. Yakima has been in front four times.
In other games Spokane's cellar occupants continued their jinx over Wenatchee's third place nine winning 10-6 and Victoria measured Vancouver 4-1.
Backed by his mates' errorless support Kipp was never in trouble although he gave the Oregonians single runs in the second and sixth frames. Tacoma led all the way and chased starter Ray McNulty in the fourth when Dick Greco banged out his 29th home run of the season over the left centerfield wall with a man aboard. The Tigers took the series 3-2 in drubbing Wenatchee, Spokane brought its season's mark against the first division chiefs to 10 victories in 16 starts and four series out of five. Ward Rockey started on the mound for the winners and had things under control until the final frame when Wenatchee broke loose for five runs before righthander Bob Roberts relieved him for the final out.
Southpaw Jim Propst gave Vancouver only eight hits and drove in the winning tally as Victoria moved to within a single percentage point of its fifth place rival. It was the A's third straight win over Vancouver.
While the two Canadian clubs continue their family squabble at Victoria, new series south of the border tonight find Salem and Tacoma moving their play into the latter city, Yakima goes to Spokane and Wenatchee defends its 1½ game hold on third place at Tri-City.

SALEM, Aug. 17—Big Dick Greco exploded one of the longest home runs ever hit at Waters park as the Tacoma Tigers Thursday night whipped the Salem Senators 10-2 to take the series, three games to two.
The mighty wallop Greco hammered went at least 450 feet and was the Tigers' outfielder's 29th circuit-clout of the season.
Tacoma .... 121 200 004—10-16-0
Salem ....... 010 001 000— 2- 5-3
Kipp and Sheets; McNulty Costello (4) Lew (7) and Martin.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 17—Yakima slipped back into second place in the Western International league Thursday night after a one-night stand on top as it suffered a 9 to 1 loss at the hards of Tri-City.
Lou McCollum was the winning pitcher and also made the winning hit for Tri-City in the fourth inning by driving in Buddy Peterson with a single.
- - - - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 18 (Don Becker, Herald)—Big Lou McCollum took of the sting out of the Yakima club last night when he whittled them down to size with a 9-1 victory. The veteran right-hander chalked up his 17th victory of the year as he handcuffed the Yakima team with seven hits well spaced except for the third inning when the Bears counted their only run.
McCollum won his own ball game in the bottom of the fourth when his sharp single over third base scored Buddy Peterson.
It was a big night for the Braves. Jim Warner collected three hits in four trips and broke into the 100 "runs batted in", column in the big eighth when the rampaging Braves blasted dour Lloyd Dickey from the mound.
Dickey had his usual trouble finding the plate, giving up a total of nine free passes. And as usual all his trouble in the eighth started after two were out. Nick Pesut walked, and moved to second when Jim McKeegan also drew a brass ring. Then McCollum added insult to injury by slapping his second base hit of the game to score Pesut.
But that wasn't all the trouble tht unruly tempered lefthander was to face. Al Spaeter found him for a single. Vic Buccola got the third gift trip of the inning from Dickey and Warner lowered the boom, Clint Cameron came up and did the same thing when his single scored Buccola and Warner.
That was enough for Dickey and he plodded wearily off the field leaving a hopeless mess for reliefer Larry Powell to straighten our. Powell passed Peterson and Pesut singled Cameron home while the 1546 hooting and hollering fans had the best time of the series.
A BIG GO-AROUND
One of those wild plays that you usually connect up with the Brooklyn Dodgers came up in the Braves first inning. The whole thing started after one man was out, but before it was finished there had been five putouts with Cameron getting the business twice.
Dickey loaded the bags on three successive walks to Buccola, Warner, and Cameron. Then Peterson lifted a high fly ball to Jerry Zuvella in right field. Zuvella came in under the ball, caught it, and then dropped it. That's the second out.
However, Gordon Perkins, the base umpire, didn't give any kind of signal and besides the base runners had not seen Zuvella drop the ball, But Peterson running to first had. Cameron and Peterson were both trying to get on first before Peterson got Cameron started to second. But it was too late. Zuvella relayed the ball to Jacinto who threw to Coscarart covering the bag to force Cameron. That was the third out.
With everybody in a putout mood Coscarart, out of the corner of his eye, saw Warner racing for home so he fired the ball to Will Tiesera, the catcher, who tagged Warner sliding in. That was the fourth out.
But they still weren't finished. Tiesera then went out to the pitcher's mound with the ball and seeing Cameron coming to third threw the ball to Reno Cheso, the Bears third baseman Cheso a bit baffled apparently by all the racing around put the ball on Cameron. That was out number five, and twice for Cameron in one inning.
To add further to the confusion Prrkins failed to give any sign when Cameron was forced at second. Had Perkins given the first sign promptly it could havp stopped a lot of running around.
Yakima ...... 001 000 000—1- 7-3
Tri-City ..... 100 200 06x—9-11-1
Dickey, Powell (8) and Tiesiera; McCollum and Pesut.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 17—The Spokane Indians continued their season-long jinx over the Wenatchee Chiefs here Thursday night with a 10 to 6 victory. It was the fourth series win out of five for Spokane so far this league season over Wenatchee and boosted the Indians' margin over the Chiefs to ten games won, six lost.
Spokane ........ 131 001 013—10-10-6
Wenatchee .... 000 010 005— 6-10-3
Rockey, Roberts (9) and Weatherwax; Treichel and Neal, Billings (6).

VICTORIA, [Colonist, Aug. 18]—Jimmy Propst, the slender southpaw who proved so valuable to the Victoria Athletics last year, took another step along the comeback trail as he turned in another steady performance in hurling the A’s to a 4-1 victory over Vancouver Capilanos at Royal Athletic Park.
It was Propst’s second consecutive one-run job and his third consecutive victory, giving him a season record of eight victories and seven defeats.
The victory was the third straight for the A’s against the Caps, boosting them to within one percentage point of the fifth-place fivals from across the gulf. In twelve games this season, the Athletics have come out on top eight times.
Propst survived a shaky start and was sharp in the late innings. He allowed but two hits in the last six frames while fashioning a neat eight-hitter. He was in trouble in the second inning when the Caps filled the bases with none out on singles by Charlie Mead, Len Tran and Bill Heisner, but struck out Bob Bruenner and forced Jim Robinson to line into a double play to escape being scored on. The Caps scored their only run in the third when Ray Tran led off with a single and completed the circuit on Reggie Clarkson’s double and an infield out.
In addition to his excellent pitching, Propst batted in what proved to be the winning run in the second when he singled after John Hack had hit safely and advanced to third on two infield plays.
Bob McGuire and Gene Thompson pulled a successful double steal for Victoria’s first run in the initial inning. McGuire singled and advanced to third via an infield out and Lou Novikoff’s long fly and Thompson drew a walk to set the stage for the play.
Novikoff opened the sixth with a double and beat the throw to third as the Caps made a play on him on Thompson’s grounder. Jimmy Moore sacrificed Thompson to second and Hack and Billy Dunn followed with singles to drive in the final two runs.
The series continues tonight and winds up with a double header tomorrow. Aldon Wilkie is Manager Krug’s choice for mound duties tonight with Don Alvari looming as the probable Vancouver starter.
Vancouver ...... 001 000 000—1- 8-2
Victoria .......... 110 002 00x—4-11-1
Bruenner, King (2) and Heisner; Propst and Ronning.

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
Includes Games of Wednesday, August 16

AB H RBI HR Avg.
Stetter, Spok. ...... 394 149 85 12 .378
Greco, Tac. ......... 462 164 126 28 .355
Thompson, Vict. ..... 466 152 97 22 .341
Warner, Tri-City .... 441 145 97 16 .329
Vanni, Spok. ........ 384 124 51 3 .323
Clarkson, Vanc. ..... 481 154 65 9 .320
Home runs (top five)—Greco, Tacoma, 28; Thompson, Victoria, 21; Rossi, Spokane, 17; Warner, Tri-City, 16; Mead, Vancouver, 13.
Runs batted in (top six)—Greco, Tacoma, 126; Warner, Tri-City 97; Westlake, Yakima, 97; Mead, Vancouver, 94; Thompson, Victoria, 94; Cheso, Yakima [total unavailable].
Pitching leaders (top five)—Soriano, Yakima, 5-0; Robertson, Vancouver, 12-2; Greenlaw, Tri-City, 8-2; Kerrigan, Tacoma, 20-6; Ragni, Wenatchee, 15-8.

Wednesday, August 16, 1950

2007-08-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Yakima ...... 73 46 .613 —
Tacoma ...... 73 48 .603 1
Wenatchee ... 68 54 .557 6½
Tri-City .... 65 56 .537 9
Vancouver ... 53 67 .442 20½
Victoria .... 54 71 .432 22
Salem ....... 52 70 .426 22½
Spokane ..... 47 73 .393 26½

KENNEWICK, Aug. 16—Yakima scored an easy 5 to 2 victory over Tri-City Wednesday night to take the second game of its three-game Western International league series.
Although the Braves out-hit Yakima, they were able to make only two of their hits count, once in the second inning when Merle Frick singled in Buddy Peterson, and again in the sixth when Peterson again scored on a single by Nick Pesut.
- - - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 17 (Don Becker, Herald)—Mix together two home run balls that went foul, two critical errors, and pickoff play that didn't jell. Stir well, add one Bill Bradford plus a strong Yakima baseball team and the cake you bake will come out of the even 5-2 in favor of the visiting Bears.
The victory assured Yakima a 2-1 edge in the series over the Tri-City Braves. Tonight they finish off the three-game affair and the prospects for a sweep looked mighty good for Yakima with the announcement by manager Joe Orengo that he was throwing Lloyd Dickey in the last one for the Bears here this year.
Jim Westlake sparked the winners with two singles that drove in three runs. Twice his base raps found Al Jacinto aboard the bags and once Bill Andering was waiting. However, Andring kept pace with Jacinto by also scoring twice.
Buddy Peterson did all the plate cleating for the Braves. He scored in the second after he had walked, when Merle Frick lined a single to the outfield. Then Peterson opened the sixth with a triple that earned to the right center field wall. Nick Pesut's infield putout ball sent the Tri-City shortstop racing in with their last run of the game.
Jim Olsen appeared in the lineup briefly last night. He went in to pinch hit for starting pitcher Joe Nicholas but he didn't stick around to take all his authorized cuts. After a verbal exchange with plate umpire Perkins, Olsen trudged to the dugout with the count 1-1. Cy Greenlaw finished out Olsen's stint by grounding out.
That pickoff play that misfired came in the top of the fifth . Bill Andering reached base on Nicholas's error and moved to second on Jacinto's single. Then Nicholas, apparently believing he had been given the sign to try and nip Andring, whirled from the mound to throw to second, but the bag was bare. Confused, Nicholas half-tossed the ball to Peterson and it rolled between his legs and the runners moved up a notch. Both eventually scored. However, had the play worked it is probable neither would have crossed the plate.
Charlie Peterson is sending his winningest pitcher, Lou McCollum, out to the mound tonight to salvage ths third and last game. McCollum with a season mark of 16-10 is rated at even money to turn back the Bears.
The Braves had trouble moving their base runners around again last night, leaving 11 of them idle on the bags.
Both Jim Warner and Clint Cameron hit four-masters in the ninth, but both went foul. Warner's fell over the left field fence and Cameron's over the right. The matter of a total of 40 feet could have changed the complexion of the game at that point.
Yakima .......... 002 020 010—5 9 0
Tri-City ......... 010 001 000—2 10 3
Bradford and Tornay; Nicholas, Roenspie (9) and Pesut.

SALEM, Aug. 16 (Frank Vaille, AP)—Tacoma's Tigers had their own slant on the little girl who, when she is good, is very, very good, but when she is bad . .oh!
The Tigers were not good Wednesday night. As a result they blew both ends of a twin bill to the seventh place Salem Senators 7-6 and 5-1 to fall back into second place in the Western International league race.
Four consecutive bases on balls by reliefer Don Carter gave Salem its one-run edge in the 10th inning of the scheduled seven-inning opener. One of the calls irked Tacoma manager Jim Brillheart, who irked the arbiter, who in turn ousted the Tiger bossman. The pitching collapse and four Tacoma errors negated Dick Greco's 28th homer of the season, a three-run blow,
and snapped abruptly the Tigers' 11-game winning streak.
Bill Osborn allowed the Tigers only three hits in the second game, called at the end of the sixth because of a league curfew.
First Game
Tacoma ........... 300 030 000 0—6 12 4
Salem .............. 100 401 000 1—7 9 1
Knezovich, Anderson (4), Carter (9) and Fischer, Sheets (8); Costello, Valentine (7) and Martin.
Second Game
Tacoma .......... 010 000—1 3 2
Salem ............. 020 021—5 6 2
Bowman, Loust (5) and Sheets; Osborn and Beard.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 16—Spokane overpowered Wenatchee, 6 to 3, Wednesday night to even the series at one game apiece.
Spokane salted away its victory with a four-run spurt in the ninth after relief pitcher John Conant throttled a Wenatchee rally in the seventh frame. The righthander took over the mound with none away and the bags sagging, but escaped with a single run.
Spokane ............ 100 030 004—8 13 2
Wenatchee ........ 100 001 100—3 11 3
Bishop, Conant (7) and Rossi; Breisinger, Blankenship (9) and Neal.

VANCOUVER, [Jim Kearney, Sun, Aug. 17]—Although Victoria Athletics won both ends of their WIL doubleheader against the Caps at Capilano Stadium last night, they ended up getting second billing to the umpire tandem of Nels Pearson and Ray Jacobs.
Victoria won what to have been the seven-inning opener, 3-2, after nine innings.
What was to have been the nine-inning nightcap they took 3-1, in six innings. The game was halted a few minutes before 11 to allow both teams to catch the midnight boat for Victoria.
FANS WEREN’T PLEASED
Umpire Pearson caused some confusion among the 2700 present at the start of the game and after the curfew time had been announced as 10:50 by changing the hour to 11 and then back to 10:50 again.
Disregarding Pearson for a moment—and no more than a moment—several customers wondered aloud why they could not see nine innings of ball.
Their argument, and it seems quite reasonable, was that a morning boat also sails to Victoria, arriving several hours before game time.
Queried about this, Cap general manager Bob Brown said:
“That’s an arrangement we have with the Victoria club. They do the same for us when we’re playing over there.”
And what about the customers?
“Oh, I think they see enough ball to satisfy them.”
UMPS FINGER BOYS
However, Pearson and Jacobs had priority in the peeve parade, even with those who would like to have seen another three innings and a possible Cap comeback.
When Pearson threw Bob McLean out of the game in the second inning for tossing his bat into the air after going out on three called strikes, the customers started to scream.
They raised the pitch an octave or two when manager Bill Brenner argued the point too violently and travelled the same route.
When Victoria took a 2-1 lead in the fifth, checked on the hour of the day and then started to stall their way to the curfew, the cry rose again. It wasn’t so much at Victoria as at the officials, who never did get around to wagging a finger at the A’s.
Not that it mattered too much. Lefty Jim Hedgecock had the Caps under control most of the way. He allowed five hits, all singles. Sandy Robertson also pitched five-hit ball, but lose his second straight game. Three of the hits were for extra bases, including a homer by Lou Novikoff.
BASE HITS—George Nicholas was the loser in the opener, relieving starter Bud Beasley in the sixth when the Caps were behind, 2-1 . . . Although they failed to get the ball out of the infield, Victoria scored both runs in the fifth on two hits and four Capilano errors . . . Reg Clarkson’s frantic base-running tied it up in the seventh, but Novikoff drove in pitcher Don [sic] Smith with the winner in the ninth . . . Bob Bruenner starts for the Caps in Victoria tonight.
First Game
Victoria ............... 000 020 001—3 11 1
Vancouver .......... 001 000 100—2 9 4
Ron Smith and Danielson; Beasley, Nicholas (7) and Heisner.
Second Game
Victoria ............... 010 011—3 5 1
Vancouver .......... 100 000—1 5 1
Hedgecock and Danielson; Robertson and Heisner.
(Game curfewed at 11 p.m.)

Let the Slugging Jokes Begin
TACOMA, Aug. 16—Tacoma Tiger baseball slugger Dick Greco will add a new twist to this business of getting married next week when he and his bride pledge vows in Tiger Park, near the left fence where Greco is noted for batting so many balls over the fence.

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 17/50]
“Let's Beat 4,000.” That's the slogan Richland's basebal fans have adopted for Saturday night. So far neither Pasco or Kennewick has been able to top the 2,524 fans that Connell lured into Sanders Field on “Connell night.” However, Fred Olsen, chairman of Richland's “night” is very optimistic, hence the slogan.
And you've got to admit the Richland boosters have come up with several unique ideas. For one thing they're going to drop a wrist watch from an airplane onto the playing field, and then give it away. What's more they guarantee the watch will be just as good as new, even after the trip from the sky. Ray Hall is the man who come up with that idea.
For a change, instead of boos and catcalls the umpires for that game are going to be given the royal treatment with a “Be Kind To Umpires” celebration. That is going to be the humorous part of the night. And that's not all yet. For every 100 people that come into the park, $10 derby money will be awarded. Working with Olsen on the big Saturday night “Let's Beat 4,000” program are Max Walton, Jack Wilson find Bob Philip.
LIKE TWO BOXERS
There was some mighty good baseball, and some not so. out at Sanders Field in that opening game with Yakima. The 12 innings marks the longest game of the year here, yet should have ended 2-0 in favor of the Tri-City club at the end of the ninth. Among the incidents that pack a lot of good memories are the two pickoff plays that Greenlaw and Buddy Peterson engineered.

Both times the play worked to perfection with no doubt the runner was safe or out. But the most interesting play was a high foul between first and home with Vic Buccola and Nick Pesut both charging the ball. Naturally, Vic had no liking for a head-on collision with the 230-pound catcher so at the last moment he sidestepped, but so did Pesut. Buccola lunged forward and tipped the ball up and down several times before it finally fell out of his glove. But underneath waiting with his big catcher's mitt was Pesut. Give the putout to Pesut and credit Buccola with an assist.

Tuesday, August 15, 1950

2007-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Tacoma ....... 73 46 .613 —
Yakima ....... 72 46 .610 ½
Wenatchee .... 68 53 .562 6
Tri-City ..... 65 55 .542 8½
Vancouver .... 53 65 .449 19½
Victoria ..... 52 71 .423 23
Salem ........ 50 70 .417 23½
Spokane ...... 46 73 .387 27

SALEM, Aug. 15 — Tacoma's Western International league leading Tigers ran their winning skein to 11 straight here Tuesday as they snared the second game of a twin-bill by a 7-4 count after having taken the opener, 8-1.
Bob Kerrigan became the first pitcher in the circuit to win 20 games, reaching the goal on a three-hit performance in the seven inning opener.
A five-run blast in the ninth frame of the second game kept the Tacoma streak alive. Three hits, an error and two walks brought the big last-frame rally which routed Salem pitcher Johnny Burak.
Relief hurler Gil Loust knocked in the clinching run with a single.
FIRST GAME
Tacoma ........ 102 111 2—8-9-1
Salem ........... 000 000 1—1-3-0
Kerrigan and Sheets; Tierney, Valentine (7) and Beard.
SECOND GAME
Tacoma ........ 000 010 015—7-9-2
Salem ........... 022 000 000—4-5-3
Carter, Anderson (3), Loust (8) and Fischer; Burak, Valentine (9) and Beard.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 15 — The Wenatchee Chiefs scalped the Spokane Indians 5 to 1 here Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.
Southpaw Dave Dahle held Spokane to three hits, all singles, in posting his tenth win of the year against seven losses. Righthander Jim Holder allowed Wenatchee to
score three times in the sixth and wild-pitched in two of the runs.
Spokane ........ 001 000 000—1-3-2
Wenatchee .... 000 103 10x—5-9-3
Holder, Aubertin (8) and Rossi; Dahle and Neal.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 15—A twelfth inning rout gave Yakima a 6 to 2 Western International league victory over the Tri-City Braves Tuesday night.
Lloyd Dickey who went to the mound in the ninth inning for Yakima and pitched three-hit ball for the remaining four innings, was given credit for the win. Jim Olsen sent in by Tri-City in the eighth, was charged with the loss.
- - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 16 (Don Becker, Herald) — The Tri-City Braves were able to get on the bases last night, but that was where the trouble started and eventually ended. On the other hand the Yakima Bears didn't get there often but made the most of their chances, particularly in the 12th when they scored four times to salt away the opening game of the series. Most of the 2001 fans who paid their way into Sanders Field weren't even around at the finish.
Perhaps it was just as well too, for Yakima came out on the very long end 6-2. In some respects it was a weird game, the ending for one thing wasn't in keeping with the late rally tradition of the Braves. Instead the Bears stole their thunder.
Cy Greenlaw, who had started for the Braves, gave way in the eighth after two runs had scored to Fireman Jim Olsen. And for a while it looked as though the Fireman was going to ring up in his ninth victory, instead he sadly counted his sixth loss, with Gene Roenspie retiring the side.
It all started with a series of three bunts and a wild desperate leave by Olsen that wound up n the fifty cent section of the stands.
Pitcher Lloyd Dickey, who was the third Yakima hurler, started off the final canto with a perfect bunt down the third base line. Clint Cameron, filling in at the hot corner for Neil Bryant, threw a strike to first but Dickey out-raced it. Then Al Jacinto pulled the same thing and Olsen's throw to second came too late to nip Dickey.
THIS IS IT
With runners on first and second Pete Coscarart rolled the third bunt of the inning between the mound and third base. Olsen made a back-handed stab of the ball and when he tried to nail Coscarart at first the ball sailed into the bleachers and Dickey crossed with the winning run.
Frank Mascaro added two more with a triple to the centerfield wall that weren't needed and scored on Jim Westlake's single.
Dickey has always looked good here against the Braves and he was at his best last night. In the four innings he worked for his victory he gave up but two hits, only one of which was clean. He also struck out five.
The Braves had a nice game going into the eighth. They had scored once in the third and again in the seventh, but the Bears tied it up in the eighth. Stranditis, the bugaboo of many teams, stared the Tri-City club down. They left 16 assorted base runners on the bags, once in the third with all of them loaded and four times there was a pair aboard.
Tonight Joe Nicholas will top the rubber for the Braves and Bill Bradford for Yakima. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Yakima ......... 000 000 020 004—6-15-1
Tri-City ......... 001 000 100 000—2-12-2
Larner, Powell (8), Dickey (9) and Tornay; Greenlaw, Olsen (8), Roenspie (12) and Pesut.

VANCOUVER, B. C., Aug. 15 — Wholesale collapse struck Victoria Athletics in the third inning Tuesday night as Vancouver Capilanos ran wild for 12 runs and a 15-5 victory.
The boom fell suddenly on the Athletics, starting a three-game series here. The start came when, with one out. Reggie Clarkson hit a homer, with two aboard off John Marshall. Then there was no stopping the inspired Caps.
Marshall went out after eight runs were in, with the bases loaded and two away. Warren Noyes paraded to the mound and dished out three bases on balls to force in three more Vancouver tallies before giving way to John Brkich. The 17-year-old righthander from Kamloops walked in the 12th run across the plate, then struck of Bill Heisner to end the fatal inning.
Bob Snyder, the Vancouver hurler, breezed the rest of the way, handing out 15 hits without too much worry for his 14th win against 13 defeats. The Athletic pitchers, on the other hand, gave away 13 walks and 13 base hits.
Bob McGuire collected four singles to lead the Victoria batters, while Marty Krug Jr., Bill Dunn and John Hack each contributed a pair of safeties. Jimmy Robinson with a double, two singles and three walks paced the winning attack.
Victoria .......... 003 110 000— 5-15-2
Vancouver ..... 00(12) 003 00x—15-13-0
Marshall, Noyes (3), Brkich (4) and Ronning; Snyder and Heisner.

TACOMA, Aug. 15 — Vancouver's Sandy Robertson failed in his bid to set a new Western International mark for consecutive wins over the weekend, but the Cap right-hander continued to set the pace among the loop hurlers, figures released by the league office here disclosed today.
The hit-happy Tri-City Braves hopped on Robertson for five hits and seven runs in one-third of an inning Saturday night to spoil his bid for his 13th straight win, which would have erased the old mark of 12 held by Frank Nelson of Spokane. The loss was Robertson's first of the campaign and left him a 12-to-1 record.
Dewey Soriano, Yakima president, who also doubles as a relief hurler when the Bears need him, was the top man percentage wise with his perfect mark of' 5 and 0, but had not pitched enough innings to be considered among the leaders.
KERRIGAN'S BUSY
Tacoma's Bob Kerrigan was the busiest chucker during the week, checking in with three victories—two of them shutouts—to bring his mark to 19 to 6 and become the first hurler to come that near the 20-game total.
Lloyd Dickey, Yakima southpaw continued to top the strikeout artists in the league as he upped his total to 183. Wenatchee's Tom Breisinger was next in line with 151.
In one appearance on the mound during the week, Don Ferrarese, Wenatchee left-hander, doled out 11 free passes to bring the number of walks he has issued to 182 to far surpass the field in that department.
W L SO Pct
Robertson, Van. .... 12 1 44 .923
Greenlaw, T-C ....... 8 2 32 .800
Kerrigan, Tac. ..... 19 6 91 .760
Kipp, Tac. .......... 4 2 22 .667
Ragni, Wen. ........ 15 8 123 .652
Stone, T-C .......... 9 5 37 .643
Dominechelli, Yak. .. 9 5 48 .643
Marshall, Vic. ..... 13 8 146 .619
Dickey, Yak. ....... 13 8 183 .619

ERIC WHITEHEAD’S FAN FARE
[Daily Province, Aug. 16, 1950]
Tuesday night at Cap Stadium was marked, more or less, by the return of Lou Novikoff alias The Mad Russian. Lou, however and unhappily, was a bust.
Scheduled to appear in a special pre-game operetta, the burly refugee from Mrs. Novakoff and the Chicago Cubs was a severe disappointment to the assembled music-lovers when, at the crucial moment, he failed to appear at the home-plate microphone to deliver his breathlessly-awaited cadenza.
While the multitude stomped and hooted, Lou sat calmly in the corner of the Victoria dugout gnawing on the handle of an old Louisville Slugger, playfully spitting slivers through his teeth at the batboy.
This, Capilano’s Bud Beasley informed us later, was a real shame. For, according to Mr. Beasley, a noted authority on Lou Novikoff, Lou actually has a great voice.
“Sang once with the Chicago Philharmonic,” says Bud. “A baritone. Way down. Like this.” Bud, singing left-handed (though he is actually a switch-singer), demonstrated.
“That,” we suggested politely, “is a falsetto.”
“Well, whaddayaknow,” said Bud admiringly. “He sings falsetto, too.”
• • •
Immediately preceding the scheduled Novikoff rendition, Bud himself displayed fine musical talent as he had led Bung Beasley and his celebrated 6th Avenue Nightengales, (Bung, George Nicholas, Reg Clarkson and Carl Gunnarson) in random numbers from “Shine on Harvest Moon” and “Darktown Strutters Ball,” climaxing the final chorus with a vigorous buck-and-wing into the right field corner.
Only at one brief spell during “Shine on Harvest Moon” (or it might have been “Darktown Strutters Ball”) was the exquisite harmony marred: that when Gunnarson (or it may have been Nicholas. Or Clarkson. Or even Beasley) went distintictly sour for a fleeting 32 (or it might have been 64) bars.
This mild misfortune was somewhat explained later when Gunnarson, squatting disconsolately in the shower, was heard to complain bitterly that he recalled distinctly having been briefed (by Beasley) on “Voice in the Old Village Choir,” and that is what he had been singing.
“Even so,” defended Beasley grimly, “you were distinctly flat.” Or it might have been ‘sharp.’
• • •
If you’re interested in the lighter side of Tuesday night’s pre-game, here’s what happened.
In a fungo-hitting contest Jim Keating and Dick Sinovic against Victoria’s John Marshall and Lou Novikoff, Novikoff won himself a fur-lined something or other with a belt that hit the fence 380 feet from home plate. Each player hit four fungos. None of the fungos of course were allowed to hit back.
In a walking relay race around the bases, Bob McLean and Bud Beasley were too fast and unihibited for Victoria’s Hal Danielson and Bill [sic] Smith.
In the catchers’ throwing contest, Al Ronning and Danielson were against Charlie Mead and Bill Heisner. Mead hit a washtub at second base with his second throw. Ronning came second. The washtub stole second easily on both Heisner and Danielson.
In a 50-yard dash, Reg Clarkson defeated Victoria’s Bob McGuire, Jim Keating and Victoria’s Jim Moore, in that approximate order.
It was all fun, and what tickled producer-director-scripter Bob Brown even more it filled the house. And at tonight’s double-header, Lou Novikoff might sing. Brown has wired for the Chicago Philharmonic.

Monday, August 14, 1950

2007-08-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Victoria at Vancouver, Rained out.
Only game scheduled

Stetter Gains During Week
TACOMA, Aug. 15—Glen Stetter further fattened an already healthy batting average at the expense of Wenatchee and Tacoma pitching last week, climbing 11 points on the strength of 11 hits in 18 official trips to the plate, and the resulting .380 mark put the pudgy Spokane outfielder far ahead of all pursuers in the Western International league willow chase.
Runner-up among the eligible for the batting crown—a player must have appeared in two-thirds of his team's games and must have been at bat 400 times at the season's end—is Tacoma's Dick Greco, who dropped five points during the week to .354.
Despite his mild slump, however, Greco clung to his league leadership in runs-batted-in. with 120, and in home runs, with 27. He drove six tallies across the plate during the week, though failing to augment his four-master total.
Jim Warner, slugging Tri-City outfielder, continued his late-season splurge by hammering out 11 hits in 27 times at bat to raise his average six points to .317—he was hitting .303 just a fortnight back—and took over the runner-up berth in runs-batted-in with 97, up six from last week. Yakima's erstwhile runner-up in that department, Jim Westlake. not only dropped to third but was forced to share that spot with a teammate, Reno Cheso, both with 94.
Victoria's Gene Thompson loomed as a possible contender for the home run crown when he belted four round-trippers during the week for a total of 21, breaking out of a second-place tie with Spokane's Joe Rossi, who failed to add to his aggregate of 17.
The leading averages, as released today from the office of Robert B. Abel, league president:
AB H RBI HR Ave.
Stetter, Spo.. 389 148 84 12 .380
Greco, Tac.... 449 159 120 27 .364
McCawley, Yak. 288 97 52 4 .337
Thompson, Vic. 455 149 95 22 .328
Warner, Tri-C. 432 141 97 16 .327
Rossi, Spo.... 403 130 85 17 .323
Vanni, Spo.... 378 122 50 3 .323
Gifford, Tac.. 410 132 50 3 .323
Clarkson, Van. 468 150 62 8 .321
Zuvella, Yak.. 282 90 54 3 .318
Hjelmaa, Wen.. 421 133 66 0 .316
Cheso, Yak.... 448 141 94 5 .315

ERIC WHITEHEAD’S FAN FARE
[Daily Province, Aug. 15, 1950]
After a long chat Monday with larruping Cap outfielder Reg Clarkson, we asked: “Is there any special comment you’d like to record concerning yourself?”
“Yes,” Reg said eagerly, “there is. You can tell ‘em I’m very proud of my family.”
There is little doubt, but that the family returns the compliment. For in this quiet, handsome and level-eyed chunk of athlete, Reg Clarkson, Sr. of Liverpool and the former Mary McDonald of County Cork, Ireland, have presented us with one of the finest all-round athletes and gentlemen ever to treat the good sward of this evergreen playground.
Talk Clarkson to any of the many who know him and you get the same consensus: “A great competitor . . . a great team-player. . .”
Reg will be 25 next week. But for an ailing right arm, he would perhaps be spending this anniversary a little closer to an old buddy named Preston Ward. Monday in Chicago, Ward wrapped out a ninth-inning single to ride the Cubs to a 7-6 victory over the Cardinals. Three years ago, Clarkson and Ward, playing with Pueblo’s Class A ballclub, were both ticketed for promotion. Ward made it. Clarkson burned out his arm, didn’t make it.
Reg Starts In Early
Born in Victoria, Reg was hardly in long pants before he helped Victoria’s St. Louis College to two B.C. soccer and one B.C. basketball titles. In the hoop series against Penticton, he scored a record 37 points
Shifting next year to Vancouver, Reg moved into the fast Vancouver College grid backfield, switched come winter to basketball, led the prep scoring race. In ’44 and ’45, the young swifty took his first real nip of baseball, going to the Vancouver Arrows under the sponsorship of Bob Brown. In the spring of ’46, he moved to the Cap training camp, made little or no impression on the pros, and but for the faith that kindled in the heart of Mr. Brown, he would have been shucked off like an ill-fitting shoe.
Only at the insistence of Ruby Robert, Clarkson started in centre field for the Caps, vindicated all concerned by hitting a lusty .333 for the season and fielding to suit. In ’47, Brown sold him to Fort Worth of the Texas League, he went to Pueblo for seasoning, belted .335. Came then a slight cold in his right elbow—and a permanent deadening of that valuable throwing limb.
Next year, a short stint with Mobile, Ala., then to Santa Barbera. In ’49 Clarkson stopped off in Edmonton, played ball to the tune of a .386 batting average and a runaway in every offensive department. So then this year—at the behest of Bob Brown—back for another playoff with the local club.
Oh yes. Back in ’46, Reg attended UBC long enough to spark the ‘Birds to a great Canadian football Hardy Cup win over U. of Alberta, and was latter tagged by ex-All American UBC grid Mentor Greg Kabat as a “great football player.” It was Kabat’s high recommendation that got Reg a post with the Edmonton Eskimos for a successful whirl at pro football in 1949.
In ’46 and ’47, Reg played brilliantly alongside Norm Baker, Doug Peden, Richie Nicol, Art Chapman and Porky Andrews on that fine Vancouver Hornet basketball club.
Teaching Career Ahead
Whither now? Back to UBS for the fall term for his B.A. There he hopes to play (pending eligibility approval) football and basketball. After that—his teacher’s degree, a couple more years’ ball, then a teaching career.
And about that family: athletes all? “Practically all,” grins Reg. “Except Mom. She thinks all games are kind of crazy. But she loves ‘em because we do.”
Oldest brother Frank (28) is a local contractor, a three-handicap golfer. Vince (25) played soccer with Victoria. Bernie (21) play ball awhile with Victoria A’s, then El Centro. Johnny (20) now studying in a Catholic order in New York state, played B.C. Inter A championship basketball. Joey (18) plays ‘em all, but is now ill with a nervous ailment. Fred (13) is the family heavy (165), already a boxer and ball player.
Reg’s greatest fan? “My sister Theresa. (Mary Benedicta of Sisters of St. Anne). Follows all the games, knows all the averages. So do most of the sisters of the Order.”
The other sister, Rita, is happily married in Bellingham [unreadable line about Reg Sr.] —still boss of the brood. Although not as fast as he used to be.
“Pop could move,” Reg says proudly. “He was a pro sprinter in the old country.” His boy, Reg Jr., is now a fine professional acquisition on all counts in the new country.

Sunday, August 13, 1950

2007-08-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Tacoma ...... 71 46 .607 —
Yakima ...... 73 48 .603 —
Wenatchee ... 67 53 .558 5½
Tri-City .... 65 54 .546 7
Vancouver ... 52 65 .444 19
Victoria .... 52 70 .426 21½
Salem ....... 50 68 .425 21½
Spokane ..... 45 72 .390 23½

TACOMA, Aug. 13—The rampant Tacoma Tigers extended their longest winning streak of the current Western International league season to nine in a row by sweeping a double-header with the Spokane Indians here, 5-4 and 6-5.
Dick Greco was the star of the seven-inning finale, nipping Spokane runners at the plate with perfect tosses from right field and driving home Sol Israel with the winning run. Bob Kerrigan was credited with his 19th win against six defeats off a one-inning stint in the finales.
FIRST GAME
Spokane .... 000 000 103—4-8-3
Tacoma ..... 010 001 30x—5-6-1
Curran and Rossi; Kipp and Sheets.
SECOND GAME
Spokane ..... 300 002 0—5- 6-3
Tacoma ...... 100 400 1—6-10-3
Conant and Weatherwax, Rossi (6); Loust, Anderson (5) Kerrigan (7) and Fischer, Sheets (7).

YAKIMA, Aug. 13—Wenatchee unleashed three 11th inning doubles coupled with as many walks Sunday night to defeat Yakima 10-7 in a scheduled seven-inning Western International League opener.
Wenatchee combined doubles by Jerry Ballard, Jay Ragni and Don Fracchia and three walks to push over five runs for the victory.
The two clubs have no more games scheduled in Yakima so presumably will complete their knotted contest when Yakima goes to Wenatchee Aug. 22.
FIRST GAME
Wenatchee .... 022 100 000 05—10-11-2
Yakima .......... 005 000 000 02— 7-14-0
Breisinger, Blankenship (4) and Len Neal; Soriano, Savarese (4), Bradford (11) and Tornay.
SECOND GAME
Wenatchee ...... 100 100—2-8-2
Yakima ............ 100 010—2-5 1
(Tie—game called by curfew)
Treichel and Len Neal; Powell and Tiesiera.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

Saturday, August 12, 1950

2007-08-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Yakima ...... 73 47 .664 —
Tacoma ...... 69 46 .600 1½
Wenatchee ... 66 53 .554 6½
Tri-City .... 65 54 .546 8
Vancouver ... 52 65 .444 19½
Victoria .... 52 70 .425 22
Salem ....... 50 68 .424 22
Spokane ..... 46 70 .397 20

YAKIMA, Aug. 12—The Yakima Bears retained their slim margin over Tacoma on Saturday night by edging Wenatchee, 7-6, in 13 innings on a squeeze play.
Wenatchee ... 000 500 000 000 1—6 10 3
Yakima ......... 200 030 000 000 2—7 11 1
Ferrarese, Blankenship (13) and Neal, Domenichelli, Soriano (13) and Tornay.

TACOMA, Aug. 12—The onrushing Tacoma Tigers won their seventh straight Western International baseball league game here tonight by defeating the Spokane Indians 7-3.
The tribe outhit the second-place Tacoma club 11-7, but the Tigers bunched three of their hits with as many walks and a Spokane error to score four times in the second inning, thereby providing Mel Knezovich with ample wherewithal for his twelfth victory against eight defeats.
But for some sparkling defensive play behind him, Dick Aubertin, who relieved the starting and losing Spokane pitcher, Ward Rockey, in the second inning, would have been the victim of additional scoring beyond the two runs he permitted in his 6-2/3 innings on the mound. Aubertin walked nine men and yielded four hits.
Spokane's Glen Stetter, the League's leading hitter, had a perfect night at the plate with three singles in as many official trips, while Jim Wert collected a triple and two singles in four trips and batted in two of Spokane's runs.
Spokane ....... 101 000 100—3-11-l
Tacoma ........ 140 001 01x—7- 7-0
Hockey, Aubertin (2) and Weatherwax; Knezovich and Sheets.

VANCOUVER, B. C., Aug. 12—Tri City Braves scored eight runs in the first inning tonight, then went on to win the nightcap of a Western International league baseball tilt with Vancouver Capilanos 17-11. They dropped the afternoon piece 8-4.
The win-loss left the series split evenly at two apiece.
The nightcap was a slugging affair throughout that saw Sandy Robertson trying for his 13th win against no defeats for league record. He was shelled for seven runs and left the game without retiring the side in the first inning. Four more Cap hurlers followed him but weren't too effective.
His 12 straight wins had tied the mark set in 1948 by Spokane's Frank Nelson, now with Oakland.
Both Braves' Dick Faber and Caps' Reg Clarkson betted four-run homers tonight, Faber's coming in the big first inning and Clarkson's in the top of the fourth when Caps got eight runs.
The afternoon game saw Caps collect 11 hits and, despite five errors, keep Tri-City's blows nullified. Bill Whyte picked up his first victory of the season.
- - - -
VANCOUVER, [Erwin M. Swangard, Province, Aug. 14]—The official baseball rule on determining a losing pitcher reads:
”Regardless of how many innings the first pitcher has pitched, he shall be charged with the loss of the game if he is replaced when his team is behind in the score, and thereafter his team fails to either tie the score or gain the lead.”
Because of that hard-and-fast rule, Sandy Robertson was charged with the Capilano defeat Saturday night and thus deprived of his chance of setting a new Western International League pitching record.
HOST OF FANS
A packed house of more than 3200 sat in to watch Sandy shoot for his thirteenth win in 13 games he started this season but instead were treated to a baseball nightmare.
But for the strict scoring rule mentioned above, the official scorer could have allotted the loss to any one of the five pitchers used by the Caps, with the possible exception of Bob Snyder who toiled the last inning and a third with indifferent success.
It was obvious from the start that the tension of the task was too much for Sandy who lacked his customary composure. Al Spaeter opened with a double. Six batters and only one putout later Dick Faber cooked Sandy’s goose with a grand-slam homer over the right field fence.
When the usually light-hitting Jim McKeegan singled after that, boss Bill Brenner sent Sandy to the showers.
NIGHTMARE STARTS
What followed was almost unbelievable. The Caps did just about everything wrong.
In the fourth inning, they staged an eight-run uprising of their own and came within three runs of the eventual winners. Reg Clarkson climaxed that one with a bases-filled homer which chased Merle Frick, the Braves’ starting pitcher.
It was to no avail. Len (sic) McCollum came in and gave up three more runs while the Cap pitching and defence kept on falling apart for another six runs.
In all the excitement of the important evening game the fans overlooked a superb performance by another local Cap pitcher in the afternoon.
WHYTE UNRUFFLED
Modest Bill Whyte, graduate of the local high school baseball circuit with John Oliver, turned back the Braves with eight hits and only one earned run. Whyte, a left hander, exhibited almost uncanny control as he struck out only one. He had the attackers ground the ball weakly into the infield or loft it out to the outfielders all afternoon. The fact the Caps committed five errors behind him didn’t affect the 23-year-old bespectacled Whyte.
Whyte’s modesty could not be better exemplified than by the remark he made as he left the ball park after the night game: “I wouldn’t have minded losing if Sandy had won tonight.”
Tonight, Victoria Athletics will open a three-game series at Cap Stadium with Bob Bruenner scheduled to pitch for the Brennermen.
FIRST GAME
Tri-City ........ 010 010 110—4- 8-1
Vancouver .... 101 120 21x—8-11-5
Roenspie and McKeegan, Pesut (7); Whyte & Heisner.
SECOND GAME
Tri-City ............ 800 310 230—17-18-1
Vancouver ........ 000 800 300—11-10-4
Frick, McCollum (4) and Pesut; Robertson, Gunnarson (1), Alvari (5), Nicholas (5), Snyder, (8) and Heisner.

VICTORIA, B. C., Aug. 12 — A double by Bill Beard in the eighth inning scoring Bob Cherry gave the Salem Senators a 4 to 3 win over the Victoria Athletics in the first game of a Western International league double-header.
Ray McNulty of the Senators took a 2-0 pitch from Jim Hedgecock and parked it over the fence in the third with one runner on.
Marty Krug homered for Victoria with two men aboard in the fifth and after an error kept him alive at the plate. Cherry doubled to lead off the sixth and scored the tying run on a single by Bill Spaeter.

VICTORIA, B. C., Aug. 12—The Victoria Athletics scored five early inning runs to coast to an easy 6 to 1 win over the Salem Senators in the nightcap of a Western International league doubleheader.
Two of the Victoria runs came as the result of a double steal in the second inning when Marty Krug scored and Gene Thompson went to second and was driven home by John Hack's single.
All five runs were unearned. The only earned run Victoria had in the game was on Gene Thompson's 22nd homer in the seventh.
Jim Propst held Salem to five hits, walked only two and struck out seven. Ralph Lineberger surrendered five hits, three walks and hit a batter in 1 2-3 innings to take the loss.
Victoria has won 11 of the 21 games it has played against Salem this year.
FIRST GAME
Salem ....... 002 001 010—4 7 1
Victoria ..... 000 030 000—3 8 0
Valentine and Beard; Hedgecock and Ronning.
SECOND GAME
Salem ....... 000 001 000—1-5-3
Victoria ..... 230 000 10x—6-8-0
Lineberger, Lew (2) and Baird; Propst and Danielson.

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 13/50]
GATE SHOWS DROP
Latest attendance figures for the Western International League, which cover the season to August 1 show an alarming drop at the gale compared to what the loop pulled last year. All this without TV to buck either.
Only two of the cities show an increase over last year's attendance figures at this point. And Tacoma's gain of nine thousand odd is not particularly startling in view of the fact their team has been a pennant leader all the way.
Even so Tacoma still ranks seventh, with Salem on the bottom and Tri-City in sixth. Here's the breakdown by city and year.
                 1950       1949
Yakima ....... 83,711     91,085
Spokane ...... 81,973    128,179
Victoria ..... 81,190     89,061
Wenatchee .... 78,598     43,460
Vancouver .... 70,457    110,123
Tri-City ..... 61,104     35,440*
Tacoma ....... 50,588     41,132
Salem ........ 47,006     49,099
TOTALS: ..... 554,627    587,579
*Total attendance of Bremerton team, which was replaced by Tri-City in league this year.

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang [from Colonist, Aug. 13, 1950]
“They’ll like him before the season is over.”
That comment was made last April in Kamloops. The speaker was Senior Krug and he was talking about Junior Krug, one of two first-base candidates with the Victoria Athletics. There are few today who will argue that the Victoria manager didn’t know what he was talking about when he made that observation. The rise of the younger Krug to popular favor of the fans who once booed his every move is the story of a fellow who had to overcome a lot of prejudice to earn due recognition.
It was evident in training camp that Krug was the better first-baseman but he was in the unfortunate position of having his Dad as his manager and subject to a certain amount of suspicion by his teammates and considerable from Victoria fans, all too ready to believe there would be favoritism. Under any other manager, he would have won the job as soon as the A’s had their full quota of outfielders.
Under the toughest kind of pressure, his position was made even more unbearable when he got off to a bad start. Victoria fans were far from fair. Every failure was greeted with a chorus of boos and they built up Jim Wert in their minds as one of the best in the league. They claimed favoritism when there was none.
When the A’s needed an outfielder, it was Junior who played out of position. When they had enough outfielders he was the one who sat on the bench even though his manager knew he could improve his club my making a switch at first and was under pressure at times to do so from the front office. Almost every time Junior was sent into the game, it was in a clutch spot.
Junior is not a great player but he makes the most of his ability. He won’t hit in the higher brackets but he gets on base oftener than anyone on the club. He isn’t fast but he is one of the best base-runners in the league. But he does think, he hustles all the time, and he is the closest thing the A’s have to a leader on the field. It took quite a while, but he finally won over most of his detractors by the simple method of quietly doing his job the best way he knew how and today there are few players on the club more popular with the fans than the fellow they accused of having a job only because his Dad was the manager. The A’s could have used a few more like him this year.
RANDOM HARVEST
Although well out of the W.I.L. race, the A’s will play to a capacity crowd twice when they visit Tacoma this month. Dick Greco, slugging star of the Tigers, will be married at home plate on August 24 to Miss Evelyn Moore of Victoria. Among the many presents for the newly-weds will be one from the Victoria club. The following night, Johnny Price will be the attraction. . . . When the Tigers play here Labor Day, they will be accompanied by an estimated 300 Tacoma fans. . . . Victoria’s Knothole Gang have, temporarily at least, lost their privileges because of their actions at Royal Athletic Park. Sometimes it is hard to understand why youngsters so often spoil things for themselves by what practically amounts to vandalism. The A’s had little choice. Not only was their property being damaged but paying customers were protesting. . . . Jack Harshman, once counted as the first-base hope of the New York Giants, has been sent to Jacksonville. . . . Bob Brown, Vancouver general manager, demanded, and received, a change of umpires from W.I.L. president Bob Abel this week. The Caps were dissatisfied with the work of Doc Regele and Dutch Bergmann and received Mickey Hanich and Joe [sic] Iacovetti in exchange.

Friday, August 11, 1950

2007-08-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Yakima ...... 72 47 .605 —
Tacoma ...... 68 46 .596 1½
Wenatchee ... 66 52 .559 5½
Tri-City .... 64 53 .547 7½
Vancouver ... 51 64 .443 19
Victoria .... 51 69 .425 21½
Salem ....... 49 67 .422 21½
Spokane ..... 46 69 .400 24

YAKIMA, Aug. 11—Lloyd Dickie limited Wenatchee Chiefs to three hits to give the Yakima Bears a 5-3 triumph on Friday night. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for the pace-setting Bears.
Wenatchee .... 110 000 001—3 3 5
Yakima .......... 001 140 00x—6 9 2
Ragni and Len Neal; Dickey and Tiesiera.

TACOMA, Aug. 11—The Tacoma Tigers gained a 6-5 decision over the cellar-dwelling Spokane Indians Friday night when an error by Glen Stetter, an ex-Tiger, permitted three unearnedruns in the midst of a four-run Tiger rally in the fourth.
Spokane ...... 103 000 010—5 12 3
Tacoma ....... 001 140 00x—6 9 2
Bishop, Roberts (8) and Rossi; Loust, Carter (3) and Fischer.

VANCOUVER, B.C., August 11 — Vancouver Capilanos dragged the game out of the fire Friday night when Jim Keating banged a 390-foot home run with one on to beat Tri-City, 6-5, and even the Western International league series at one game each.
Len Tran singled off reliefer Jim Olsen, was sacrificed down to second by Dick Sinovic, and scored ahead of Keating to win the game. The series continues Saturday with a double bill.
- - - - -
VANCOUVER, [Dan Ekman, Sun, Aug. 12]—The folks actually got a little too good run for their money last night at Capilano Stadium. Or don’t you agree that (1) new umpires, (2) a Vancouver win on a ninth-inning homer and (3) Bud Beasley contitute rather rich fare for one evening?
At least it wasn’t wasted, though, because 3100 fans filled the tired old yard to near capacity and got unexpected chills in addition to the chuckles they came for.
SANDY’S BIG CHANCE
It’s to be hoped they have something left in reserve tonight, for this is the best of them all in Sandy Robertson’s career. The homebrew right-hander, tied with Frank nelson at 12 games for the WIL’s consecutive win record, goes for sole possession at 8:15.Adding further to the local flavor to this double-bill day was the appearance of young Bill Whyte as starting pitcher in this afternoon’s game.
As we’ve tried to indicate, there was much doing in last night’s contest. Beasley, the strongest turnstile magnet to come along for years in the WIL, disappointed nobody. To his scarecrow windup and alarming batting stance he added a wild charge from the mound to first base in the sixth inning.
The purpose of this last manoeuvre, which is not recommended in purist pitching circles, was to pick off Tri-City baserunner Clint Cameron, who was lolling unconcernedly a few feet from the base. The fact that Clint got back safely didn’t detract a bit from the performance.
Though the odd Tri-City batsman appeared a trifle petulant, there was, in fact, a general display of whimsy. Jovial Nick Pesut and ’49 home run king Jim Warner entered wholeheartedly into the comedy, and there was, to coin a phrase, never a dull moment.
Particularly was this true of the ninth inning, wherein the Braves came charging from behind on three hits and an error to take a one-run lead. Lenny Tran started of the tense Cap half with a single to centre field and Dick Sinovic sacrificed him along.
Into the box then stepped rightfielder Jim Keating, who let one good hitting pitch go by, then went for a second bad one, and finally pounded out a high, inside fast ball over the left field fence for two runs and a Vancouver victory.
EVEN UMPS WELCOMED
Thus, Thursday night’s history repeated itself, but with a major change in big Jim’s role. In that game, too, Tri-City was leading 5-4 in the ninth and Keating represented the winning run—but he skied out.
Tri-City actually had little trouble in getting base hits off Beasley, who in the off-season is the completely serious director of physical education for all high schools in Reno, Nevada. The aging buffoon—he’s listed as 35, but laugh when you say that, pardner—gave up an even dozen, yet managed to get men out when it counted most.
Oh, yes, the umpires. Mike Hanich and Joe Iacovetti, top officiating team in the WIL, took over from the late, unlamented Mssrs. Regele and Bergmann. Never in baseball history were two clubs happier to see a pair of new bodies in blue suits.
Tri-City ........... 000 101 003—5 12 2
Vancouver ....... 030 001 002—6 10 1
Orrell, Nicholas (3), Olsen (9) and Pesut; Beasley and Heisler.

VICTORIA, Aug. 11—Playing like a team that had given up on itself, the Victoria Athletics took a 10-2 pasting from the Salem Senators on Friday night.
Bill Osborn pitched a six-hitter for the Solons and had given up only one dubious hit with two out in the sixth inning when an error by catcher Bill Beard gave Marty Krug Jr. life at the plate and he hit the next pitch for a double. Lou Novikoff followed with a single to end the shutout.
Bob Cherry and Al Drew, both former Athletics, led the 14-hit Salem attack against three Victoria pitchers. Cherry batted in four runs with a triple, double and single, and scored twice while Drew plated two runs with three singles and also scored twice.
Aldon Wilkie started and lasted only two innings, giving up four runs. Warren Noyes gave up four more in a six-inning relief stint and John Brkich was tagged for the final two in the last inning.
Salem .......... 220 010 302—10 14 1
Victoria ........ 000 001 010—2 6 1
Osborn and Beard; Wilkie, Noyes (3) Brkich (9) and Danielson.

ERIC WHITEHEAD’S FAN FARE
[Daily Province, Aug. 12?, 1950]
Ruby Robert Brown, business-manager of the Vancouver Capilanos, is not the Simon Flint-heart that some malignant gentlemen would have us believe. In fact, this past week, our Bob has displayed heart-warming proof of great religious depth and emotional capacity.
Each night at sundown, Bob has been seen to emerge from his box-office then turn and bow silently in the direction of Sandy Robertson while murmuring reverent passages from the latest audit report.
To say that Sandy is the apple of Robert’s eye would merely be putting the glint right where it belongs, because the local flinger, who goes out for his 13th straight tonight against Tri-City, has been the direct cause of a current box-office renaissance out at the stadium.
Proving once more that all the world loves a winner, Robertson, by dint of capable but unspectacular—but winning—pitching, has become the greatest drawing card seen hereabouts in many a moon.
• • •
The guy gets very few strikeouts; he’s got no blazing fast-ball a-la Bob Feller, he isn’t Daffy a-la Lefty Gomez; he doesn’t toss one-hitters, or two-hitters or even three-hitters.
The guy just wins. Sometimes by the skin of Bill Brenner’s teeth, but he wins. The fans who packed Cap Stadium last Monday to watch Sandy pick up number twelve showed how the locals feel about this simple formula. A near-sellout on a blue Monday is what you might call above-average business for a sixth-place club. And for tonight’s game probably three times the expected sell-out mob of 4000-plus would turn up if there was room.
All of which brings up a much-discussed point, to wit: How do Robertson’s teammates, particularly the other Caps pitchers, feel about all this?
• • •
There are folks who will tell you that professional jealousy is rearing its ugly noodle. That some of the full-time Cap hirelings who take all the bumps and knocks of the road trips resent this local boy staying home and stepping out of his comfy engineering office into “soft spots,” i.e.; before a home-town crowd.
Some will point significantly to the fact that Sandy was not overwhelmed on the field with congratulations immediately following that Monday game, we particularly note the attitude of Sandy’s team-mates as they dressed and showered.
Said Ray Tran:
”What a pitcher that kid is! He’s really great to play behind. If he gets into trouble—he gets himself out again. We don’t have to worry a bit about him.”
“Lucky?” said brother Len Tran. “Sure, he’s lucky once in a while. We all gotta be lucky. But we gotta be good to produce, too. This Sandy’s producing, ain’t he? He got it.”
• • •
And George Nicholas, the handsome, flashy New Yorker, who operates on a win-bonus pitching clause:
”Wish they’d hit behind me like they do behind Sandy. Sure. But no complaints. You win ‘em or you don’t. Sure, I lose six games because we get exactly no runs, but that’s the way it goes. They’ll probably hit for me some day when they don’t for Sandy. Things usually level out. And listen—with a 12-0 record, you gotta be good, that’s all.
You just couldn’t buy a bad word against the local boy. Ballplayers are just fans in uniforms—they love a winner, too.

Thursday, August 10, 1950

2007-08-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Yakima ..... 71 47 .602 —
Tacoma ..... 67 46 .593 1½
Wenatchee .. 66 51 .564 4½
Tri-City ... 64 52 .552 6
Vancouver .. 50 64 .439 19
Victoria ... 51 68 .429 20½
Salem ...... 48 67 .417 22½
Spokane .... 46 68 .404 24

TACOMA, Aug. 10—The league-leading Yakima Bears were handed their fourth loss in a row, as the Tacoma Tigers shut them out tonight, 6-0.
Tonight's victory was decided in the first inning when three walks, Dick Greco's double, Dick Wenner's single and an infield out chased over three Tacoma tallies. Wimpy Quinn homered in the seventh.
Bob Kerrigan gained his second-shut victory in four days over Yakima.
With less than a month before Sept. 10 closing date, Tacoma's challengers appeared to have both a psychological and schedule advantage over Yakima's 1949 titlists. The two clubs meet once more—a three-game set opening in Yakima Aug. 29.
Other than that, Tacoma plays only five more games against first division foes. All are with Wenatchee in Tacoma. Yakima not only must toss off the effect of its recent skid, but must play Wenatchee and Tri-City each seven times, in addition to its Tacoma series.
Yakima ...... 000 000 000—0 7 0
Tacoma ..... 300 100 20x—6 11 0
Larner, Savarese (7) and Tiesiera; Kerrigan and Sheets.

SPOKANE, Aug. 10—Wenatchee's Al Treichel and the Indians' Jim Holder dueled scorelessly for 12 innings tonight before the Chiefs broke open the game in the 13th and picked up a 5-2 victory over Spokane.
Both clubs scored one in the 13th and then Wenatchee lowered the boom for five hits and four runs in the 14th. Holder had given up only three hits when he faced Jay Ragni to open to the fatal 14th.
Treichel was hit safely 14 times and walked ten men but scattered the hits enough to keep out of serious trouble most of the way.
Wenatchee ........ 000 000 000 14—5 8 0
Spokane ............. 000 000 000 11—2 14 1
Treichel and Neal, Billings (13); Holder and Rossi.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 10—Tri-City remained six games off the pace with a 6-5 edge over Vancouver on Thursday night.
Tri-City pushed over its one-run edge against Vancouver with three in the ninth. Jim Warner's drive down the third base-line was the payoff blow—in more ways than one. Even Warner thought it was foul and didn't run until umpire Dutchy Bergmann ordered him to. A similar decision by Bergmann last Monday night prompted Vancouver manager Bill Brenner to ask league president Robert Abel to transfer the arbiter elsewhere,
As a rsult, Bergmann will be officiating at the Yakima-Wenatchee series in Yakima today.
Tri-City ........ 000 300 003—6-13-4
Vancouver .... 012 010 001—5-12-1
McCollum, Olsen (9) and Pesut; Snyder, Gunnarson (9) and Heisner.

VICTORIA, Aug. 10—Victoria's John Marshall tried an iron man stunt against Salem and was halfway successful.
After winning the seven-inning opener, 12-3, he got no decision after starting the second game that Salem won 4-3 in the 12th inning on Mel Wasley's two-out homer. He was relieved by Ron Smith in the tenth.
Marshall ran into tough competition from John Burak in the night game. Burak went the distance, scattering ten hits over nine innings but allowing the tying run in the ninth. Bill Dunn singled with one out and Al Ronning just failed to clear the fence left-centre which fell for a single. Dunn went to third and Hal Danielson batred for Marshall. Danielson fly to Al Drew in right. Dunn, for some reason, started for home, but had to go back and tag up. He just barely beat the throw to the plate.
Smith then came in and lost his second game in two nights when he tried to give an intentional walk to Wasley, but didn't keep the ball far enough away.
Marty Krug Jr. led off the Victoria 12th with a single and went to second as Lou Novoikoff grounded out. Gene Thompson banged a line drive at shortstop Wally Scott and Krug was doubled off first.
Novikoff and Thompson lef the A's in the first game. Novikoff batted in four runs with a single and a bases-loaded double, while Thompson connected for his 21st home run with two men on in the fourth.
Marshall worked easily in both games, pitching only six innings in the first when manager Marty Krug let Johnny Brkich finish up. Brkich set the side down in order in the seventh, whiffing Al Drew and Al Spaeter.
Only two of the runs off Marshall were earned and he had a total of 10 strikeouts in the 15 innings he worked.
First Game
Salem ......... 010 020 0—3-7-3
Victoria ...... 104 340 x—12-11-2
Costello, Lew (4) and Beard; Marshall, Brikich (7) and Ronning.
Second Game
Salem ........ 000 020 010 001—4-12-0
Victoria ...... 020 000 001 000—3-10-1
Burak and Allison, Beard (11); Marshall, Smith (10) and Ronning.

Chief's Catcher Hurt
WENATCHEE, Wash., (UP) — Larry Neal, Wenatchee's regular catcher, will be out of action for at least two weeks as a result of injuries he suffered at a team picnic Monday, it was disclosed yesterday.
Neal suffered a broken rib, a head cut and bruises.
Utility infielder Hank Sciarra also was sidelined when he stepped on a nail at the same picnic.
Left fielder Walt Pocekay is playing third base in the juggled Wenatchee infield.

Tri-City Braves Recall Michelson
KENNEWICK, Aug. 11—Kenny Michelson, Pasco, will report back to his home club, the Tri-City Braves early next week.
Dick Richards, general manager of the Tri-City team, in making the announcement added that Michelson would probably make his first mound appearance in an exhibition game against the Walla Walla Bears, Aug. 21, against Gene Conley, signed yesterday to a pro contract by the Boston Braves.
Michelson, who was signed by Tri-City at the start of the current season, has been pitching for Marysville of the Far West Class D league where he has compiled a very commendable record.
Richards said that Michelson would probably take his regular turn with the Braves pitching staff for the balance of the season provided he was able to fit into the class B Western International type of baseball.
"But we feel confident that Ken will be able to turn in a fine a job here as he has been doing down there," the club general manager said.
The matching of Michelson and Conley in the Aug. 21 game promises a record breaking attendance. The two boys were keen rivals throughout their respective high school careers and a duel between them always brought out a large crowd. Now with both athletes playing and signed to professional contracts experts are predicting a new record for Sanders Field.
Michelson was one of the greatest athletes ever coming out of Pasco high school. He lettered four years in baseball and football. He interrupted his college career last spring to sign a contract with Tri-City.

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE LEADERS
including games of Wednesday, August 9
AB H RBI HR Ave.
Stetter, Spok. ... 376 140 82 12 .372
Greco, Tac. ...... 431 153 115 27 .355
Vanni, Spol. ..... 357 118 48 3 .350
McCawley, Yak. ... 283 97 52 4 .343
Rossi, Spok. ..... 383 126 81 17 .329
Home runs—Greco (Tacoma) 27, G. Thompson (Victoria) 19, Rossi (Spokane) 17, Warner (Tri-City) 15, Mead (Vancouver) 13.
Runs batting in—Greco (Tacoma) 115, Warner (Tri-City) 93, Westlake (Yakima) 92, Cheso (Yakima) 91, Quinn (Tacoma) 88, Mead (Vancouver) 88.
Pitching—Robertson (Vancouver) 12-0, Greenlaw (Tri-City) 8-2, Kerrigan (Tacoma) 17-6, Ragni (Wenatchee) 15-7, Olsen (Tri-City) 8-4.

Wednesday, August 9, 1950

2007-08-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Yakima ..... 71 46 .607 —
Tacoma ..... 66 46 .589 2½
Wenatchee .. 65 51 .560 5½
Tri-City ... 63 52 .548 7
Vancouver .. 50 63 .442 19
Victoria ... 50 67 .427 21
Salem ...... 47 66 .416 23
Spokane .... 46 67 .407 24

VICTORIA, Aug. 9—Jim Warner's two-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday night gave the Tri-City Braves a 6-5 decision over the Victoria Athletics and a 2-1 series win. It was the 29th one-run loss suffered by the A's this season.
Ron Smith fed a home run ball to Jim Warner in the ninth inning with Vic Buccola on base, and dropped his sixth decision by one run when the A's left the tying and winning runs on the bags after scoring oncen inthe bottom of the inning. Smith is now 8-12.
The A's had the lead three times but failed to get a big inning and were never far in front by more than two runs.
The Braves tied it for the third time in the eighth despite losing an apparent home run by Jim McKeegan. The Tri-City catcher hit a long ball to left-centre which went out of the park but base umpire Gordie Perkins ruled it had gone through, not over, the fence, and McKeegan was sent back to second. McKeegan eventually came in on a ground out and an outfield fly.
Lou Novikoff just failed to come up with Buccola's long clout to right in the ninth and it fell in for three bases. Warner followed with his home run, and the Braves went up for the first time.
A double by Al Ronning and a walk to pinch-hitter Hal Danielson opened the Victoria ninth. Bob McGuire sacrificed them over and Marty Krug's high fly fly into short left field to score Ronning and put Danielson at third. Jim Olsen, who relieved Joe Nicholas in the eighth, induced Novikoff to pop up and Gene Thompson to ground into a force play.
A's note: Bothered with a sore shoulder and unable to pitch, the A's released pitcher Joe Mishasek. He plans to stay in Victoria over the summer and hopes resting his shoulder will prepare him for 1951.
Tri-City ......... 010 020 012—6 9 4
Victoria ......... 102 010 001—5 11 3
Nicholas, Olsen (8) and Pesut, McKeegan (3); Smith and Ronning.

SPOKANE, Aug. 9—The Wenatchee Chiefs pouned two Indian hurlers for 16 hits and a 11 to 3
win tonight to remain within striking distance of the leaders.
The Chiefs lashed out six doubles in the free-swinging contest, gaining a full game on the Bears and placing them 5½ games back from-the lop of the ladder. The Chiefs are three games behind second place Tacoma.
Bill Unfried led the Wenatchee attack with a single and a double for three runs batted in.
The winning pitcher was Tom Breisinger who tallied victory number 12.
Wenatchee ....... 302 310 020—11 16 0
Spokane ........... 002 010 000—3 7 4
Beisinger and Neal; Conant, Auberton (4) and Rossi, Weatherwax (9).

TACOMA, Aug. 9—Tacoma made it three in a row by defeating Yakima 8 to 4 here Wednesday night.
The defeat cut Yakima's lead in the Western International league race to two and a half games.
The Tigers scored four runs in the second inning and were never headed, though southpaw Tom Kipp was in constant trouble. He gave upmonly six hits but walked six batters and had two errors by his teammates to overcome.
Yakima ......... 100 200 100—4 6 3
Tacoma ........ 041 001 02x—8 14 2
Powell, Bradford (8) and Tornay; Kipp and Sheets.

VANCOUVER, [Erwin M. Swangard, Province, Aug. 10]—Probably the happiest place in all Vancouver Wednesday night at approximately 10:30 o’clock was the Vancouver Capilano dressing room at Cap Stadium.
The local entry in the Western International League had something to be joyful about.
The caps had just swept their first series of the 1950 season by turning back the Salem Senators for the third consecutive night behind a workman-like pitching job by veteran George Nicholas.
TAPED, AT LAST
Perhaps the most jubilant was Manager Bill Brenner, broken finger and all, becase for the frst time this season he faced a new series with some concrete idea about his pitching schedule.
Tonight, Tri-City Braves open a four-game stand at Cap Stadium with another single game Friday and Saturday.
Bob Snyder will pitch tonight for the homesters and eccentric showman Bud Beasley goes Friday.
Brenner was particularly pleased that against Salem, all three Cap pitchers went the route. Monday, it was Sandy Robertson, Tuesday lanky Bob Bruenner and, of course, Nicholas.
ON SICK LIST
However, there was one bit of disturbing news. When Sandy Robertson pitched his WIL record-tying 12th win Monday he did so after obtaining reluctant permission from his doctor. He is suffering from influenza and last week spent two days in bed.
Wednesday he reported for the game but was sent home because of illness. Now it is doubtful he will pitch as scheduled Saturday night in his endeavor to set a new league record.
General Manager Bob Brown felt it only fair to announce this because Saturday night’s game is about 60 per cent sold out. Sandy, of course, may take a turn for the better and yet pitch.
CAPS STRANDED
Wednesday the desperate Salem Senators threw their ace pitcher John Tierney into the fray but he did not fare better than his predecessors on the two previous nights.
John actually did remarkable well, considering he gave up 10 walks and 11 hits. Only four earned runs were scored off him as the Caps left 13 runners stranded.
Nicholas himself brought in the first run for the Caps in the second inning, singling home Charlie Mead who had singled and advanced to second when Bob McLean walked.
A couple of singles, a sacrifice and a streak of wildness by Tierney, which gave the Caps four bases on balls, accounted for two runs in the fifth.
What came after that was insurance. Senators scored once when Ray Tran miscued Al Drew’s hopping grounder in the seventh with two out. Ray McNulty, who played a lot of third base for the losers, came home from third on the play.
Salem ............ 000 000 100—1 10 1
Vancouver ...... 010 020 03x—6 11 1
Tierney and Beard; Nicholas and Heisner.

NON-WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Team Names Manager
GREAT FALLS, Mont., Aug. 9—If the Great Falls Selectrics don't win the Pioneer League pennant, they can't blame manager John Angelone. They picked him.
The club announced manager Joe Bowman was being replaced because of “hard feelings” between him and the players. It asked the players to name their own pilot, and they elected
shortstop Angelone unanimously.
The disclosure that Bowman had been replaced was made at the Idaho Falls-Great Falls game Monday night. The meeting at which Angelone, who is a rookie on the Selectrics roster, purportedly happened Sunday.
Bowman managed the Selectrics since the 1949 season. He came here from Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Tri-State League.

Grrrrr. Standings

2007-08-29T04:00:00.001-07:00

One of the real pains about this particular blog is posting the standings. Well, posting accurate standings.

I have three sets of standings in front of me that include the games of August 9, 1950. One is from AP. One is from UP. Another is from The Sporting News.

They're all different. In fact, Tacoma would like the UP standings as they're only trailing Yakima by two games instead of 2½ on the other two.

Standings can get out of whack easily and I've seen it happen with PCL standings on the wire when Vancouver was in that league. Wire services may end up shutting down for the night before all the games are in, so they'll send out a set of standings not including late games. Then, after the following evening's games, the editor starts adding based on the last standings compiled and may forget about the late game. So it gets missed, the standings are wrong, and the error isn't noticed for awhile.

This used to happen on occasion when Vancouver was in the PCL and I would call the wire editor and explain the error. Sometimes it would get fixed, sometimes it wouldn't (in fairness, the standings were not handled locally at the time; they were done at AP Seattle and United Press Canada in Toronto).

Thanks to the internet and computerisation, the official statistician's standings, linescores, box scores and so on go up on the web and can be found on all kinds of different sites. So I don't even bother checking the wire any more.

So, the gist of all this is I'm constantly checking and rechecking standings to make sure they're accurate. It seems they're not, more often or not, or at least have been wrong in the newspapers of July and August I've been looking at. It's taking up more time than I would like in getting the 1950 games completed.

Oh, if you're wondering, the correct standings of the three mentioned above, at least the ones the agree with my puny math skills, are the ones in The Sporting News, which come from Howe and would therefore be official.

Tuesday, August 8, 1950

2007-08-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
               W L Pct GB
Yakima ...... 71 45 .612 —
Tacoma ...... 65 46 .586 3½
Wenatchee ... 64 51 .577 6½
Tri City .... 62 52 .544 8
Vancouver ... 49 63 .438 20
Victoria .... 50 66 .435 21
Salem ....... 47 65 .420 22
Spokane ..... 46 66 .411 23

Yakima Edge Is Whittled
By FRANK VAILLE
Associated Press Sportswriter
Someone, somewhere, at some time, must have said that the team with the most hits and least errors will win the ball game. Western International League opponents did their best to disprove it.
Each of the night's four contests was won by the team getting the fewest hits. Two of them went to the team with the most errors.

TACOMA, Wash., Aug 8—Tacoma was outhit by Yakima 18-11 for the second night in a row, but won again 7-6 in 11 innings, cutting the Bears' league lead over the Tigers to 3½ games.
Tacoma's edge over Yakima moved the Tigers back into title contention. Arnold (Red) Fischer's two away single scored Jose Bache with the winning run after Yakima sent the game into extra innings two frames before.
Four double plays by the Tacoma infield offset the Yakima batting power.
Hunk Anderson, who relieved Mel Knezovich in the fourthj, was the winner.
Yakima ....... 020 300 001 00—6-18-2
Tacoma ...... 022 010 100 01—7-11-1
Domenichelli, Soriano (7), Savarese (9) and Tornay, Tiesiera (9); Knezovich, Anderson (4) and Fischer.

SPOKANE, Aug. 7—Spokane's cellar occupants nosed out Wenatchee 5-1 tonight although getting but 10 blows to 11 for the Chiefs and committing two bobbles to none for the losers.
Spokane turned in four twin killings and scored all five of its runs before the Chiefs came to life with a futile four-run assault in the seventh.
Joe Rossi, Eddie Murphy and Frank Matoh batted in the first three Spokane runs, one in each of first three innings. In the sixth, Murphy knocked in Jim Wert for Spokane and Leon Mohr drove in Davis for the winning score.
Wenatchee ....... 000 000 400—4-11-0
Spokane ........... 111 002 00x—5-10-2
Dahle, Blankenship (7) and Neal; Rockey and Rossi.

VICTORIA, B. C., Aug. 7 — Tri-City Braves evened their series with Victoria Athletics Tuesday night, scoring a 5-3 victory as they took full advantage of Jim Hedgecock's lack of control.
The Braves scored two runs in the first inning when Bud Peterson doubled after Jim Warner singled and Clint Cameron was hit by a pitched ball when the pair had pulled a double steal. Hedgecock walked three men in the fourth and, along with an error and Peterson's second double, this produced another pair of runs.
Victoria could do little against Cy Greenlaw until the eighth although three singles produced a tally in the second. Lou Novikoff and Gene Thompson hit successive home runs to lead off the eighth and Greenlaw was derricked for Jim Olsen who set the side down m order that inning and got out of a dangerous situation in the ninth when Novikoff skied out with the tying and winning runs aboard.
- - - - -
VICTORIA, B.C., Aug. 8 (Herald) — The Tri-City Braves evened their series with the Victoria Athletics last night when a battle of left handed pitchers went to Cy Greenlaw and the Braves 5-3. The two teams play the rubber match tonight, with the Braves scheduled to move over to Vancouver for a four-same series before returning to their home port Sanders Field.
Greenlaw got a timely assist from shortstop Buddy Peterson who laced out a pair of doubles that accouned for three of the victors' runs.
The Victoria bats got to Greenlaw with a pair of home runs in the bottom of the eighth. And that was enough. Charlie Peterson, manager of the Braves, called in his ace fireman Jim Olsen to put out the fire. Olsen promptly forced the next three to go down in order.
Neil Bryant drew a free pass in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded to give the Braves another and their last run of the game. Losing hurler Jim Hedgecock, who had been having trouble finding the plate all night, missed again with the count three and two on the Brave third sacker. The walk brought in Jim Warner who had also drawn one of the eight 'gifts' that Hedgecock gave up last night.
Jim Warner, who started his terrific hitting spree last Saturday, was still at it. The husky centerfielder rapped the ball three times in his four appearances.
Hedgecock's wildness also accounted for the two Tri-City runs in the third. The lefthander walked three and the Braves put together a single and Peterson's second double of the night to cleat the plate twice.
Gene Roenspie who was ejected from the game in the first inning Tuesday night, stayed around a little longer last night. But he did get to the showers before the rest of the club when umpire Jerrv Mathieu gave him the thumb in the sixth.
Tri-City ...... 202 000 001—5- 9-5
Victoria ...... 010 000 020—3-10-2
Greenlaw, Olsen (8) and Pesut; Hedgecock and Danielson.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 8—Vancouver Capilanos, outhit 11-9, made it two in a row over Salem Senators by a 7-4 count tonight and replaced Victoria in fifth place.
Vancouver's sharp fielding, with Al Drew the principal victim, snuffed out several Salem threats. Drew had an apparent double in the third inning only to have Reg Clarkson haul in the fly ball just before he crashed into the fence. Two innings later, Ray Tran speared Drew's drive over short and turned it into a double play. Each time, the fielding gems came with two men on base.
Bob Goldstein, thrown out at first base by right fielder Jim Keating earlier in the game, homered for the losers in the seventh.
- - - -
VANCOUVER, [Erwin M. Swangard, Province, Aug. 9]—It was anti-climax night at Cap Stadium Tuesday as only 1200 fans turned out after the 3200 who watch Sandy Robertson hurl his record-tying 12th victory Monday.
But the 1200 who came out were amply rewarded with one of the best-played games this season.
The Caps, in scoring their second consecutive win over Salem Senators, did a lot of things exceptionally well.
THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Bob Bruenner pitched his first complete game on home ground and his third successive victory to make his season’s average read three won and six lost.
Cap defensive play was simply out of this world with Jim Keating, Reg Clarkson, Charlie Mead and Ray Tran doing the nearly impossible.
Alert base-running and timely hitting allowed the Caps to win despite the fact they were outhit 11-9 by the visitors.
PROVES HIS SALT
A special word of praise must go to 22-year-old Bob who is beginning to justify the faith put in him by general manager Bob Brown and manager Bill Brenner, despite early season failure.
Bruenner showed a lot of stuff and pitched the nine inning with a big blister on his index finger of his pitching hand. As Brenner remarked after the game, “Every pitch must have hurt Bob.”
Caps rolled into a 2-0 lead in the first inning by sheer good baseball as two singles, a base on balls and two stolen bases were enough to break the ice.
They went into a 5-0 lead with a three-run rally in the third and never looked back. The biggest blow of the night was struck by Salem’s first baseman Bob Goldstein, who homered with one aboard in the seventh.
Tonight, veteran George Nicholas will take the mound for the homesters in an endeavor to prolong the winning streak.
Salem .............. 000 100 201—4-11-1
Vancouver ........ 203 000 20x—7- 9-0
Lineberger, Ballantyne (7) and Beard; Bruenner and Heisner.

Stay-At-Home Pitcher Ties WIL Record
By STEWART MCNEILL
VANCOUVER, B. C. (UP) — A lot of people have to leave home before they find success.
But not so with Edward Alastair (Sandy) Robertson, the “stay-at-home” pitcher of Vancouver of the Western International league.
Sandy has found the home town ballyard so much to his liking this season that he has led the WIL record of 12 straight victories, equaling the mark set in 1948 by Frank Nelson of Spokane, now with Oakland of the Pacific Coast league.
Robertson, the leading hurler in trip WIL loop, has a unique contract with the Caps. A part-time employee, the slender 27-year-old righthander finds his civil engineering job too profitable to foresake for toil in baseball's minors. But at every home stand, Sandy is out at the ball yard taking his cuts, working on the mound once a week and sometimes pinch-hitting or even playing the outfield.
Robertson has beaten every club in the league at least once. He has set down Spokane three times and Salem twice. He has yet to be defeated this season and has not been relieved for a pinchhitter.
Although floundering in the second division all season, Vancouver seems to play better ball when Robertson is on the mound He inspires confidence and the Caps seem to respond with sharper hitting and fielding than behind other twlrlers.
Sandy has an easy motion with a medium kick and smooth overhand delivery. Occasionally he fires sidearm “to confuse 'em,” he says. He juggles his sharp breaking curve ball with a blazing fast one, but control is his main forte.
“Control has done it, I think,” he said, “but I get a nice long rest while the club is on the road and that helps a lot, too.
“I never thought about the record till I got up to ten,” he said. “I felt nervous and didn't have a thing for the first innings Monday against Salem (No. 12) and I guess I'll be jumpy for number 13 Saturday night.”

WILfan note: these are the league stats, taken from The Sporting News of August 16, 1950. For some reason, there are players with more at bats in the league stats up to Sunday than these ones, which include games up to the following Tuesday.

Western International League
(Including games of August 7)
Compiled by Howe News Bureau
Player-Club         G   AB H HR RBI Pct
Stetter, Tac.-Spo. 109 367 135 12 82 .368
Greco, Tac. ...... 109 418 151 27 114 .361
Tornay, Yak. ...... 68 211 75 1 36 .355
McCawley, Vic.-Spo. 71 268 95 4 52 .354
Vanni, Vic.-Spo. .. 84 346 115 3 45 .332
Davis, Spokane ... 110 299 98 0 44 .328
Thompson, Victoria 111 426 139 18 86 .326
Cheso, Yakima .... 114 417 135 5 91 .324
Rossi, Spokane ... 106 373 121 15 73 .324
Warner, Tri-City . 109 401 129 15 92 .322
Sinovic, Vanc'ver . 88 328 105 5 66 .320

Pitcher-Club            G IP SO W L Pct
Robertson, Vanc'ver .. 12 93 43 12 0 1.000
Greenlaw, Tri-City ... 18 86 31 7 2 .778
Kerrigan, Tacoma ..... 35 155 79 16 6 .727
Roenspie, Tri-City ... 20 105 60 8 4 .667
Ragni, Wenatchee ..... 23 177 121 15 8 .652
Powell, Yakima ....... 22 126 57 11 6 .647
Stone, Tri-City ...... 22 111 37 9 5 .643
Dominichelli, Yak. ... 22 109 41 9 5 .643
Larner, Yakima ....... 27 207 92 14 8 .636
Olsen, Vic.-Tri-City . 30 112 29 7 4 .636

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang [from Colonist, Aug. 9, 1950]
It’s about time that the Western International Baseball League began to conduct itself like the fastest class “B” league in baseball or quit making the claim that it is. A good way to start would be to prevent fiascos like that of Monday evening by punishing clubs which make a farce out of losing the game on the road.
There was no reasonable excuse for Charlie Petersen, manager of the Tri-City Braves, using an outfielder and a catcher as pitchers as early as the second inning just because he didn’t want to use up another pitcher. It’s bad enough for Victoria fans to be saddled with a second-division club that has had more than its share of bad breaks without opposing managers making it even tougher. It was only grim justice that the Braves might have won it if Petersen hadn’t quit so soon.
Nor is Petersen alone in this kind of managing although he has probably been guilty more often than any other manager. From memory, I recall that Catcher Joe Rossi, Spokane; Outfielder Lou Novikoff, when he was with Yakima, and Manager Bill Brenner, Vancouver, have all had a shot at pitching chores and there are other instances too numerous to mention.
It is admittedly tough for manager to play it straight with the W.I.L. club owners short-sightedly trying to cram a major league schedule into a season about six weeks shorter than the big leagues. There are times when there is no one left to pitch. But never in the second inning. Victoria is a good baseball town but its difficult to sell the game if fans are going to get that kind of baseball.
And while we’re on the subject of improving W.I.L. baseball, it would not be amiss to say something about umpiring—or rather, the lack of it—in the league this season. Good umpiring makes good baseball and the reverse is also true. Too many games are being spoiled by officiating which at times borders on the ridiculous. League officials claim they can’t afford to pay more for their umpires. It’s hard to see how they can afford not to. Another $5,000 a season for better umpires would pay for itself many times over by the extra bans the resultant better umpiring would attract. To repeat, too many games are not being decided by the merits of the respective teams.
RANDOM HARVEST
It is understood that one director of the Victoria Baseball & Athletic Co. Ltd. gave Victoria newspapers a verbal blasting recent for what he termed a “lack” of publicity. He is hardly likely to get too much support on that score but he might be reminded he could give the newspapers more to write about. . . . Manager Marty Krug, Gene Thompson, Aldon Wilkie and John Marshall were all fined for a difference of opinion with the umpires at Tri-City last week which resulted in the quartet getting an early shower. . . . According to one Vancouver sports columnist, Victoria is “breathless” because Detroit Tigers have shown an interest in Rookie-Pitcher John Brkich.

Monday, August 7, 1950

2007-08-28T04:30:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Yakima ..... 71 44 .617 —
Tacoma ..... 64 46 .582 4½
Wenatchee .. 64 50 .561 6½
Tri-City ... 61 52 .540 9
Victoria ... 50 65 .435 21
Vancouver .. 48 63 .432 21
Salem ...... 47 64 .423 22
Spokane .... 45 66 .403 24

TACOMA, August 7—Tacoma got only five hits off Yakima's Bill Bradford but bunched two of them for the only run of the game as the Tigers defeated the Bears 1-0 tonight in a Western International League encounter.
Wimpy Quinn's single and Jose Bache's were good for a lone tally in the second frame.
Bob Kerrigan gave up only eight blows from the Tacoma mound in twirling his 17th win against six setbacks. The contest was a makeup of an early season rain-out. It cut Yakima's lead to 4 1/2 games over the runner-up Tigers.
Yakima ...... 000 000 000—0-8-2
Tacoma ..... 010 000 00x—1-5-0
Bradford and Tiesiera; Kerrigan and Sheets.

VANCOUVER, [Erwin M. Swangard, Vancouver Province, August 8]—Some weeks ago, when right-hander Sandy Robertson of the Vancouver Capilanos was in the early stages of his Western International Baseball League record-tying victory streak, he told me:
”It’s just a matter of staying in there and trying. Sooner or later, our fellows will start hitting and win the ball game.”
That’s just about the story of his Monday night with over the Salem Senators before a tense crowd of 3200 at Cap Stadium.
SPECIAL WIN
But there were two exceptions:
It just wasn’t another win for lanky Sandy but it was his twelfth straight this season, without defeat or relief, and tied the WIL record set in 1948 when Frank Nelson, now with the Pacific Coast League Oakland Acorns, was with Spokane Indians.
It was Sandy himself who did a lot of the “sooner and later” hitting and thus capturing a ball game which for a time appeared in jeopardy.
In fact Sandy, the engineer-pitcher, was in considerable trouble in the first inning when the Senators got to him for three singles and a walk to move into a 2-0 lead.
It would have been 3-0 but Bob Cherry, Salem centre-fielder, raced for home from third base a little too early after catcher Bill Beard skied to Jim Keating in deep right field. He was called out at third.
TO THE RESCUE
The two-punch combination of Dick Sinovic and Keating got Sandy one of those runs back in the second. Dick opened with a double and Jim brought him home with a single.
But two innings later came the weirdest play seen at Cap Stadium for many a moon. Cherry belted a ball out of the park at least 10 feet foul of the left field line. Cherry followed the flight of the ball as he moved to first and then returned to pick up his bat. Umpire Dutch Bergman suddenly motioned fair ball and the rhubarb was on. The off-shot, of course, was that the run counted and Sandy was behind, 3-1.
This time Sinovic and Mead combined to get one back in the Cap fourth inning. Dick singled and Charlie doubled. In between, Keating popped to second baseman Gene Gaviglio. Catcher Bill Heisner struck out and then luck came to Sandy’s aid. Gaviglio fumbled Bob McLean’s easy grounder. Mead scored on a wild pitch. Sandy doubled to send Bob to third, Reg Clarkson singled, scoring McLean.
MEAD’S HOMER
That was all Sandy needed. Caps scored, of course, another six runs but even without them Sandy was the boss man although he did contribute another two-run single in the sixth. Charlie Mead got himself an honest homer in the seventh with one aboard.
That homer send starting pitcher Bill Osborn to te showers and brought in Caps’ old team mate Bob Costello. Bob gave up one more unearned run.
Tonight caps and Senators go again and big Bob Bruenner, who pitched himself a victory over Wenatchee last week, will be on the mound for the Brenner men.
Salem ............. 200 100 000— 3- 7-3
Vancouver ....... 010 302 31x—10-13 2
Osborn, Costello (7) and Beard Robertson and Heisner.

VICTORIA, B. C., Aug. 7—The Victoria Athletics slugged and walked to 17-10 victory over the Tri-City Braves in the first game of their Western International league series here last night.
The A's jumped on Tri-City starter Gene Roenspie for five runs in the first and Dick Faber, who took the hill at the start of the second gave up the same number before he was relieved bv Nick Pesut. Pesut went the rest of the route giving up seven runs.
In losing their initial game of the series the Braves contributed five errors to help Victoria to their victory. The errors permitted four of the A's runs to cross the plate.
Roenspie got the thumb from plate umpire Jerry Mathieu when the hurler disputed one of Mathieu's calls. Faber who came in to relieve had trouble finding the plate walking four and hitting one of the six men to face him. Before Pesut could retire the bases-loaded A's, five runs had been added to their total.
Merle Frick for Tri City and Gene Thompson for Victoria hit three-run homers, Frick, playing in left field, belted his in the four-run fifth inning. It was the best inning for the Braves who were fighting from behind all night.
Pesut took the hitting honors for the visitors with three for four times, including a double and accounted for two of the runs that were batted in. Al Spaeter and Jim Warner each had a .500 average at, the plate It was a totally different lineup than Tri-City had used all season that was presented here last night. Two pitchers, Frick and Joe Nicholas held down outfield posts, while their regular starting catcher worked nearly all the game on the mound.
After racking up 10 runs in the first two innings the A's came hack in the third for two more and added a big four in the fourth as they romped on the visitors. Although the Braves outhit the winners, walks and boots by their infieldeis and outfielders figured heavily in the scoring The two teams continue their sencs tonight and finish off their meetings for the 1950 season on Wednesday.
Tri-City ....... 001 240 021—10-15-5
Victoria ...... 522 401 00x—17-13-1
Roenspie, Faber (2), Pesut (2) and McKeegan; Propst, Brkich (9) and Ronning.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

'Caps Player Is Named As Coach
CHEHALIS, Wash., August 6—James Robinson, baseball player with the Vancouver Capilanos in the Western International League, is Adna high school's new athletic coach, Edwin L. Bolton, superintendent of the Adna district west of Chehalis, has announced.
Robinson will succeed Robert Eastman, who will devote full time to his duties as grade school principal. He graduated from Seattle University in April and attended Gonzaga University from 1939 to 1941. Previously he attended Bellarmine high in Tacoma. Robinson played professional baseball in 1942 and from 1947 to the present time.

TACOMA, Aug. 8—Glen Stetter, stubby Spokane swatsmith, unlumbered on Yakima and Tri-City pitching for 17 hits in 32 times at bat last week and raised his Western International league-leading willow average a cool 15 points to .369, it was revealed in figures released today from the office of Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Four of Stetter's blows were home runs, giving him a season's total of 12, and he batted in 13 runs for an aggregate of 83 for the campaign.
The diminutive Spokane outfielder was still considerably behind Tacoma's Dick Greco in the latter two departments, however, since the slugging Tiger Gardener had a fair week himself, belting five homers and driving in 16 tallies for totals of 27 and 114, respectively.
Greco had a 14 for 29 weeks at the plate and hoisted his batting mark nine points to .359.
Although he lagged considerably behind the leaders percentage-wise, Tri City's Jim Warner exactly duplicated Stetter's rampage by collecting four homers and 13 other assorted blows in 32 times at bat. Warner batted in 15 runs for a total of 91, just one shy of the runner up in that department, Jim Westlake of Yakima. Reno Cheso of Yakima was fourth win 90.
Joo Rossi of Spokane clouted two homers to regain the runner up spot in the four-master derby with 18, one more than Victoria's Gene Thompson, while Warner was next in line with 15.
AB H RBI AVE
Stetter, Spok. ... 371 137 83 .369
Greco, Tac. ...... 418 150 114 .359
Tornay, Yak. ..... 211 75 36 .356
McCawley, Yak. ... 268 95 52 .354
Vanni, Spok. ..... 350 117 47 .334
Rossi, Spok. ..... 377 124 78 .329
G. Thompson, Vic.. 426 139 88 .326
Warner, T-C. ..... 405 130 91 .321
Cheso, Yak. ...... 417 134 90 .321
Zuvella, Yak. .... 257 82 50 .319
Gifford, Tac. .... 381 121 49 .318
Clarkson, Van. ... 437 138 53 .316
Hjelmaa, Van. .... 393 124 61 .316
Sinovic, Van. .... 323 102 66 .316
Hack, Vic. ....... 169 53 22 .314
Matoh, Spok. ..... 423 132 70 .312

Sunday, August 6, 1950

2007-08-28T01:41:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Yakima ...... 71 43 .623 —
Tacoma ...... 63 46 .578 5½
Wenatchee ... 64 50 .561 7
Tri-City .... 61 51 .545 9
Victoria .... 49 65 .430 22
Vancouver ... 47 63 .427 22
Salem ....... 47 63 .427 22
Spokane ..... 45 66 .405 24½

YAKIMA, Aug. 5—Reno Cheso's bases-loaded home run in the seventh inning gave Yakima a 9-5 second game victory over Vancouver Sunday as the two clubs split a Western International league twin bill.
In the opener, Vancouver shoved in a new fuse in the seventh and final inning to push over five runs and take a 6-4 decision. Reg Clarkson, Jim Keating and Bill Heisner doubled, Dick Sinovic and Bob McLean singled and another Cap walked, all with two out.
First Game
Vancouver ......... 000 100 5—6-9-1
Yakima .............. 000 103 0—4-5-1
Nicholas and Heisner; Savarese and Tornay.
Second Game
Vancouver ..... 020 020 001—5-11-1
Yakima .......... 000 221 40x—9-12-1
Snyder, Gunnarson (7) and Heisner; Larner and Tiesiera.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 5 — Tacoma and Wenatchee split a Western International league twin bill here Sunday, Wenatchee taking the opener, 12-5, and Tacoma the nightcap, 7-4.
Tacoma's Dick Greco smashed out three home runs in the twin bill.
Greco got two of his four-masters in the opener. His third came in the eighth inning of the nightcap and drove in the tying and winning runs.
First Game
Tacoma ......... 200 002 1—5 9-1
Wenatchee .... 322 005 x—12-16-0
Kipp, Anderson (2), Carter (6) and Sheets; Ragni and Len Neal.
Second Game
Tacoma .......... 000 001 051—7-12-2
Wenatchee .... 000 010 201—4- 6-1
Loust and Fischer; Treichel, Blankenship (8), Breisinger (9) and Len Neal.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 5—Spokane won its second game in two days by beating Tri-City, 10-4, here Sunday night in the Western International league baseball game.
Spokane and Tri-City split a doubleheader Saturday.
The score was tied at the end of the third and stayed tied until Joe Rossi hit a homer in the top of the eighth, scoring Glen Stetter. Jim Wert's double scored Frank Matoh to put the Indians three ahead.
In the ninth, Rossi hit a double to score two and then scored himself on Edo Vanni's single.
- - - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 6 (D. Becker, Herald)—The Spokane Tri-City baseball series wound up as an un-advertised "catchers' night." Joe Rossi, who backstops the Indians, hit a home run, double and single to drive in five of their runs. And Nick Pesut, the Braves
catcher, poled one over the fence in the second that accounted for three of the four runs Tri-City garnered. Vic Buccola got the other Tri-City run in the third also with a circuit ply.
The 10-4 victory gave Spokane an even split in the four-game series. The Braves boarded their bus immediately following the game to go to Victoria where they open a three-game series there tonight. On Thursday they open against Vancouver for a four-game hassle. It will be the last trip north of the border for the Tri-City club.
For a while last night it looked as though Lou McCollum might reach the 15-games won mark. The count was knotted 4-4 until the eighth when Rossi salted it away with a blast over the 400 foot mark at center field. His tremendous smash found a willing customer in Glen Stetter who was standing on first.
Rossi, enjoying one of his best night's of the series, capped his display of hitting power with a double in the ninth. This time he not only chased in Stetter but also Leon Mohr. It wasn't a happy ending for the 1,538 fans sitting in the stands.
JINX STILL STANDS
It was the fourth time Lou McCollum got turned back in his quest for victory number 15. Previously the set backs have come in the ninth, but last night the opus was written off in the eighth.
Going into the disasterous canto the big verteran right hander had given up but six hits and four runs. But the Stetter-Rossi combination came through for the Indians.
Spokane ...... 022 000 033—10-12-1
Tri-City ...... 031 000 000—4- 9-1
Bishop and Rossi; McCollum and Pesut.

SALEM, Aug. 5—Bill Beard singled home Wally Scott from second base to break a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning of the short nightcap. Victoria had taken the lead in the third inning on Lou
Novikoff's in the park home run with two runners aboard. The Senators came back with three runs of their own when Bob Cherry boosted one over the left field wall with two on.
Salem manager Ad Liska was thumbed from the second game after protesting too vigorously a called third strike on Beard in the fourth inning.
The pattern was similar in the opener with the Senators coming frorn behind for a one-run victory margin. They counted first in the opening frame, but the Athletics
came back with three in the third. Salem countered with a single run in their half of the inning then added two more for the victory in the fifth.
Hits by Aldon Wilkie and Marty Krug and a hit batsman set up the scoring for Victoria. Salem starter Ray McNulty threw wild for the first two runs and the third came in on a walk.
First Game
Victoria ..... 003 000 000—3 -9-0
Salem ......... 101 020 00x—4-11-2
Wilkie and Ronning; McNulty, Burak (3) and Beard.
Second Game
Victoria ..... 003 000 0—3-4-0
Salem ......... 000 031 x—4-4-1
Marshall and Danielson; Costello and Beard.

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 7/50]
SOME MORE FIRSTS
That final [Tri City] game with Spokane produced a couple of firsts for those of you who keep odd statistical records. First of all Joe Rossi's home run over the center field wall at the 400 foot sign was the first this season. Larry Neal, Wenatchee's shorstop, hit one over the scoreboard but Rossi's was the first over the green belt. Rossi also added another first when he dropped the third strike on Clint Cameron and Cameron reached first safely on Rossi's error. At the moment it looked like it night be the deciding play because the Braves scored three runs that canto to take a 3-2 lead. However, later events wiped out that possibility. The third 'first' came in t h e bottom of the eighth with two out. Buddy Peterson lifted a high foul into dead territory back of the third base line. However, Glen Stetter, the Indian's left fielder churned over and made the catch, and Peterson was called out. That made the third out and the teams exchanged places. However, Charlie Peterson, the manager, took Joe Iacovetti, the plate umpire out to the spot where the ball was caught aid proved it was dead when caught.
STRANGE BOOTS ONE
So Iacovetti waved Spokane back onto the field. Alan Strange, pilot of the Indians, didn't take kindly to this ruling and although the umpire took him and showed why he changed his mind. Apparently Strange figured Iacovetti booted one for he promptly kicked a glove laying alongside the third base line in the general direction of the pitchers mound.
GOOD ATTENDANCE
Attendance figures following the past two series reached 69.738 for the season. Still that doesn't mean the Braves won't hit their looked-for 100,000 mack for their initial year here, even though it means an average of 15,000 for the two remaining weeks of home games.
The week with Yakima and Wenatehee should be a cinch for 15,000 or more with all three clubs fighting for the pennant. But on paper the Salem, Spokane week doesn't look too promising. Yet the Labor Day double header should pull very well. And if the Braves are in a strong position for the flag the week with Salem and Spokane could make the difference.

Saturday, August 5, 1950

2007-08-28T00:11:00.000-07:00

S T A N D I N G S
W L Pct GB
Yakima ..... 70 42 .625 —
Tacoma ..... 62 45 .579 5½
Wenatchee .. 63 49 .563 7
Tri-City ... 61 50 .550 8½
Victoria ... 49 63 .437 21
Vancouver .. 46 62 .426 22
Salem ...... 45 63 .417 23
Spokane .... 44 66 .400 25

YAKIMA, Aug. 5 — Lloyd Dickey chalked up his 12th triumph of the season and his fourth straight over Vancouver by pitching Yakima Bears to a 6-5 victory over the Canadians here Saturday night.
The win was the third straight for the Bears in the current 5-game series against the Caps in the Western International league.
Vancouver ..... 200 000 300—5 5 4
Yakima ........ 310 020 00x—6 8 2
Beasley, Alvari (7) and Heisner, Dickey and Tiesiera, Tornay (7).

WENATCHEE, Aug. 5 — Tacoma fell 5½ games behind Yakima by blowing a 17-5 lead Saturday night and dropping a 20-17 decision to the third-place Wenatchee Chiefs.
Four putchers from each time, including first baseman Jerry Ballard of the Chiefs, saw action as 37 base hits rattled off the fences and the teams contributed eight errors.
Tacoma ..... 734 300 000—17 15 2
Wenatchee .. 302 015 54x—20 22 6
Kerrigan, Carter (6) Knezovich (7), Brillheart and Sheets; Ragni, Sciarra (1), Ballard (3), Ferrarese (5) and Billings.

SALEM, Aug. 5 — Victoria's Athletics chalked up a double blanking ing of the Salem Senators Saturday night as they whipped the Solons 6-0 in the second game of a doubleheader after taking the seven-inning opener, 3-0.
The air-tight pitching of Jim Hedgecock sparked the Athletics to the first victory. Joe Mishasek made his first start for the Athletics since July 11 but was replaced in the first inning by Hedgecock after facing only three batters, getting an out and walking two batters before his sore arm blew a fuse. Hedgecock forced Bob Cherry to hit the first of six double plays the game produced, then pitch two-hit ball the rest of the way. Mel Wasley's single in the fifth and John Tierney's double in the sixth were the only Salem hits. Hedgecock didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
The A's scored the winning run in the third when Al Ronning singled, went to second on Hedgecock's sacrifice, to third on a wild pitch, then came in when Marty Krug, Jr. singled. Three walks, a fielder's choice, an infield out and an outfield fly gave the A's two insurance runs in the fifth.
In the nightcap Ron Smith throttled the home club on four hits while the Athletics were banging two Senators pitchers for 10 blows, including a two run homer by Lou Novikoff in the first inning after Krug had walked.
Novikoff batted in the third run in the third as the A's sent Ludwig Lew to the showers with a three-run attack. Hits by Jim Moore and Gene Thompson figured in the scoring. Gene Valentine held Victoria well in check from there but it was too late.
First Game
Victoria ..... 001 020 0—3 3 1
Salem ........ 000 000 0—0 2 1
Mishasek, Hedgecock (1) and Ronning; Tierney and Allison
Second Game
Victoria ...... 203 000 010—6 10 0
Salem ......... 000 000 000—0 4 3
Smith and Danielson; Lew, Valentine (3) and Beard.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 5 — Jim Warner hit four homers and batted in 11 runs as Tri-City and Spokane split a double header on Saturday night.
The last-place Indians beat the Braves 19-11 in the first game.
Warner, Tri-City centre fielder, hit two homers and a double in a five-for-five game and knocked in six runs.
Glen Stetter hit two home runs for the Indians and Frank Matoh turned in one. Spokane scored their last inning six runs on four hits and three bases on balls.
In the second contest, Warner smacked another two out of the park for five RBIs to lead the Braves to a win.
First Game
Spokane .... 332 302 6—19 23 0
Tri-City ... 310 021 4—11 15 0
Holder and Rossi; Orrell, Olsen (5) and Pesut.
Second Game
Spokane .... 000 100 300—4 8 1
Tri-City ... 102 010 04x—8 12 2
Roberts and Weatherwax; Nicholas and Pesut.

Wenatchee Due for 100,000 Attendance
WENATCHEE, Aug. 5.—A season attendance of 100,000 at Wenatchee's 1950 home games
appears certain, Team Manager George Clark said today.
Clark said attendance at the Western International League games has averaged 1700 per game, and there are 17 home dates yet to play. He said attendance last night went over the 85,000 mark.
Wenatchee has not gone over the 100,000 attendance mark since 1940's pennant-winning team drew the customers in droves.

Friday, August 4, 1950

2007-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Yakima ..... 69 42 .623 —
Tacoma ..... 62 44 .585 4½
Wenatchee .. 62 49 .559 7
Tri-City ... 60 49 .550 8
Vancouver .. 46 61 .430 21
Victoria ... 47 63 .426 21½
Salem ...... 45 61 .425 21½
Spokane .... 43 65 .398 24½

KENNEWICK, Aug. 4—Tri-City outhit and outwalked Spokane for a 16-10 Western International league victory over the Indians Friday night.
In all, the two teams piled up a total of 28 base hits and 15 men walked. Two men on each side were hit by pitchers.
Spokane, suffering from chronic pitching troubles, sent a different hurler to the mound each of the first four innings. Starter Jack Conant was charged with the loss and Cy Greenlaw, who saw the Brabes through the first eight innings, was named the winner.
Tri-City shortstop Buddy Peterson was the star performer of the game, driving in six runs with a home in the first inning, and a double and a single.
Spokane .... 401 101 021—10 13 0
Tri-City ..... 340 500 04x—16 15 3
Conant, Aubertin (2), Yerkes (3), Rossi (4) and Rossi, Weatherwax (4); Greenlaw, Olsen (8) and Pesut.

SALEM, Aug. 4—Salem's Senators whipped the Victoria Athletics, 10-3, in the second game of a double-header Friday night to make a clean sweep of the twin-bill. Salem took the first game, 5-3.
John Marshall came back on two days rest to lose the opener and leave his record at 12-7. Marshall engaged in almost continual argument with plate umpire Dutch Bergman.
The game was highlighted by a triple play turned by Salem in the first inning. Bob McGuire walked, went to third on Marty Krug Jr.'s single, and scored as gene Gaviglio bobbled Lou Novikoff's ground ball. With runners on first and second, Thompson lined a pitch right at shortstop Wally Scott. Scott's throw doubled Krug at second and Gaviglio's relay caught Novikoff at first base.
Al Ronning singled in Jim Moore to give the A's a 2-0 lead in the second inning and singles by McGuire, Krug and Novikoff made it 3-2 in the third after the Senators broke through for a run in the second.
A pair of singles, a walk and a costly error by Moore sent in three Salem runs in the third and the A's could never catch up as Bill Osborn blanked them through the last four innings.
The A's outhit the Solons again in the nightcap, but could not cope with Jim Propst's walks. He gave up six of them in the second inning along with a single to force in four runs. Two more came in off Propsyt in the fifth and four off John Brkich in the last two innings completed the Salem scoring.
Hal Danielson drove in all of Victoria's runs, singling in Moore and John Hack in the seventh and walking with the bags loaded in the ninth.
Ralph Lineberger, 21-year-old rookie, who has been trying for his first victory, made it with a route-going performance.
First Game
Victoria ......... 111 000 0—3 9 1
Salem ........... 013 001 x—5 7 2
Marshall and Ronning; Osborn and Allison.
Second Game
Victoria ......... 000 000 201—3 9 1
Salem ........... 040 200 22x—10 8 1
Propst, Noyes (6), Brkich (7) and Danielson; Lineberger and Beard.

YAKIMA, Aug. 4—President Dewey Soriano shifted from the front office to the pitcher's mound Friday night and pitched the Yakima Bears to a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Capilanos in the first game of a doubleheader. The start was Soriano's first of the season, although he holds three previous victories in relief stints.
Everything went fine for Vancouver starter Carl Gunnarson until the fourth inning when they nicked him for three runs and the ball game.
The second game saw a combined 32 hits as Yakima outlasted Vancouver, 13-11. Kevin King started for the Caps and gave up eight hits, two wild pitches, three free passes and four runs before Bill Whyte replaced him.
Gunnarson came back to the hill after Yakima nailed Whyte for eight hits, six runs and two bases on balls. The veteran portsider fared no better than before, as the Bears jumped on him for eight hits and three runs, and beat him a second time.
First Game
Vancouver ... 001 000 0—1 4 0
Yakima ........ 000 310 x—4 8 0
Gunnarson, Alvari (4) and Heisner; Soriano and Tornay.
Second Game
Vancouver .... 001 230 000—11 12 2
Yakima ......... 203 003 05x—13 20 6
King, Whyte (2), Gunnarson (6) and Heisner; Powell, Larner (9) and Tiesler.

WENATCHEE, Aug 4—Tacoma Tigers strengthened their hold on second place Friday night by rallying for five runs in the ninth to down the third-place Wenatchee Chiefs, 11-10. The Chiefs had gone ahead, 10-8, in the previous inning with a four-run cluster, highlighted by relief pitcher Hank Sciarra's three-run homer.
Tacoma ......... 101 320 105—11 17 1
Wenatchee .... 001 300 240—10 13 3
Knezovich, Loust (8), Anderson (9) and Sheely; Blaneksnhip, Sciarra (8), Treichel (9) and Len Neal, Billings (4).

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
(Includes games of Thursday, August 3)

G AB H RBI HR Ave.
Stetter, Spok. ... 97 354 127 73 9 .349
Greco, Tacoma ... 105 401 141 102 23 .352
Vanni, Spokane ... 81 333 113 42 3 .333
Thompson, Vic. .. 105 405 135 88 18 .333
Zuvella, Yak. .... 75 252 82 49 3 .325
Rossi, Spokane .. 103 364 117 72 16 .321
Runs batted in—Greco (Tacoma) 102, Thompson (Victoria) 88, Westlake (Yakima) 86, Quinn (Tacoma) 84, Mead (Vancouver) 82, Cheso (Yakima) 81, Warner (Tri-City) 80.
Home runs—Greco (Tacoma) 23, Thompson (Victoria) 17, Rossi (Spokane) 16, Mead (Vancouver) 12, Stetter (Spokane) 9, Pocekay (Wenatchee) 9.
Pitching—Robertson (Vancouver) 11-0, Kerrigan (Tacoma) 16-6, Ragni (Wenatchee), 15-7, Marshall (Victoria) 12-6, Roenspie (Tri-City) 8-4, Domenichelli (Yakima) 9-5, Stone (Tri-City) 9-5.