WIL Not Coming to New Westminster

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.

Saturday, September 9, 1950

               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

               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, June 1, 1950

STANDINGS
              W  L  Pct GB
Tacoma ..... 29 12 .707 —
Salem ...... 22 19 .437 7
Wenatchee .. 22 20 .524 7½
Yakima ..... 21 21 .500 8½
Tri-City ... 21 24 .467 10
Spokane .... 20 23 .465 10
Vancouver .. 18 23 .439 11
Victoria ... 16 27 .372 14

TACOMA, June 1— Lefty Bob "it's getting to be a habit" Kerrigan gave up 11 well scattered hits in tossing his ninth win without a setback as Tacoma defeated Salem 8-5 in their series finale here Thursday night.
The win enabled Tacoma to gain an even break on the four-game stand, thereby preserving the Tiger's record of not having lost a series this season.
Salem ...... 103 000 100—5-11-2
Tacoma ... 201 001 31x—8-12-1
Osborn, Burak (7) and Beard; Kerrigan and Sheets.

SPOKANE, June 1—The Wenatchee Chiefs, who lost three straight to Spokane, salvaged the final game of the series Thursday night with a 6 to 3 victory over the Indians.
Al Treichel gave Spokane nine hits but wasn't bothered by the wildness that ruined Kohout.
Wenatchee ..... 005 000 010—6-6-1
Spokane ......... 000 100 020—3-9-0
Treichel and L. Neal; Kohout and Rossi.

KENNEWICK, June 2—Yakima's boast that they never lose a series to Tri-City stood the test last night as the Bears ambled to a 8-2 victory behind the six-hit pitching effort of slender Teddy Savarese. The win gave the Bears the series, 3-1, and a game and a half margin on fourth place in the Western International League race. It was the third straight series won over for Braves by Yakima.
The Braves boarded their chartered bus this morning for a trip and four-game series with Salem. Currently the Tri-City team holds a 4-0 bulge over the second place Senators. It was for the four straight wins that the Braves took in their first meeting with Salem that momentarily dropped the Senators to third in the league.
Dick Stone with a 5-2 record appeared as the most likely staffer to open the Salem series, with Joe Orrell, (4-4) slated to follow on Saturday. Probable Sunday double-bill starters are Cy Greenlaw, (3-2); Mike Budnick,(0-3) and Gene Roenspie.
Chances of evening up the set-to with Yakima went a glimmering in the third Inning last night, a pair of free tickets to first issued by Lou McCollum started the four-run spree. Jim Westlake, first baseman, and Babe Gammino, right fielder, added a pair of deuces and then Al Zuvella climaxed the parade of the bases with a single.
Vic Buccola cleated the plate for the Braves in the sixth on a combination of two errors and as many free passes. And that was as close as they got for the rest of the game.
- - - - - -
YAKIMA, June 1 (AP) —Tiny Teddy Savarese held Tri-City to six scattered hits as the Yakima Bears bowled over the Braves in a Western International league game here Thursday night, 8-2.
The midget lefthander struck out 11 batsmen and the two runs scored off him were unearned.
Jim Westlake provided much of Yakima's power, with two singles and a double, batting in four runs.
The Bears went ahead with a four-run blast in the third inning on two walks, doubles by Westlake and Babe Gammino and Jerry Zuvela's single. Zuvela homered over the right field fence in the eighth.
Yakima .... 001 001 000—2- 6-2
Tri-City ... 104 000 21x—3-10-2
McCollum and Pesut; Savarese and Tornay.

VANCOUVER, June 2 [Erwin M. Swangard, Daily Province]—“Sure we outhit them, but we certainly outwalked them, too.”
This unhappy observation by Manager Marty Krug of the Victoria Athletics sums up Vancouver Capilanos Western International Baseball League victory over the A’s at Cap Stadium Thursday night.
Manager Bill Brenner of the Caps still was shaking his head in bewilderment some 30 minutes after the game which certainly was as exciting as it was weird.
If any bouquets must be tossed to the winners a large one with a giant orchid in the middle must go to Sandy Robinson, Vancouver pitcher. Sandy didn’t have it but struggled gamely through nine innings and a 13-hit attack by Victoria to win his third game against no losses.
That’s a pretty impressive record for a lad who only plays part-time.
SANDY OFF FORM
Tonight the same two clubs continue their five-game series at Cap Stadium with two games scheduled for Saturday. George Nicholas will pitch for the homesters who must face their old nemesis, one of the most colourful characters in the WIL, long John Marshall.
A’S LEAD 3-0
Victoria jumped into a 3-0 lead in the fiurst inning when normally weak-hitting Jim Wert belted a home run [with two on] over the right field fence with [Vancouver getting a run back] in their half of the first on a base on balls, a fielder’s choice and a couple of singles.
But Athletics went right on with two more runs in the second via two doubles and a single. Again Caps struck in their half of the second with two runs. Then came the third, a four-run outburst by the Caps which gave them a 7-5 lead. The runs were scored on a variety of plays well calculated to keep you in suspense. There were three hits, two bases on balls, a wild pitch and a double steal.
Robertson held the lead for three innings before Victoria tied things in the sixth. Len Tran, just about the best ball player on the field, scored the winner in the seventh. Len himself made sure of the final outcome by starting a magnificent double play in the eighth inning.
Victoria used four pitchers who issued ten walks.
Lefthander Jim Propst started and lasted two and two-thirds innings. Newcomer Warren Noyes, a Boston Red Sox chattel, recently moved to Victoria from San Joe, worked for three and two-thirds innings, and looked very good until wildness got him into trouble in the seventh. Ron Smith toiled two-thirds of an inning and Bob Jensen finished.
Victoria ....... 320 002 000—7-13-0
Vancouver ... 124 000 10x—8- 9-2
Propst, Noyes (3), Smith (7), Jensen (8) and Ronning; Robertson and Brenner.

By Associated Press
(Including games of Wed., May 31)

    G  AB H RBI HR Ave
Stetter, Tacoma ..... 38 135 53 37 4 .393
Thompson, Victoria .. 41 151 57 32 7 .377
Tornay, Yakima ...... 32 107 40 22 0 .374
Greco, Tacoma ....... 40 144 53 28 3 .368
Hjelmaa, Wenatchee .. 37 136 47 28 0 .346
Chorlton, Victoria .. 42 173 58 34 3 .335
Home runs—Rossi (Spokane) 8. Thompson (Victoria) 7. Mead (Vancouver), Stetter (Tacoma), Gammino (Yakima), Warner (Tri-City) 4 each.
Runs batted in—Quinn (Tacoma) 43. Stetter (Tacoma) 37. Warner (Tri-City) 35. Bryant (Tri-City) 35. Chorlton (Victoria) 34.
Pitching—Kerrigan (Tacoma) 8-0, Loust (Tacoma) 7-1, Tierney (Salem) 8-2, Ragni (Wenatchee) 6-2.

Salem, Tri-City WIL Franchises
May Transfer to Prairie Cities
By KEITH MATTHEWS
[Vancouver News Herald, June 1, 1950]
The Western International Baseball League is seriously considering the transfer of two of its present franchises to Alberta cities.
Calgary and Edmonton, a couple of baseball mad Alberta towns, are presently members of a semi-pro league but they are demanding the return of professional baseball.
FRANCHISE SHIFTS
In order to admit Calgary and Edmonton it would necessary to shift two of the present WIL franchises.
It has been known for some time that George Norgan, Vancouver business man and owner of the Salem franchise, wants to his affiliation closer to his home.
Mr. Norgan has been looking to New Westminster.
However, the Salem to New Westminster switch seems unlikely. To get this okayed the Vancouver Capilano Baseball Club in Vancouver must give their sanction as they have territorial rights for baseball in this area.
This the Caps would probably never do, for they say it would seriously hurt their own gate.
LOOKS AFIELD
It would appear, then, that Mr. Norgan must look elsewhere. He hasn’t been drawing well in Salem and insists it costs him upwards of $20,000 to run the franchise there.
If Mr. Norgan switched to Calgary, it is almost a certainty that Edmonton would go along to provide intercity rivalry. The cities are 200 miles apart.
Bob Brown, general manager of the Capilanos, likes the idea of prairie entries in the WIL. It would mean four Canadian cities against four American cities, a natural international set-up.
There are two—maybe three—franchises in the WIL considered “unsteady” right now. Salem is one. Wenatchee, before this season, was another but so far this year they have been drawing well.
However, there is a serious situation in Tri-City, the new Washington entry. A lot of money was sunk into making that a strong holding, but it has failed so far. The Braves are drawing poorly at the gate and in some quarters it is felt this franchise could be bought for a “song” and transferred elsewhere.

Tri-City Management Denies Report Braves Might Lose Franchise
[Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, June 2, 1950]
The management of the Tri-City Braves Thursday night denied a report in the Vancouver News-Herald that the Pasco-Kennewick-Richland Western International league baseball franchise might be transfered to Calgary or Edmonton, Canadian border cities, the Associated press reported.
The News-Herald said Thursday there is a possibility of a pair of Western International league baseball clubs being shifted to Calgary and Edmonton and that Tri-City and Salem were the two clubs figuring in the deal.
The newspaper did not disclose its source hut said that the league is "seriously considering" it. Calgary and Edmonton are both cities in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Walla Wallans will recognize Calgary as the semi-pro club Jim Forsyth, now with the local Bears, managed last summer and Bob "Stretch" Garrett pitched for.
Abel Denies Report
At Tacoma league president Robert Abel said the reported shift was all news to him. He hadn't heard of it.
The Tri-Cities management immediately denied that its club might be shifted. George Norgan, owner of the Salem franchise, could not be reached for comment, but William Mulligan of the parent Portland Beavers said it was news to him.
Calgary would be about 250 air miles from Spokane and 400 from Vancouver; Edmonton would be 1400 from Spokane and 500 from Vancouver.
The longest hop between league cities now is the approximately 400 air miles from Spokane to Salem.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor
[from the column June 2/50]
NO SOURCE
Some days you can sit down at the 'mill' and hit a rich vein. We feel that we hit such a lucky strike when we wrote our observations yesterday about the lagging attendance at the Braves' home games. We feel that way because right on the heels of that column comes a wire story from Canada that the Tri-City club might be moved to either Calgary or Edmonton.
As it turned out the Vancouver News Herald which broke the story wasn't able to credit any source. That's the same thing as saying it was no doubt the wishful dream of a Canadian reporter.
However, following our train of thought on the subject of attendance it's rather interesting to note what the News Herald had to say. Referring to the Salem franchise first the newspaper said, "It has been known for some time that Norgan wants to switch his affiliation closer to his home." George Norgan is the owner of the club. Continuing with the story the News Herald said, "It is felt that Tri-City's franchise could be bought for a song and transferred elsewhere."
Vern Johnson, secretary-treasurer of the Tri-City club said, "Apparently the song they have in mind is "If I Had A Million Dollars." The mere fact that our gate has been the lowest in the league to date doesn't mean a thing at this point. There's still three-fourths of the season to go and with a break in the weather we'll pull just as heavy here at home as we do on the road."
A SAGA OF PYJAMAS
When Vancouver opened the 1950 WIL season here it set off a chain of events involving a sportswriter, a pair of pajamas, a hotel manager, and a customs official that is now cleared up thanks to the manner in which 'mine host' Wally Bowen runs the Desert Inn.
Hal Malone of the Vancouver Sun came down with the Capilanos to cover the opening series and stayed with the club at the Desert Inn. Comes time to return home and Malone begins to feverishly pack his bags, but no pajamas. So Malone boarded the return plane deciding they had been lost.
When he stepped off at the Vancouver airport the customs inspector decided that Malone should pay duty on the portable typewriter he was carrying. "Listen Mac," said Malone softly, "I am probably one of the few guys who crossed the bolder and came back with less than I went with." "How come?" shoots back the inspector. So Malone explains about the pajamas.
THE PAYOFF PUNCH
"Are you married?" asks the inspector when Malone finishes his tale. "Yep," nods the sportswriter. "In that case we won't argue about the typewriter," grinned the customs official, "you'll have enough explaining about those pajamas to do at home."
Fortunately for Malone, Wally Bowen's industrious crew had found the pajamas, had them washed, pressed, boxed, and shipped to his home. Thus, Wally can be credited with a great big assist in averting a martial crisis.