Wednesday, September 6, 1950

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.

Wednesday, August 23, 1950

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.

Wednesday, August 2, 1950

S T A N D I N G S
               W  L  Pct GB
Yakima ...... 66 42 .611 —
Tacoma ...... 61 43 .587 3
Wenatchee ... 62 47 .569 4½
Tri-City .... 58 49 .542 7½
Victoria .... 47 60 .443 18½
Vancouver ... 45 59 .433 19
Salem ....... 42 61 .408 21½
Spokane ..... 43 63 .406 22

SPOKANE, Aug. 2—Yakima defeated Spokane 13 to 8 Wednesday night as the Indians sent in four pitchers in a vain attempt to halt the league leaders' steady hitting in the third game of their Western International League baseball series.
Yakima made hits in every inning and scored in all but three.
Losing hurler Dick Bishop was replaced in the sixth inning by Jack Curran. Carroll Yerkes went in in the seventh and Joe Rossi was pulled from the catcher's box in the ninth to make his first try at the mound this season.
Shortstop Dave Melton led the Bears' hitting with five hits for five times up, inclduing a double and a triple.
The only home run of the game was made by Glen Stetter of Spokane, the league's leading hitter, in the ninth inning.
Wednesday night's game gives the Bears a two to one edge in the four-game series.
Yakima ....... 203 013 103—13-19-1
Spokane ..... 012 002 012— 8-13-1
Larner and Tiesiera; Bishop, Curran (6), Yerkes (7), Rossi (9) and Rossi, Weatherwax (9).

TACOMA, Aug. 2 — Tacoma won its second straight over Salem, 4 to 3 in their Western International clash here Wednesday night.
The winning run came in the bottom half of the ninth on a walk and a fielder's choice, stolen base and Ron Gifford's single.
Salem scored all its runs in the sixth on Bill Spaeter's triple, a two-base error by Dick Greco and Bob Cherry's fly to right, Mel Wasley's single, a double by Bill Beard and Wally Scott's single.
Salem ........ 000 003 000—3-8-2
Tacoma ..... 200 000 011—4-8-1
McNulty, Costello (2) and Beard; Carter, Anderson (8) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 2 —Vancouver's Capilanos scored three runs in the first three innings here Wednesday night and hung on to defeat the Wenatchee Chiefs 3 to 2.
It was a duel between righthanders Bob Snyder for the Caps and Al Treichel for Wenatchee with each pitcher giving up eight hits.
Three two-base blows figures in the Vancouver scoring. Jim Keating and Charley Mead hit consecutive doubles in the second inning for one run and Manager Bill Brenner doubled behind a walk and a single for the other two Vancouver rallies in the third.
Wenatchee scored its two runs in the fourth and then threatened only once afterward. Jerry Ballard doubled to lead off the seventh inning but was left stranded when Synder struck out the next three batters.
The Western International League series stands at one game apiece.
Capilano manager Bill Brenner suffered two split fingers and X-rays are being taken Thursday to ascertain if they are fractured.
Vancouver ...... 012 000 000—3-8-1
Wenatchee ..... 000 200 000—2-8-4
Snyder and Brenner, Heisner (4); Treichel and Billings.

KENNEWICK, Aug. 2—The Victoria Athletics evened their Western International League baseball series with Tri-City Wednesday night by downing the Braves, 8 to 6.
Jim Hedgecock, who went into the game in the second inning, was credited with the win.
It was a nip and tuck game until the sixth inning when Al Ronning singled, moved to third base on Bob McGuire's single and scored on another single by Marty Krug, Jr. Tri-City did not score after the fourth inning.
Nick Pesut hit the only home run of the game, in the third inning with no one on base.
Lou McCollum was charged with the loss. The deciding game of the three-game series will be played Thursday.
- - - - - - -
KENNEWICK, Aug. 3 (Don Becker, Herald)—Victoria's Athletics proved two things in defeating the Tri-City Braves 8-6 last night.
First you don't necessarily need the manager on the field to win, and second, showboating can be a costly venture.
John Marshall, loser of the first series game, did the boating and got the boot along with manager Marty Krug in the top of the fifth inning. Marshall, whose reputation as a showboater is without serious completion in this league, started bandying words with fans while he was coaching in the first base box.
Umpire Nels Pearson took exception to some of Marshall's loud remarks, particularly those reflecting on the “men in blue.” Pearson walked over to Marshall and gave him the thumb. And that started the finest little 10 minute demonstration of histrionics ever seen in Sanders field. However, the Marshall-Krug duo will probably be nicked $10-$25 respectively by Bob Abel, league president.
The usually colorful Marty Krug didn't have a chance alongside the ground pawing, dust raising, chest beating Marshall though When Krug had finished his delivery to Pearson he stomped angrily into the dugout. But not Marshall. He continued to stand at the edge trying to carry on a shouting conversation with Pearson.
TAKE IT AWAY
The base umpire continued to ignore the big pitcher and finally called on Art Jacobs, umpire-in-chief, to order Maishall and Krug out of the dugout and into the dressing room.
Those were the highlights in what turned out to bp a very routine ball game otherwise.
Lou McCollum, who started for the Braves, couldn't pass the number 15 hurdle for the third time. McCollum has 14 victories this season but his last three starts to get the 15th have been unsuccessful.
Neither starter was able to the route Ronnie Smith opened for the A's but was derricked quietly and quickly in the second. Jim Hedgecock who took over received credit for the win. The A's reliever gave up four hits and three runs in the third and fourth. Then he settled down and pitched hitless ball at the Braves.
Fireman Jim Olsen came on in the seventh for Tri-City. And although he didn't give up any runs the Braves weren't getting any either. The game was lost in the top of the sixth when the A's put together three singles to score the seventh run. Their big inning was the third. Lou Novikoff, Bill Dunn, and Al Ronning doubled. These coupled with Gene Thompson's single accounted for three runs.
Nick Pesut dropped another one over the wall last night making his second consecutive game in which the big catcher has homered. The towering blast came in the third with two out and the bases idle.
Tonight the two teams will decide the series. Charlie Petersen is sending his speedball artist Merle Frick (1-2) to the mound for the Braves. Last night's attendance figure was 1,153.
Victoria ........ 203 101 100— 5-14-2
Tri-City ....... 211 200 000— 6-11-2
Smith, Hedgecock (2) and Ronning; McCollum, Olsen (7) and Pesut.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
No, No, Not Again
PITTSBURG, Calif., Aug. 2 (UP)—Umpire John Christoff hoped today he won't have to undergo another "umpire appreciation night."
After fans presented him with a pair of glasses, a white cane and a glass eye in ceremonies at a Far West league game between Pittsburg and Medford.
Christoff resumed his duties in the field. A tip foul hit him on the head. He had tn go to the hospital for treatment.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 3/50]

It's a long jump from Sanders Field to Shibe Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies. That is it's a long jump unless you go the baseball route. Sometimes, if things go right, it can turn out to be a mighty sweet and short hop. Take the case of Ken Kleasner who is now is getting ready to try for that ride up to the major leagues.
Many of you will recall Kleasner when he was with the Braves during the “our gang” pitching delays of the early part of the season. His record here was 0-1. Came the May 13 deadline and Ken was shipped to Pittsburgh of the Far West league. They in turn sent him to Klamath Falls of the same loop. When a deal that was pending between the Braves and the Gems fell through Klamath turned Kleasner out to pasture. But not for long. The sharp eyes of a Philly scout had been watching the 19 year old right hander in action and promptly signed him to a contract. However, instead of putting Kleasner back in uniform the Phillies got the 210 pounder a job
in Klamath. But he's not through with baseball. . .not with a contract in his pocket.
DISCOVERED THE BULLET
Mickey Shrader, now a scout for the New York Giants and the man who discovered
“Bullet” Joe Orrell took in the first two games with Victoria. “And I mean Joe earned that nickname, he had to, to stay in the minors three years,” said Mickey in a reminiscent tone. “When I first saw the Bullet in action I was scouting for
Cincinnati. Joe was at a tryout camp in San Bernardino.” It would have been the fitting climax for the Bullet to pitch one of the two past so Shrader could have seen him work, but it just wasn't Joe's turn.
A LONELY LIFE
Bowing out of Sanders Field tonight are two of the finest umpires we've seen in this league. We've never criticized the boys in blue for their actions here and don't intend to. But, giving credit where credit is due, Nels Pearson and Art Jacobs have always turned in a good game trom where we sat.
And you can count their jobs among others that we'd much prefer not to have. It's a lonely life. They can't stop at the same hotels the players do. Nor do they frequent the same places. The pay isn't in keeping with the job they are required and expected to do. But despite, all these hazards there's never been a breath of scandal connected with an umpire. And that's something you can't say about the rest of baseball.
Charlie Petersen, the Braves manager, has been commuting between Sanders Field and his home in Yakima during the Victoria series, Charlie's two youngest children are pretty sick so Pete takes the train home each night alter the game and returns the following afternoon. Fortunately he doesn't let those worries conflict with his baseball problems.
Sending in Jim Olson to pinch hit for Gene Roenspie Tuesday night is an example of what we mean. There was nothing wrong with Roenspie's slants but when you are trailing by a run you need those base knocks. Olsen got some too, and as it turned out the Tri-City team won.
ABOUT THE SPITTER
Skipping back to one of the funnier sides of baseball again for a moment. Have you heard about the comeback of the spitball? Well, if you saw that Tuesday night game you'll recall that Pearson, umpiring behind the plate, suddenly asked Jim Olsen for the ball. The batter felt that Olsen was “weighting” the horsehide, the way it was coming up to the dish.
The reason he suspected a spitball because rumor has it that Olsen is one of the few pitchers around the leagues that knows how to throw one. There's a lot more than just putting a wad of saliva on it. It takes a quick pitcher in order to make the ball break on a spitter.
Pursuing the matter a little further he asked the Fireman what he knew about spitballs, “Well I don't know," said Jim, “but I've heard tell that if one applies a bit of wet substance in the proper manner, and delivers it accordingly the ball will do many unexplainable things. Now remember,” he said, “I don't know. But that's what I've been told.” So there you are. . .or are you.

Monday, July 31, 1950

              W  L  Pct GB
Yakima ..... 64 42 .604 —
Tacoma ..... 59 43 .578 3
Wenatchee .. 61 46 .570 3½
Tri-City ... 57 48 .543 6½
Victoria ... 46 59 .438 17½
Vancouver .. 44 58 .431 18
Salem ...... 42 59 .416 19½
Spokane .... 43 61 .413 20

Lowly Indians Smash Bears
By FRANK VAILLE
Associated Press Sports Writer.
SPOKANE, July 31—The down-but-not-dormant Spokane Indians rose up from their Western International league cellar position Monday night to drum out a 7-4 win over Yakima.
The loss whittled a half game from the Bears' league lead, but left them three full games ahead of the second place Tacoma Tigers.
It was the night's only contest and made up an April postponement.
Spokane tucked it away early scoring three times in the first frame and again in the second before the Yakimans managed to squeeze in a single tally.
John Conant, pitching seven hit ball, was credited with his 13th decision.
The full league swings back into action Tuesday night. In addition to Yakima at Spokane, new series will send Vancouver to Wenatchee, Victoria to Tri-City and Salem to Tacoma.
Yakima ..... 001 001 002—4- 7-0
Spokane ... 310 102 00x—7-10-3
Dickey and Tornay; Conant and Rossi.

TACOMA, August 1 — Spokane's Glenn (Jeep) Stetter is once more out in front in the Western International league batting race, it was revealed in averages released today from the office of Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Stetter had a good week at Victoria and Vancouver, collecting eight hits in 21 official trips to the plate to boost his willow mark one point to .354.
Meanwhile, Tacoma's Dick Greco received rought treatment from Tri-City and Yakima pitchers, who carved 13 points from his sticking percentage—he finished the week at .350—by holding him to just three hits in 23 times at bat. Edo Vanni of Spokane climbed to third place at .342.
Greco, who has shared the batting lead with Stetter most of the season, was still top man in the runs-batted-in and home run department, however, despite his poor week at the plate. One of his blows against Yakima was his 22nd homer of the campaign, and he added four RBI's and 17 homers. Jim Westlake of Yakima had 84 RBI's and Joe Rossi of Spokane was the author of 16 circuit blows.
The averages (including games through July 30):
                      AB  H RBI  PCT
Stetter, Spo. ...... 389 120 70 .354
Greco, Tac. ........ 389 136 98 .350
Vanni, Spo. ........ 316 108 39 .342
G. Thompson, Vic. .. 390 130 86 .333
Zuvella, Yak. ...... 235  77 43 .328
Rossi, Spo. ........ 330 114 69 .336
Sinovic, Van. ...... 290  94 56 .324
Cheso, Yak. ........ 382 121 77 .317
Matoh, Spo. ........ 390 122 81 .313
Gifford, Tac. ...... 361 113 47 .313
Clarkson, Van. ..... 404 125 51 .309
Pocekay, Wen. ...... 405 125 75 .309
Len Tran, Van. ..... 311  95 54 .309
Hjelmaa, Wen. ...... 364 111 52 .305
Quinn, Tac. ........ 404 123 83 .304
Cameron, T-C ....... 260  79 54 .304
Warner, T-C ........ 373 113 76 .303
Len Neal, Wen. ..... 233  70 20 .300
Moore, Vic. ........ 400 119 48 .297
Bryant, T-C ........ 405 120 71 .296
Fracchia, Wen. ..... 368 109 64 .296

NON WIL NEWS MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Scorer Reverses Rule On Balk
SEATTLE, July 31—When is a balk not a balk?
That pretty puzzler was posed Monday night when official scorers retracked to the second game of the Seattle-Oakland Pacific Coast league doubleheader Sunday and removed the stigma of a balk from Guy Fletcher.
Don't ask for an explanation on the maze of reasoning involved.
What it boiled down to briefly was this:
With the score tied in the top of the overtime eighth inning, Dick Wakefield on first and George Metkovich on third broke down the paths as Fletcher took his stretch. Without waiting the required one second or taking his foot from the rubber, the Seattle righthander fired to the plate. The batter fouled off the pitch attempting to bunt.
The four umpires, headed by Roman Bentz at the platter, bawled in unison, "b-a-w--wk." Metkovich was waved in with what proved to be the winning run.
Now to get down to the nub of the reversed decision. The scorers said after consulting the rule book, that the attempted double steal nullified the balk. So what's consolation in that for Fletcher or the Rainiers?
The run scored just as it would with an ordinary garden-variety balk. The Rainiers lost. Fletcher was charged with his seventh defeat.
Fans immediately began trying to puzzle out how with withdrawal of the balk Metkovich could legitimately score the deciding run when the batter fouled the pitch. Before that one's explained satisfactorily there's apt to be a lot of head scratching.
WILfan note: This was the second time in the PCL season Metkovich won a game on a balk. It happened in the nightcap of a Sunday doubleheader, June 25, against Los Angeles in an even wackier game.
The other oddity here is a balk is called by an umpire. An official scorer has no authority to overrule an umpire's call on anything. Umps and scorers make rulings but in completely seperate areas.

Thursday, July 27, 1950

              W  L  Pct GB
Yakima ..... 62 39 .614 —
Wenatchee .. 60 43 .583 3½
Tacoma ..... 57 41 .582 3½
Tri-City ... 54 47 .535 8
Victoria ... 43 58 .426 19
Salem ...... 41 56 .423 19
Vancouver .. 42 58 .420 19½
Spokane .... 42 59 .416 20

SALEM, July 27—Yakima's boisterous Bears, riding high with a 10-garne win streak climaxed by Thursday night's 20-3 shellacking of the Salem Senators, sped homeward to face the challenging Tacoma Tigers in the feature Western International League attraction.
The title-defending Bears gained a half game on the rest of the league Thursday night as rain washed out all other games.
Now three games ahead of Wenatchee and 3½ out in front of Tacoma, Yakima is hoping to duplicate its performance of five weeks ago against the Tigers. When they last entertained the Tacomans, Yakima swept the three-game series. Such a performance now, with the season two-thirds over, might well doom the Tacomans' title hopes.
Yakima left little to chance Thursday night, and it was well that only 188 fans were in the stands to see the way they treated the Oregonians. Larry Powell, who went the distance for the Bears, gave the Solons two runs in the first inning before the rollicking Bears opened up a 24-hit attack highlighted by Jerry Zuvella's two triples and a brace of doubles. They scored ten runs through the second, third and fourth frames.
Salem starter Bill Osborn was routed in the fourth but the Bears hit just as freely against his successor, Johnny Burak.
Zuvella knocked in five runs with his batting display. Reno Cheso and Dave Helton also clubbed out four blows each and every player in the Yakima lineup garnered at least one bingle.
Six errors further humiliated the Solons who dropped from fifth to sixth with the defeat.
Yakima ..... 015 402 143—20-24-0
Salem ...... 200 000 100— 3- 9-6
Powell and Tornay; Osborn, Burak (4) and Beard.

Wenatchee Pilot Protests Scorer
VANCOUVER, B. C., July 26 (CP) — Rupert Thompson, manager of Wenatchee Chiefs of the Western International league, didn't like the way the official scorer was handling the Wenatchee-Vancouver Caps game Wednesday night. He got mad, caused a rhubarb and now must answer to the league president.
Rupert's temper began to flare when the scorer called Wenatchee's Don Fracchia's bouncer to second base an error instead of a hit. Ray Tran was given the error and Fracchia got on base without an official at bat.
Rupert blasted the scorer at the end of the first game and followed it up by refusing to hand in his line-up for the second game of the scheduled double header.
WILfan note: The identity of the official scorer will remain a mystery. I've looked at stories on the game in all three Vancouver newspapers. Erwin Swangard of the Province was the CP stringer. He doesn't reveal who the scorer was. Keith Matthews in the News Herald doesn't either. The Sun doesn't mention the incident at all. Pat Karl, the current official scorer of the Vancouver Canadians, thought it was Eric Whitehead of the Province. I thought it might be Clancy Loranger (I believe he was with the News Herald that year). But we likely will never know.

Alf Cottrell
[Vancouver Province, July 27, 1950]
It was only 11 a.m. when I roused Bud Beasley at his hotel. I apologized as best I could. The little Capilano pitching veteran said it was all right, it was getting toward breakfast time anyway.
He shaved and brushed up, then we strolled to a nearby coffee house. He ordered a “stack of hots” and, for yours truly, a strawberry shake. I asked him about life and travelling and such in the small minors.
There were some interesting jumps in this league, he said. The Capilanos played at Spokane last Sunday night. Most all of them eat their big meal of the day after a night game. This night, though, manager Bill Brenner had the bus waiting for them. They were playing here Monday, 415 miles from Spokane.
• • •
The bus wheeled into the night through the dry belt. They ran into detoured caused by road repair jobs. The bus was a de luxe affair, but the bumpy detours reminded World War 2 veterans of the Burma Road. The kids on the club, bumped out of restless slumber, were included to think they had awakened in Korea.
They passed through sizeable towns. Players looked longingly at occasional café signs. They notched up their belts. On and on. The dry-tongued third baseman, Jimmy Robinson, said, “I wouldn’t mind if I knew what we were trying to prove.”
At last, in the middle of the night, they stopped at a town named Quincy. Bud said, “You have a hard time convincing those guys Brenner hasn’t got shares in that Quincy eating house.”
Beasley grinned continually as he talked. The cook was also the waiter. The hungry load of players shot orders at him. Reg Clarkson, typically different, ordered Post Toasties and chilli. Meanwhile players sent their glasses of milk back to the kitchen. It was dead sour.
• • •
But travelling in this league wasn’t bad. In the West Texas you went by private car, mostly. Dressed in the hotel and drove to the ball park in uniform. They showered at the hotel afterwards.
The Far West and Sunset loops were like that, but slightly better. In the coast and other Triple-A leagues life was streamlined. It was in your contract that you got Grade A transportation and the best hotels.
Mostly you went by air. But it was in your contract that they couldn’t make you fly. Some of the veterans, like Red Mann and Guy Fletcher, often backed away from air trips.
Bud said that for a spell, when he was with Seattle, he was running a baseball school for the Rainiers. They let the club go south without him. The pitchers ran into trouble in San Francisco, so the front office decided Bud had to go down and help out.
• • •
He was on the field in Seattle, teaching the kids, at 1 p.m. In uniform. He was on a place bound for San Francisco at 3 p.m. He pitched for the Rainiers that night and was back in his hotel room in Seattle by 2 a.m.
The season he spent with the House of David was the worst. Every stop was a one-night stand. Big towns and whistle-stops but mainly the latter. Shower at the park or shower at the hotel. There was Battle Mountain, for instance.
It is smack in the middle of Nevada. The ball park is just a big alkali field. No stands. Fans nose their cars to the edge of the field and the team passes the hat. That was one place, I said, where they had to shower at the hotel, then? “No,” Bud said. “You might say that town had a few short-comings. There wasn’t but two bathtubs in the whole town, and neither of them was at the hotel.

NON WIL BASEBALL NEWS
Fans, Laws, President All Blue in the South
COLUMBIA, S.C., July 27—Baseball ticket taker Henry Suydam got a complaint from a fan.
"Why," Suydam was asked did South Atlantic Baseball League president Earl Blue "rule out Sunday baseball at Greenville?"
"He didn't," Suydam explained, "the Greenville City Council ruled it out."
"I saw in the paper about it," declared the unconvinced fan. "It said "blue law invoked"."

Sunday, June 25, 1950

              W  L Pct. GB
Tacoma ..... 39 25 .609 —
Wenatchee .. 38 29 .567 2½
Yakima ..... 37 29 .561 3
Tri-City ... 36 31 .537 4½
Salem ...... 30 34 .469 9
Spokane .... 30 38 .441 11
Victoria ... 29 39 .426 12
Vancouver .. 25 39 .403 14

SPOKANE, June 25—Spokane's Indians edged the Tri-City Braves 7 to 6 Sunday night to sweep a Western International league split double-header.
The Indians took the first tilt 8 to 4.
Lou McCollum, Brave starter in the afternoon game here, served up a home run ball that practically wrote the story of that game. With the bases loaded in the Spokane first, big Joe Rossi, Indian backstop, smacked one out of the park. McCollum was derricked in third when Glen Stetter doubled to score Leon Mohr. A pair of singles by Frank Matoh and Chuck Davis drove in two more for the winners.
Jim Olsen, who checked in at the mound for McCollum, did all the scoring for the Braves. He hit his third home run of the season scoring Al Spaeter in front of him in the fifth, and his double in the eighth drove in Neil Bryant and Spaeter. Olson gave up but three hits in the five innings he worked.
The Brave out hit the Indians 14 to 10 in the nightcap. Spokane's new double-play combination, Chuck Davis to Leon Mohr to Norm Grabar, clicked in the top of the ninth to end the game with a seventh Tri-City run not counting.
Spokane scored its runs in the first four innings—three in the first, two in tie second and fourth —while the Braves registered three in the third, two in the eighth and one in the ninth.
First Game
Tri City ...... 000 020 000— 4 9 3
Spokane ..... 403 000 01x— 8 11 0
McCollum, Olsen (3) and Pesut; Holder and Beard.
Second Game
Tri-City ....... 003 000 021— 6 14 1
Spokane ...... 320 200 00x— 7 10 2
Stone, Felizzatto (2) and Pesut; Bishop and Rossi.

SALEM, June 25—Salem's Senators put all their punch into a five-run first inning here Sunday night to take the second game of a Western International league doubleheader, 6-3, and gain an even split in their four game series with the Yakima Bears. Yakima won the opener, 2-0.
First Game
Yakima ...... 000 000 000—2 7 1
Salem ......... 000 000 000—0 6 2
Domenichelli and Tiesiera; McNulty and Beard.
Second Game
Yakima ....... 000 012 0—3 9 3
Salem .......... 500 010 x—6 7 0
Dickey and Tiesiera; Tierney and Beard.

TACOMA, June 25 — Tacoma's front-running Tigers took both ends of a Western International league baseball doubleheader from the last-place Vancouver Capilanos here Sunday, 11-6 and 3-2, to register a sweep of their four-game series.
A five-run seventh inning broke up the opener, the Tigers bunching three hits, two walks and a Vancouver error in erasing a 6-all tie. Dick Greco homered for the winners.
Bob Kerrigan, Tiger hurler, notched his 12th win against three defeats in hurling 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief ball in the second game.
First Game
Vancouver ..... 100 320 000—6 13 2
Tacoma .......... 303 000 50x—11 11 1
Snyder, Costello (7), Owen (8) and Brenner, Heisner (8); Walden, Carter (5) and Fischer.
Second Game
Vancouver ..... 110 000 00—2 7 0
Tacoma .......... 010 010 01—3 10 1
Alvari, Bruenner (8) and Heisner; Loust, Kerrigan (6) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE, June 25—The Wenatchee Chiefs shut out the Victoria Athletics in the second game of a Western International League doubleheader Sunday, 5-0.
Righthander Joe Blankenship scattered seven hits for the win.
It gave Wenatchee a sweep of the twin-bill and also a sweep of the four-game series.
Lefthander Jim Propst walked the first three men up for Wenatchee in the first and third baseman Don Fracchia cleaned the sacks with a double.
Wenatchee won the opening game 8-7 in two innings of overtime play in a scheduled seven-inning contest. Reliefer Tom Breisinger won his own game, tripling with two away in the ninth and scoring as Lil Arnerich crossed up Victoria with a base hit bunt.
First Game
Victoria .......... 011 041 000—7 12 2
Wenatchee ..... 005 200 001—8 12 1
Mishasek and Weatherwax; Treichel, Dahle (6), Breisinger (8) and Spurgeon.
Second Game
Victoria ........... 000 000 000—0 7 0
Wenatchee ...... 310 000 10x—5 6 0
Propst, Noyes (1) and Weatherwax; Blankenship and Spurgeon.

Indians Sign Clown For Hurling Job
SPOKANE, June 25—The Spokane Indians have signed a former clown—but it's not because they find anything to laugh about in their present hold on sixth place in the Western International league.
The new acquisition is A. Murry O'Flynn, who in addition to biding a comedian, is something of a curve ball artist. He played with the Indians prior to the war, posting a 12-6 record in 1940 and gave with the laughs during the 1948 and 1949 season.
Manager Alan Strange said O'Flynn would replace Bob Roberts, a righthanded relief pitcher who has been placed on the inactive list because of the flu.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
BALK-FLAVORED RHUBARB FEATURED IN PCL TILT
By JIM COOPER
SAN FRANCISCO, June 26. (U.P.)—Fans, at the Los Angeles-Oakland baseball sideshow yesterday were served the choicest dish of rhubarb pie yet seen this season in the
Pacific Coast league. At Emeryville Park things were going well for tall, grey-eyed Bob Muncrief. Of course the Angels had dropped the opener to the Oaks 11 to 1, but this nightcap was a different thing.
The 34-year-old righthander, who has seen his share of major league play, had a 5 to:4 lead-,'going into the bottom half of the sixth, and if the old arm held out, Muncrief would collect his l0th win.
Not Disastrous
But George Metkovich tripled to send home Mel Duezabou and Artie Wilson with the tieing and leading runs. That was bad, but not disastrous, because the lead had been switching back and forth all afternoon, Muncrief threw the next-pitch and then heard the most-hated word in the umpire vocabulary, "Balk!" Muncrief objected mildly. He had committed only two this balk-batty season, and this one just wasn't another, he said. But with calm authority Umpire Pat Orr sent Metkovich home to score.
Secure In the Oakland dugout, Metkovich was suddenly confronted with greetings from Umps Bill Doran and Ed Runge. Back to third, they ordered. "That there wasn't no balk." Back to third went weary George.
Metkovich wanted to get back to the dugout hideaway, so on the next pitch he stole home-ward, Muncrief whipped the ball to Catcher Rube Novotney, who tagged George out.
Two Solemn Nods
"Balk!" Plate Umpire Doran screamed. He glanced at the stone countenances of Orr and Runge They nodded solemnly. So again Metkovlch's score flashed on the boards.
Swarms of Seraphs clustered around the firm gentlemen in the tight plack suits. Cries of anguish from Angelic throats. Tears fell on cherubic Cheeks. Surely, the gentlemen were joking.
But with the solidity of silent redwoods, the umpires stood unmoved.
It was a balk. With the starch gone from their wings, the Angels folded and Oakland won the second game, 7 to 5.
WILFan note: This wasn't the first time Metkovich, who played for the '56 Vancouver Mounties, won a game on a balk. See this blog's listing for July 31st.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor
[from column of June 26/50]
When you haven't a .300 hitter on the team and you manage to win 11 out of 12 games, as the Braves have going into Sunday, then it's time to admit that the pitchers are carrying their full share of the load. . .and perhaps a bit more.
On the other hand if you happened to check the linescore of some of the Tacoma games last week you might have noticed that one Dick Greco was listed as a pitcher. Why? Well, it could be that Jim Brillheart's Tigers were no longer able to go the full route. And if you checked those same linescores a bit more closely you'd have seen the same names pitching with as much as one or two dlays rest.
Pitching is 95 percent of baseball and any time a manager for any reason starts to force his throwers to work out of turn, something happens and usually it's pretty bad. But that is what was happening at Tacoma. Pitchers like Bob Kerrigan were starting one day and two days later were relieving. It just couldn't go on, and it didn t. The Tigers fell apart like the one-hoss shay.
REMEMBER WHEN
Yet it wasn't too long ago the wolves were howling when Braves pilot Charlie Peterson refused to pull a pitcher even when it was apparent that the man was in serious trouble. But had Peterson listened to those wild calls where would the Braves be today? It's a good bet they wouldn't be where they are now.
Here's a concrete example of what we mean. Not too long ago Pete looked over his staff and found only Joe Orrell on the ready list. Yet it wasn't the Bullet's turn and Pete refused to ask the veteran to pitch out of turn. The result. The following night Orrell went out and turned in one of his best performances of the season.
It's only been because Petersen was strong enough to withstand the blasts from the stands that the Braves are getting the pitching they are. We say all this because there was a lot dinned into our ears when the Braves were losing. At that time we took the matter up with Petersen and we're happy to say that things have turned out the way he said they would. “I won't hurt my pitchers” he said then, “if I start forcing them we're never going to win. But as soon as we get and of some sore arms we'll get our share.” Should we say. . .he told you so.

Tuesday, May 30, 1950

W L Pct GB
Tacoma ..... 28 11 .718 —
Salem ...... 21 18 .538 7
Wenatchee .. 21 19 .525 7½
Yakima ..... 20 20 .500 8½
Tri-City ... 20 23 .465 10
Spokane .... 19 22 .463 10
Vancouver .. 16 23 .410 12
Victoria ... 16 25 .390 13

YAKIMA [Tri-City Herald, May 31]—Disaster, triple style, overtook the Tri-City Braves when they opened a doubleheader last night against Yakima. Two of the setbacks came off the bats of the Yakima Bears as they cut down the Braves twice 12-2, and 5-1. The twin-killing moved the Braves out of the first division and the Bears back in.
Sickness, the constant foe of the Tri-City team this season, struck again over the weekend when Al Spaeter, second baseman was bedded down because of a severe head cold with a touch of stomach flu.
Mike Budnick the hard luck member of the Braves pitching staff lost his third straight game in last night's owl contest. Although Budnick gave up five runs only three of them were earned. The rest came on a combination of three passed balls.
Yakima had the contest all sewed up by the end of the fourth as Bear hurler Dick Larner held the Tri-City bats in check. Meanwhile his teammates were pushing across one run each in the third and fourth. Tho Braves' lone score came in the eighth when Jim McKeegan, filling in for Al Spaeter, rifled a single to score Nick Pesut.
"Bullet" Joe Orrell found the going hard in the seven-inning opener. It was a. good ball game until the Bears opened the bottom of the fourth. When it finally ended 12 Yakima runs had cleated the home plate. The Bullet gave up a total of 13 base knocks, while Dickey was holding the Braves to five scattered blows.
Cy Greenlaw, the Brave portsider, currently sporting a 2-2 record is expected to open for the Braves tonight when the two teams resume their four-game series.
First Game
Tri City ....... 010 100 0—2 5 0
Yakima ........ 012 900 x—12 13 0
Orrell and Pesut; Dickey and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Tri-City ....... 000 000 010—1 6 0
Yakima ........ 001 120 10x—5 7 2
Budnick and Pesut; Larner and Tornay.

TACOMA, May 30 [Frank Vaille, AP]—Old Ad Liska, the veteran submariner, had a new blaze burning today in the near charred embers of Salem's Western International league pennant hopes.
Now managing the Oregon club after more than 20 campaigns in the majors and high minors the ex-Portland ace hauled himself out of retirement Tuesday night to turn back the league-leading Tacoma Tigers 4-2. The victory snapped Salem's six-game losing streak and reinstated them in second place. Tacoma won the opener 11-2.
Liska gave up eight hits in turning back the Tacomans in the seven-inning finale and had to call on the cunning of past experience to get past the final inning. With the tying runs on second and third, the veteran squeaked through as Glen Stetter lined out and Dick Greco went down swinging. Salem won in the third, combining a walk, a hit batter, three singles and a pair of errors for three runs. Gil Loust won his seventh game against one defeat in the opener as Tacoma slugged out 16 hits including five doubles.
First Game
Salem ....... 000 200 000—2 9 2
Tacoma .... 301 223 00x—11 16 0
Burak, Waibel (5) and Beard; Loust and Sheets.
Second Game
Salem ........ 003 010 0—4 9 1
Tacoma ..... 000 100 1—2 8 2
Liska and McMillan; Knezovich, Hufford (6) and Fischer.

SPOKANE, May 30 [Frank Vaille, AP]—Wenatchee, which moved into the runnerup spot only last Saturday, dropped back to third with a double loss to Spokane, 3-2 and 11-3, Tuesday night.
Wenatchee outhit Spokane 13-6 in their opener but Joe Rossi's sixth inning home run broke a 2-2 tie for the Indians. Spokane swept the bill with a 13-hit attack on Jay Ragni and Joe Blankenship in the nightcap handing Ragni his second loss against six victories.
First Game
Wenatchee ..... 000 110 000—2 11 0
Spokane ......... 020 001 00x—3 6 1
Dahle and Len Neal; Conant and Rossi.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 000 300 000— 3 10 2
Spokane ........ 102 230 30x—11 13 3
Ragni, Blankenship (7) and Fiscalini; Bishop and Rossi.

VICTORIA, [Colonist, May 31]—Playing championship baseball behind the fine pitching of Aldon Wilkie and Jim Hedgecock, Victoria Athletics yesterday downed Vancouver Capilanos in a scheduled W.I.L. doubleheader, 5-2 and 5-3, to sweep the Victoria end of an eight-game series and run the A’s latest winning streak to four games.
CITY FANS TURN OUT
A crowd of 2,500 was at Royal Athletic Park to see the season’s most exciting games, both play in well under two hours. Last night’s crowd made the attendance for Victoria’s ten-game stand—nine playing days—swell to 20,000.
In both games, the A’s had to come from behind to win with Gene Thompson breaking up the nine-inning opener with a three-run homer in the eighth and Manager Marty Krug ending on top in a tense battle of strategy in the thrilling finale. Wilkie and Hedgecock both pitch four-hitters, making it only 15 hits for the Caps against the improved Victoria pitching in three games.
MOORE, DUNN DELIVERS
Hooked up in a mound duel with Bob Snyder, Vancouver’s ace, Wilkie was trailing, 2-0, going into the seventh and Snyder had the A’s on his hip with four scattered hits. Only one Victoria runner had reached third when the tail-end of the batting order came through. Gene Thompson was on third and Jim Wert on first as a result of singles and two were out when Jim Moore and Bill Dunn, both currently on a batting spree, came through with run-scoring tallies to tie it up.
Then, with one out in the eighth, Joe Kronberg reached first when Jim Robinson erred on his bounder down the third-base line. K. Chorlton singled and Thompson followed with his seventh home run, a high blow over the wall, well down in left field. It earned Wilkie, who pitched a beautiful game, his second win. The veteran southpaw only gave up one hit after the third inning, a hard smash by Dick Sinovic, which took a nasty hop on Dunn.
JIM GETS HIS WISH
Hedgecock, literally itching to beat his former club, was just as effective. The slim wrong-hander set down the first nine Caps in order, faltered slightly as two messed-up bunts followed Jim Robinson’s lead-off single in the fourth to load the bags with none out. Hedgecock pitched out of that with an outfield fly and Sinovic’s hit scoring two runs. Brenner, who led off in the seventh with a home run, was the only Cap to get on base after that.
Meanwhile, the A’s made the most of the wildness of three Vancouver pitchers, although only able to pick up three hits. All five Victoria runs were put on the bags by bases on balls, and all five were moved into scoring position by four Victoria sacrifice bunts.
GRIM STRATEGY
Strategic moves by the opposing managers kept the fans on edge. Brenner called for four intentional bases on balls but it only worked once as his pitchers failed to locate the plate. He was himself given first when he pinch hit for Bill Heisner in the fourth and the move worked as Bob McLean whiffed and Ray Tran flied out to leave loaded bags.
In the Victoria fourth, Brenner called on lefthander Carl Gunnarson to face Jim Wert and Krug countered with Al Ronning as a pinch hitter but Ronning skied out. This brought Junior Krug into the game to make his first appearance of the season at first base. He handled himself well afield and drove in the winning run in the fifth with a single through the middle. Victoria’s last two runs were scored identically with a walk and a sacrifice, followed by a single.
DUNN STILL GOING
One of the features was the continued good hitting of Dunn. The shortstop made three hits in four official trip sin the twon games to make it 11 hits in his last 15 trips over a foive-day period. During that time, his batting average rose 57 points to .274. Moore’s streak now stands at 11 huts in 25 trips over the last seven games.
BIG ONE TONIGHT
The A’s open a five-game stand at Vancouver tonight with Joe Mishasek named as the starter. Jim Propst goes tomorrow, followed by John Marshall on Friday and Wilkie and Hedgecock again on Saturday. From Vancouver, the A’s go to Salem and Yakima, before returning home again June 12.
A win tonight would move Victoria out of the cellar and the club is now only six games out of second place.
First Game
Vancouver ... 010 100 000—2 4 2
Victoria ....... 000 000 23x—5 10 3
Snyder and Brenner; Wilkie and Ronning.
Second Game
Vancouver ... 000 200 1—3 4 0
Victoria ....... 001 211 x–5 3 1
Anderson, Bruenner (4), Gunnarson (4) and Brenner; Hedgecock and Weatherwax.

Calgary Wants Ball Franchise
EDMONTON, May 30 — The Edmonton Bulletin says in a sports page story Tuesday it has learned reliably that Calgary interests have applied for a Western International Baseball league franchise effective next year.
The story says that Calgary will enter the league only on condition that Edmonton also be prevailed upon to take up a W.I.L. franchise. Current members of the Class B circuit are Vancouver, Victoria, Salem, Spokane, Tacoma, Tri-Cities, Yakima and Wenatchee.
It has been more than 25 years since either Calgary or Edmonton boasted a franchise in organized baseball. Both were members of the old Western Canada league.
Two teams each from Calgary and Edmonton comprise the Big Four inter-city circuit, a semi-professional circuit.
Commenting on the report, John Ducey, Edmonton's top baseball executive, said Western International League owners apparently hope to transfer franchises to the Alberta cities. He said Edmonton would not sanction this, buy a franchise or purchase any W.I.L. holdings.

NON WIL-MINOR LEAGUE NEWS

RUN BATTED IN
Credit The Mouse
AMSTERDAM, N.Y., May 30 (BUP)—A mouse received credit for a run batted in, Tuesday, in Gloversville's 12 to 4 victory over Amsterdam in the class "C" Canadian-American baseball league.
Gloversville had men on third and first when a tiny field mouse scampered across the mound. Amsterdam pitcher Harry Owens, ready for his delivery, shied away. The umpire ruled Owens' action a balk and waved the runner home from third.

Wednesday, April 26, 1950

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

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

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

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

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

NON-WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS

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

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

ON THE INSIDE

By Don Becker - Herald Sports Editor

[April 27, 1950]

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

ANOTHER FALSIE

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

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

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