W L PCT.
Victoria ..... 1 0 1.000
Spokane ...... 1 0 1.000
Wenatchee .... 1 0 1.000
Lewiston ..... 1 0 1.000
Vancouver .... 0 1 .000
Salem ........ 0 1 .000
Tri-City ..... 0 1 .000
Yakima ....... 0 1 .000
YAKIMA [Victoria Colonist, Apr. 23]—Manager Cece Garriott got his Victoria Tyees off to a flying start at Yakima last night but it is entirely possible that he will remember his W.I.L. debut for a long time. In fact, he will probably have nightmares about it.
It was a nightmarish sort of a game with Garriott doubling in the tying and winning runs with two out in the ninth inning to give his team a 14-13 decision after an apparently safe 12-5 lead was erased in a wild, eight-run, eighth inning.
And so, for one day at least, the Tyees find themselves sharing the league lead with Wenatchee, Spokane and Lewiston, winners in the other three inaugural games.
BLOW EARLY LEAD
Scoring in each of the first three innings, the Tyees romped into a 5-0 lead for Ben Lorino, but the Bears scored three times in the third and kept picking away at the southpaw until they tied it in the sixth. Jehosi Heard, the new colored lefthander down from Portland, put out the fire in the sixth and carried a seven-run lead into the eighth as Tyees erupted for five runs in the seventh and added two more in the eighth.
Then, as Garriott put it, “base hits started flying all over the place.” Before George Randolph, huge colored righthander, stemmed the Victoria attackm eight runs were in and the Bears were ahead
JUST IN TIME
Two were out in the ninth when Luther Branham drew a walk and Bob Moniz legged a hit to set the stage for Garriott’s game-winning two-base wallop. Randolph held the Bears in check in the ninth to gain credit for the win.
Although not unhappy at the final count, Garriott was worried over the balance of the series. “I’ve only got seven pitchers and I used three of them tonight.” He intends to start Jim Propst in the second game and uttered a fervent wish that the unpredictable lefthander would go the distance.
MONIZ AND MARTIN HIT
Moniz and Milt Martin each had three of the 15 Victoria hits with Moniz including a double. Granny Gladstone, who played at shortstop, had a double and a single.
Garriott’s batting order was Branham, Moniz, Garriott, Pries, Abernathy, Gladstone, Treece, Martin and the pitchers.
Victoria ........ 122 000 522—14 15 1
Yakima ........ 003 011 080—13 14 2
Lorino, Heard (6), Randolph (9) and Martin; Stites, Monahan (3), Dials (7), Clancy (8) and Donahue.
WENATCHEE [Clancy Loranger, Province, April 23]—It’s one down and 153 to get even for the Vancouver Capilanos.
A big seven-run sixth inning by Wenatchee Chiefs blew what had been a tight ball game high and wide at Recreation Park here Tuesday night and spoiled the debut of Bill Schuster’s 1952 Caps.
Final score in what eventually developed into a free-hitting game was 9-6 for Dick Adams’ Chiefs, with big Jerry Barta being charged with the loss.
The defeat merely confirmed, for Schuster, what he had said Monday: that spring training was a bust and the Caps are going to have to play themselves into shape.
“Look at that Barta,” said Schuster after. “For five innings, he pitched a great ball game, then he had nothing left.”
Then Barta’s Hopes Crumbled
Barta, showing no signs of the wildness that plagued him in past seasons, did look mighty sharp, too, until the sky fell in on him in the sixth.
He had walked only one man and went into the “disaster” frame holding a 2-1 lead over Frank Dasso, who was pitching equally well.
Wenatchee’s Ross McCormack gave an inkling of things to come by starting the inning with a double, one of three extra-base hits he collected. A walk, plus an error by Jesse Williams, sent one run across and then the balloon went up.
Four consecutive infield hits—one a bunt that caught Schuster flat-footed at third—climaxed by a triple by McCormack, made the Wenatchee total seven for the inning and sent Barta shower-wards.
Harry Butts and Paul Jones finished up, Jones allowing one more run in the eighth.
Ritchey’s Arm Troublesome
The Ca’s, whose ten-hit attack was paced by lanky Jim Wert’s three singles, bounced back to drive Dasso from the mound and pushed four runs of their own across in the seventh. But that big seven on the scoreboard was too much for them.
Another spring training victim, according to Schuster, was catcher John Ritchey, who was late in reporting to Penticton and who retired in the sixth with arm trouble.
Schuster took him out after he’d almost tossed a couple into centre field on Wenatchee steals, and snorted later that “you can’t cram three weeks of training into one.”
But as Schuster said, “The first-game tension is over now. The weather is good and tomorrow is another day.” He’ll send Van Fletcher, brother of Coast League Guy, to the mound tonight to try and get even.
Vancouver ...... 000 002 400—6 10 1
Wenatchee ...... 000 017 01x—9 12 1
Barta, Butts (6), Jones (8) and Ritchey, Lundberg (6); Dasso, Bauhoffer (6) and Pocekay.
LEWISTON, Idaho, April 22—Manager Bill Brenner went the distance for Lewiston Tuesday night as the newcomers to the Western International Baseball League downed the Tri-City Braves 5-2 in their league debut.
Bill Brenner held the Braves to five hits as he struck out eight and walked three.
A crowd of 4200, including league president Bob Abel of Tacoma, turned out to cheer on the new team.
Butch Moran, right fielder, led the Broncs' hitting parade with a three for four night, including a double.
Tri-City led off the scoring in the second when Bill Rogers singled, moved to second on a balk and went home on a single by Frank Mataya. Lewiston bunched its five runs in the second and third innings.
Then Tri-City starter John Romero went out and Fatalich came to the mound for the Braves and ended the Lewiston scoring.
Tri-City scored its final tally in the sixth when Vic Buccola walked, went to second on a passed ball and scored on Tom Marier's single.
Tri-City ....... 010 001 000—2 5 2
Lewiston ...... 023 000 00x—5 11 0
Romero, Fatalich (3) and Pesut; Brenner and Helmuth.
SPOKANE, April 22—Spokane Indians, defending champions, opened their W.I.L. season with a 7-1 thumping over Salem on Tuesday night.
Herb Souell, flashy-fielding colored third baseman, a newcomer to the Tribe, was the star for Spokane. He had four hits in four times at bat, drove in two runs and scored two more, and came up with some fine defensive work.
John Conant pitched acceptably until relieved in the seventh. Ray McNulty took the brunt of the Indians’ 13-hit attack.
Salem manager Hugh Luby singled in Larry Mann in the seventh inning for the Senators’ only run.
A crowd of 4,561 turned out for the opening game in good baseball weather.
Salem .......... 000 000 100—1 6 0
Spokane ....... 000 033 10x—7 13 1
McNulty, Mann (6) and Nelson; Conant, Roberts (6) and Sheets.
DeGeorge Too Costly, Tyees Pick Replacement
[Victoria Colonist, April 23, 1952]
Sal DeGeorge, who led the W.I.L. in earned run average last season with the Salem Senators, won’t be with the Victoria Tyees this year after all this season unless he’s had change of heart. And it’s unlikely even then.
Business manager Reg Patterson reported yesterday that the club had been unable to come to terms with the swarthy right-hander. DeGeorge was turned back to Salem club but the deal, in which the Senators obtained first baseman Dick Bartle and outfielder Ernie Sites, will stand. The Tyees are to get their choice of the Salem pitching staff, except Ray McNulty, veteran righthander. The choice will be made as soon as Patterson gets a list of eligibles from Salem Manager Hugh Luby, who decling to include McNulty.
DeGeorge, who left a bad impression with Patterson after a telephone conversation, demanded everything but the well-known kitchen sink for reporting and didn’t appear too anxious to play even if his terms had been granted. He asked for a salary of $650 a month, a bonus of $500 if he won 15 games, $1,000 if he won 20 games, half of his sale price if sold, and expenses from and to his home in San Diego. Needless to state, the Tyees weren’t interested.
The only other news on the player front was an offer from Syl Johnson, Yankee scout, to send catcher Roy Easterwood to Victoria if the Tyees would send another catcher to Boise. Easterwood, who has played in the Coast League, was assigned to Beaumont but had no desire to play there. However, manager Cec Garriott turned down the offer, claiming Easterwood did not hit enough to his liking.
WHITE TO RETURN?
Queried about the possibility that outfielder Bill White might join the club, Patterson stated that White is anxious to play and may show up as soon as school is out. He is teaching. There is also a chance the big fellow might be used in a trade or sold outright. Salem is interested.
Patterson also reported that demand for tickets for the Victoria W.I.L. opener against Wenatchee next Tuesday has been steady. Tickets for all games and season’s reservations are on sale between 9 and 5 at 825 Fort Street.
IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang [Victoria Colonist, April 23, 1952]
Don’t sell the Victoria Tyees short. Pre-season reports have deliberately refrained from any undue optimism but the outfit manager Cece Garriott assembled at Salinas definitely has possibilities. It may not win the W.I.L. championship and it may not even come close but it is as “set” as any previous Victoria club at this stage of the season, and the addition of two of three of the right kind of players in the right spots could put it up among the leaders or, maybe at the top. And that’s as much as can be said for the best of the other clubs at the moment.
Much has already been written about the need of more pitching and the possible lack of consistent extra-base punch. Let’s take a look at the brighter side.
The Tyees have good speed, defensive ability, hustle and versatility and there is every chance that help will be forthcoming if needed.
There is nothing wrong with the infield. Chuck Abernathy should be adequate at first base, could be outstanding. If Granny Gladstone can beat Jim Clark at shortstop, that position will leave no fears and Don Pries, scrappy .322 hitter last season, will certainly do it at third base. If there is an infield question mark, it is at second base, where Luther Branham, the colored little speedster holds forth. He has looked good in spring training but it is still early for the final verdict. However, even if two infielders should falter, it wouldn’t prove disastrous. Clark can take care of second base if needed, Pries was a first baseman for most of his baseball career up until last season and John Treece is listed as an outfielder only because of Pries. Treece looked good at third base for Salinas in exhibition games, a cocky fighter who likes his baseball and who could turn out to be a fortunate acquisition.
If Abernathy, Branham, Clark and Pries all come through in the infield, there will be no outfield troubles. Gladstone and Treece would flank Garriott for a picket corps that would need no excusing. If either Gladstone or Treece is needed in the infield, either Bob Moniz, a smart veteran, or Harvey Allen, a loose-jointed Negro who has shown evidence of power, or both, could fill the bill. And there is very chance that Bill White will be back. The big fellow had a mediocre season last year but batted in 104 runs on his .283 average and it is not too much to hope that he could stage a real comeback.
Offensively, a pitcher facing Clark, Pries, Garriott, Gladstone, Abernathy and Treece in order won’t escape unhurt too often and if Lilio Marcucci comes back, it will be that much tougher. The Tyees may need help to be a contender but they don’t rate that last place guess made by a wire service Monday.
Much has already been written about the need of more pitching and the possible lack of consistent extra-base punch. Let’s take a look at the brighter side.
The Tyees have good speed, defensive ability, hustle and versatility and there is every chance that help will be forthcoming if needed.
There is nothing wrong with the infield. Chuck Abernathy should be adequate at first base, could be outstanding. If Granny Gladstone can beat Jim Clark at shortstop, that position will leave no fears and Don Pries, scrappy .322 hitter last season, will certainly do it at third base. If there is an infield question mark, it is at second base, where Luther Branham, the colored little speedster holds forth. He has looked good in spring training but it is still early for the final verdict. However, even if two infielders should falter, it wouldn’t prove disastrous. Clark can take care of second base if needed, Pries was a first baseman for most of his baseball career up until last season and John Treece is listed as an outfielder only because of Pries. Treece looked good at third base for Salinas in exhibition games, a cocky fighter who likes his baseball and who could turn out to be a fortunate acquisition.
If Abernathy, Branham, Clark and Pries all come through in the infield, there will be no outfield troubles. Gladstone and Treece would flank Garriott for a picket corps that would need no excusing. If either Gladstone or Treece is needed in the infield, either Bob Moniz, a smart veteran, or Harvey Allen, a loose-jointed Negro who has shown evidence of power, or both, could fill the bill. And there is very chance that Bill White will be back. The big fellow had a mediocre season last year but batted in 104 runs on his .283 average and it is not too much to hope that he could stage a real comeback.
Offensively, a pitcher facing Clark, Pries, Garriott, Gladstone, Abernathy and Treece in order won’t escape unhurt too often and if Lilio Marcucci comes back, it will be that much tougher. The Tyees may need help to be a contender but they don’t rate that last place guess made by a wire service Monday.
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