Saturday 15 December 2007

Training Camp — April 4, 1952

Prelow, Bryant Releases Begin Tyee Roster Cuts
[Special to the Victoria Colonist]
SALINAS, Cal., April 4—Manager Cece Garriott made the first cuts in the roster of Victoria Tyees today when he released two of the nine colored players trying out for the team.
They were second baseman Cliff Prelow, who batted two for three and stole a base in an exhibition victory over the Monterey Naval Post Graduate School, and catcher Maisoe Bryant.
Earlier it was announced that shortstop Jimmy Clark and first baseman Chuck Abernathy will be joining the club. Clark agreed to terms in a phone conversation with business manager Reg Patterson and will report immediately. He is anxious to play in Victoria.
Abernathy, who batted .273 for Vancouver last season, was obtained in a trade which sends southpaw Jim Hedgecock to the Caps. An unnamed catcher also comes to the Victoria club in the deal.
SCHEDULING ERROR
Today’s victory was an error in scheduling. The Monterey team was very weak and the Tyees benefited from eight errors, nine bases on balls, a hit batsman, a wild pitch and a passed ball as they romped to a 16-2 verdict.
Triples by there colored players—shortstop Granny Gladstone, second baseman Luther Branham and outfielder Harvey Allen—were the only extra base blows. Allen’s triple came with the bases loaded and he also hit two singles for a total of five runs batted in.
Ernie Sites had two for two, Dick Bartle had three singles and Don Pries had two singles and a walk and scored four runs.
Tyees play at Stockton tomorrow and Sunday and return home to play the Fort Ord teamn at Salinas Monday.
Monterey ..... 000 011 000—2 5 6
Victoria ......... 320 251 03x—16 18 2
Beard and Smith; Vallerie, Townes (6) and Martin, Yanchuk (6).

SANDY QUITS BALL
Robertson to Play Soccer With City
By JIM WATSON [Vancouver Province, April 4]
Sandy Robertson, Vancouver Capilano’s pitcher and general handyman, and one of British Columbia’s greatest all-around athletes, has decided to quit baseball—and become a soccer player.
After being away from soccer for 10 years, the 28-year-old Robertson will sign a player form for Vancouver City of the Pacific Coast Soccer League today.
He will play with City as a reserve goalkeeper—a position he has never filled on the soccer field.
READY TO HELP
”They asked me if I’d help them out,” said Robertson Thursday night, “and I said that I would. I’ve never played as a ‘recognized’ goalkeeper, but I’d like to try it.
“I last played soccer with one of Bob Clint’s teams years ago,” said Robertson, who two years ago tied a Western International League baseball pitching record with 11 straight wins and who has played on two Dominion championship basketball teams.
Robertson, a consultant engineer, will begin working out with Vancouver City next week. City’s manager Jimmy Gray decided to sign him as City’s regular goalkeeper, Ab Travis, may not be able to guard the nets when, and if, night soccer is played this summer.

HE’S JUST A CUT-UP NOW
Nicholas May Quit Caps

By ERIC WHITEHEAD [Vancouver Province, April 4]
PENTICTON—As 21 members of the Capilanos spring baseball squad creaked through their first workout here Thursday, club business manager Bob Brown indicated that two valuable veterans of the 1950 team, pitcher George Nicholas and infielder Reno Cheso—both now unattached—may not return to the Caps.
Nicholas, with a 15-8 win record in 1951, is operating a tailor shop in Los Angeles and may quit pro ball. Cheso, property of Bob Brown, finished an unsuccessful trout with Oakland and was cut adrift April 1.
With Brown’s permission, Cheso, who had been figured as the Caps’ alternate catcher or second baseman, is trying to make his own deal with another club in AA or AAA ball.
• • •
Manager Bill Schuster put the squad through a fast but cautious workout Thursday. A lengthy session in the batting cage and a brisk infield drill gave Schuster his first look at several outstanding candidates for berths on the Vancouver Caps, vintage 1952.
Schuster is already high on Bob Duretto, husky outfielder who handles himself effortlessly afield and shows plenty of power at the plate. Edo Vanni and Joe Scalise, both tentatively ticketed for outfield berths, are the only other outfields in camp at present. Yet to come are Bill Cleveland, optioned by Seattle, Bob McGuire (end of May), and possibly Gordie Brunswick, still clinging to his chance with Seattle Rainiers.
• • •
Infielders in camp are Ray Tran, Schuster, rookie Bud Isham, Ray Downey and Negro Rookie Jesse Williams. Williams had a good workout at short and is smooth as silk. It will take a bulldozer to move him out of either a shortstop or second base post.
There are only two catchers in camp, local boy Sam Drossos and big, husky John Wilburn, a good catcher and a long-ball hitter up from San Francisco after a three-year layoff from pro ball.
John Ritchey, 1951 backstop and the WIL’s batting champion, is due in camp this weekend.
Nine pitchers are in uniform, including the three Negros: Eddie Locke, Harry Butts (a lefty), and Paul Jones. The only holdovers here to date from the 1951 mound staff are left Carl Gunnarson, Don Tisnerat and Jerry Barta.

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