Victoria - 14 Days Left

Campaign in Full Swing For “Save Baseball” Fund
[Victoria Colonist, Jan. 18, 1952]
Things are starting to hum in the “save baseball” fund drive being conducted by the Athletics Booster Club to raise $35,000 before the end of the month and save the Victoria Western International Baseball League franchise.
Frank Ireland, president of the A.B.C., reported last night that the campaign should be in full swing today with the first of dozens of canvassers on the job.
An office has been set up in the lobby of the Hotel Douglas and applications for shares and donations will be received there. Those wanting to help but unable to get into town are being asked to forward their money to the “Save Baseball Fund” at P.O. Box 1105, Victoria.
Shares can be purchased for $25; smaller amounts will be pooled for the purchase of shares for the A.B.C. Further information can be obtained by telephone at B 5632.
Although only 14 days remain to meet the league deadline, Ireland was confident that the drive will go over the top. He said his telephone had been ringing continually with offers of assistance and that most fans were anxious to do what they could to ensure the continuation of professional baseball.
NORBERT TO HELP
Ireland also stated that Ted Norbert, popular ex-manager, who has agreed to return if the club operates in 1952, will make a trip from Portland next week and spend two or three days here to help the drive.
Officials were unable to state the exact amount, but a fairly good start was made yesterday with several orders for shares and some donations being received.

Brown Pulls For Victoria, Not Eugene
[Vancouver Province, Jan. 18, 1952]
Vancouver Capilanos general manager R.P. Brown denied today another newspaper’s report that he would welcome Eugene, Oregon, to the Western International League and said that, on the contrary, he hoped the Victoria club, now in financial difficulty, would not be forced into abandonment.
“It is preposterous that I should prefer Eugene to Victoria,” said Brown, “and the report that I said I did was absolutely erroneous.”