Sunday 20 January 2008

Tuesday, June 24, 1952

W L Pct GB
Victoria ..... 40 20 .667 —
Vancouver .... 32 23 .574 5½
Spokane ...... 37 28 .569 5½
Lewiston ..... 30 31 .492 10½
Wenatchee .... 30 34 .469 12
Salem ........ 29 34 .460 12½
Tri-City ..... 27 38 .415 15½
Yakima ....... 24 41 .369 18½


VICTORIA [Vancouver News-Herald, June 25]—Four victories in a row, two in succession over the league leaders and 11 out of the last 14. That is the record the Capilanos pointed to after their 9-2 conquest of Victoria, just as if to say, “move over, we’re coming through.”
It was almost a slaughter. The run-total wasn’t half as bad as the hit total as the Caps bumped Ben Lorino for 17 hits, included in which were three triples and a pair of doubles.
It started in the first inning when lead-off batter Jesse Williams banged a doubleoff the left-field wall. Edo Vanni beat out an infield single and Len Tran’s routine double-play grounder was muffed and one run scored.
GORDIE TRIPLES
Then John Ritchey singled and Gordie Brunswick tripled for two more runs. Jim Wert’s infield out supply another and the Caps led 4-0.
There was no looking back from there as Bill Schuster’s big machine added nine runs to a total which now stands at 36 in the last four games. That’s an average of nine a game, and hardly one which is going to be beaten as long as it holds up.
Vanni, Ritchey and Brunswick were particularly touchy names to Mr. Lorino. Edo tripled twice, singled twice in six tries. Lorono never did get Ritchey out. John singled three times and walked in his other two appearances.
BATS IN THREE
Brunswick also had three hits, and he batted in three more runs to increase his leaping total to 29 for year.
Brunswick’s performance was particularly delightful, as it came against a fellow who once called his “cousin.” It was only two weeks ago on a visit to Vancouver that Lorino struck out Gordie three times and had a home-town crowd booing the bejabbers out of the big fellow.
Last night Gordie got even. But for a fine play by shortstop Jimmy Clark in the fifth inning, Brunswick would have had four hits. As it was, three was sufficient.
FLETCHER WINS
Van Fletcher was moved up a day in the regular pitching rotation and proved the worth behind Schuster’s strategy by handcuffing the Tyees all the way in. Both Victoria runs came in the sixth when the game had gone far beyond recall.
DIAMOND DUST—Bob Duretto, according to Victoria medicos, might be able to return to the Vancouver lineup by Monday … Ed Locke (6-4), who was supposed to pitch last night, gets the call this evening, and John Guldborg (8-3) will wind it up Thursday … Then the Caps move to Salem … Bob Brown left for Spokane yesterday to meet National Association President George Trautman.
Vancouver …. 401 002 001—9 17 0
Victoria …….. 000 002 000—2 9 2
Fletcher and Ritchey; Lorino and Marcucci.

KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, June 25]—It was the beginning and the end. . .not what took place in the middle of last night's Western International League baseball game at Sanders Field. . .that broke the back of the Tri-City Braves.
Salem began the game with three-run splurge in the first inning and ended it with a four-run burst in the ninth. It added up to a 7-4 victory. for the visiting Senators and their third straight over Tri-City whose loss streak, was extended to five in a row.
The teams will have at it again tonight with Bob Greenwood firing from the mound for the Braves. Salem will start either Bud Francis a league-newcomer with a 1-0 record or the fireballing Dick Aubertin who has a 2-0 season since reporting to Salem.
Tri-City's pitching ace Ralph Romero, who used to carry Salem around in his hip pocket, was charged with the defeat last night at one point this, season Romero held Salem scoreless for 27 innings. And he blanked them for seven of the nine last night, the seven between the start and the finish.
But from what happened in the game Romero should file suit against the rest of the club for non-support. Practically any jury would award his claim after they look a look at the vital statistics. Of the seven Salem runs, two came as outright gifts in the first inning because of errors. The Braves also kicked away several scoring opportunities by leaving 11 players stranded around the bases, that ran their total to 33 for the series.
Although Tri-City outhit Salem 11-9, Sal DeGeorge kept them well scattered never permitting more than two an inning. Then in the ninth when Tri-City got a big rally started Salem Manager Hugh Luby called Ted Edmunds out of the bull pen to stifle it. TThe sharp breaking right handed Edmund's slants did the job, too. He got the next three batters on easy rollers and the 877 fans got up and went home.
Salem picked up three runs in the first on three hits and pair of Braves errors. Tanselli started it off with a bloop single to center. Luby followed with a do or don't swinging bunt for another single. Then when Marier errored Perez' blow down second base way Tanselli scored. Anderson followed with a free passs to load the bases but was forced at second on a fielder's choice roller by Bartle with Luby scoring. Perez, who moved up on the play, scored the third run when Lopes miscued Moore's infield roller.
Tri-City picked up single runs in the first, fifth, sixth and ninth. Vic Buccola, Tommy Marier, Des Charouhas and Nick Pesut did the stickwork. Marier scored twice and drove in one run, while Buccola scored once and also drove in a run. The other pair came when Marier stole home in the fifth and in the first when he scored on Kovenz' long fly ball to right field.
Salem's clincher in the ninth of four runs came on four hits and a pair of walks.
Salem …. 300 000 004—7 9 1
Tri-City … 100 011 001—4 11 2
DeGeorge, Edmunds (9) and Nelson; Romero and Pesut.

WENATCHEE, June 24 — Wenatchee blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning Tuesday night, allowing Yakima seven runs good for a 9-7 win in the opener of a three Same Western International League baseball series.
With two away and his ninth win in sight Charlie Oubre gave up a pair of walks and a hit, filling the bases. Reliefer Bud Bauhofer took over and kindled the Bear rally, allowing three hits and two free passes icing the game for Yakima.
Wenatchee's three errors came in the disastrous inning and figured in two of the flood of runs as the Bears batted around.
Wenatchee led 6-0 until the eighth when Oubre began to weaken and Yakima scored twice. Going into the ninth, the Chiefs were still four runs to the good.
Bauhofer was the losing pitcher.
Yakima ….. 000 000 027—9 14 2
Wenatchee … 300 030 001—7 12 3
Del Sarto, Savage (5), Shandor (9) and Pocekay.

Lewiston at Spokane, postponed, rain.

Portland Recalls McIrvin; Hurls Final Game Tonight
[Victoria Colonist, June 25, 1952]
Victoria Tyees have finally come up with that needed right-handed veteran—but at the expense, if only temporarily, of one of their ace southpaws.
Business manager Reg Patterson announced last night that Portland Beavers have recalled Cal McIrvin and will replace him with Bob Drilling, former W.I.L. righthander who has spent the last two seasons with Portland.
McIrvin will pitch tonight and attempt to end the Victoria slump at four losses. The big lefthander will be seeking his 10th victory and his 12th consecutive complete game. He has lost three times after running up a seven-game winning streak.
UTILITY VALVE
McIrvin has pitched 112 innings since joining the club early last month and given up only 86 hits and 42 runs, not all of them earned. He has struck out 66 and walked 39. His loss will probably be noticed most as a pinch-hitter and part-time utility player who can do an excellent job at first base when the occasional arises. Drilling should prove to be an adequate mound replacement and there is considerable balm in the belief the Tyees may soon have both McIrvin and Drilling. The illness of southpaw Royal Lint left the Beavers short on southpaw pitching and they decided to replace McIrvin with Drilling. McIrvin may return when Lint is ready to pitch again.
The fast-balling Drilling divided the 1949 season between Yakima and Salem, winning eight games and losing 11. He moved into the Coast League the following season and showed a vastly-improved record. He pitched in 46 games for the Beavers, starting 34, completing 16, winning 14 and losing 17 and pitching 253 innings.
He was used mostly in relief last season and was often effective. He saw action in 39 games, starting seven and winning four of seven decisions in the 111 innings he pitched. His record this season is not available but he again has been used almost solely in relief. He will join the club in Tri-City on Friday.

The Sports Herald
KEITH MATTHEWS

[Vancouver News-Herald, June 25, 1952]
An exclusive theory…
The strange baseball mystery as to what is keeping Victoria Tyees “up” is supposed to be solved this week. The Capilanos, I have it exclusively, are going to let the air out of Cecil Garriott’s balloon, toute suite.
Mr. Garriott is manager of these Tyees, who have been leading the Western International pack ever since April 22. That was opening day in our baseball league. Therefore, you can probably figure out for yourself that there is little room for improvement in Mr. Garriott’s record.
Cecil once confessed to being a little self-conscious after he accepted the Victoria post. With all due respects to the little fellow, he was certainly grabbing himself a seat on the WIL’s losing-est horse. You see, the Tyees—or the Athletics as they were once known—never have been out of the second division since they walked into this league. Possibly with both eyes shut.
Garriott intended to change all this. He started in an obvious spot by getting the directors to divorce themselves from the “Athletics” and marry the “Tyees.” Now the new deal has begun in all sincerity.
Cecil’s next move was his toughest. He realized Victoria was a graveyard for WIL managers. The Athletics had gone through Ted Norbert, Marty Krug, Sr., Dick Barrett and Bobby Spurgeon. Even Houdini would have gotten himself fired on this ill-fated island, it was once suggested.
The trouble with all of these fellows, Garriott reasoned, was that they were too soft. Cecil, a nice guy by trade, sharpened his fangs and went to work.
Confusing opinions…
During spring training, Mr. Garriott imposed a “curfew” and kept a bed-check on all his Tyees. By the time the exhibition camp had concluded, everyone was firmly convinced that Mr. Garriott was a nasty, nasty man. His players, without taking a vote on it, decided to hate him thoroughly, but they also decided it would be much healthier to go what they were told. So they did.
Victoria could out of the gate like a frightened elephant. They made a few noises like a winning ball club and liked the sound so much, kept right on with the nonsense.
Now, everybody is trying to explain the Victoria success. Is it a flash in the pan? Will the Tyees roll over and play dead when the August home stretch hits them in the face?
Opinions vary. Some feel that the Tyees are here to stay. Others insist that they are nothing but morning glories. It is really very confusing.
To show you what we mean, the other day Hugh Luby got himself all wound up in a discussion of the Victoria club. “Toughest team in the league to beat in their own park,” he appraised. “Best defensive outfield in the league. The best pitching, too—why shouldn’t they stay up there?”
Then, Bill Schuster had his innings. “They can be beaten,” he said, “and in their own park, too. Their outfield isn’t too strong and their pitching will fold. Strictly a flash in the pan, that’s what.”
Garriott, meanwhile, is not enjoying the fruits of success as much as he should. Everywhere he goes he is asked, “What’s keeping Victoria up?” After a while, it gets to be a little insulting. For that reason, if Cecil gets a little pink in the cheeks and barks, “Seven other clubs, wjaddahell d’ya think!” we are able to sympathize with him.
Even out-learning Cece…
Seriously, we were interested in Garriott’s views on success in this game of baseball. What does he impress upon his club mostly? Is he a “big inning” manager of one who likes the running game, the sacrifice and so on”
“I attempt to get the idea across to my athletes that we cannot afford mistakes in fundamentals,” he explained. “We address making the outfield throw to the proper base, the bunt, the proper way to shape up for a catch, and so on. They sound like simple, little things, but when you reason it out, they’re the most important in the game. You’d be surprised how fast my boys are catching on. Sometimes, I believe they [are] out-learning even me!”
“You have an instance on record,” we supposed.
“There’s a pitcher on my club who is crazy about horses. Whenever we hits a town which has racing, this fellow beats it our there and tries to locate a few winners. I disagree with his theory—I believe a man should eat, sleep and breathe baseball if he’s going to be a part of the game.
“I wracked my brain for a method or proving the boy wrong to himself, and finally hit upon an idea.
“I reasoned with him. I said ‘Look son, this racing is not for a ball player. Suppose you visit the track this afternoon and with a few bets. You become flushed with success and when you have to leave for the ball park, you leave some of the bets at the track.
“You’re pitching that night, and it’s a close one. Let’s say we’re losing 2-1 in the ninth and have the bases loaded with yourself due to bat. Now, in this important spot, would you have your mind 100% on getting a base hit or on those bets at the track?’
“I certainly thought I had him there,” Garriott chuckled.
“But you didn’t?” we asked.
“No sir,” Cece grunted. “The kid just turned to me and said, ‘Look, Mr. Garriott, I’m a pitcher. What would I be doing batting in the ninth in that situation?’”

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