Victoria .... 82 44 .651 —
Spokane ..... 74 58 .561 12
Vancouver ... 62 60 .508 18
Salem ....... 62 65 .488 20½
Yakima ...... 60 67 .472 22½
Lewiston .... 60 70 .462 24
Tri-City .... 57 69 .452 25
Wenatchee ... 52 76 .406 31
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 24]—Bob Abel, president of the W.I.L., had his sleep interrupted last night by a telephone call by irate officials of the Victoria Tyees and he will have a telegram waiting for him when he reaches his office tomorrow morning.
The Tyees officially protested the umpiring of Herman Ziruolo during last night’s game with the Vancouver Capilanos and no one in the crowd of 1,600 who saw the travesty will doubt their justification.
GOOD EARS
Ziruolo, who has had his troubles this season, ran into a sackful last night—mainly because he appears to spend more attention listening in the dugout for remarks than he does to his umpiring.
He was at odds with players of both teams in the two series games he worked behind the plate for his ball and strike calls. His first trouble last night was with the Caps, who objected to some of the decisions from the dugout and were threatened with mass banishment.
PAINFUL FOUL
It started with the Tyees in the third inning, when it appeared Don Pries was hit on the hand by a pitched ball and Ziruolo ruled the ball had hit the bat first.
Disagreement became more obvious in the eighth when Vancouver pitcher Tom Lovrich, attempting to score on a single standing up, was blocked off the plate by catcher Ron Bottler but called safe.
Bottler protested sturdily to no avail but didn’t get the thumb until the inning was over. His banishment caused a near riot with Ben Lorino, who had to be held back by teammates, leading the mass protest and finally joining Bottler in the clubhouse on orders from Ziruolo.
EMPTY BENCH
With the Tyees at bat in the ninth, Ziruolo cleared the Victoria dugout and there was another prolonged upheaval. There was more to come.
Trailing 10-6, going into their last turn at the plate, the Tyees had scored a run and had two runners on the bags with two out. Carl Gunnarson, who relieved Jehosie Heard, had to bat for himself and he was the victim of Ziruolo’s last two disputed decisions.
Gunnarson first hit a ball to left field which Victoria manager Cec Garriott, coaching at third, declared landed right on the foul line. Ziruolo called it a foul, then ended the game on the next pitch by calling Gunnarson out on a pitch which appeared to be wide of the plate.
The Tyees again stormed in and fans rushed ton the scene, along with four sturdy policemen, who stood guard outside the umpires’ dressing room. It was lucky they were on hand.
Abel is reporting to be going to Vancouver to have a walk with Ziruolo Monday and if nothing else, the strongly-worded Victoria protest should result in a reshuffling of assignments and prevent Ziruolo and partner Red Eiler from returning on Thursday for the Salem series.
RED SAVED
Eiler, incidentally, escaped the storm but he was guilty of the most glaring call of them all when he waved Granny Gladstone out at first base in the seventh with Jim Wert taking the shortstop’s throw several feet off the bag at first base. That one took the Tyees out of an inning in which they managed to score three runs anyway.
The final score in the night game was 10-7, giving the Caps a series split and a 12-12 standoff with the league leaders for the season. The loss went to Jehosie Heard and it was the fifth in a row for the little southpaw, who now has an 18-11 record.
Ben Lorino won his 22nd in the afternoon game, 8-2, when he received the benefit of three timely double plays. The big lefthander was not in his usual form and was tagged for 10 hits but he was tough in the pinches.
VICTORIA [Vancouver News-Herald, Aug. 25]—“In 52 years of baseball, I’ve never seen anything like it!”
Bob Brown, the general manager of the Vancouver Capilanos, was trying to explain the riot he had watched in Victoria Saturday night as the Caps were beating Victoria, 10-7.
“It’s a wonder somebody wasn’t killed. I’ve never seen a donnybrook which approached this one!”
The umpires, Herm Ziruolo and Red Eiler, were at the centre of it, which you’d naturally expect.
SMALL TROUBLE
“The fellows had a terrible series,” Brown explained. “You could almost smell the trouble coming. When it did, Royal Athletic Park became a turmoil. Everybody was trying to get at Ziruolo and the poor fellow must have thought his number was up.”
Ziruolo had called a decision against the Caps, then when Ray Tran argued, he reversed his call. The whole Victoria team, led by pitcher Ben Lorino, came off the bench in dispute.
“Lorino went crazy,” Brown said. “He argued quietly for awhile, then just blew up. He tried to get at Ziruolo and his team-mates tried to stop him. There were some punched thrown and a lot of shoving. Lorino tore the sleeves of Ron Bottler, a team-mate who was trying to hold him down. Finally, they had to tackle Ben and force him into the club-house.”
FANS AFTER UMPS
The park became a madhouse of fans trying to tear the wire screen down and get onto the field. Finally, the police had to intervene and give the umpires an escort.
“When I left the park well after the game ended,” Brown went on, “there were still about 400 fans waiting at the gate for the umpires. Some of them looked mighty mean, too. It was a very touchy spot to be in.”
Most everybody forgot about the baseball when the lid blew off.
BALL GOOD, TOO
But what had gone before had been exciting, too. Victoria won in the afternoon 8-2 behind Lorino, then the two clubs tore into each other at night with the Caps coming out on top in the ball game 10-7 behind Tom Lovrich.
Everyone, however, had a good word for John Ritchey—and remember, this was a day when words of praise were forgotten in the bitterness against the officials.
Ritchey, who had a four-for-four Friday night, did exactly the same thing Saturday afternoon. Then he went three-for-four in the night game in a desperate bid to pick up ground he lost in defense of his WIL batting title. On the week, Ritchey batted .675 in his tremendous resurgence.
DIAMOND DUST—The Caps, after their exciting road trip, return to Vancouver tonight [Monday] for a week-long stand against Salem and Tri-City … They play Salem tonight starting at 8:15 and the series will be a battle for third place … The Caps have their new left-hander, a 19-year-old youngster named Jerry Cade.
He played for Harvey Storey’s semi-pro club in Seattle and was much south after by scouts … He and Dick Aubertin will be eligible to play Tuesday, but both have already joined the club … Edo Vanni is still weak from his bout with ptomaine poisoning but returned to Vancouver with the team … Jesse Williams has recovered from his injury, too, and is ready to play … Len Tran hit his fifth homer of the year in Victoria Saturday night.
(First game)
Vancouver .... 010 001 000—2 10 0
Victoria ........ 103 003 01X—8 11 1
Guldborg and Ritchey, Leavitt (8); Lorino and Martin, R. Bottler (6).
(Second Game)
Vancouver .... 100 030 132—10 14 2
Victoria ........ 102 000 301— 7 10 3
Lovrich and Leavitt; Gard, Gunnarson (3) and R. Bottler, Helbig (9).
SPOKANE, Aug. 23 — The Lewiston Broncs swept both ends of a Saturday Western International League baseball twin-bill by defeating the Spokane Indians, 9-6. 4-0.
Pitcher-Manager Bill Brenner pitched effective ball in the second game to win.
The winners scored their four runs in the filth inning on three singles, three walks, one of them intentional, one sacrifice and a wild pitch.
First Game
Lewiston ..... 033 002 001—9 11 1
Spokane ..... 500 100 000—6 5 3
Powell, Schulte (1) and Lundberg; Chase and Hinz.
Second Game
Lewiston ...... 000 040 0—4 7 1
Spokane ...... 000 000 0—0 5 1
Brenner and Lundberg, Marshall and Sheets.
SALEM, Aug. 23 — Jack Thompson kept Salem in complete check Saturday night as he hurled Yakima to a 3-0 Western International League victory.
Thompson gave up only five hits and never allowed Salem to threaten seriously.
Meanwhile his opposing pitcher, Bud Francis, got off to a shaky start, walking one man, then letting fly with a wild pitch, and finally issuing a run-producing single to Jerry Zuvela in the first inning.
Francis settled down thereafter until the seventh inning, when Ken Richardson of Yakima doubled and scored on a single by Mike Donahue. Donahue went to second on the throw to the plate, and scored a minute later on Earl Richmond's single.
A double-header is scheduled for 2 p.m. (PST) tomorrow, but neither announced starting pitchers.
Yakima ..... 100 000 200—3 8 0
Salem ...... 000 000 000—0 5 1
Thompson and Donahue; Francis and Thrasher.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Aug. 24]—The Tri-City Braves won both ends of a doubleheader Saturday night from the Wenatchee Chiefs 5-4 and 4-3.
The Braves took the first game in the bottom of the seventh on a double by Vic Buccola and Ray Hamrick's single which, brought Buccola home.
They took the second game when the Braves' big catcher Nick Pesut duplicated his Friday night, feat of driving in the winning run in the bottom of the eleventh.
In the first game, the-Braves led 3-0 going into the fifth. Then Lyle Palmer hit. Buddy Hjelmaa walked to move Palmer to second.
On a sacrifice attempt, Dick Adams hit a ground ball to Bob Greenwood who threw Palmer at third.
But Laurie Monroe came through with a booming triple to score both Hjelmaa and Adams.
The Chiefs tied up the game in the sixth when Greenwood walked three men and gave ip one hit followed by Monroe's single. Then Frankie Dasso and Bud Bauhofer both drew walks to score Adams.
The Braves got their first and second inning runs when Lopes and Hamrick got clean hits. Then Des Charouhas grounded cut to first and Lopes came in. He was followed by Tommy Marier who also grounded out to first but Hamrick scored.
The second inning run was scored when Buccula walked and was sacrificed to second by Greenwood. A double by Lopes scored Buccola.
The Chiefs had led off the second game scoring on hits by Lyle McCormack, Palmer and Hjelmaa which gave them two runs. They got another run in the second when pitcher Bill Stites hit and Palmer brought him in with a double. Meanwhile in the bottom of the second the Braves came back for two runs when Charouhas and Marier walked. Joe Scalise got a hit to bring in Charouhas and Pesut hit to score Marier.
The Braves went out ahead in the eighth when Buccola got on on a fielder's choice and relief pitcher Bill Kostenbader got a single.
Then Hamrick doubled to bring them both in.
In the top of the ninth Wenatchee forced the game into extra innings when Palmer hit and Pocekay got his third hit of the evening to score the runner.
Wenatchee came close in the 10th when Frankie Dasso got to third on a series of hits and sacrifices.
He tried to score on a hit to left field but Kovenz pegged straight to the plate.
Pesut took the throw and blocked the plate like a football tackle to put the runner out.
Pesut's single in the 11th drove in Scalise who got to first on a hit and moved to score on an error on the outfielder Dasso.
First Game
Wenatchee ..... 000 201 0—3 4 1
Tri-City .......... 210 000 1—4 6 0
Bauhofer and Pocekay; Greenwood and Lewis.
Second Game
Wenatchee ... 210 000 001 00—4 13 2
Tri-City ........ 020 000 200 01—5 9 0
Stites and Pocekay; Romero, Kostenbader (2), Brittain (10) and Pesut.
Pocekay Moves Back On Top In WIL Hitting
Walt Tocekay, Wenatchee, has moved from second to first in the Western International
League batting race weekly averages compiled by Howe News Bureau reveal.
Pocckay has a .350 average, which reflects a gain of 10 points during the week. Mel Wasley, Spokane, who led last week, is second with .339.
Catcher Pocekay also continues to lead in hits with 157, in total bases with 225 and in doubles with 37.
Other departmental leaders also held their positions. They are: Milt Smith, Lewiston, 102 runs; Des Charouhas, Tri-City, 13 triples; Cecil Garriott, Victoria, 14 home runs; Ed Murphy, Spokane, 40 stolen bases, and Grannie
Gladstone, Victoria, 99 runs batted in.
The unchanged 19-6 record of Ben Lorino, Victoria, still is the best among the league's pitchers.
TEAM BATTING
G AB R OR H TB 2b 3b HR SH SB BB SO Pct.
Victoria
118 3990 677 580 1126 1523 214 27 43 74 108 612 506 .282
Vancouver
109 3664 562 463 1004 1315 149 51 20 79 79 519 393 .274
Spokane
125 4104 600 530 1107 1397 152 36 22 100 115 540 612 .270
Lewiston
119 4018 627 662 1085 1505 184 34 56 64 84 594 522 .270
Yakima
121 4038 639 657 1075 1476 185 51 38 87 95 632 632 .266
Salem
120 3972 516 507 1025 1353 167 49 21 61 74 512 562 .258
Tri-City
119 3952 555 608 982 1293 144 40 29 83 107 644 653 .248
Wenatchee
119 3912 516 685 950 1217 152 32 17 63 61 495 549 .243
TEAM FIELDING
W L T DP TP PB PO A E Pct.
Salem ....... 57 63 0 131 0 16 3081 1408 137 .970
Vancouver ... 58 51 0 121 0 11 2847 1277 156 .964
Victoria .... 78 40 0 105 0 14 3079 1264 178 .961
Tri-City .... 52 67 0 87 1 16 3068 1168 176 .960
Yakima ...... 56 65 0 123 0 19 3126 1353 190 .959
Spokane ..... 71 54 0 130 0 10 3206 1405 201 .958
Lewiston .... 54 65 0 93 0 35 3067 1295 207 .955
Wenatchee ... 49 70 0 93 0 14 3043 1203 212 .952
IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang
[from the Victoria Colonist, Sunday, Aug. 24, 1952]
Don Fracchia, who will be remembered as the hard-throwing third baseman of the 1950 Wenatchee Chiefs, has switched to the pitching mound with considerable success. Latest available figures show him with an 11-11 record in the class “A” Western League … Cec Garriott disdains the use of the international base on balls and no one can be critical with the results he has obtained from the Tyees this season … Vancouver Caps, who won 40 and lost 36 under Bill Schuster, have a 20-23 record under Edo Vanni and a 2-1 record for Ray Tran, who handled the club in the series which just concluded here last night … Steve Mesner, the veteran ex-major leaguer who handled the shortstop duties for Spokane last season, is leading the Pioneer League in hitting with .356 in the latest averages … And wasn’t that a disgraceful display of officiating at last night’s game? It may or may not have lost the Tyees the decision, for the Caps suffered too, but it was certainly inept.
W.I.L. Rumblings
One hears that Dick Richards, who has already operated teams at Wenatchee and Yakima, is now anxious to move his franchise from Tri-City to a fourth town. And while this is only one of many rumors, the statement from Wenatchee that the Chief would definitely be back next season makes it possible there won’t be any changes or, at the most, one. The W.I.L. would dearly love to have Calgary and Edmonton in but a 10-team league is hardly feasible and Edmonton’s John Ducey, “Mr. Baseball” in the Alberta capital, says he wants no part of the W.I.L. while Lewiston and Salem are league members because of all the travelling involved. Lewiston may only be a two-year proposition but the Broncs have done well enough this season to stick around for a second and Salem is getting by under enthusiastic home ownership. However, the death of club president Donald Young in that tragic fishing accident off the Oregon coast yesterday is a body blow to the club. There is also the possibility Calgary and Edmonton may become part of a Western Canada league. The semi-pro circuit in operation this season—Saskatoon, North Battleford, Moose Jaw, Regina and Estevan—did well at Saskatoon, North Battleford and Moose Jaw and the addition of the two big Alberta cities and, perhaps, Lethbridge, could make a fine class “C” league.
Side-Lines
By H. Sherm Mitchell
[Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Aug. 24, 1952]
Tri-City Baseball Future Uncertain
Comes now a second Western International League franchise holder with red ink dripping from his fountain pen.
Hardly had Wenatchee fans once more gone to the aid of their club's treasury, assuring a 1953 entry, when Dick Richards, general manager of the Tri-City Braves, let out a war whoop to the effect that attendance is insufficient to make ends meet.
The significant fact appears to be that Wenatchee has been wallowing in eighth place and Tri-City is currently seventh.
Fans apparently demand a winner and are not content to see well-played games, especially those their home squad drops.
If every league could eliminate its second division by a smart juggling of figures, we'd probably have no attendance problems and every team would make money.
It's on the Move
Richards has talked right out about the possibility of moving his franchise unless close to 90,000 fans pay their way into the 70 home games at Kennewick's Sanders Field this season. Dick is a past master at moving franchises. To date he has operated in Yakima, Wenatchee and Tri-City. Rumor has it Eugene, which lost out in pro ball when the Far West League failed to punch in for 1952, would like a Willy membership. Such a shift would restore the balance between East and West sides. This year the morning side of the Cascades leads with five entries— only one of which, Spokane, is in the top quartet in the standings.
The Tri-City situation evidently has been discussed with Bob Abel of Tacoma, president of the loop, for he has called a meeting of directors September 26 in Seattle to give them opportunity to approve or reject plans for revising the membership again.
Lewiston a Freshman, Again
Lewiston had a Willy league entry more than a decade ago, dropped it and for 1952 took over when Tacoma, third largest city in Washington, pulled out because of its proximity to Seattle, home of a baseball team just one shade under major league status.
During the lush war years Bremerton was a member of the circuit, but it, also, is too handy to Seattle to support a team in Class A.
Everett has adequate population, but is only a hoot and a holler from the metropolis and never has indicated serious interest m the Willy loop.
Despite its second division rating, Lewiston is popular at home, and, wisely, employs a couple of local lads in the lineup.
Fan support of the team, however, is not excessive from the Lewiston municipality. The folk who drive in from outlying towns, often a sizable distance, are said to be keeping the turnstiles revolving.
A Semi-Pro Prospect
In the event of Richards' pulling out his Tri-City franchise, the prospect for semi-pro ball in the Southern Inland Empire would boom.
The Tri-State League of four towns might concievably be expanded to six or eight, with representation from Richland, Kennewick and Pasco and a possible Hermiston area entry.
This season's experience has been highly satisfactory in Baker, La Grande, Pendleton and Walla Walla, so far as quality baseball is concerned. The Tri-City area could, and doubtless would, support a program such as was available here this summer, and see a lot of tiptop baseball at a fraction of the cost of a Class A circuit with a 140-game schedule covering five months.
W.I.L. Rumblings
One hears that Dick Richards, who has already operated teams at Wenatchee and Yakima, is now anxious to move his franchise from Tri-City to a fourth town. And while this is only one of many rumors, the statement from Wenatchee that the Chief would definitely be back next season makes it possible there won’t be any changes or, at the most, one. The W.I.L. would dearly love to have Calgary and Edmonton in but a 10-team league is hardly feasible and Edmonton’s John Ducey, “Mr. Baseball” in the Alberta capital, says he wants no part of the W.I.L. while Lewiston and Salem are league members because of all the travelling involved. Lewiston may only be a two-year proposition but the Broncs have done well enough this season to stick around for a second and Salem is getting by under enthusiastic home ownership. However, the death of club president Donald Young in that tragic fishing accident off the Oregon coast yesterday is a body blow to the club. There is also the possibility Calgary and Edmonton may become part of a Western Canada league. The semi-pro circuit in operation this season—Saskatoon, North Battleford, Moose Jaw, Regina and Estevan—did well at Saskatoon, North Battleford and Moose Jaw and the addition of the two big Alberta cities and, perhaps, Lethbridge, could make a fine class “C” league.
Side-Lines
By H. Sherm Mitchell
[Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, Aug. 24, 1952]
Tri-City Baseball Future Uncertain
Comes now a second Western International League franchise holder with red ink dripping from his fountain pen.
Hardly had Wenatchee fans once more gone to the aid of their club's treasury, assuring a 1953 entry, when Dick Richards, general manager of the Tri-City Braves, let out a war whoop to the effect that attendance is insufficient to make ends meet.
The significant fact appears to be that Wenatchee has been wallowing in eighth place and Tri-City is currently seventh.
Fans apparently demand a winner and are not content to see well-played games, especially those their home squad drops.
If every league could eliminate its second division by a smart juggling of figures, we'd probably have no attendance problems and every team would make money.
It's on the Move
Richards has talked right out about the possibility of moving his franchise unless close to 90,000 fans pay their way into the 70 home games at Kennewick's Sanders Field this season. Dick is a past master at moving franchises. To date he has operated in Yakima, Wenatchee and Tri-City. Rumor has it Eugene, which lost out in pro ball when the Far West League failed to punch in for 1952, would like a Willy membership. Such a shift would restore the balance between East and West sides. This year the morning side of the Cascades leads with five entries— only one of which, Spokane, is in the top quartet in the standings.
The Tri-City situation evidently has been discussed with Bob Abel of Tacoma, president of the loop, for he has called a meeting of directors September 26 in Seattle to give them opportunity to approve or reject plans for revising the membership again.
Lewiston a Freshman, Again
Lewiston had a Willy league entry more than a decade ago, dropped it and for 1952 took over when Tacoma, third largest city in Washington, pulled out because of its proximity to Seattle, home of a baseball team just one shade under major league status.
During the lush war years Bremerton was a member of the circuit, but it, also, is too handy to Seattle to support a team in Class A.
Everett has adequate population, but is only a hoot and a holler from the metropolis and never has indicated serious interest m the Willy loop.
Despite its second division rating, Lewiston is popular at home, and, wisely, employs a couple of local lads in the lineup.
Fan support of the team, however, is not excessive from the Lewiston municipality. The folk who drive in from outlying towns, often a sizable distance, are said to be keeping the turnstiles revolving.
A Semi-Pro Prospect
In the event of Richards' pulling out his Tri-City franchise, the prospect for semi-pro ball in the Southern Inland Empire would boom.
The Tri-State League of four towns might concievably be expanded to six or eight, with representation from Richland, Kennewick and Pasco and a possible Hermiston area entry.
This season's experience has been highly satisfactory in Baker, La Grande, Pendleton and Walla Walla, so far as quality baseball is concerned. The Tri-City area could, and doubtless would, support a program such as was available here this summer, and see a lot of tiptop baseball at a fraction of the cost of a Class A circuit with a 140-game schedule covering five months.
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