Saturday 16 February 2008

Tuesday, August 26, 1952

W L Pct. GB
Victoria .... 83 44 .654 —
Spokane ..... 75 59 .560 11½
Vancouver ... 63 60 .512 18
Salem ....... 63 67 .485 21½
Yakima ...... 62 68 .477 22½
Lewiston .... 60 72 .455 25½
Tri-City .... 58 70 .453 25½
Wenatchee ... 53 77 .408 31½


VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 27]—Victoria Tyees walked to a 9-6 decision over Tri-City Braves at Royal Athletic Park last night to extend their W.I.L. lead over Spokane’s second-place Indians to 11½ games.
The Indians, hoping that their series against last-place Wenatchee would enable them to gain ground, got a rude shock when the Chiefs erupted for six runs in the eighth inning to grab a 7-6 verdict.
FORCED INTO IT
The Tyees appeared a bit reluctant to pick up the win last night. Their first batter reached base in seven of the eight innings they batted as three Tri-City pitchers handed out 15 bases on balls, made two wild pitches and hit a batter, but they were trailing when the Braves insisted in the eighth.
Victoria pitchers handed out nine walks, eight of them by starter Bill Bottler, to make a total of 24 for the two hours and 53 minutes of baseball. Record books list 26 bases on balls, in a game between Yakima and Wenatchee in 1947, as the high, but it is believed that this was smashed earlier this season.
Bill Bottler started for the Tyees and was staked to a 6-1 lead in the second inning. But his own lack of control and a couple of slips by his teammates helped the Braves to slice into their lead and finally move ahead, 8-6, with four runs in the sixth.
A bad throw by manager Cec Garriott with an easy double play at second base gave Tri-City a run in the fifth and Jim Clark’s attempt to get the lead runner at second instead of taking the out at first became responsible for three of the Braves’ four runs in the sixth.
Meanwhile, the Tyees passed up scoring chances in every inning by failing to hit. They didn’t hit in the eighth either, but the Braves weren’t to be denied this time.
FINALLY DO IT
Bill Kostenbader, who had somehow pitched five scoreless innings after relieving starter Dave Brittain in the second, opened by walking Garriott and Don Pries. Granny Gladstone then laid down a perfect bunt, which went for a hit, to load the bags.
The Braves called on George New, their erratic southpaw who leads the W.I.L. in giving up walks and is second in strikeouts. New struck out two of the five men he faced—but then he walked the other three to force in three runs.
The win, his sixth in nine decisions, went to Bill Prior, second of Victoria’s three pitchers. Prior was unhittable after giving up singles to the first two batters he faced. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth and reliable Carl Gunnarson had no trouble protecting the lead in the ninth.
DIAMOND DUST—It will be LeRoy Han and Jehosie Heard for the Tyees in tonight’s doubleheader. Ralph Romero will pitch one game for the Braves. George New was scheduled for the otger but he worked part of an inning last night … Five of Tri-City’s eight runs and four of Victoria’s nine were put on base by walks last night … Chuck Abernathy was out of action again with a recurrence of his leg trouble and Don Pries took over at first base in his usual steady style … Jim Clark returned to the line-up after a sore neck put him on the sidelines Saturday night and catcher Milt Martin, who received a mild concussion in a collision with Jim Wert Saturday, was in uniform last night and may catch one of tonight’s games … Ron Bottler tossed out two would-be base stealers last night with fine throws … Plate umpire Russ Kimpel missed one in the sixth when he called Don Pries out at the plate … Catcher Nick Pesut failed to make a tag after taking taking the outfield throw but Kimpel made his call too soon and was not in position to see the play as Pries crashed into the burly catcher.
Tri-City ..... 102 014 000—8 10 1
Victoria ..... 150 000 03x—9 10 2
Brittain, Kostenbader (2) New (8) Satalich (8) and Pesut; B. Bottler, Prior (6), Gunnarson (9) and R. Bottler.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 26 — Wenatchee lowered the boom in the eighth inning with a splurge of six runs that included a three run single to defeat Spokane, 7-6, Tuesday night
in a Western International League baseball game.
A freak play in which three Wenatchee runners crossed the plate on Frank Dasso's bases-loaded single highlighted the inning.
Spokane ........ 100 040 001—6 12 1
Wenatchee .... 010 000 06x—7 3 2
Bishop, Roberts (8) and Sheets; Oubre and Pocekay.
WP-Oubre. LP-Roberts.

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, Aug. 27]—Van Fletcher has become convinced in his strivings for his 11th victory of this baseball campaign that there is only one way to win a ball game. That is to shutout the other side—the worst you can get this way is a tie.
But for an eighth inning error by Jesse Williams and a resultant unearned run, Fletcher did his part and pitched the shutout. However, he could have been more generous and still won for the Caps scored six in the first inning and won 6-1.
This was Fletcher’s seventh try for number 11, which to everyone but him is listed as a lucky number.
SALEM WAS CLOSE
It came at an opportune time, too, for the Salems were just two and a half games behind the Caps and third place before this series started and could have left town ahead of the townies. Now, that much is impossible.
Tonight, for instance, the clubs play a doubleheader starting at 7 o’clock and even if the Caps roll over and die—which Edo Vanni says is extremely unlikely—they will still maintain their third place grip.
Fletcher looked something like the pitcher who started off the season like a lion. He was quick and he was accurate.
McNULTY GENEROUS
Meanwhile, the Caps’ offensive never had it so easy. They caught Ray McNulty, the ace of Hugh Luby’s staff, in one of Ray’s generous moods. The 16-game winner gave up four bases on balls and a single in the first inning before he was taken out. Then Vancouver got another walk and three more hits off Ted Edmunds (all of this with two out) and it counted for six runs and a baseball game.
Salem outhit the Caps 7-5 but the townies out-walked Salem 8-1. There was the story right there—there is still no devised defense against the base on balls—baseball’s most deadly poison.
For this doubleheader tonight, Vanni is going to introduce the Caps’ new right-hander, fire-balling Dick Aubertin. A colorful customer with a big fastball, Richard has only to get the ball over the plate to win. And there we go talking about that base on balls again. In the second game, Bob Snyder will pitch.
DIAMOND DUST—Friday when Tri-City is here, Bob Brown is going to try something new at his ball yard. He calls it Picture Night and everyone who walks through the turnstiles gets an autographed picture of the Capilanos.
- - -
VANCOUVER, B.C., Aug. 26 — The Vancouver Capilanos catapulted to a 8-1 Western International League baseball victory over the Salem Senators Tuesday night on six first-inning runs.
The Caps gained the runs off four hits, two errors and four bases on balls. All the hits were singles. The Senators earned their lone run in the eighth when Bob Nelson.went to second on a fielder's choice and was singled home by Gene Tanselli.
Salem ......... 000 000 010—1 7 1
Vancouver ... 000 000 00x—6 5 1
McNulty, Edmunds (1) Rick (8) and Nelson; Fletcher and Nelson.
LP-McNulty.

LEWISTON, Aug. 26 — The Yakima Bears pounded Lewiston starter Dale Thomason for five runs in the first three innings and then coasted to a Western International league series-opener win over the Broncs Tuesday night 6-5.
Tom DelSarto notched his 13th win as he scattered five hits at
Lcwiston.
Yakima ....... 113 000 001—6 10 2
Lewiston ..... 200 010 011—5 5 2
DelSarto, Savage (8) and Donahue; Thomason, Brenner (3) and Lundberg.
WP-DelSarto. LP-Thomason.

‘ONLY THING TO SAVE LEAGUE’
Salem Manager Supports Addition of Prairies
By KEITH MATTHEWS
[Vancouver News-Herald, August 27, 1952]
Add one more name to the list of baseball officials who feel that Edmonton’s and Calgary’s addition to the WIL is not only a good idea, but a necessary one. The name is Hugh Luby, playing manager of the Salem Senators.
Luby, during Monday’s rainout with the Caps, had a long session with Bob Brown, general manager of the Vancouver club and ‘father’ of the enrollment of the prairies thought. The topic, of course, was the possibility of Edmonton and Calgary coming into the league.
“When the idea was first advanced a couple of years ago,” Luby said, “I admit I didn’t like it. However, if we don’t move ahead with the times we are going to collapse, and this is our change. I see that now.”
Luby said that transportation difficulties were his main objection in the first place, but that has since been overcome by airplane.
“A number of ball players refuse to fly because of silly fears or superstitions,” Luby explained. “That is not a point to consider. People, at one time, were frightened to death by a monster on wheels that they called the automobile.
“As a matter of fact,” Luby went on, “I was just sitting here figuring additional transportation costs and including Calgary and Edmonton in the scheme when you asked me about those clubs.
“I figure that it will cost $2000 for a round trip from Salem through the prairies and back home. That’s more than it costs us now, but look at the additional revenue we would get from having those clubs in.”
Luby’s idea was to set up a sort of transportation pool system with each club putting in a similar percentage.
“Nobody would go broke with that idea and at the end of the year I’ll bet our splits from having Calgary and Edmonton in would increase enough to more than make up the travel differences. Yes, the idea is not only worth considering right now, it demands it!”
Luby went on to speak of what kind of a set-up would be most satisfactory to the WIL including the prairie entries.
“Bob (Brown) assures me he is going after the idea of bringing in the prairies for next season. He is so serious about it, he told me they should be in even if we have to go to 10 clubs. I’ll tell you this much—as far as an individual is concerned, I endorse the idea thoroughly. As far as the Salem club is concerned, I see no reason why we shouldn’t vote right along with Vancouver. After all, it will be beneficial to us, too.”

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Bristol Comes Up With New No-Hit Hurler

BRISTOL, Va.-Tenn., Aug. 27.—If your life's ambition is to pitch a no-hit baseball game, just join the Bristol team of the Class D Appalachian League. Everybody seems to get into the act with Bristol.
Last night it was Frank Ramsay's turn. The 19-year-old southpaw came up with Bristol's filth no-hitter of the season—a sparkling 1-0 gem against Bluefield.
The no-hitter not only was Bristol's fifth of the season, it was the second in two nights. Only 24 hours earlier, Bill Bell had blanked the same Bluefield Club without a hit. The no-hitter was Bell's third of 1951.
Rocket Ron Necciai started it all back on May 13 when he twirled a no-hitter and struck out 27 men in the process.
Only a few nights later, Bell came through wifn a 1-0 no-hit win over Kingsport. Bell followed this up four nights later with a 4-0, no-hit triumph over Bluefield. And the 18-year-old righthander from Goldsboro, N.C., pitched a hitless 1-0 win over Bluefield here Monday night.
Ramsay, from Rocky Hill, Conn., walked five, hit one batter and struck out nine last night. It was the 14th triumph against 10 defeats for the 19-year-old left hander.
All of which led to Thompson's sigh of relief. Bristol still has two games to play—but they're not in Bristol.

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