Pocekay Takes WIL Batting Title;
Lorino Pitching Crown
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 21, 1952]
Batting at a fast clip during the final weeks of the Western International League schedule, Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee catcher, boosted his season’s average to .352 to success Vancouver’s John Ritchey as the league’s batting champion.
Pocekay finished seven points ahead of the Vancouver catcher, who took the runner-up spot with an 11-point margin over Spokane outfielder Mel Wasley. Wasley’s average was .334 , six points ahead of Bob Moniz, who paced Victoria Tyees and took fourth place in the over-all standings.
Pocekay also dominated the individual departments. He had the most hits, 203; the most total bases, 281; and the most doubles, 45.
TOP SLUGGERS
Tyees dominated the slugging department with Grannie Gladstone and Cec Garriott setting the pace. Gladstone drove in 126 runs and hit 15 home runs. Garriott led in round-trippers with 17 and was runner-up in R.B.I.s with 112. Wasley was the only other player to join the 100 R.B.I. mark, finishing third with 106.
Milt Smith of Lewiston edged out Moniz for run-scoring homers with 126 to the Victoria outfielder’s 120. Des Charouhas of Tri-City led in triples with 15 and Ed Murphy retained his stolen base crown with 46.
DOMINATE HURLING
Victoria hurling dominated the pitching statistics. Ben Lorino was the leader with 24 victories (according to Howe News Bureau statistics released yesterday) and seven losses but teammate Leroy Han was the nominal leader with a 4-1 record. Teammate Carl Gunnarson was runner-up with a 12-5 record.
Lrino posted the most victories and pitched the most innings, 281. Bob Roberts of Spokane appeared in the most games, 50. Ray McNulty, Salem, pitched the most complete games, 26; Frank Dasso, Wenatchee, had the most losses, 28, a new league record; George New, Tri-City, walked the most batters, 209, and shared strikeout honours with Victoria’s Jehosie Heard at 216 each. Frank Chase, Spokane, hit the most batters, 15, and was tied with Keith Bowman of Lewiston for the most wild pitches, 16.
TEAM BATTING
G AB R OR H TB 2b 3b HR SH SB BB SO Pct.
Vic 148 4993 832 720 1397 1886 264 33 53 93 131 772 666 .280
Lew 152 5119 819 854 1405 1948 237 39 76 84 93 733 682 .274
Spo 153 4994 768 634 1356 1723 187 51 26 132 137 668 746 .272
Van 141 4696 712 616 1274 1660 182 63 26 97 97 688 495 .271
Yak 152 5042 780 801 1332 1800 221 59 43 115 123 783 775 .264
Sal 152 5016 650 654 1292 1703 216 60 25 81 97 654 701 .258
T-C 148 4898 695 742 1230 1621 183 50 36 112 128 785 804 .251
Wen 152 5013 637 872 1232 1557 195 38 18 74 67 618 675 .246
TEAM FIELDING
W L T DP TP PB PO A E Pct.
Salem ...... 74 78 0 166 0 17 3924 1798 174 .970
Vancouver .. 72 68 1 151 0 15 3651 1600 192 .965
Tri-City ... 67 79 2 113 1 19 3842 1452 208 .962
Victoria ... 93 54 1 127 0 19 3871 1553 220 .961
Yakima ..... 73 79 0 151 0 23 3929 1705 232 .960
Spokane .... 90 63 0 161 0 11 3914 1696 237 .959
Lewiston ... 70 82 0 123 0 40 3874 1640 260 .955
Wenatchee .. 58 94 0 109 0 21 3869 1522 258 .954
AB R H TB 2b 3b HR SB RBI Pct.
Pocekay, Wen .... 576 97 203 281 45 6 7 8 80 .352
Ritchey, Van .... 447 96 154 200 24 8 2 27 76 .345
Wasley, Spo ..... 560 108 187 234 28 5 3 16 106 .334
Moniz, Vic ...... 570 120 187 247 32 6 5 25 83 .328
Hamrick, TC ..... 198 29 65 83 10 2 1 4 27 .328
Bouchee, Spo .... 321 68 102 152 19 5 7 4 46 .318
Lodigiani, Yak .. 396 54 126 152 13 2 3 6 66 .318
Smith, Lew ...... 542 126 172 265 33 12 12 42 73 .317
Luby, Sal ....... 502 74 159 208 27 5 4 12 54 .317
Williams, Lew ... 382 71 118 173 23 1 10 1 70 .309
Palmer, Wen ..... 330 57 102 119 15 1 0 5 45 .309
Pries, Vic ...... 482 84 148 180 23 3 1 13 78 .307
Charouhas, TC ... 557 92 171 238 31 15 2 19 84 .307
Kovenz, TC ...... 397 67 121 175 19 7 7 33 76 .305
Brenner, Lew .... 115 17 35 48 10 0 1 0 12 .304
Perez, Sal ...... 577 102 174 258 27 9 13 22 81 .302
Hjelmaa, Wen .... 508 71 151 185 25 3 1 10 76 .297
Vanni, Van ...... 488 82 145 177 20 6 0 6 44 .297
Gladstone, Vic .. 550 81 162 259 40 6 15 19 126 .295
Noren, Yak ...... 403 58 119 164 21 9 2 10 72 .295
Kanelos, Spo .... 511 82 150 188 18 10 0 13 66 .294
W. Bottler, Vic .. 31 7 9 12 1 1 0 0 6 .290
L. Tran, Van .... 481 84 139 184 18 6 5 17 60 .289
Brunswick, Van .. 436 70 126 203 17 12 12 9 90 .289
Garriott, Vic ... 490 111 141 226 34 0 17 23 112 .288
Branham, Vic .... 438 89 126 155 16 2 3 21 41 .288
Moran, TC ....... 472 53 136 185 28 2 5 2 81 .288
Nelson, Sal ..... 412 54 118 153 19 8 0 5 56 .286
R. Bottler, Vic .. 98 17 28 35 4 0 1 1 11 .286
Wilson, Lew ..... 558 103 159 213 26 2 8 17 74 .285
Duretto, Van .... 459 62 131 185 29 8 3 6 67 .285
Helmuth, Lew .... 418 59 119 174 15 5 10 3 69 .285
Adams, Wen ...... 491 63 139 177 25 2 3 6 60 .283
Wert, Van ....... 527 75 149 180 14 7 1 3 82 .283
Donahue, Yak .... 498 60 140 172 22 2 2 2 71 .281
Albini, Yak ..... 422 78 118 196 23 8 13 24 72 .280
Murphy, Spo ..... 590 108 165 208 21 4 5 46 64 .280
Helbig, Vic ...... 97 13 27 39 9 0 1 2 14 .278
Clark, Vic ...... 483 63 134 161 18 3 1 3 50 .277
Abernathy, Vic .. 386 60 107 143 23 2 3 3 67 .277
G CG W L IP R H BB SO HR WP
Han, Vic ........ 10 4 4 1 67 49 56 64 51 1 9
Lorino, Vic ..... 43 24 24 7 281 122 281 125 168 5 4
Gunnarson, Vic .. 28 8 12 5 147 88 181 43 60 4 1
Shandor, Yak .... 28 20 17 8 213 115 237 72 83 1 4
Brenner, Yak .... 43 20 21 11 272 123 273 72 116 6 2
Roberts, Spo .... 50 1 11 6 95 39 94 60 61 3 4
Conant, Spo ..... 35 16 18 10 247 101 253 75 137 2 4
Francis, Sal .... 26 4 9 5 120 56 106 74 50 9 6
Heard, Vic ...... 44 18 20 12 269 108 219 122 216 7 6
Greenwood, TC ... 30 23 16 10 220 78 148 152 165 3 8
Lovrich, Van .... 20 8 6 6 125 60 120 71 64 7 4
Whyte, Van ...... 21 1 3 2 61 38 78 29 21 1 2
Marshall, Spo ... 41 15 13 9 252 117 232 135 153 7 7
Oubre, Wen ...... 28 14 13 9 191 105 186 120 76 4 7
Savage, Yak ..... 27 11 9 7 133 54 122 51 68 1 4
Guldborg, Van ... 32 14 15 12 212 110 224 120 139 5 9
Palm, Spo ....... 34 7 10 8 150 91 151 121 85 2 5
Bishop, Spo ..... 35 19 16 13 251 102 265 90 89 6 3
Chase, Spo ...... 43 8 16 13 218 133 193 150 144 15 13
Spring, Spo ..... 21 5 6 5 90 41 88 60 84 3 4
Fletcher, Van ... 34 15 12 10 199 84 207 53 79 4 4
Dahle, Wen ...... 35 18 18 15 245 152 280 77 120 2 5
McNulty, Sal .... 37 26 19 16 277 118 301 114 134 4 2
Del Sarto, Yak .. 42 14 13 11 237 132 222 135 117 5 7
Romero, TC ...... 34 27 17 15 277 148 279 152 168 4 3
Snyder, Yak ..... 40 22 14 14 240 111 242 90 106 6 12
Nicholas, Lew ... 34 12 11 11 187 114 193 109 105 10 2
Hemphill, Sal ... 36 12 11 11 184 92 184 83 80 4 7
Schulte, Lew .... 36 11 10 10 170 108 137 157 178 13 9
Friday 29 February 2008
1952 All-Stars
WIL All-Stars
SPOKANE, Sept. 24—Pennant-winning Victoria placed three players on the Western International League 1952 all-star team. Selected last week by the league’s sportswriters and scorekeepers.
Cecil Garriott, Victoria playing-manager, was named an all-star outfielder and manager of the year.
The team: John Ritchey, Vancouver, catcher; Bob Greenwood, Tri-City, right-handed pitcher; Ben Lorino, Victoria, left-handed pitcher; Dick Adams, Wenatchee, first base; Hugh Luby, Salem, second base; Jim Clark, Victoria, shortstop; Dario Lodigiani, Yakima, third base; Garriott, Victoria, Mel Wasley and Eddie Murphy, both Spokane, outfield; Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, utility.
SPOKANE, Sept. 24—Pennant-winning Victoria placed three players on the Western International League 1952 all-star team. Selected last week by the league’s sportswriters and scorekeepers.
Cecil Garriott, Victoria playing-manager, was named an all-star outfielder and manager of the year.
The team: John Ritchey, Vancouver, catcher; Bob Greenwood, Tri-City, right-handed pitcher; Ben Lorino, Victoria, left-handed pitcher; Dick Adams, Wenatchee, first base; Hugh Luby, Salem, second base; Jim Clark, Victoria, shortstop; Dario Lodigiani, Yakima, third base; Garriott, Victoria, Mel Wasley and Eddie Murphy, both Spokane, outfield; Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, utility.
Thursday 28 February 2008
1952 Attendance
W.I.L. Attendance Down 69,035
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 24, 1952]
Stepping up a class from “B” to “A” failed to help the Western International Baseball League at the gate this season.
Official figures released yesterday by league president Bob Abel disclosed that attednace dropped about nine percent from 1951 this season. The official paid attendance of 646,120 is the lowest in seven post-war seasons. The 1951 attendance was 715,555. The difference is 69,035.
GAIN 52 PER CENT
Only a 52 per cent gain in Victoria, the replacement of Lewiston with Tacoma and a small increase at Yakima prevented a far-worse let-down.
Victoria, which won its first championship, outdrew Spokane and was second only to Vancouver. The pennant-winning Tyees could not do better than 105,948 but this was a gain of 36,098 from 1951.
Lewiston didn’t have a particularly successful season with only 62,366 to show for a first-year club. This, however, was a gain of 19,903 over the attendance at Tacoma for the last season.
Yakima Bears, who got away to a disastrous start, showed a gain of 4,025 but their attendance of 64,044 hardly indicates that it was a successful financial season.
BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS
Vancouver and Spokane were actually the big disappointments. While Vancouver led the league with 119,533 it was long way from the 200,000 predicted for the Capilanos’ first full season in their spanking new park and 44,494 less than last season.
Spokane’s failure to draw more than 104,500 was most surprising of all. The Inland Empire centre is counted on for around 150,000 each season and it had a contending club which finished second. The loss from 1951 was 41,329.
Salem dropped more than 20,000 and Tri-City and Wenatchee both lost more than 15 per cent of their 1951 total and must be counted as dubious entries for 1953.
MEETING FRIDAY
League officials get together at Seattle Friday to discuss the problem and they privately admit it is a grave one, They are now almost unanimous in their belief that only the entry of Calgary and Edmonton will enable them to survive and the Alberta cities will be a prime topic of discussion.
Attendance figures follow:
1952 1951 change
Vancouver ..... 119,533 164,027 -41,494
Victoria ...... 105,948 69,850 +36,098
Spokane ....... 104,500 145,739 -41,239
Salem .......... 83,047 103,976 -20,929
Yakima ......... 64,044 60,019 + 4,025
Lewiston ....... 62,366 42,463 +19,903
Tri-City ....... 54,022 64,599 -10,577
Wenatchee ...... 52,660 64,482 -11,822
TOTALS ........ 646,120 715,153 -69,035
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 24, 1952]
Stepping up a class from “B” to “A” failed to help the Western International Baseball League at the gate this season.
Official figures released yesterday by league president Bob Abel disclosed that attednace dropped about nine percent from 1951 this season. The official paid attendance of 646,120 is the lowest in seven post-war seasons. The 1951 attendance was 715,555. The difference is 69,035.
GAIN 52 PER CENT
Only a 52 per cent gain in Victoria, the replacement of Lewiston with Tacoma and a small increase at Yakima prevented a far-worse let-down.
Victoria, which won its first championship, outdrew Spokane and was second only to Vancouver. The pennant-winning Tyees could not do better than 105,948 but this was a gain of 36,098 from 1951.
Lewiston didn’t have a particularly successful season with only 62,366 to show for a first-year club. This, however, was a gain of 19,903 over the attendance at Tacoma for the last season.
Yakima Bears, who got away to a disastrous start, showed a gain of 4,025 but their attendance of 64,044 hardly indicates that it was a successful financial season.
BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS
Vancouver and Spokane were actually the big disappointments. While Vancouver led the league with 119,533 it was long way from the 200,000 predicted for the Capilanos’ first full season in their spanking new park and 44,494 less than last season.
Spokane’s failure to draw more than 104,500 was most surprising of all. The Inland Empire centre is counted on for around 150,000 each season and it had a contending club which finished second. The loss from 1951 was 41,329.
Salem dropped more than 20,000 and Tri-City and Wenatchee both lost more than 15 per cent of their 1951 total and must be counted as dubious entries for 1953.
MEETING FRIDAY
League officials get together at Seattle Friday to discuss the problem and they privately admit it is a grave one, They are now almost unanimous in their belief that only the entry of Calgary and Edmonton will enable them to survive and the Alberta cities will be a prime topic of discussion.
Attendance figures follow:
1952 1951 change
Vancouver ..... 119,533 164,027 -41,494
Victoria ...... 105,948 69,850 +36,098
Spokane ....... 104,500 145,739 -41,239
Salem .......... 83,047 103,976 -20,929
Yakima ......... 64,044 60,019 + 4,025
Lewiston ....... 62,366 42,463 +19,903
Tri-City ....... 54,022 64,599 -10,577
Wenatchee ...... 52,660 64,482 -11,822
TOTALS ........ 646,120 715,153 -69,035
Closing Day, Sunday, September 14, 1952
FINAL STANDINGS
W L Pct. GB
Victoria ..... 94 55 .631 —
Spokane ...... 91 64 .587 6
Vancouver .... 72 69 .511 18
Salem ........ 74 78 .487 21½
Yakima ....... 73 79 .480 22½
Lewiston ..... 71 82 .464 25
Tri-City ..... 67 79 .459 25½
Wenatchee .... 58 94 .382 37½
YAKIMA, Sept. 14—Yakima's defending champion Bears swept a season-ending doubleheader with the Wenatchee Chiefs Sunday, 5-4 and 9-1, but their drive for a first division berth in the Western International League fell half a game short.
A crowd of 1,300 saw the windup of the Class A circuit's schedule here.
The Bears took all four games of the final series with Wenatchee, but their Garrison finish was not good enough to overcome Salem, which clinched fourth place with an 8-7 last-game win over Tri-City at Kennewick.
Frankie Dasso, the league's losingest pitcher with 26 setbacks, was the Wenatchee goat in Sunday's regulation opener.
Playing in right field, Dasso lost Ken Richardson's high fly in the sun with two away in the sixth to let in two runs. Mike Donahue's double and Jack Thompson's single brought in two more. That tied it at 4-all.
Yakima got its winning run in the seventh when, with two out, Len Noren fanned but got to first base when catcher Rip Robinett let the ball roll behind him. Noren scampered home a moment later when Dasso lost sight of John Albini's towering fly in the sun again and dropped it.
The seven-inning nightcap was a breeze for the Bears. Bob Savage (9-7) went the route for Yakima.
Thompson (14-16), who took over for Tom Del Sarto in the sixth, was the first game winner.
First Game
Wenatchee ... 003 001 000—4 6 2
Yakima ......... 000 004 10x—5 9 0
Dahle and Robinett; Del Sarto, Thompson (6) and Donahue.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 100 000 0—1 4 1
Yakima .......... 102 060 x—9 11 2
Bauhofer, Kapp (6) and Robinett; Savage and Donahue.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 14 — Salem's Senators clinched fourth place in the Western International League Sunday with an 8-7 victory over the Tri-City Braves in a wild game that ended the season for both clubs.
The Senators scored all their runs off three Tri-City pitchers, driving starter George New and reliefer Bill Kostenbader to cover during the barrage. Dave Brittain finished up.
The big frame saw Salem capitalize on five hits, two errors and two walks. Three of the blows were for extra bases. Art Thrasher drove home two runs with a double and Jim Deyo shoved across one with his two-bagger. Bob Nelson's triple brought in Deyo.
Tri-City came within one run of catching up in the seventh when Des Charouhas rapped out his second homer of the season with a mate aboard.
Ray McNulty went all the way for the Senators. New was the loser.
Salem ...... 000 800 000—8 9 0
Tri-City .... 001 004 200—7 14 2
McNulty and Nelson; New, Kostenbader (4), Brittain (4) and Pesut.
ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED.
W L Pct. GB
Victoria ..... 94 55 .631 —
Spokane ...... 91 64 .587 6
Vancouver .... 72 69 .511 18
Salem ........ 74 78 .487 21½
Yakima ....... 73 79 .480 22½
Lewiston ..... 71 82 .464 25
Tri-City ..... 67 79 .459 25½
Wenatchee .... 58 94 .382 37½
YAKIMA, Sept. 14—Yakima's defending champion Bears swept a season-ending doubleheader with the Wenatchee Chiefs Sunday, 5-4 and 9-1, but their drive for a first division berth in the Western International League fell half a game short.
A crowd of 1,300 saw the windup of the Class A circuit's schedule here.
The Bears took all four games of the final series with Wenatchee, but their Garrison finish was not good enough to overcome Salem, which clinched fourth place with an 8-7 last-game win over Tri-City at Kennewick.
Frankie Dasso, the league's losingest pitcher with 26 setbacks, was the Wenatchee goat in Sunday's regulation opener.
Playing in right field, Dasso lost Ken Richardson's high fly in the sun with two away in the sixth to let in two runs. Mike Donahue's double and Jack Thompson's single brought in two more. That tied it at 4-all.
Yakima got its winning run in the seventh when, with two out, Len Noren fanned but got to first base when catcher Rip Robinett let the ball roll behind him. Noren scampered home a moment later when Dasso lost sight of John Albini's towering fly in the sun again and dropped it.
The seven-inning nightcap was a breeze for the Bears. Bob Savage (9-7) went the route for Yakima.
Thompson (14-16), who took over for Tom Del Sarto in the sixth, was the first game winner.
First Game
Wenatchee ... 003 001 000—4 6 2
Yakima ......... 000 004 10x—5 9 0
Dahle and Robinett; Del Sarto, Thompson (6) and Donahue.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 100 000 0—1 4 1
Yakima .......... 102 060 x—9 11 2
Bauhofer, Kapp (6) and Robinett; Savage and Donahue.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 14 — Salem's Senators clinched fourth place in the Western International League Sunday with an 8-7 victory over the Tri-City Braves in a wild game that ended the season for both clubs.
The Senators scored all their runs off three Tri-City pitchers, driving starter George New and reliefer Bill Kostenbader to cover during the barrage. Dave Brittain finished up.
The big frame saw Salem capitalize on five hits, two errors and two walks. Three of the blows were for extra bases. Art Thrasher drove home two runs with a double and Jim Deyo shoved across one with his two-bagger. Bob Nelson's triple brought in Deyo.
Tri-City came within one run of catching up in the seventh when Des Charouhas rapped out his second homer of the season with a mate aboard.
Ray McNulty went all the way for the Senators. New was the loser.
Salem ...... 000 800 000—8 9 0
Tri-City .... 001 004 200—7 14 2
McNulty and Nelson; New, Kostenbader (4), Brittain (4) and Pesut.
ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED.
Wednesday 27 February 2008
Saturday, September 13, 1952
W L Pct. GB
Victoria ..... 94 55 .631 —
Spokane ...... 91 64 .587 6
Vancouver .... 72 69 .511 18
Salem ........ 73 78 .483 22
Yakima ....... 71 79 .472 23½
Lewiston ..... 71 82 .464 25
Tri-City ..... 67 78 .462 25
Wenatchee .... 58 92 .387 36½
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 14]—Victoria baseball fans gave the pennant-winning Tyees a fine send-off last night. A crowd of more than 2,200 turned out at Royal Athletic Park for “Player Appreciation Night” as the Tyees shared gifts from the club, fans, business firms and the Booster Club. Unfortunately, the Tyees failed to leave the right kind of memory.
Minus regulars Cec Garriott, Granny Gladstone and Jim Clark, the W.I.L. champions looked anything but as they blew a 4-0 decision to the Spokane Indians. They could only manage three hits off three Spokane pitchers, each working three innings, and they were charged with seven errors, their worst defensive display of the season. Missing was the dash and hustle which carried them to the top and kept them there.
It was different in the afternoon, when about 1,000 paying customers saw the Tyees take a 3-2 decision in a 10-inning game playing in an hour and 27 minutes to assure themselves of a series split and a 13-9 margin over the second-place Indians for the season.
The split left the Tyees six games ahead of Spokane, six places and 30 games ahead of the dismal showing of 1951 Athletics.
A comparison of 192 and 1951 standings shows that Spokane, Vancouver and Salem retained their first-division status. The Tyees replaced the Wenatchee Chiefs, who slumped from fourth to last, in the top four.
With players of both clubs invariably going for the first good pitch, the afternoon game moved along at the fastest pace of the season as Carl Gunnarson and Dick Bishop hooked up in an interesting mound battle.
BIG PUZZLE
The Tyees twice took one-run leads but the Indians tied it in their next turn both times. Bishop finally lost it because regular third-baseman Sam Kanelos was given a rest and his replacement, Pat Simmons, found the hot corner a bit of a puzzle.
Simmons, who had previously made two errors, played Lu Branham’s high hopper into a hit to put the first Tyee on the bags in the 10th. Bob Moniz sacrificed and Branham raced all the way to third when Simmons left the bag uncovered. Don Pries broke it up by blooping a single over a drawn-in infield.
Jehosie Heard went after his 21st win under the lights and wound up with his 12th setback.
The Indians won it in the first inning, when singles by Sam Kanelos and Bill Sheets around a walk to George Huffman plated their only earned run. An outfield error gave them a second run in the same inning and they added two more in the sixth, when three errors followed a lead-off single. Heard contributed the first, and crucial, boot.
John Marshall pitched the first three for Spokane and had almost a gay time before manager Don Osborn sent him packing, evidently not at all pleased with the clowning. Jack Spring and Gordon Palm divided the other six innings. The victory went to Spring because of the rule which states that the starting pitcher must work five innings to be credited with a win.
First Game
Spokane .... 001 001 000 0—2 8 2
Victoria ..... 010 010 000 1—3 11 1
Bishop and Sheets; Gunnarson and R. Bottler.
Second Game
Spokane .... 200 002 000—4 5 2
Victoria ..... 000 000 000—0 3 7
Marshall, Spring (4), Palm (7) and Sheets, Hinz; Heard, B. Bottler (9) and R. Bottler.
VANCOUVER [Dick Beddoes, Sun, Sept. 15]—Vancouver Caps Saturday finished the Western International League season largely as they began it—on a losing note.
They were beaten 9-6 by Wenatchee Chiefs when the schedule opened last April, and were dumped 4-1 and 10-0 by Lewiston Broncs in Saturday’s finale.
Between April and September they won oftener than they lost—72 to 69—but that record was a shabby one for a team which Cap officials touted as “the best in Vancouver history” in the spring. Caps again led the WIL in attendance, if it’s any consolation (and it is). When final figures are in, general manager Bob Brown expects the total to nudge 125,000. It might have been as high as 150,000, he claims, if 10 rained-out games had been played.
Ritchey Makes Strong Bid
Saturday’s skirmishing meant little to anyone, except Johnny Ritchey, who was bidding for his second straight WIL batting title.
His bid was a strong one on [unreadable]unting to three-for-six of the doubleheader. Final averages won’t be available for a week, but Ritchey’s bulge, if any, over Wenatchee’s Walt Pocekay, will be slight.
It meant something, too, to Lewiston manager Bill Brenner. He pitched the last seven innings of the night game, gaining credit for his 21st win. No other righthander in the league won that many games.
FROM OUR TOWER—Veteran Ray Tran drew his outright release before the Caps closed shop last Saturday … Ed Locke and Jesse Williams plan to play winter ball in Santo Domingo.
[NOTE.. There was no “all position” stunt in either of the last two games. Duretto played left field in both and Brenner didn’t appear in the first game.]
First Game
Lewiston ...... 100 030 000—4 9 0
Vancouver ... 100 000 000—1 6 1
De George and Lundberg; Locke, Lovrich (2) and Leavitt.
Second Game
Lewiston ...... 016 200 100—10 17 0
Vancouver ... 000 000 000—0 6 1
Schulte, Brenner (3) and Lundberg; Fletcher, Aubertin (3), Locke (5) and Leavitt.
YAKIMA, Sept. 13—Yakima laced the hapless Wenatchee Chiefs 6-1 in a Western International League base ball game Saturday night, piling up the wide margin despite getting only one more hit than the Chiefs.
Wenatchee got its lone run in the first inning when Ross McCormack singled and Walt Pocekay, the league's leading hitter, tripled.
Pocekay got a triple and a double in three at bats.
Wenatchee .... 100 000 000—1 7 1
Yakima .......... 121 000 11x—6 8 1
Stites, Dasso (5) and Robinet; Shandor and Donahue.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14]—The Tri-City Braves split a doubleheader with Salem Saturday night. They won the first game 6-3 and lost the second, 6-2.
The second game loss dropped the Braves to seventh place after they had enjoyed an overnight stand in sixth. The Braves had moved to sixth place Friday night by defeating Salem in the series opener.
The loss also ended any chance of tying for fourth place position. Lewiston pumped ahead of Tri-City by one-half same when they defeated Vancouver twice Saturday night.
If the Braves win today they can take sixth by two percentage points.
First Game
A triple by John Kovenz and a homer by Des Charouhas in the fifth inning gave the Braves the victory in the first game against Salem Saturday night.
Salem was leading 3-1 when the Braves came up to bat. Glen Lewis then drew a base on balls. Vic Buccola got his second hit of the evening to send Lewis to second. Satalich's sacrifice advanced the runners.
Lewis scored when Don Lopes grounded out. Ray Hamrick was hit by a pitched ball to again put two men on. Then Kovenz hit boomed a triple out to left-centre field to score both runners.
The clincher runs came when Charouhas hit his homer scoring Kovenz. Although Charouhas leads the league in triples wilh 15, it was his first home run ol the season.
Salem had started the scoring in the second inning with Jim Deyo doubling and Ray MeNulty also getting a double to score him.
In the third they added one when Hugh Luby walked, was sent to third on Connie Perez' single and scored when Art Thrasher hit into a double play.
Their other run came in the fifth. Luby doubled and came home when Perez tripled.
It was the ninth win for pitcher Ad Satalich.
Second Game
In the second game Salem jumped into an early lead and never was headed as they coasted to a 6-2 victory behind the five-hit pitching of Bud Francis.
The lead was threatened once and then a Brooklyn-like play pulled him out of the hole.
Salem had a 2-0 lead going into the last of the fourth when Don Lopes singled for the Braves' first hit. Ray Hamrick then tripled down the right field line scoring Lopes. Kovenz was out and Charouhas walked.
Marier attempted a squeeze bunt but Hamrick did not break for home. Marier was thrown out at first and on the return throw Hamrick was trapped. He eventually beat the ball back to third only to find Charouhas there ahead of him. Hamrick was ruled safe but Charouhas was tagged for the final out.
Salem moved up 3-1 in the fifth, had the margin cut to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth and then salted the game away with two runs in the seventh and one in the ninth.
Bob Greenwood went the route for the Braves and gave up 11 hits walked six and struck out four. It was his 10th loss, to go with 16 victories.
First Game
Salem ...... 011 010 0 3 8 0
Tri-City .... 001 050 x 6 6 0
Collins, Edmunds (5) and Nelson; Satalich and Lewis.
Second Game
Salem ...... 001 110 201 6 11 1
Tri-City .... 000 101 000 2 5 1
Francis and Nelson; Greenwood and Pesut.
Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, with a .352 average, again is the leading batter in the Western International League, according to statistics compiled by Howe News Bureau.
Pocekay also continues to lead in hits with 193, in total bases with 268 and in doubles with 44.
Other departmental leaders also held their positions. They are: Milt Smith, Lewiston, 123 runs; Des Charouhas, Tri-City, 14 triples; Cecil Garriott, Victoria, 17 home runs; Grannie Gladstone, also of Victoria, 120 runs batted in, and Ed Murphy, Spokane, 45 stolen bases.
Ben Lorino, Victoria, the league's leading pitcher, received credit for two more victories during the week to give him a record of 24 wins and only six losses.
TEAM BATTING
G AB R OR H TB 2b 3b HR SH SB BB SO Pct.
Victoria
143 4833 803 699 1347 1821 256 31 52 92 131 754 635 .279
Lewiston
147 4952 802 822 1367 1900 232 38 75 81 92 713 636 .276
Spokane
149 4877 752 625 1328 1688 184 49 26 127 136 646 722 .272
Vancouver
137 4571 700 604 1244 1621 178 62 25 96 95 668 487 .272
Yakima
145 4828 752 774 1281 1734 213 57 42 112 118 748 740 .265
Salem
146 4781 620 626 1230 1624 206 58 24 75 96 632 669 .257
Tri-City
141 4684 655 715 1166 1523 173 44 32 105 123 755 778 .249
Wenatchee
145 4778 622 841 1178 1489 187 35 18 71 65 598 647 .247
TEAM FIELDING
W L T DP TP PB PO A E Pct.
Salem ....... 70 75 0 161 0 17 374? 1721 168 .970
Vancouver ... 70 66 1 147 0 15 3543 1560 189 .964
Tri-City .... 62 77 2 112 1 19 3659 1398 201 .962
Victoria .... 90 52 1 126 0 18 3748 1504 213 .961
Yakima ...... 69 76 0 145 0 23 3755 1624 227 .960
Spokane ..... 88 61 0 158 0 11 3824 1658 233 .959
Lewiston .... 68 79 0 117 0 40 3748 1579 255 .954
Wenatchee ... 57 88 0 105 0 19 3697 1451 252 .953
Club Sale Pledges Grow
More Than $10,000 Pledged
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14, 1952]
The Buy-the-Braves Movement leaped ahead during the last of the week and sponsors of the drive said, about $10,000 is known to be pledged.
The figure does not include all the amounts pledged since no effort has been made so far to call the sheets in.
The move is sponsored by the Tri-City Athletic Association. They hope to get enough money pledged to show the directors of the Western International League that the people of the area will buy the baseball club. The Association directors will meet with the League at Seattle, September 26.
No definite figure has been set but it is believed that about $60,000 will be needed to buy the club and provide necessary operating capital.
If the drive nets that amount it will be possible to not only buy stock held by the present owners but will also pay for obligations that must be assumed if the
minimum cash amount is obtained.
Connoll, the smallest of the four cities seeking pledges to buy the club, is way out in front on a per capita basis.
Harold Matheson, president of the Athletic Association, said Steve Johnson of Connell has received pledges totaling $4,000, But since Matheson talked to Johnson, it has been reported that the amount collected there is considerably higher.
In Kennewick, no move has been made to collect the pledge sheets but reports put the amount there at well over $2,000.
Richland, which kicked off with an initial $1,700 has added another $2,800 bringing their total up to $4,500.
In Pasco, the first pledge sheet turned in contained more than $1,000. Amounts varied from the minimum price per share of $50 up to $500.
[list of names not re-posted]
Tyees Hurry to Get Home; All Would Like To Return
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 14, 1952]
It’s been a long W.I.L. season and Victoria’s championship Tyees are wasting no time in getting started for home, although they agreed to a man they enjoyed playing here and would not mind another season if they don’t get a chance to move up the baseball ladder.
By Tuesday only Don Pries, who left last night with Bill Prior on an up-Island trip in search of some big salmon, will be left on Vancouver Island. A few of the more-leisurely type will stay as long as ’48 hours after the season.
On their way to join the Portland Beavers for the last week of the Coast League season are southpaws Jehosie Heard and Ben Lorino and outfielder Bob Moniz. Teammate Granny Gladstone preceded them last week but it is doubtful if they will see too much action. The Beavers are in a tough struggle for fourth place and may only rely on their regulars.
OFF TO CARACAS
Heard will leave immediately for Caracas after the Coast League season ends to pitch winter ball in the Venezuelan League. He may be joined later by Lorino and Lu Branham, both contemplating the trip. Lorino, however, will head for his North Hollywood home as soon as possible and may yet be on the spot when he becomes a father for the first time. Branham goes straight to his Los Angeles home, leaving Tuesday with Bill Wisneski and Chuck Abernathy. The little colored speedster is also considering a job and winter baseball in the Los Angeles area.
Abernathy has nothing definite planned for the off-season. “I’m just going to play the horses,” he said when asked. Wisneski, who resides in Bel, Cal., has nothing definite planned but hopes to get a winter job helping in playground activities.
BACK TO SCHOOL
It’s back to school for Ron and Bill Bottler, Dwane Helbig and LeRoy Han, all planning to major in physical education. Helbig will spend some time at his Portland home before going back to Oregon State College. Bill Bottler will continue his studies at Portland Univesity so he can stay at home but brother Ron with return to the University of Oregon. Han, who finished his senior high school season just before reporting to Victoria, will enroll at Clark Junior College in his home town of Vancouver, Wash.
Milt Martin leaves today for his home in Vancouver, Wash. He places to take a week or more off to “catch some of those big salmon in the Columbia River” before going to work for an oil company.
Pries will leave for his Alameda home later this week. He may again play winter baseball and is undecided whether to work for a beverage company or take employed at Golden Gate race track.
CAR SALESMAN
Manager Cec Garriott leaves by plane with his family for his home in Gardena. He plans to got back to work as a car salesman for the winter, will probably be back next season if Victoria still has a club and if he doesn’t get a chance to move up the managerial pole. The latter, off his fine work this season, must be said to be a definite possibility.
Moniz will probably play winter baseball in Oakland, is undecided about winter employment.
John Treece leaves today for Salinas, where he will work until Christmas. The Treece family will then take up residency in Seattle, where Treece will be employed as a pattern-maker for an automobile company.
HELPS VANCOUVER
Carl Gunnarson and Bill Prior won’t be far away. Prior will soon be back as a pressman at the Queen’s Printers, while Gunnarson will be a frequent Victoria visitors this winter. The veteran has been appointed trainer for the Vancouver Canucks and will be applying the liniment instead of receiving it. He doesn’t know about next season. “This is a young man’s game,” he said last night but one would need healthy odds to bet that he won’t be wheeling that baseball up to the plate next season.
Business manager Reg Patterson will probably spend the winter figuring out how to pay the club’s bills.
It Beats Me
By Jim Tang
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 14, 1952]
Victoria ..... 94 55 .631 —
Spokane ...... 91 64 .587 6
Vancouver .... 72 69 .511 18
Salem ........ 73 78 .483 22
Yakima ....... 71 79 .472 23½
Lewiston ..... 71 82 .464 25
Tri-City ..... 67 78 .462 25
Wenatchee .... 58 92 .387 36½
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 14]—Victoria baseball fans gave the pennant-winning Tyees a fine send-off last night. A crowd of more than 2,200 turned out at Royal Athletic Park for “Player Appreciation Night” as the Tyees shared gifts from the club, fans, business firms and the Booster Club. Unfortunately, the Tyees failed to leave the right kind of memory.
Minus regulars Cec Garriott, Granny Gladstone and Jim Clark, the W.I.L. champions looked anything but as they blew a 4-0 decision to the Spokane Indians. They could only manage three hits off three Spokane pitchers, each working three innings, and they were charged with seven errors, their worst defensive display of the season. Missing was the dash and hustle which carried them to the top and kept them there.
It was different in the afternoon, when about 1,000 paying customers saw the Tyees take a 3-2 decision in a 10-inning game playing in an hour and 27 minutes to assure themselves of a series split and a 13-9 margin over the second-place Indians for the season.
The split left the Tyees six games ahead of Spokane, six places and 30 games ahead of the dismal showing of 1951 Athletics.
A comparison of 192 and 1951 standings shows that Spokane, Vancouver and Salem retained their first-division status. The Tyees replaced the Wenatchee Chiefs, who slumped from fourth to last, in the top four.
With players of both clubs invariably going for the first good pitch, the afternoon game moved along at the fastest pace of the season as Carl Gunnarson and Dick Bishop hooked up in an interesting mound battle.
BIG PUZZLE
The Tyees twice took one-run leads but the Indians tied it in their next turn both times. Bishop finally lost it because regular third-baseman Sam Kanelos was given a rest and his replacement, Pat Simmons, found the hot corner a bit of a puzzle.
Simmons, who had previously made two errors, played Lu Branham’s high hopper into a hit to put the first Tyee on the bags in the 10th. Bob Moniz sacrificed and Branham raced all the way to third when Simmons left the bag uncovered. Don Pries broke it up by blooping a single over a drawn-in infield.
Jehosie Heard went after his 21st win under the lights and wound up with his 12th setback.
The Indians won it in the first inning, when singles by Sam Kanelos and Bill Sheets around a walk to George Huffman plated their only earned run. An outfield error gave them a second run in the same inning and they added two more in the sixth, when three errors followed a lead-off single. Heard contributed the first, and crucial, boot.
John Marshall pitched the first three for Spokane and had almost a gay time before manager Don Osborn sent him packing, evidently not at all pleased with the clowning. Jack Spring and Gordon Palm divided the other six innings. The victory went to Spring because of the rule which states that the starting pitcher must work five innings to be credited with a win.
First Game
Spokane .... 001 001 000 0—2 8 2
Victoria ..... 010 010 000 1—3 11 1
Bishop and Sheets; Gunnarson and R. Bottler.
Second Game
Spokane .... 200 002 000—4 5 2
Victoria ..... 000 000 000—0 3 7
Marshall, Spring (4), Palm (7) and Sheets, Hinz; Heard, B. Bottler (9) and R. Bottler.
VANCOUVER [Dick Beddoes, Sun, Sept. 15]—Vancouver Caps Saturday finished the Western International League season largely as they began it—on a losing note.
They were beaten 9-6 by Wenatchee Chiefs when the schedule opened last April, and were dumped 4-1 and 10-0 by Lewiston Broncs in Saturday’s finale.
Between April and September they won oftener than they lost—72 to 69—but that record was a shabby one for a team which Cap officials touted as “the best in Vancouver history” in the spring. Caps again led the WIL in attendance, if it’s any consolation (and it is). When final figures are in, general manager Bob Brown expects the total to nudge 125,000. It might have been as high as 150,000, he claims, if 10 rained-out games had been played.
Ritchey Makes Strong Bid
Saturday’s skirmishing meant little to anyone, except Johnny Ritchey, who was bidding for his second straight WIL batting title.
His bid was a strong one on [unreadable]unting to three-for-six of the doubleheader. Final averages won’t be available for a week, but Ritchey’s bulge, if any, over Wenatchee’s Walt Pocekay, will be slight.
It meant something, too, to Lewiston manager Bill Brenner. He pitched the last seven innings of the night game, gaining credit for his 21st win. No other righthander in the league won that many games.
FROM OUR TOWER—Veteran Ray Tran drew his outright release before the Caps closed shop last Saturday … Ed Locke and Jesse Williams plan to play winter ball in Santo Domingo.
[NOTE.. There was no “all position” stunt in either of the last two games. Duretto played left field in both and Brenner didn’t appear in the first game.]
First Game
Lewiston ...... 100 030 000—4 9 0
Vancouver ... 100 000 000—1 6 1
De George and Lundberg; Locke, Lovrich (2) and Leavitt.
Second Game
Lewiston ...... 016 200 100—10 17 0
Vancouver ... 000 000 000—0 6 1
Schulte, Brenner (3) and Lundberg; Fletcher, Aubertin (3), Locke (5) and Leavitt.
YAKIMA, Sept. 13—Yakima laced the hapless Wenatchee Chiefs 6-1 in a Western International League base ball game Saturday night, piling up the wide margin despite getting only one more hit than the Chiefs.
Wenatchee got its lone run in the first inning when Ross McCormack singled and Walt Pocekay, the league's leading hitter, tripled.
Pocekay got a triple and a double in three at bats.
Wenatchee .... 100 000 000—1 7 1
Yakima .......... 121 000 11x—6 8 1
Stites, Dasso (5) and Robinet; Shandor and Donahue.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14]—The Tri-City Braves split a doubleheader with Salem Saturday night. They won the first game 6-3 and lost the second, 6-2.
The second game loss dropped the Braves to seventh place after they had enjoyed an overnight stand in sixth. The Braves had moved to sixth place Friday night by defeating Salem in the series opener.
The loss also ended any chance of tying for fourth place position. Lewiston pumped ahead of Tri-City by one-half same when they defeated Vancouver twice Saturday night.
If the Braves win today they can take sixth by two percentage points.
First Game
A triple by John Kovenz and a homer by Des Charouhas in the fifth inning gave the Braves the victory in the first game against Salem Saturday night.
Salem was leading 3-1 when the Braves came up to bat. Glen Lewis then drew a base on balls. Vic Buccola got his second hit of the evening to send Lewis to second. Satalich's sacrifice advanced the runners.
Lewis scored when Don Lopes grounded out. Ray Hamrick was hit by a pitched ball to again put two men on. Then Kovenz hit boomed a triple out to left-centre field to score both runners.
The clincher runs came when Charouhas hit his homer scoring Kovenz. Although Charouhas leads the league in triples wilh 15, it was his first home run ol the season.
Salem had started the scoring in the second inning with Jim Deyo doubling and Ray MeNulty also getting a double to score him.
In the third they added one when Hugh Luby walked, was sent to third on Connie Perez' single and scored when Art Thrasher hit into a double play.
Their other run came in the fifth. Luby doubled and came home when Perez tripled.
It was the ninth win for pitcher Ad Satalich.
Second Game
In the second game Salem jumped into an early lead and never was headed as they coasted to a 6-2 victory behind the five-hit pitching of Bud Francis.
The lead was threatened once and then a Brooklyn-like play pulled him out of the hole.
Salem had a 2-0 lead going into the last of the fourth when Don Lopes singled for the Braves' first hit. Ray Hamrick then tripled down the right field line scoring Lopes. Kovenz was out and Charouhas walked.
Marier attempted a squeeze bunt but Hamrick did not break for home. Marier was thrown out at first and on the return throw Hamrick was trapped. He eventually beat the ball back to third only to find Charouhas there ahead of him. Hamrick was ruled safe but Charouhas was tagged for the final out.
Salem moved up 3-1 in the fifth, had the margin cut to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth and then salted the game away with two runs in the seventh and one in the ninth.
Bob Greenwood went the route for the Braves and gave up 11 hits walked six and struck out four. It was his 10th loss, to go with 16 victories.
First Game
Salem ...... 011 010 0 3 8 0
Tri-City .... 001 050 x 6 6 0
Collins, Edmunds (5) and Nelson; Satalich and Lewis.
Second Game
Salem ...... 001 110 201 6 11 1
Tri-City .... 000 101 000 2 5 1
Francis and Nelson; Greenwood and Pesut.
Walt Pocekay, Wenatchee, with a .352 average, again is the leading batter in the Western International League, according to statistics compiled by Howe News Bureau.
Pocekay also continues to lead in hits with 193, in total bases with 268 and in doubles with 44.
Other departmental leaders also held their positions. They are: Milt Smith, Lewiston, 123 runs; Des Charouhas, Tri-City, 14 triples; Cecil Garriott, Victoria, 17 home runs; Grannie Gladstone, also of Victoria, 120 runs batted in, and Ed Murphy, Spokane, 45 stolen bases.
Ben Lorino, Victoria, the league's leading pitcher, received credit for two more victories during the week to give him a record of 24 wins and only six losses.
TEAM BATTING
G AB R OR H TB 2b 3b HR SH SB BB SO Pct.
Victoria
143 4833 803 699 1347 1821 256 31 52 92 131 754 635 .279
Lewiston
147 4952 802 822 1367 1900 232 38 75 81 92 713 636 .276
Spokane
149 4877 752 625 1328 1688 184 49 26 127 136 646 722 .272
Vancouver
137 4571 700 604 1244 1621 178 62 25 96 95 668 487 .272
Yakima
145 4828 752 774 1281 1734 213 57 42 112 118 748 740 .265
Salem
146 4781 620 626 1230 1624 206 58 24 75 96 632 669 .257
Tri-City
141 4684 655 715 1166 1523 173 44 32 105 123 755 778 .249
Wenatchee
145 4778 622 841 1178 1489 187 35 18 71 65 598 647 .247
TEAM FIELDING
W L T DP TP PB PO A E Pct.
Salem ....... 70 75 0 161 0 17 374? 1721 168 .970
Vancouver ... 70 66 1 147 0 15 3543 1560 189 .964
Tri-City .... 62 77 2 112 1 19 3659 1398 201 .962
Victoria .... 90 52 1 126 0 18 3748 1504 213 .961
Yakima ...... 69 76 0 145 0 23 3755 1624 227 .960
Spokane ..... 88 61 0 158 0 11 3824 1658 233 .959
Lewiston .... 68 79 0 117 0 40 3748 1579 255 .954
Wenatchee ... 57 88 0 105 0 19 3697 1451 252 .953
Club Sale Pledges Grow
More Than $10,000 Pledged
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14, 1952]
The Buy-the-Braves Movement leaped ahead during the last of the week and sponsors of the drive said, about $10,000 is known to be pledged.
The figure does not include all the amounts pledged since no effort has been made so far to call the sheets in.
The move is sponsored by the Tri-City Athletic Association. They hope to get enough money pledged to show the directors of the Western International League that the people of the area will buy the baseball club. The Association directors will meet with the League at Seattle, September 26.
No definite figure has been set but it is believed that about $60,000 will be needed to buy the club and provide necessary operating capital.
If the drive nets that amount it will be possible to not only buy stock held by the present owners but will also pay for obligations that must be assumed if the
minimum cash amount is obtained.
Connoll, the smallest of the four cities seeking pledges to buy the club, is way out in front on a per capita basis.
Harold Matheson, president of the Athletic Association, said Steve Johnson of Connell has received pledges totaling $4,000, But since Matheson talked to Johnson, it has been reported that the amount collected there is considerably higher.
In Kennewick, no move has been made to collect the pledge sheets but reports put the amount there at well over $2,000.
Richland, which kicked off with an initial $1,700 has added another $2,800 bringing their total up to $4,500.
In Pasco, the first pledge sheet turned in contained more than $1,000. Amounts varied from the minimum price per share of $50 up to $500.
[list of names not re-posted]
Tyees Hurry to Get Home; All Would Like To Return
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 14, 1952]
It’s been a long W.I.L. season and Victoria’s championship Tyees are wasting no time in getting started for home, although they agreed to a man they enjoyed playing here and would not mind another season if they don’t get a chance to move up the baseball ladder.
By Tuesday only Don Pries, who left last night with Bill Prior on an up-Island trip in search of some big salmon, will be left on Vancouver Island. A few of the more-leisurely type will stay as long as ’48 hours after the season.
On their way to join the Portland Beavers for the last week of the Coast League season are southpaws Jehosie Heard and Ben Lorino and outfielder Bob Moniz. Teammate Granny Gladstone preceded them last week but it is doubtful if they will see too much action. The Beavers are in a tough struggle for fourth place and may only rely on their regulars.
OFF TO CARACAS
Heard will leave immediately for Caracas after the Coast League season ends to pitch winter ball in the Venezuelan League. He may be joined later by Lorino and Lu Branham, both contemplating the trip. Lorino, however, will head for his North Hollywood home as soon as possible and may yet be on the spot when he becomes a father for the first time. Branham goes straight to his Los Angeles home, leaving Tuesday with Bill Wisneski and Chuck Abernathy. The little colored speedster is also considering a job and winter baseball in the Los Angeles area.
Abernathy has nothing definite planned for the off-season. “I’m just going to play the horses,” he said when asked. Wisneski, who resides in Bel, Cal., has nothing definite planned but hopes to get a winter job helping in playground activities.
BACK TO SCHOOL
It’s back to school for Ron and Bill Bottler, Dwane Helbig and LeRoy Han, all planning to major in physical education. Helbig will spend some time at his Portland home before going back to Oregon State College. Bill Bottler will continue his studies at Portland Univesity so he can stay at home but brother Ron with return to the University of Oregon. Han, who finished his senior high school season just before reporting to Victoria, will enroll at Clark Junior College in his home town of Vancouver, Wash.
Milt Martin leaves today for his home in Vancouver, Wash. He places to take a week or more off to “catch some of those big salmon in the Columbia River” before going to work for an oil company.
Pries will leave for his Alameda home later this week. He may again play winter baseball and is undecided whether to work for a beverage company or take employed at Golden Gate race track.
CAR SALESMAN
Manager Cec Garriott leaves by plane with his family for his home in Gardena. He plans to got back to work as a car salesman for the winter, will probably be back next season if Victoria still has a club and if he doesn’t get a chance to move up the managerial pole. The latter, off his fine work this season, must be said to be a definite possibility.
Moniz will probably play winter baseball in Oakland, is undecided about winter employment.
John Treece leaves today for Salinas, where he will work until Christmas. The Treece family will then take up residency in Seattle, where Treece will be employed as a pattern-maker for an automobile company.
HELPS VANCOUVER
Carl Gunnarson and Bill Prior won’t be far away. Prior will soon be back as a pressman at the Queen’s Printers, while Gunnarson will be a frequent Victoria visitors this winter. The veteran has been appointed trainer for the Vancouver Canucks and will be applying the liniment instead of receiving it. He doesn’t know about next season. “This is a young man’s game,” he said last night but one would need healthy odds to bet that he won’t be wheeling that baseball up to the plate next season.
Business manager Reg Patterson will probably spend the winter figuring out how to pay the club’s bills.
It Beats Me
By Jim Tang
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 14, 1952]
You can’t judge a team, particularly a team like the Victoria Tyees, by the players it takes to its spring training camp.
The Tyees started training at Salinas in late March. On April 2, they had 25 players in camp. Only eight were left when it clinched its first pennant last Monday. What happened to the others? Let’s start at the beginning and review the building of a championship team.
On April 2 the Victoria players included the following: Catchers Milt Martin, Joe Yanchuk and Maisoe Bryant; pitchers Ignacio Villareull, George Randolph, Don Troy, Ben Lorino, Jim Propst, John Valerie, Bill Wisneski and Larry King; infielders Don Pries, Lu Branham, Cliff Prelow, Dick Bartle and Bill Barron; outfielders Cec Garriott, Bob Moniz, Rufus Johnson, Harvey Allen, Ernie Sites, George Dargel and Granny Gladstone and unknown quantities Walter Towns and John Healy, willing to try any position.
Villareull, Troy, Bryant, Prelow, Johnson, Barron, Dargel, Healy, Yanchuk and King didn’t get out of Salinas with the Tyees. Bartle was told to Salem where he was a good season; Randolph, Allen, Sites and Valerie were released after the season opened and Jim Propst went home with a sore arm after being sold to Salt Lake City conditionally and returned.
Martin, Pries, Lorino, Moniz, Gladstone, Branham, Wisneski, Towns and Garriott stayed with the club, although Wisneski saw his last action on July 18, and Towns, who left last month to join the armed forces, never broke into a box score after July 8.
Picked from 43
Since April 2, the Tyees have had 18 other players and the present roster was selected from a total of 43 players.
The club began to take shape gradually. First-baseman Chuck Abernathy and catcher John Wilburn were obtained from Vancouver in exchange for pitcher Jim Hedgecock, who never reported. Wilburn didn’t stick around long but Abernathy, although bothered with injuries throughout the season, made a valuable contribution.
At about the same time, the club made the deal which probably helped the most of all. It came to terms with shortstop Jim Clark and received special permission from the National Association to sign him. Permission was needed because Clark was given his release at the end of the 1951 season and never went through the baseball draft.
Just before the club broke camp, it signed John Treece, a Salinas resident, to round out the infield. Portland Beavers sent along southpaw Jehosie Heard and catcher Lilio Marcucci in time for the opener, Cal McIrvin in time to pitch his first game on May 3.
Southpaw Eric Gard was signed on and chipped in with four straight route-going pitching jobs before he slumped and was released. Outfielders Bernie Anderson and Dane Pettit got a chance and were released. The same thing happened to pitchers Joe Rajeski and Len Chenard.
When Portland recalled McIrvin, the Tyees moved to plug the gap by signing righthander Bill Prior and purchasing Carl Gunnarson, veteran lefty, from Vancouver Capilanos. Marcucci was released in mid-season and replaced by Ron Bottler, 18-year-old college rookie. Along with him came brother Bill, a righthander, Dwane Helbig and, a little later, LeRoy Han, another youngster, fresh out of high school.
With the club today are: Martin, Ron Bottler, Abernathy, Branham, Clark, Pries, Treece, Garriott, Moniz, Helbig, Lorino, Heard, Gunnarson, Prior, Bill Bottler and Wisneski. Gladstone left to support Portland early last week.
One Never Knows
That’s quite a change from April 2 but just as hard to judge in training camp as the final make-up of a team is what to expect from that make-up. There are bound to be surprises—pleasant and disappointing.
Who could tell that Jim Propst, expected to be the mound leader and sought by almost every club in the W.I.L., and several other leagues, would win two games? Or that Lilio Marcucci would turn out to be a rather disinterested player, only a shadow of the catcher who started so well the previous season?
On other other hand, no one looking at past record could figure that Ben Lorino would lead the league in pitching 25 wins. Or that Bob Moniz would consistently hit around .333 and wind up at .330. There was no pre-season line on Heard, who won 20.
Looking back is always interesting and I couldn’t resist the urge to see what I had written about the club last April. This was the year I had determined to be more subdued—the lessons of three previous training-camp trips still fresh—but it didn’t quite last. The say the season opened my enthusiasm got a bit out of control: “Don’t sell the Tyees short,” I wrote. “The outfit assembled by manager Cec Garriott at Salinas definitely has possibilities. The addition of two or three of the right kind of players in the right spots could put it up among the leaders or, maybe, at the top.”
Yep, it sounds good now. But it wouldn’t sound too bad if we had finished with Lewiston, either. I guess I’m learning.
The Tyees started training at Salinas in late March. On April 2, they had 25 players in camp. Only eight were left when it clinched its first pennant last Monday. What happened to the others? Let’s start at the beginning and review the building of a championship team.
On April 2 the Victoria players included the following: Catchers Milt Martin, Joe Yanchuk and Maisoe Bryant; pitchers Ignacio Villareull, George Randolph, Don Troy, Ben Lorino, Jim Propst, John Valerie, Bill Wisneski and Larry King; infielders Don Pries, Lu Branham, Cliff Prelow, Dick Bartle and Bill Barron; outfielders Cec Garriott, Bob Moniz, Rufus Johnson, Harvey Allen, Ernie Sites, George Dargel and Granny Gladstone and unknown quantities Walter Towns and John Healy, willing to try any position.
Villareull, Troy, Bryant, Prelow, Johnson, Barron, Dargel, Healy, Yanchuk and King didn’t get out of Salinas with the Tyees. Bartle was told to Salem where he was a good season; Randolph, Allen, Sites and Valerie were released after the season opened and Jim Propst went home with a sore arm after being sold to Salt Lake City conditionally and returned.
Martin, Pries, Lorino, Moniz, Gladstone, Branham, Wisneski, Towns and Garriott stayed with the club, although Wisneski saw his last action on July 18, and Towns, who left last month to join the armed forces, never broke into a box score after July 8.
Picked from 43
Since April 2, the Tyees have had 18 other players and the present roster was selected from a total of 43 players.
The club began to take shape gradually. First-baseman Chuck Abernathy and catcher John Wilburn were obtained from Vancouver in exchange for pitcher Jim Hedgecock, who never reported. Wilburn didn’t stick around long but Abernathy, although bothered with injuries throughout the season, made a valuable contribution.
At about the same time, the club made the deal which probably helped the most of all. It came to terms with shortstop Jim Clark and received special permission from the National Association to sign him. Permission was needed because Clark was given his release at the end of the 1951 season and never went through the baseball draft.
Just before the club broke camp, it signed John Treece, a Salinas resident, to round out the infield. Portland Beavers sent along southpaw Jehosie Heard and catcher Lilio Marcucci in time for the opener, Cal McIrvin in time to pitch his first game on May 3.
Southpaw Eric Gard was signed on and chipped in with four straight route-going pitching jobs before he slumped and was released. Outfielders Bernie Anderson and Dane Pettit got a chance and were released. The same thing happened to pitchers Joe Rajeski and Len Chenard.
When Portland recalled McIrvin, the Tyees moved to plug the gap by signing righthander Bill Prior and purchasing Carl Gunnarson, veteran lefty, from Vancouver Capilanos. Marcucci was released in mid-season and replaced by Ron Bottler, 18-year-old college rookie. Along with him came brother Bill, a righthander, Dwane Helbig and, a little later, LeRoy Han, another youngster, fresh out of high school.
With the club today are: Martin, Ron Bottler, Abernathy, Branham, Clark, Pries, Treece, Garriott, Moniz, Helbig, Lorino, Heard, Gunnarson, Prior, Bill Bottler and Wisneski. Gladstone left to support Portland early last week.
One Never Knows
That’s quite a change from April 2 but just as hard to judge in training camp as the final make-up of a team is what to expect from that make-up. There are bound to be surprises—pleasant and disappointing.
Who could tell that Jim Propst, expected to be the mound leader and sought by almost every club in the W.I.L., and several other leagues, would win two games? Or that Lilio Marcucci would turn out to be a rather disinterested player, only a shadow of the catcher who started so well the previous season?
On other other hand, no one looking at past record could figure that Ben Lorino would lead the league in pitching 25 wins. Or that Bob Moniz would consistently hit around .333 and wind up at .330. There was no pre-season line on Heard, who won 20.
Looking back is always interesting and I couldn’t resist the urge to see what I had written about the club last April. This was the year I had determined to be more subdued—the lessons of three previous training-camp trips still fresh—but it didn’t quite last. The say the season opened my enthusiasm got a bit out of control: “Don’t sell the Tyees short,” I wrote. “The outfit assembled by manager Cec Garriott at Salinas definitely has possibilities. The addition of two or three of the right kind of players in the right spots could put it up among the leaders or, maybe, at the top.”
Yep, it sounds good now. But it wouldn’t sound too bad if we had finished with Lewiston, either. I guess I’m learning.
Friday, September 12, 1952
W L Pct. GB
Victoria ..... 93 54 .633 —
Spokane ...... 90 63 .588 6
Vancouver .... 72 67 .518 17
Salem ........ 72 77 .483 22
Yakima ....... 70 79 .470 24
Tri-City ..... 66 77 .462 25
Lewiston ..... 69 82 .457 26
Wenatchee .... 58 91 .389 36
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 13]—It was “Pennant Raising Night” at Royal Athletic Park last night and even the weatherman cooperated to make it a complete success. The only item which marred the evening was the absence of W.I.L. president Bob Abel, unexpectedly called to Tri-City at the last moment—presumably on more pressing league matters.
A crowd of more than 1300 paid turned out for the ceremony, the first of its kind in W.I.L. history here. They applauded heartily as club-president Arthur Cox and manager Cec Garriott raised the huge 20-foot pennant, made especially for the night by a Victoria firm, to the top of the centre-field flagpole.
And the weatherman provided a breeze of just the right strength to keep it proudly waving throughout the game.
HAN IN FORM
The game was a success, too. Fittingly enough, 18-year-old LeRoy Han, who pitched the pennant clincher Monday night, stopped the Spokane Indians cold with three hits to register his fourth win in five decisions, 4-2. It squared the season-ending series at 1-1 and assured the Tyees of a seasonal edge over their nearest rivals.
Han was in top form although a bit wild. The big youngster had a live fast ball and made up for 10 bases on balls by setting 11 Indians down on strikes.
He was in trouble in five of the first six innings but went into the seventh with a two-hit shutout because he was unbeatable in the clutch. He lost the shutout when a blooping single to left field followed two bases on bases and an infield out which moved the runners up. But he should have been out of the inning unscored on, the Tyees messing up what should have been an inning-ending double play just before Pat Simmons hit his run-scoring single.
GREAT IN CLUTCH
Han stuck out Bill Sheets with two out and two runners on in the first inning. He whiffed Frank Chase with runners on second and third and one out in the second and escaped unscathed when Bill Prior, who started the game in centre-field, came up with a great catch of Ed Murphy’s long drive. Han left two runners stranded in the fourth and the bases loaded in the fifth. Ed Bouchee led off the sixth with Spokane’s second hit, a triple, but remained on third base as Han took Wilbur Johnson on a high hopper to the pitcher’s mound and struck out Chase and Murphy.
He retired the last seven men in order after Spokane scored.
The Tyees scored twice in the second on a walk to Chuck Abernathy, singled by Dwane Helbig and Bill Prior, and an error by Bouchee. Their winning run in the third came on a single by Abernathy, a double by Helbig and an infield out and their eighth-inning insurance tally was the result of Prior’s second hit and Milt Martin’s double.
DIAMOND DUST—With Granny Gladstone in Portland and Cec Garriott, Jim Clark and Ron Bottler all sidelined with injuries or illness, the Tyees started with Bill Prior in centre-field. When Don Pries, who opened at shortstop was tossed out for protesting a call at third base by plate umpire John Luksik, Prior took over at third, John Treece moved to shortstop and pitcher Ben Lorino moved to centre-field … Victorian Gordie Perkins handled the base-umpiring chores last night in the absence of Micky Hanick, who as been bothered for two week with a pulled muscle. It was Luksik’s 16th consecutive game behind the plate … Lorino, who has an arm classed as “slightly” sore, is getting a good rest so that he will be at his best for his chance with the Portland Beavers next week … Bob Brown, head man of the Vancouver Capilanos, sent a congratulatory telegram for the big occasion … Jim Clark had a try at broadcasting last night, giving part of the play-by-play account for Bill Stephenson … In addition to Prior, Treece and Mel Wasley came up with fine defensive plays … Don Hopp, the new righthander signed by the Beavers, won’t likely see action this season, being optioned down too late to become eligible.
Spokane .... 000 000 200—2 3 1
Victoria ..... 021 000 01x—4 8 0
Chase, Roberts (8) and Sheets; Han and Martin.
VANCOUVER [Sun, Sept. 13]—Right-hand John (Bud) Guldborg gained a reputation with Vancouver baseball fans this season as a better cusser than he was a pitcher. Friday night, he did a bit of both in hobbling Lewiston Broncs for his 15th win [6-3].
Cap Stadium fans discovered months ago that Guldborg blew his roof in fancy style when the opposition made menacing gestures. Like in the third inning last night when the Broncs scored one run off four hits and one error, committed appropriately enough, by Guldborg.
He muttered several choice adjectives then. Choice enough and loud enough to burn the ears off spectators seated as far away as the left field bleachers.
But he got out of the jam and came on to win when his mates rallied for five runs in the fifth. Guldborg struck out six and walked four, hit safely twice and delivered a neat sacrifice bunt.
It was only his third win before the home fans, who have also seen him lose 10 times. He apparently cussed less and pitched more on the road, where he won 12 games.
Johnny Ritchey, Caps’ most valuable player, and Bob Duretto, their most popular, responded graciously to honors conferred upon them.
Ritchey hit three-for-four to keep alive his chances of overtaking Wenatchee’s Walt Pocekay for his second straight WIL batting title.
- - -
VANCOUVER [News-Herald, Sept. 13]—Bud Guldborg paid his third visit to the winner’s circle in Capilano Stadium Friday with an 11-hit, 6-3 victory over Lewiston. If it doesn’t sound like a brilliant pitching effort, it’s likely because it wasn’t.
Guldborg has put together quite an amazing season. His record, after last night’s loss, is 15 wins and 12 losses. Of the 15 victories, only three have been pitched at home, 12 on the road. Of his losses, every one but one has been handed to him at home!
It should be the other way around, naturally, because Bud pitches half his baseballs in his own beautiful back yard. It just happened that he got the idea early in the season he couldn’t win here, and then went out and proved it.
LEWISTON LED
For awhile, it looked as if he was going to get beaten again last night as Lewiston led 2-0 going into the fifth. Then the Caps erupted, when three bunts fell in safely for basehits, for five runs and the ball game. Eleven men went to the plate in the unorthodox inning and starter Jim Clancy had to have help to get out of the park alive.
Apart from Guldborg, most everyone was concerned with John Ritchey. The catcher, who is in a deaths struggle with Walt Pocekay of Wenatchee for the batting title, was honored as the Caps’ most valuable player last night. Then he showed us why.
TWO MORE LEFT
John had a three-for-four evening which didn’t hurt his chances for the title at all. He had today’s two games (2:30 in the afternoon, 8:15 at night) left and hasn’t much ground to make up to win it all.
Bob Duretto was named the Caps’ most popular player. He received an honorarium, too. And he played a whale of a ball game in right field, making a second-inning grab of Charlie Mead’s foul liner which stood the fans on their ears.
DIAMOND DUST—The 1952 baseball season winds up with two games, 2:30 and 8:15 under the lights … Appropriately enough, Bill Brenner will pitch for Lewiston and he’ll probably be looking for his 21st win at night … Edo Vanni has picked on Ed Locke and Van Fletcher to pitch the two games … If Fletcher’s hand isn’t right, it will be Tom Lovrich at night … John Cox of Penticton, B.C., was the lucky fan who won a wrist watch in a home-plate drawing made by Bob Duretto last night.
Lewiston ....... 011 000 010—3 11 2
Vancouver .... 000 051 00x—6 9 1
Clancy, Nicholas (5) and Lundberg; Guldborg and Ritchey.
YAKIMA, Sept. 12 — Bunched hitting and timely walks gave the Yakima Bears a 4-3 Western International League baseball victory over the heavier hitting Wenatchee Chief Friday night.
Wenatchee ... 100 010 100—3 10 0
Yakima ......... 200 200 00x—4 8 0
Kapp and Robinett; Savage and Donahue.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14]—Nick Pesut's home run with two men on gave the Braves a 7-6 victory over Salem Friday night.
It was Pesut's second homer of the season. His first one was a bases-loaded smash.
For Salem, Connie Perez paced their hitting with a homer and a double.
Salem was leading 4-2 going in to the bottom of the fifth. Then singles by Dave Brittain, Des Charouhas, Vic Buccola and a double by Tommy Marier pushed two runs across.
It was then that Pesut homered.
Ralph Romero, pitching for the Braves, boosted his win record to 17.
Salem ....... 001 122 000—6 10 1
Tri-City ..... 011 050 00x—7 11 3
DiBiasi and Nelson; Romero and Pesut.
FOLLOW THE SUN
With Erwin Swangard
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 13, 1952]
Victoria ..... 93 54 .633 —
Spokane ...... 90 63 .588 6
Vancouver .... 72 67 .518 17
Salem ........ 72 77 .483 22
Yakima ....... 70 79 .470 24
Tri-City ..... 66 77 .462 25
Lewiston ..... 69 82 .457 26
Wenatchee .... 58 91 .389 36
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 13]—It was “Pennant Raising Night” at Royal Athletic Park last night and even the weatherman cooperated to make it a complete success. The only item which marred the evening was the absence of W.I.L. president Bob Abel, unexpectedly called to Tri-City at the last moment—presumably on more pressing league matters.
A crowd of more than 1300 paid turned out for the ceremony, the first of its kind in W.I.L. history here. They applauded heartily as club-president Arthur Cox and manager Cec Garriott raised the huge 20-foot pennant, made especially for the night by a Victoria firm, to the top of the centre-field flagpole.
And the weatherman provided a breeze of just the right strength to keep it proudly waving throughout the game.
HAN IN FORM
The game was a success, too. Fittingly enough, 18-year-old LeRoy Han, who pitched the pennant clincher Monday night, stopped the Spokane Indians cold with three hits to register his fourth win in five decisions, 4-2. It squared the season-ending series at 1-1 and assured the Tyees of a seasonal edge over their nearest rivals.
Han was in top form although a bit wild. The big youngster had a live fast ball and made up for 10 bases on balls by setting 11 Indians down on strikes.
He was in trouble in five of the first six innings but went into the seventh with a two-hit shutout because he was unbeatable in the clutch. He lost the shutout when a blooping single to left field followed two bases on bases and an infield out which moved the runners up. But he should have been out of the inning unscored on, the Tyees messing up what should have been an inning-ending double play just before Pat Simmons hit his run-scoring single.
GREAT IN CLUTCH
Han stuck out Bill Sheets with two out and two runners on in the first inning. He whiffed Frank Chase with runners on second and third and one out in the second and escaped unscathed when Bill Prior, who started the game in centre-field, came up with a great catch of Ed Murphy’s long drive. Han left two runners stranded in the fourth and the bases loaded in the fifth. Ed Bouchee led off the sixth with Spokane’s second hit, a triple, but remained on third base as Han took Wilbur Johnson on a high hopper to the pitcher’s mound and struck out Chase and Murphy.
He retired the last seven men in order after Spokane scored.
The Tyees scored twice in the second on a walk to Chuck Abernathy, singled by Dwane Helbig and Bill Prior, and an error by Bouchee. Their winning run in the third came on a single by Abernathy, a double by Helbig and an infield out and their eighth-inning insurance tally was the result of Prior’s second hit and Milt Martin’s double.
DIAMOND DUST—With Granny Gladstone in Portland and Cec Garriott, Jim Clark and Ron Bottler all sidelined with injuries or illness, the Tyees started with Bill Prior in centre-field. When Don Pries, who opened at shortstop was tossed out for protesting a call at third base by plate umpire John Luksik, Prior took over at third, John Treece moved to shortstop and pitcher Ben Lorino moved to centre-field … Victorian Gordie Perkins handled the base-umpiring chores last night in the absence of Micky Hanick, who as been bothered for two week with a pulled muscle. It was Luksik’s 16th consecutive game behind the plate … Lorino, who has an arm classed as “slightly” sore, is getting a good rest so that he will be at his best for his chance with the Portland Beavers next week … Bob Brown, head man of the Vancouver Capilanos, sent a congratulatory telegram for the big occasion … Jim Clark had a try at broadcasting last night, giving part of the play-by-play account for Bill Stephenson … In addition to Prior, Treece and Mel Wasley came up with fine defensive plays … Don Hopp, the new righthander signed by the Beavers, won’t likely see action this season, being optioned down too late to become eligible.
Spokane .... 000 000 200—2 3 1
Victoria ..... 021 000 01x—4 8 0
Chase, Roberts (8) and Sheets; Han and Martin.
VANCOUVER [Sun, Sept. 13]—Right-hand John (Bud) Guldborg gained a reputation with Vancouver baseball fans this season as a better cusser than he was a pitcher. Friday night, he did a bit of both in hobbling Lewiston Broncs for his 15th win [6-3].
Cap Stadium fans discovered months ago that Guldborg blew his roof in fancy style when the opposition made menacing gestures. Like in the third inning last night when the Broncs scored one run off four hits and one error, committed appropriately enough, by Guldborg.
He muttered several choice adjectives then. Choice enough and loud enough to burn the ears off spectators seated as far away as the left field bleachers.
But he got out of the jam and came on to win when his mates rallied for five runs in the fifth. Guldborg struck out six and walked four, hit safely twice and delivered a neat sacrifice bunt.
It was only his third win before the home fans, who have also seen him lose 10 times. He apparently cussed less and pitched more on the road, where he won 12 games.
Johnny Ritchey, Caps’ most valuable player, and Bob Duretto, their most popular, responded graciously to honors conferred upon them.
Ritchey hit three-for-four to keep alive his chances of overtaking Wenatchee’s Walt Pocekay for his second straight WIL batting title.
- - -
VANCOUVER [News-Herald, Sept. 13]—Bud Guldborg paid his third visit to the winner’s circle in Capilano Stadium Friday with an 11-hit, 6-3 victory over Lewiston. If it doesn’t sound like a brilliant pitching effort, it’s likely because it wasn’t.
Guldborg has put together quite an amazing season. His record, after last night’s loss, is 15 wins and 12 losses. Of the 15 victories, only three have been pitched at home, 12 on the road. Of his losses, every one but one has been handed to him at home!
It should be the other way around, naturally, because Bud pitches half his baseballs in his own beautiful back yard. It just happened that he got the idea early in the season he couldn’t win here, and then went out and proved it.
LEWISTON LED
For awhile, it looked as if he was going to get beaten again last night as Lewiston led 2-0 going into the fifth. Then the Caps erupted, when three bunts fell in safely for basehits, for five runs and the ball game. Eleven men went to the plate in the unorthodox inning and starter Jim Clancy had to have help to get out of the park alive.
Apart from Guldborg, most everyone was concerned with John Ritchey. The catcher, who is in a deaths struggle with Walt Pocekay of Wenatchee for the batting title, was honored as the Caps’ most valuable player last night. Then he showed us why.
TWO MORE LEFT
John had a three-for-four evening which didn’t hurt his chances for the title at all. He had today’s two games (2:30 in the afternoon, 8:15 at night) left and hasn’t much ground to make up to win it all.
Bob Duretto was named the Caps’ most popular player. He received an honorarium, too. And he played a whale of a ball game in right field, making a second-inning grab of Charlie Mead’s foul liner which stood the fans on their ears.
DIAMOND DUST—The 1952 baseball season winds up with two games, 2:30 and 8:15 under the lights … Appropriately enough, Bill Brenner will pitch for Lewiston and he’ll probably be looking for his 21st win at night … Edo Vanni has picked on Ed Locke and Van Fletcher to pitch the two games … If Fletcher’s hand isn’t right, it will be Tom Lovrich at night … John Cox of Penticton, B.C., was the lucky fan who won a wrist watch in a home-plate drawing made by Bob Duretto last night.
Lewiston ....... 011 000 010—3 11 2
Vancouver .... 000 051 00x—6 9 1
Clancy, Nicholas (5) and Lundberg; Guldborg and Ritchey.
YAKIMA, Sept. 12 — Bunched hitting and timely walks gave the Yakima Bears a 4-3 Western International League baseball victory over the heavier hitting Wenatchee Chief Friday night.
Wenatchee ... 100 010 100—3 10 0
Yakima ......... 200 200 00x—4 8 0
Kapp and Robinett; Savage and Donahue.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 14]—Nick Pesut's home run with two men on gave the Braves a 7-6 victory over Salem Friday night.
It was Pesut's second homer of the season. His first one was a bases-loaded smash.
For Salem, Connie Perez paced their hitting with a homer and a double.
Salem was leading 4-2 going in to the bottom of the fifth. Then singles by Dave Brittain, Des Charouhas, Vic Buccola and a double by Tommy Marier pushed two runs across.
It was then that Pesut homered.
Ralph Romero, pitching for the Braves, boosted his win record to 17.
Salem ....... 001 122 000—6 10 1
Tri-City ..... 011 050 00x—7 11 3
DiBiasi and Nelson; Romero and Pesut.
FOLLOW THE SUN
With Erwin Swangard
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 13, 1952]
The curtain rings down quietly, and I suspect rather mercifully, on Operation Capilano today.
Even the most charitable critics will have to declare it a failure when measured in the terms of effort and talent expended on it.
Our Caps of the Western International Baseball League play their last two games of the season today and I for one hope ye baseball fans turn out en masse to say goodbye.
My reason for this appeal is twofold:
1. There should be considerable soul-searching in the Cap front office this winter and the result will probably be that some of the current faces will not be with us next season.
2. In their own frustrated way the Caps gave us some pretty good entertainment even if they did fail to be the type of ball club which could capture and hold it’s [sic] fans.
Better or Worse?
Frustration is the most appropriate noun I can think of to describe the atmosphere which must pervade the inerts of the Little Mountain baseball palace today.
The ultra-loyal fan, God bless him, will argue with me: “What’s the matter with the Caps? They finished in third place, didn’t they? Not every club of eighth can finish in first place.”
I hate to say this, but Caps in my opinion didn’t finish third because they were much better than the other five clubs but rather the other five clubs were much worse.
The 1952 Capilanos will be remembered as the club which could have been tops, but failed miserably to rally the spirit of which championship teams are made.
On Paper Tops
On paper they were supreme, on the diamond they were barely above average.
Being logic let’s us ask why?
First of all we must deal with tangible reasons. Caps had a real bad start. They were plagued by an early epidemic of injuries probably due to the fact that spring training was a farce because the weather wouldn’t co-operate.
Management felt Bill Schuster, who last year chased the power-laden Spokane Indians down to the wire, was unable to instil the heart and mishandled the players badly.
You may remember the blue Monday Schuster received his walking papers.
He did, ostensibly because he said publicly that the Caps would be lucky to finish third. That, of course, was not the primary reason. Everybody and his dog knew—that management was dissatisfied with his strategy and tactics.
Who Was Right?
Maybe it sounded good at the time.
Does it sound so good right now?
When he was abdicated Caps trailed Victoria by a mere eight games. They were in second place and still in contention.
Now they are in third place, 17 games behind the pennant winners who emergency triumphant because they found the spirit among a group of average players the Caps lacked among a group of alleged stars.
Edo Vanni who succeeded Schuster can hardly be blamed.
Management will say the damage was done before Vanni took over.
I would say our Caps didn’t have it this year and thus pass the ball back to where it belongs:
THE FRONT OFFICE
Even the most charitable critics will have to declare it a failure when measured in the terms of effort and talent expended on it.
Our Caps of the Western International Baseball League play their last two games of the season today and I for one hope ye baseball fans turn out en masse to say goodbye.
My reason for this appeal is twofold:
1. There should be considerable soul-searching in the Cap front office this winter and the result will probably be that some of the current faces will not be with us next season.
2. In their own frustrated way the Caps gave us some pretty good entertainment even if they did fail to be the type of ball club which could capture and hold it’s [sic] fans.
Better or Worse?
Frustration is the most appropriate noun I can think of to describe the atmosphere which must pervade the inerts of the Little Mountain baseball palace today.
The ultra-loyal fan, God bless him, will argue with me: “What’s the matter with the Caps? They finished in third place, didn’t they? Not every club of eighth can finish in first place.”
I hate to say this, but Caps in my opinion didn’t finish third because they were much better than the other five clubs but rather the other five clubs were much worse.
The 1952 Capilanos will be remembered as the club which could have been tops, but failed miserably to rally the spirit of which championship teams are made.
On Paper Tops
On paper they were supreme, on the diamond they were barely above average.
Being logic let’s us ask why?
First of all we must deal with tangible reasons. Caps had a real bad start. They were plagued by an early epidemic of injuries probably due to the fact that spring training was a farce because the weather wouldn’t co-operate.
Management felt Bill Schuster, who last year chased the power-laden Spokane Indians down to the wire, was unable to instil the heart and mishandled the players badly.
You may remember the blue Monday Schuster received his walking papers.
He did, ostensibly because he said publicly that the Caps would be lucky to finish third. That, of course, was not the primary reason. Everybody and his dog knew—that management was dissatisfied with his strategy and tactics.
Who Was Right?
Maybe it sounded good at the time.
Does it sound so good right now?
When he was abdicated Caps trailed Victoria by a mere eight games. They were in second place and still in contention.
Now they are in third place, 17 games behind the pennant winners who emergency triumphant because they found the spirit among a group of average players the Caps lacked among a group of alleged stars.
Edo Vanni who succeeded Schuster can hardly be blamed.
Management will say the damage was done before Vanni took over.
I would say our Caps didn’t have it this year and thus pass the ball back to where it belongs:
THE FRONT OFFICE
Thursday, September 11, 1952
W L Pct. GB
Victoria ..... 92 54 .630 —
Spokane ...... 90 62 .592 5
Vancouver .... 71 67 .514 17
Salem ........ 72 76 .486 21
Yakima ....... 69 79 .466 24
Lewiston ..... 69 81 .460 25
Tri-City ..... 65 77 .458 25
Wenatchee .... 58 90 .392 35
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 12]—History will be made at Royal Athletic Park tonight and Victoria baseball fans who had to wait seven long years for the moment, shouldn’t pass up a chance to sit in on it. In years to come it might well be a good bedtime story to tell the grandchildren about the raising of the first W.I.L. pennant in Victoria.
Yes, it’s “pennant-raising night” tonight as the Tyees break with tradition and hoist the banner of success only four nights after it was officially theirs.
Such affairs are usually left for the following season and club officials hasten to explain that the hurry is not actually occasioned by any doubts that there will be a following season. With nothing left but to finish out the schedule, there is the understandable urge to give the fans an added attraction.
The ceremony will take place before the game with league president Bob Abel making a special trip from Tacoma to officiate.
It was “radio appreciation night” last night and the prize-giving helped attract a crowd of 1,000 fans. But the weatherman was not among the appreciative and cut baseball action short after five innings.
CONANT AT BEST
It was probably just as well. Spokane’s John Conant was at his best and he was receiving plenty of batting support from his teammates. He was leading, 9-0, when the game was called and from the way things were going, a full nine innings would only have made it worse.
Conant, who invariably hits his peak form near the end of the season, has seldom been better. Only a slashing single to right field by John Treece to lead off the fifth prevented hi from registering the second no-hit game at Athletic Park in two nights, although base-umpire Micky Hanick gave him a big assist in the second. Chuck Abernathy hit a bouncer to shortstop Wilbur Johnson and appeared to have the throw beaten by almost a step but he was called out.
CONTROL TROUBLE
Meanwhile, the Indians had no trouble with Bill Bottler, who again had control trouble. The young righthander walked nine men before Bill Prior was called in to help him out in the fifth. The Indians didn’t waste any of their eight hits at they took full advantage of the generosity to pile up a big lead, batting around in both the second and fifth innings.
The loss moved Spokane within five games of the leaders but only three games are left. Tonight’s game will be followed by the usual split doubleheader tomorrow and that’s it. The season’s final game will be “Player Appreciation Night” with gifts for the fellows who brought Victoria this flag and a chance for a fan to win a $550 oil burner—installed—to be given away by the Booster Club.
Spokane .... 031 14—9 8 0
Victoria ..... 000 00—0 1 2
Conant and Sheets, B. Bottler, Prior (5) and R. Bottler.
KENNEWICK, [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 12] — The Tri-City Braves made it three in a row Thursday night by defeating the Yakima Bears, 6-4.
George New did the pitching for Tri-City, whose control gives manager Charlie Gassaway ulcers. He walked seven Bear batters. He gave up eight hits—one of them John Albini's homer in the fourth with a man on.
Tonight the Braves will open a series with Salem. A feature of the game will be the appearance of Jackie Price, top baseball clown. The series will end Sunday with the season-ending game then being played starting at 2 p.m.
The win Thursday night puts the Braves one half game out of fourth place and one game out of fifth. If they can possibly win all four from Salem, they can possibly tie for fourth place.
The Braves jumped off to an early lead. Des Charouhas walked in the second and Tommy Marier singled to send Charouhas to third. Joe Scalise hit into a double play but Charouhas scored.
The big inning was the third. Vic Buccola was walked. Don Lopes' triple to left-center scored him and Lopes scored when Dave Brittain doubled. An error, a single by Charouhas, and a double by Marier brought in two more runs.
The Bears picked up three runs in the fourth. Chuck Malmberg walked and went to third when Jerry Zuvella [sic] doubled.
Len Noran [sic] grounded out but Malmberg scored. It was then that Albini homered down the left-field foul line.
The Braves ended their scoring with one insurance run in the eighth. Charouhas walked and was sacrificed to second. Joe Scalise' hit to score him.
Yakima picked up one run in the ninth with Dario Lodigiani pinch-hiting for Tom Del Sarto, getting a walk. A triple by Zuvella brought him home.
Dave Brittain, a pitcher, paced the Braves hitting with a double and a triple in four times up. Brittain was playing left field in a shift that saw Charouhas at second, and Lopes at shortstop.
Ray Hamrick, regular shortstop, was out of the lineup because of spike injuries in his left forearm.
Yakima's score in the fourth broke a 21-inning streak in which the Bears were unable to score off the Braves.
The attendance Thursday night was 290.
Yakima ......... 000 300 001—4 8 1
Tri-City ........ 014 000 01x—6 1 1
Del Sarto, Donley (3) and Donahue; New and Lewis.
SALEM, Sept. 11 — The Salem Senators wound up their home Western International League season here Thursday night, losing 5-4 to Wenatchee.
The season’s attendance at Salem was 95,645.
Wenatchee ..... 100 200 200—5 11 0
Salem ............ 004 000 000—4 11 3
Dahle and Robinett; Edmunds and Thrasher.
Lewiston at Vancouver, postponed, rain.
SPORTS NOTES
By Gil Gilmore
NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Customer's Take Exceeds Solons'
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 11—J. A. Resendez, one-time semi-pro pitcher, finally cashed in on a trip to the mound.
He was selected by lot from the 695 customers at the Sacramento-Oakland, Pacific Coast League doubleheader Thursday night to try to tote "all the money you can carry" from the mound to home plate.
Resendez lugged a sack of coins the required 60 feet, 6 inches. The sack disgorged $446.78 in pennies, nickels, dimes etc. to dollars.
The promotion stunt was a money-loser for the Sacs. The Oaks swept the twin bill and received 40 per cent of the approximate $700 gate.
Victoria ..... 92 54 .630 —
Spokane ...... 90 62 .592 5
Vancouver .... 71 67 .514 17
Salem ........ 72 76 .486 21
Yakima ....... 69 79 .466 24
Lewiston ..... 69 81 .460 25
Tri-City ..... 65 77 .458 25
Wenatchee .... 58 90 .392 35
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 12]—History will be made at Royal Athletic Park tonight and Victoria baseball fans who had to wait seven long years for the moment, shouldn’t pass up a chance to sit in on it. In years to come it might well be a good bedtime story to tell the grandchildren about the raising of the first W.I.L. pennant in Victoria.
Yes, it’s “pennant-raising night” tonight as the Tyees break with tradition and hoist the banner of success only four nights after it was officially theirs.
Such affairs are usually left for the following season and club officials hasten to explain that the hurry is not actually occasioned by any doubts that there will be a following season. With nothing left but to finish out the schedule, there is the understandable urge to give the fans an added attraction.
The ceremony will take place before the game with league president Bob Abel making a special trip from Tacoma to officiate.
It was “radio appreciation night” last night and the prize-giving helped attract a crowd of 1,000 fans. But the weatherman was not among the appreciative and cut baseball action short after five innings.
CONANT AT BEST
It was probably just as well. Spokane’s John Conant was at his best and he was receiving plenty of batting support from his teammates. He was leading, 9-0, when the game was called and from the way things were going, a full nine innings would only have made it worse.
Conant, who invariably hits his peak form near the end of the season, has seldom been better. Only a slashing single to right field by John Treece to lead off the fifth prevented hi from registering the second no-hit game at Athletic Park in two nights, although base-umpire Micky Hanick gave him a big assist in the second. Chuck Abernathy hit a bouncer to shortstop Wilbur Johnson and appeared to have the throw beaten by almost a step but he was called out.
CONTROL TROUBLE
Meanwhile, the Indians had no trouble with Bill Bottler, who again had control trouble. The young righthander walked nine men before Bill Prior was called in to help him out in the fifth. The Indians didn’t waste any of their eight hits at they took full advantage of the generosity to pile up a big lead, batting around in both the second and fifth innings.
The loss moved Spokane within five games of the leaders but only three games are left. Tonight’s game will be followed by the usual split doubleheader tomorrow and that’s it. The season’s final game will be “Player Appreciation Night” with gifts for the fellows who brought Victoria this flag and a chance for a fan to win a $550 oil burner—installed—to be given away by the Booster Club.
Spokane .... 031 14—9 8 0
Victoria ..... 000 00—0 1 2
Conant and Sheets, B. Bottler, Prior (5) and R. Bottler.
KENNEWICK, [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 12] — The Tri-City Braves made it three in a row Thursday night by defeating the Yakima Bears, 6-4.
George New did the pitching for Tri-City, whose control gives manager Charlie Gassaway ulcers. He walked seven Bear batters. He gave up eight hits—one of them John Albini's homer in the fourth with a man on.
Tonight the Braves will open a series with Salem. A feature of the game will be the appearance of Jackie Price, top baseball clown. The series will end Sunday with the season-ending game then being played starting at 2 p.m.
The win Thursday night puts the Braves one half game out of fourth place and one game out of fifth. If they can possibly win all four from Salem, they can possibly tie for fourth place.
The Braves jumped off to an early lead. Des Charouhas walked in the second and Tommy Marier singled to send Charouhas to third. Joe Scalise hit into a double play but Charouhas scored.
The big inning was the third. Vic Buccola was walked. Don Lopes' triple to left-center scored him and Lopes scored when Dave Brittain doubled. An error, a single by Charouhas, and a double by Marier brought in two more runs.
The Bears picked up three runs in the fourth. Chuck Malmberg walked and went to third when Jerry Zuvella [sic] doubled.
Len Noran [sic] grounded out but Malmberg scored. It was then that Albini homered down the left-field foul line.
The Braves ended their scoring with one insurance run in the eighth. Charouhas walked and was sacrificed to second. Joe Scalise' hit to score him.
Yakima picked up one run in the ninth with Dario Lodigiani pinch-hiting for Tom Del Sarto, getting a walk. A triple by Zuvella brought him home.
Dave Brittain, a pitcher, paced the Braves hitting with a double and a triple in four times up. Brittain was playing left field in a shift that saw Charouhas at second, and Lopes at shortstop.
Ray Hamrick, regular shortstop, was out of the lineup because of spike injuries in his left forearm.
Yakima's score in the fourth broke a 21-inning streak in which the Bears were unable to score off the Braves.
The attendance Thursday night was 290.
Yakima ......... 000 300 001—4 8 1
Tri-City ........ 014 000 01x—6 1 1
Del Sarto, Donley (3) and Donahue; New and Lewis.
SALEM, Sept. 11 — The Salem Senators wound up their home Western International League season here Thursday night, losing 5-4 to Wenatchee.
The season’s attendance at Salem was 95,645.
Wenatchee ..... 100 200 200—5 11 0
Salem ............ 004 000 000—4 11 3
Dahle and Robinett; Edmunds and Thrasher.
Lewiston at Vancouver, postponed, rain.
SPORTS NOTES
By Gil Gilmore
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 12, 1952]
The next week should tell the tale.
The Tri-City area must decide now whether it wants to keep a Class A baseball club. The decision will depend upon the outcome of the current drive to Buy-the-Braves.
There is no longer two ways about it. Dick Richards, present manager and majority stockholder, can't move from here without first getting the league directors' permission. But Richards can easily get permission to move the franchise if the area shows no inclination to buy the club.
Sept. 26 will be the deadline. The time to act is now. The Athletic Association, which is pushing the drive, realizes it has a tough row to hoe. They expect large investors will be few. They see little possibility of finding a financial angel. Therefore, they are turning to the people of the area to get the job done.
It's going to take hundreds of $50 one-share sales to put the drive across. Baseball fans from every economic class must invest if the club is to stay here.
In some respects, it is better that way. It will mean a greater group will own a share of the club and the community, it will also show that Richards is wrong—that the Tri-Cities want good baseball.
INVESTMENT
The men behind the drive point out this is no charity movement. It is an investment. Like any investment it carries a risk but it also promises a return on the dollar. The small gate in recent weeks is the cause of many things. But even Richards concedes any ball club could make a go of it here in a few short years.
Buying the Braves is also another kind of an investment—an investment in the Tri-City area. The area is big enough and populated enough to support the club. The Tri-Cities are continuing to grow.
But if the franchise is moved from here now, it will be long, if ever, returning. Like Tacoma, the Tri-Cities will find themselves sitting on the outside hoping for another chance.
Pledge sheets are available. The members of the Athletic Association will be be around. When they come, sign up. We are up now with two away in the last of the ninth.
The Tri-City area must decide now whether it wants to keep a Class A baseball club. The decision will depend upon the outcome of the current drive to Buy-the-Braves.
There is no longer two ways about it. Dick Richards, present manager and majority stockholder, can't move from here without first getting the league directors' permission. But Richards can easily get permission to move the franchise if the area shows no inclination to buy the club.
Sept. 26 will be the deadline. The time to act is now. The Athletic Association, which is pushing the drive, realizes it has a tough row to hoe. They expect large investors will be few. They see little possibility of finding a financial angel. Therefore, they are turning to the people of the area to get the job done.
It's going to take hundreds of $50 one-share sales to put the drive across. Baseball fans from every economic class must invest if the club is to stay here.
In some respects, it is better that way. It will mean a greater group will own a share of the club and the community, it will also show that Richards is wrong—that the Tri-Cities want good baseball.
INVESTMENT
The men behind the drive point out this is no charity movement. It is an investment. Like any investment it carries a risk but it also promises a return on the dollar. The small gate in recent weeks is the cause of many things. But even Richards concedes any ball club could make a go of it here in a few short years.
Buying the Braves is also another kind of an investment—an investment in the Tri-City area. The area is big enough and populated enough to support the club. The Tri-Cities are continuing to grow.
But if the franchise is moved from here now, it will be long, if ever, returning. Like Tacoma, the Tri-Cities will find themselves sitting on the outside hoping for another chance.
Pledge sheets are available. The members of the Athletic Association will be be around. When they come, sign up. We are up now with two away in the last of the ninth.
NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Customer's Take Exceeds Solons'
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 11—J. A. Resendez, one-time semi-pro pitcher, finally cashed in on a trip to the mound.
He was selected by lot from the 695 customers at the Sacramento-Oakland, Pacific Coast League doubleheader Thursday night to try to tote "all the money you can carry" from the mound to home plate.
Resendez lugged a sack of coins the required 60 feet, 6 inches. The sack disgorged $446.78 in pennies, nickels, dimes etc. to dollars.
The promotion stunt was a money-loser for the Sacs. The Oaks swept the twin bill and received 40 per cent of the approximate $700 gate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)