Alberta Teams Name Managers

Sturgeon Back in W.I.L.
[Victoria Colonist, Dec. 7, 1952]
The playing manager of Victoria Athletics for the latter part of the 1951 season, Bob Sturgeon, will return to the Western International League next season as playing manager of the new Edmonton entry.
John Ducey, president of the Edmonton club, announced the signing of Sturgeon after returning from the major-minor meetings at Phoenix yesterday.
With the Victoria franchise in doubt last season, Sturgeon signed as playing manager of Ventura, but was released in mid-season when the California League club met with financial difficulties.
He signed with the Sacrementon Solons as a second baseman and finished out the season with the P.C.L. club.

LILLARD AT CALGARY
Bob Sturgeon Returns as Edmonton Manager
By KEN CONNELL
[Vancouver Province, Dec. 10, 1952]
Bobby Sturgeon, who Vancouver baseball fans will remember filled in at Victoria two years ago, will be the manager of the Edmonton Eskimos, the new-born club in the Western International Baseball League.
John Ducey, the Alberta capital’s baseball promoter, signed Sturgeon at the recently concluded major-minor baseball meeting in Phoenix.
“I am convinced we have a real good man,” Ducey told The Province Tuesday night as he paused briefly on his way back home. Sturgeon is busy now lining up some players, he said.
BEANS, BABE HELP
Ducey was personally grateful for the help he received from the old baseball umpire Beans Reardon and Babe Herman. Reardon broke into professional ball as an umpire in Edmonton, and Herman also started his career there.
Sturgeon, 32, figured in a vexatious problem for Branch Rickey, in 1939. Sturgeon was with Columbus and thus a chattel of the St. Louis Card. Marty Marion was still with the Cards.
Rickey finally settled on Marion and Sturgeon was sold to the Chicago Cubs.
Sturgeon played short and second base for the Cubs for three years and was with the pennant-winning Boston Braves in 1948 after three years service in the U.S. Navy.
ENDED WITH SACS
Sturgeon, six foot one, has had stretches with Seattle and Los Angeles in the Coast League. Last year, he was the playing-manager of the Ventura Club in the Calfiornia State League.
In August, after hitting .329, he resigned and finished the season with Sacramento.
Meanwhile, Calgary president Bus Lacey announced his 1953 manager, too. He’s Gene Lillard, former Coast League and major league player. He’ll be playing-manager, Lacey said.