Edmonton in Yankees Chain

Eskimos Tie Up With Yanks
EDMONTON, Dec. 10, 1952—The Edmonton baseball club will have a “working agreement” with the major league champion New York Yankees in its debut in the class A Western International League next season.
In announcing this association Wednesday, club spokesman John Ducey reported that Edmonton has purchased eight players as a nucleus, six of them from the Yankee chain.
Ducey also said the Edmonton club likely will open its spring training camp at Hanford, Calif., in the last week of March. The Edmonton and Calgary entries in the W.I.L. probably will play pre-season exhibition games.
INCRASE SEATING
Renfrew Park, home of the Edmonton club, now has a seating capacity of 4,350, but Ducey said this will be developed to a capacity of 6,000.
Players purchased from the Yankees are right-handed pitcher Jack Widner, with Binghamton of the Eastern League last season; shortstop Whitey Thompson, from Beaumont of the Texas League; outfielder Lou Vitos, from Boise of the Pioneer circuit; catcher Dick Morgan, also from Beaumont; catcher Harry Eastwood, from Binghamton; and shorstop Gil Trejo, also from Boise.
Ducey said Edmonton paid $2,000 apiece for Widner and Thompson. Their purchase will be outright if they report. The other four are purchased conditionally. Morgan is a brother of rookie pitcher Tom Morgan of the Yankees. He played with Victoria in 1949.
COST $5,000
Purchased outright was right-handed pitcher John Conant from Spokane Indians of the WIL. Edmonton got another right-handed chucker, Larry Manier, from the Pittsburgh Pirates on a provisional reporting and 30-day tryout basis. Manier, last season with Denver of the Western league, had a 23-5 won and lost record with Great Falls of the Pioneer loop in 1951. Edmonton paid $2500 apiece for Conant and Manier. The latter was formerly with Vancouver.Ducey said playing manager Bob Sturgeon, who saw major league service with Chicago Cubs and Boston Braves, will open the season at second base. He was playing-manager at Victoria for the latter part of the 1951 season.