Spring Training, Monday, March 23, 1953

Tyees Open Camp Today---21 Players Ready
By JIM TANG
[Victoria Colonist, March 24, 1953]
BETTER SPRINGS HOTEL, Boyes Springs, Calif.—A total of 21 players, including 13 rookies, checked in here Monday and will be on hand when manager Cec Garriott calls the first spring workout of Victoria Tyees at nearby Sonoma Tuesday. The roster includes five outfielders, seven infielders, six pitchers and three catchers.
In addition to Garriott, veteran players on hand for the first workout include holdovers Don Pries, Bill Wisneski and Chuck Abernathy from last season’s club. The other veteran players are outfielder Gail Taylor and first baseman Joe Ciardy, who were with Las Vegas of the Southwest International League last season; Negro outfielder Walt Tyler and catcher Sam Brusa.
Brusa is an unexpected addition to the Tyee roster. He was with Dayton of the Class “A” Central League last season, attended the Portland training camp this year and was signed as a free agent. He is expected to answer the problem of a relief for Milt Martin behind the plate.
Three of the rookies were brought by Pries. They are infielder Nick Canulie, catcher Manny Tornay, brother of former WIL catcher Nino Tornay and Negor outfielder Joe Wainwright.
Eight rookies were signed by Garriott. They include shortstop Don [sic] Odekirk, who drew rave notices at the Portland camp; infielders Bill Mosseau and Dave Brien, outfielder Wes Crossley, righthander Armond Noble and southpaw Dean Powlinson, Ralph Sterm and Zeb Walker.
Other rookies on hand are catcher Ralph Branting of Duncan and southpaw Berlyn Hodges of Victoria.
Expected to report within the next two or three days are holdovers Martin and Lu Branham, Nap Gulley, hard-hitting outfielder with Visalia last season, Panamanian outfielder.first baseman Herman Charls and Negro southpaw, Ron Washington, signed as a rookie by Garriott.
Word is expected from Portland Tuesday on what players the Beavers will be sending to the Tyees. It appears likely that the Coast League club will send pitchers Dick Waibel, Frank Chase, Bill Bottler, Jehosie Heard and Ralph Lineberger, who was with Salem before being called into the army, to the Tyees.
Victoria righthander Bill Prior, who has shown well at the Beaver camp, may get a trial against PCL competition along with outfielders Bob Moniz and Granny Gladstone and southpaw Ben Lorino. After a slow start, Moniz has developed into one of the most consistent hitters at the Beaver camp and Gladstone has been hitting the long ball. Lorino has appeared good on the mound.
Shortstop Jim Clark is still bothered by stiffness in the finger he injured at work during the winter and his return to action is still indefinite.
Although the roster is two deep at nearly every position, it appears at this stage that the Tyees will need to bolster their pitching—a strong point last season when they won their first WIL championship.

Caps Get Three From Rainiers
[Vancouver Province, March 24, 1953]
As general manager Dewey Soriano and field boss Harvey Storey prepare to head for Healdsberg, Calif., and the opening of spring training camp Saturday, Vancouver Caps’ general manager Soriano announced the names of three optionees from Seattle Rainiers.
The trio are Chuck Davis, shortstop; Dale Thomason, pitcher, and Jack Johnson, catcher.
Davis, who went well for Spokane in 1950, is just out of the army; Thomason had a trial with the Caps last spring, wound up the season with Lewiston, and was going well that the finish.
Johnson is big, untried youngster whom Edo Vanni brought to Vancouver from Bellingham for a short trial last summer. He later signed with Seattle.