Monday 21 July 2008

1953 Just About Done

There's not anything more that I'll be adding here for now, other than some year-end stats, and that won't be soon. There are some limited stats on the Sept. 6 page.

All the 1953 stuff has been deleted from the main blog and moved here.

I'll now start working on the 1954 page, so I've first got to compile off-season stuff, including spring training, then upload it. That means I have to go through each day of at least two papers at the library and transcribe stuff, so it'll take some time.

WIL All-Stars

At Least Eight and Possibly 10 Will Open '54 WIL Term
VANCOUVER, Oct. 8 — At least eight and possibly 10 clubs will be in the Western International League when the 1954 baseball season opens next April, league president Bob Brown said Wednesday.
Mr. Brown made the statement when he announced the 1953 all-star teams, chosen by newspaper sport writers. He said that “contrary to reports” the league is not collapsing. Structure of the league for 1954 will be “definitely settled at the annual meeting of the circuit in Victoria on Nov. 9.”
Of the 14 men picked for the first team, Salem and Spokane led with three each. Edmonton, Yakima and Tri-City each had two, Vancouver and Victoria one. Shut out of the first-team selections were Wenatchee, Calgary and Lewiston. First all-star team- First base, John Weaver, Edmonton and Len Noren, Yakima, tie; second base, Len Tran, Tri-City; third base, Harvey Storey, Vancouver; shortstop, Gene Tanselli, Salem; three outfielders, Bob Wellman, Yakima, Stan Palys, Spokane, Granny Gladstone, Victoria, and Jim Deyo, Salem, tie; catcher, Jack Warren, Tri-City; two right-handed pitchers, Jack Spring and Arthur Worth, both Spokane.
Second team - First base, Vic Buccola, Tri-City; second base, Hugh Luby, Salem and Jim Brown, Spokane, tie; third base, Jim Command, Spokane and Ken Richardson, Lewiston, tie; shortstop, Jim Clark, Vancouver and Wilbur Johnson, Spokane, tie; three outfilders, Will Hafey, Spokane, Al Heist, Lewiston, Connie Perez, Salem and Des Charouhas, Tri-City, tie; catcher, Bill Sheets, Spokane and Dick Morgan. Edmonton, tie; two left-handed pitchers, Joe Nicholas, Salem, Bill Brenner, Lewiston, Pete Hernandez, Vancouver and Van Fletcher, Vancouver, tie; left-handed pitcher, Henry Botelho, Wenatchee.

WIL Attendance Up in 1953

One League Draw Displays a Boost
VANCOUVER, B. C. Sept. 22 — A total of 717,302 fans, 71,182 more than last year, paid their way to see Western International League baseball games in 1953, President R.P. Brown said yesterday.
Edmonton, playing its first season in the 10-team league, drew 92,758 fans, Lewiston was next with 81,305, followed by Spokane, 80,873; Vancouver, 75,877; Tri-City, 70,638; Wenatchee, 64,036; Yakima, 59,100; Victoria, 55,352, and Calgary, 40,106.
Salem and Spokane, which topped the first and second halves of the split schedule, respectively, failed to attract enough fans through the turnstiles during the playoffs to oust Edmonton from top spot.
Spokane drew 8,430 fans through the turnstiles in the playoffs to boost the year's total to 89,303 and Salem had 6,913 playoff admissions for an over-all total of 88,218.

Championship Game 6, September 15, 1953

SALEM, Sept. 15 — Spokane defeated Salem 5-2 here Tuesday night to win the Western International League pennant.
It was the third consecutive victory here for the Spokane team and gave them a 4-2 record for the best-of-seven playoff series.
A walk to Jim Brown, a passed ball and a single by Bill Sheets gave Spokane the first run of the game in the fifth inning.
They added three more to win in the eighth. Stan Palys doubled and was scored on Will Hafey's single. Then Carl Bush hit a home run.
Spokane's last run came in the ninth inning. Ed Murphy was safe on an infield single, advanced on Wilbur Johnson's bunt, was sacrificed to third and scored on a fielder's choice.
Salem scored in the seventh on a single by Connie Perez, a sacrifice and an error by Wilbur Johnson. They added one in the eighth on another error by Johnson, and infield hit by Dick Sabatini and a fly-ball by manager Hugh Luby.
Dave Dahle was the losing pitcher and Art Worth the winner.
Total attendance for the six games here and at Spokane was 15,318.
Spokane ...... 000 010 030—5 10 3
Salem ......... 000 000 110—2 8 4
Giovannoni, Worth (7), Franks (9) and Sheets; Dahle, Roenspie (5) and Nelson, Masterson (8).

Championship Game 5, September 14, 1953

SALEM, Sept. 14 — Spokane took a 3 to 2 game lead Monday night in the Western International League baseball playoffs, defeating Salem 3-2.
Will Hafey led the Indian attack, slamming a home run over the field fence in the second inning and hitting a triple in the sixth. Hafey scored the second run on a long fly by Jim Brown.
The Indians counted the winning run in the ninth inning when Pitcher George New got a walk, went to second on a sacrifice by Ed Murphy and scored when Wilbur Johnson rapped a hard single.
Salem opened the scoring in the first inning on an error by Brown and singles by Hugh Luby and Gene Tanselli. The Senators got another run the second on walks by Chuck Essegian and Bob Nelson, an error by Pitcher Ralph Romero and a fly ball by Luby.
A crowd of 2,228 witnessed the game. The two teams meet here again tomorrow night in the best out of seven series.
Spokane ....... 010 001 001—3 10 2
Salem .......... 110 000 000—2 11 2
Romero, New (3), Franks (9) and Sheets; Nicholas and Nelson, Masterson.

Wenatchee’s Dasso Quits
WENATCHEE, Wash., Sept. 14—Directors of the Wenatchee Western International League ball club have announced acceptance of the resignation of general manager Frank Dasso.
Dasso, a former Pacific Coast League pitcher, played for Wenatchee in 1952 and then raised $20,000 to help keep the team in the WIL this season.
This year’s team finished in the second division both halves of the current split season and wound up more than $15,000 in the red.

Championship Game 4, September 13, 1953

SALEM — Spokane edged Salem 5-4 here Sunday, tying the best-of-seven Western International League playoff series at two victories for each team.
The playoff will resume Monday night.
Spokane collected three runs in the second inning off Salem Starter Bob Collins and Larry Borst who relieved him later.
Bob Donkersley singled with one out. Then Jim Brown doubled in Donkersley and Bill Sheets singled in Brown. Collins was relieved by Borst after he had walked Bill Franks. Borst gave tip a double to Wilbur Johnson which scored the third run.
Singles by Les Witherspoon, Bob Nelson and Borst and an outfield error gave Salem two runs in the 2th Inning. They went ahead with two more in the eighth on singles by Gene Tanselli and Connie Perez and a double by Jerry Ballard. After that Jack Spring was sent in to relieve Franks.
Spokane won in the ninth inning. Eddie Murphy singled. Then Wilbur Johnson singled to right field. Murphy scored and Johnson got to third when Witherspoon commited an error. Jim Command singled home Johnson with the winning run.
Spring was the winning pitcher and Borst the loser.
Spokane ......... 030 000 002—5 11 3
Salem ............ 000 020 020—4 9 1
Franks, Spring (8), Worth (9) and Sheets; Collins, Borst (2), Roenspie, (9) and Nelson.

Championship Game 3, September 12, 1953

SPOKANE—The Salem Senators snapped back from a sixth-inning 11-4 deficit Saturday night to score three times in the eighth inning and five times in the ninth and a 12-11 Western International League playoff decision over Spokane.
The triumph gave the Senators a 2-1 edge over the Indians in their best-of-seven series for the league pennant. They move to Salem Sunday to finish out the series there.
The Senators scored their winning run on a Spokane error. After four runs had already gone across in the ninth, Gene Tanselli hit a bounding ball down to second base where Jimmy Brown bobbled it, permitting Dick Sabatini to run in for the win.
Hits Come Early
The game was all Spokane's during the early innings as Jim Command hit a pair of homers for four runs and Bill Sheets hit another one over the fence in helping to build up the seemingly lead of 11-4 at the end of the sixth frame.
Then the parade of the pitchers began. The two teams used a total of six pitchers, Spokane changing three times in the last two innings.
Doubles Boost Salem
Although Larry Borst, who went to the mound in the eighth for Salem got credit for the win, first baseman Jerry Ballard, who relieved Borst in the ninth, was the one who stopped the Spokane hitting powers. He struck out Stan Palys and forced both Will Hafey and Carl Bush to ground out after one was out in the ninth.
Ballard and Chuck Essegian got two doubles in a row to start the Salem comeback in the eighth. Pitchhitter Les Witherspoon singled and Spokane reliefer George New walked two men, loading the bases. Ralph Romero took over from there to force in the third run with another walk.
Essegian homered over the centre field wall for the eighth and ninth runs after Connie Perez opened with a walk. Don Masterson, Bob Nelson and Sabatini all singled
to load the bases and Manager Hugh Luby hit another single to bring in the tying run. Then came Brown's fatal error at second base.
Virgil Giovannoni, the first of three Spokane pitchers in the ninth, was charged with the loss.
A season record crowd of 3,601 watched the final home game for the Indians.
Salem ............. 200 202 033—12 13 1
Spokane .......... 023 321 000—11 12 4
Roenspie, Hemphill (4), Borst (8), Ballard (9) and Masterson; Spring, New (4), Romero (5), Giovanonni (9), Nemes (9), Worth (9) and Sheets.

Championship Game 2, September 11, 1953

SPOKANE, Sept. 11 —The Salem Senators uncorked a two run rally in the eighth inning Friday on the strength of four successive singles and went on to down Spokane 4-3 in the second game of the WIL playoffs.
It evened the score at 1-1 in the best-of-seven series between the winners of the first and second halves of regular play.
Spokane reliefer Bob Nemes gave up four singles in a row to Connie Perez, Jerry Ballard, Les Witherspoon and Don Masterson which broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth and bring in a pair of runs.
Salem starter Dave Dahle held on for the victory, although Spokane made it close in the 9th.
With two out, Jimmy Brown reached first on an error, and Bill Sheets promptly drove him home with a ringing double to right.
Bob Donkersley came on to hit for Nemes and banged a low looping liner to the infield. Perez, the Salem shortstop, charged the ball, took it on the fly on his shoestrings and went stumbling in the infield for the final out.
Both teams had scored single runs in the third. Salem’s was unearned and came when Masterson was safe on an error, sacrificed to second and tallied on Hugh Luby single. Bill Sheets tripled and Eddie Murphy’s infield out accounted for Spokane’s third inning scoring.
Another of Spokane's five errors accounted for Salem's run in the sixth.
Dahle struck out five and walked none in going the distance for Salem. Despite the many bobbles, the Indians came up with three double plays.
The biggest crowd seen in the Spokane ball park this year, 2,668, turned out for the game.
Gene Roenspie is scheduled to start on the mound for Salem in the third game Saturday, opposing Jack Spring.
Salem ......... 001 001 000—4 7 1
Spokane ...... 001 100 001—3 8 5
Dahle and Masterson, Worth, Nemes (6) and Sheets.
WILfan note: an AP story says Gene Tanselli was at short and made the final out.

Championship Game 1, September 10, 1953

SPOKANE, Sept. 10 — Virgil Giovannoni, almost an unknown in Western International League pitching circles, hurled a 4-2 victory for Spokane over Salem Thursday night in the opener of the league's best-of-seven playoffs.
Giovannoni gave up six hits and two walks, the same as his Salem opponent, Joe Nicholas. But he struck out six, to Nicholas' four.
Both teams got two unearned runs as over-eager fielders bobbled the ball three times for each side.
Jim Command led off the scoring in the fourth inning with a 375-foot home run over the right field wall for Spokane, with the bases empty.
After the Senators went ahead with two unearned runs in the top of the sixth, they gave the game away in the bottom of the frame as the Indians scored three times on a walk, a triple and two errors.
Giovannoni walked. Eddie Murphy was safe at first when Connie Perez booted his grounder, and both scored when Wilbur Johnson tripled to right field. Then Johnson scored as Hugh Luby threw wild to the plate in the effort to put out Murphy.
Luby flied out in the seventh with two men on base to end the Senators' final threat.
It was Giovannoni's third win in five starts this season.
A disappointing crowd of 2,161 turned out for the first playoff game.
Spokane Manager Don Osborn said Art Worth will start at the mound for the Indians in the second game Friday night and Salem Manager Luby said either Dave Dahle or Gene Roenspie would get the nod for Salem.
Salem ......... 000 002 000—2 9 3
Spokane ..... 000 103 00x—4 8 3
Nicholas and Masterson; Giovannoni and Sheets.

AT CAP HELM
Stars’ Eddie Malone May Replace Storey

By CLANCY LORANGER

[Vancouver Province, Sept. 11, 1953]
Harvey Storey won’t return as manager of the Vancouver Capilanos in 1954. General manager Dewey Soriano said today he was “disappointed” by the club’s late losing streak that finished their second half flag chances and had decided to make a change.
The decision was not unexpected. Soriano had indicated as the season progressed that he would have liked a man with more color and the fire to stir up the club, which leaned to the listless.
Soriano admitted that the “first half” Caps lacked batting punch, but he felt that the second half additions, particularly Jim Clark, made the locals strong enough to win it all.
“Harvey and I had a talk when he got Clark,” said Dewey, “and we agreed there were no excuses if we weren’t in the fight. So then we hit that eight-game losing streak…”
JOB LINED UP
Storey, highly popular here and one of the league’s best hitters, probably will be back elsewhere in the loop as a manager. He said recently he had an “in case” job lined up, probably at Salem. It’s close to his Oregon home and Hugh Luby wants to get out of uniform and move into the front office permanently.
Outstanding candidate for Storey’s job here would appear to be Eddie Malone, the Hollywood Stars’ catcher whom Soriano tried to sign last spring but couldn’t get away from the Stars.
FIVE COME BACK
The new field boss should be just one of many new faces on next year’s crew. Soriano today listed five men he’s counting on as a nucleus, outside of pitchers: Catcher Bob Duretto, first-baseman Gene Petralli, second-baseman Jack Bukowatz, shortstop Jim Clark, and centre-fielder K Chorlton.
[The Capilanos] picked up a player from Calgary in final payment on the deal that sent Jim Wert there. Outfielder Bill Bonebrake is the man, but it’s likely he’ll be converted into a pitcher.

Sunday 13 July 2008

Tuesday, September 8, 1953

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
FINAL SECOND HALF STANDINGS
W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 46 32 .590 —
Lewiston .... 42 30 .583 1
Vancouver ... 44 35 .557 2½
Yakima ...... 40 34 .541 4
Edmonton .... 38 34 .528 5
Salem ....... 39 35 .527 5
Calgary ..... 33 39 .458 10
Tri-City .... 32 42 .432 12
Wenatchee ... 30 44 .405 14
Victoria .... 29 46 .387 15½


KENNEWICK — Spokane backed into the Western International League's second half Championship Tuesday night despite a 3-2 loss to the Tri-City Braves in 11 innings.
Lewiston's 10-9 setback at the hands of the Victoria Tyees in the season's windup left Spokane seven percentage points ahead in the tight race to the wire.
Ernie Hockaday was both the goat and hero in Tri-City's extra-inning triumph before 1,236 hometown fans. His left field error in the third inning opened the gate for Spokane's two unearned runs Then he redeemed himself by singling home the tying run in the eighth and scored the winning tally in the last of the 11th.
Spokane .... 002 000 000 00—2 9 1
Tri-City ..... 000 000 110 01—3 12 1
Spring, Romero (8), New (11), Franks (11) and Sheets; Robertson and Warren.

LEWISTON, Idaho — The Lewiston Broncs tossed to the wind their chance of getting into the Western International League Baseball playoffs, bowing to last-place Victoria 10-9 Tuesday night.
The loss assures Spokane Indians of first place in the league's second half and a chance for the pennant in playoffs later this week with Salem, the first-half winner.
Loose pitching proved to be the Broncs' downfall, and manager Bill Brenner, who many times during the season pulled his team out of a tight squeere into a victory during the season, was charged with the loss.
Dwane Helbig led Victoria's 20-hit attack with four hits in five trips while Bill Prior, coming to the relief of Zeb Walker in the fourth, lasted to the finish to gain credit for the win.
Victoria ........... 000 521 200—10 20 3
Lewiston ......... 011 300 310— 9 14 1
Walker, Prior (4) and Harford; Perez, Brenner (4), Kime (5), Marshall (8) and Cameron.

CALGARY — Calgary Stampeders wound up their Western International League baseball season on a victorious note here Tuesday night by downing Edmonton Eskimos 10-5.
Stamps broke a nip-and-tuck contest wide open in the eighth inning when they plated six runs.
Thc Calgary victory was scored against the combined efforts of Ray McNulty and John Conant, aces of the Edmonton mound staff.
Don Bricker powered the Calgary victory with two homers. Dick Morgan and Bob Meisner homered for the Eskimos.
Ed Kapp was the winner and Conant the loser.
Edmonton ............. 000 210 020— 5 9 5
Calgary ................ 020 100 16x—10 13 1
McNulty, Conant (7) McNulty (8) and Morgan; Kapp, Stites (9) and Bricker.

VANCOUVER [Clancy Loranger, Province, Sept. 9]—They rang down the curtain on the 1953 Capilanos Tuesday, with K Chorlton taking the bows at the finish and the intended hero, general manager Dewey Soriano, wringing his hands in the wings.
With fair-haired boy K showing the way with a home run in each game against Wenatchee—and his third in two nights—the Caps won their third straight doubleheader, their eighth and ninth straight starts, and their 11th game in 12 outings.
This “big” finish assured the locals of third place in the second-half standings, but all it did for Dewey, the bright young man who would have liked to run up a flag in centre field in his freshman year, was to leave him with that “what might have been feeling.”
The Caps had two slumps this season—both of then at crucial stages of the first and second halves. They were right in contention for the first-half crown, when they dropped four in a row to Edmonton and wound up fourth.
Losing Streak Disastrous
And they had moved into a contending position, with a much improved club, in the second half, when disaster struck. For eight games they did nothing right, and that losing streak left them too far back when they started their season’s best streak that saw them do little wrong at the finish.
There were other disappointments for Soriano, too, as he took over the job that Bob Brown held so long and vacated last winter for the WIL presidency. The Caps were the victims of foul weather—and, let’s face it, a club that never gripped the fans’ imagination—as they hit a new low in attendance in the new stadium.
They should total around 70,000 for the year, compared to 170,000 in 1951 and 119,000 last year.
The season wasn’t a complete flop, of course. There were pitchers Bob Roberts, bought for a bargain from Calgary, and Lonnie Myers—both sold to Seattle. And Dewey announced last night that Van Fletcher, a 17-game winner this season, is back in the Seattle fold and will return to the Coast League team next spring along with Pete Hernandez (18-10), who was recalled.
Storey Was Popular General
Soriano chose Harvey Storey, the ex-Coast Leaguer, as his field boss over several candidates, and what Storey lacked in color he made up for with his bat and his general competency as a tactician. And he was liked, too, in the same way Bill Brenner was here, if they pay off on that.
Other highlights: the improved play of Jack Bukowatz as a second baseman and hitter; the acquisition of the league’s best shortstop, Jim Clark; the development of Bob Duretto as a catcher; and the final emergence of Chorlton, who finished like the ball player who once was bought by the New York Giants.
The disappointments? Well, they won’t be around next April.

VANCOUVER [by EATON HOWITT, Sun, Sept. 9]—Well kiddies, it would seem we have come to the end of the Storey. (Please Mr. Editor that’s the right spelling).
Not only have we come to the end of the storey, but the story is finished, too. Confusing, eh, what?
There was a sad ending. Though it seems likely most of the lovable, kind characters we have been reading about since last springs when the first chapter opened in California, will live happily ever after.
The ending was unhappy because Capilanos finished in third place instead of first. The final paragraph or two were happy enough. ‘Smatter of fact the last nine paragraphs were pretty darn good.
A double win last night over those Wenatchee Chiefs brought Caps WIL win streak to nine. A little too late and a lot too late.
That’s the story. Now the Storey.
General Manager Dewey Soriano will not say whether manager Harvey Storey will be kept on for another year.
He will admit readily enough he was mightily disappointed with the final half of the ball season.
But the official announcement of what (if anything) is to happen to Harv, will have to wait. Don’t hold your breath kiddies.
The Cap dressing room was full of fond farewells after last night’s games. Most of the players are speeding home right away. It’s not that they don’t like Vancouver but home is still pretty sweet.
K. Chorlton won both games with a pair of neat home runs. A never-say-die kind of player he was pretty sad when it was all over. “If only I’d be hitting like that a month ago,” he sighed. Don’t worry K, your fielding kept Caps in there.
Van Fletcher has been sold outright to Seattle and Pete Hernandez has been recalled. And that’s just about it.
But hang on folks. Before many days have passed there’ll likely be a postscript from Dewey’s office.
First Game
Wenatchee ......... 000 000 0—0 4 0
Vancouver .......... 011 000 x—2 9 0
Klein, Oubre (8) and Helmuth; Hernandez and Duretto.
Second Game
Wenatchee ......... 002 500 001—8 9 3
Vancouver .......... 120 031 02x—9 10 2
DeCarolis and Bartolomei; Marshall, Thompson (5), Gunnarson (9) and Leavitt.

YAKIMA — Herman Lewis doubled off the centrefield fence to score Bob Wellman with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night to give the Yakima Bears a 2-1 Western International League victory over Salem.
Salem ............ 000 001 000—1 6 1
Yakima .......... 010 001 00x—2 6 1
Collins, Roenspie (6) and Masterson; Rios and Albini.

Plumbing Will Be No. 1 Sport Wih Capilanos In Off-Season
By KEITH MATTHEWS

[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 9, 1953]
What do ball players do in the off-season? Well, unless you’re a $20,000 a year man—which nobody in the WIL is—the answer is “work.”
The Capilanos, for instance, will be migrating from Vancouver in large bunches of confusion today and a run-down on off-season activities indicates that plumbing will be the favorite winter sport this year. Once, as recent as 1951, school teaching was the most popular trade—but this year there’s a school “larner” in the bunch.
Gene Petralli and Clarence Marshall are the plumbers—Gene definitely located with his father in Sacramento in a thriving “Petralli Plumbing Co.” business. For Marshall, plumbing will merely be an excuse to play winter ball and help him find that long lost control. “Cuddles” tentatively plans to play weekend ball in Los Angeles for the Roosevelt Plumbers, who sponsor a ball club which Bob Duretto also plays for.
HERE’S THE ADDRESS
Petralli and Duretto will be among the first to leave town. Bob, of course, goes back to his gas station in Glendale. “Tell everyone the station is right on highway 99,” Bob smiled. “You can’t miss it and Bill Schuster and I give away a free tank of gas to anyone who can guess exactly what his tank will take when he drives in.” The address, Duretto added, is 1742 South Brand.
Not long after the first migration will be K Chorlton, who will drive to Seattle this morning to get acquainted with his new daughter, Karen Dianne. “It’s easy to guess what I’ll be doing,” Chorlton laughed, “—fishing and changing diapers.”
After that K will either sell industrial insurance or drive an oil truck.
Harvey Storey returns to a gas station like Duretto. Harvey is in Forest Grove, Oregon, some 20 miles the other side of Portland.
PETE UNDECIDED
Pete Hernandez is a little undecided, but it looks like he’ll take his old job as an order clerk with the Chevrolet factory in San Leandro, California. That’s just six miles from the Senor’s home in Hayward. Van Fletcher will pursue his career as a pitcher. After a short visit with brother Guy in Sacramento, “Doc” will high-tail for Mexico and a job pitching winter balls and strikes.
Dick Barrett makes his home just south of the border in Seattle and he hopes to locate employment with the sheriff’s office filing car licenses.
Frank Mascaro, who just got out of the army before spring training, wants to see a lot more pitching and swing some bats before he reports to San Francisco next spring. “I may get a job in Sacramento moving furniture,” the Moose said, “but I’m taking a bat home with me.”
Jack Bukowatz will return to his home in Susanville, California, and go back to his old job of being a city policeman. Jim Leavitt will help his dad on his pear farm in Placerville, California. Jim Clark and his “pa” operate a machine shop building airplane parts in Santa Monica, but Jim is in no immediate hurry. He wants to see more of Vancouver and its scenery and fishing. He won’t be leaving for a week.
TAYLOR A COP
Gale Taylor is also a cop. He’s on the gambling detail (as if there were any other) in Las Vegas. Rod MacKay is a local boy and has the help wanted sign out. Dale Thomason will return to Spokane but he doesn’t know what’s in the offing. Last year he was a Fuller brush salesman. Nick Castas will do some typing for a Seattle shipbuilding firm and play semi-pro basketball on the side.
Carl Gunnarson? He has nothing in mind except a busman’s holiday in his birthplace, Oslo, Minnesota, to meet old friends and relatives.
Which leaves the Capilanos, for one more year, just a memory.

The Sports Herald
Keith Matthews
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 9, 1953]
Just guessing …
At this very instant another baseball season is being recorded for posterity, or poverty as the case may be, and locally the fans are asking, who among the ’53 Capilanos will return for another season?
Explicitly, they are wondering if Harvey Storey cut the mustard sufficiently to earn himself another managerial contract.
Naturally, it is far too soon to say for sure. Dewey Soriano, like his predecessor Bob Brown, saves his press releases on this subject until the winter when the first sign of spring training lurks in the air. Therefore, anything we say here in merely a guess.
You have to know Storey adequately to appreciate him. To the casual observer, Harv would impress merely as a quiet, unobstructing soul with a milquetoast temperament. This is not exactly the case, because the Capilano leader can point to the year 1953 as the first in which he was thrown out of a baseball game. Regarding his refusal to speak his piece, Storey has never been known yet—at least by his teammates—pass up a situation which calls for a good punch-line.
One night when Dick Barrett and Clarence Marshall were discussing good hitters, somebody mentioned the name of Augie Galan—the old Dodger star and present Oakland skipper. “He is a mighty fine hitter,” is what somebody supposedly supposed.
Storey has never made a [unreadable] friend in his baseball career, but there are some [unreadable] more than others. [Unreadable] is not one of the [unreadable]. Sensing an appropriate statement was necessary, Harvey spoke: “Galan was a good hitter? Why I’ll bet if I walked across home plate real slow [unreadable], he couldn’t even hit me.
Gag a minute …
Mind, his availability with a gag will have little to do with his re-hiring next season. He will be judged solely on his worth to the club as a manager and his talent to mold the Capilanos into a winner.
A feeling is still prevalent that the Caps choked in the clutch this year. Twice they strolled down Heartbreak Lane with a chance to take it all. Twice, they broke down and started losing streaks which pit them on the outs.
Storey has recorded this in his mind’s eye. If he is elected to be the one to lead the [unreadable] cast, of lost of his ’53 []cks will be missing—in case Harvey realised when it counted the most, they didn’t come through.
On the whole, the job of strategy that Harvey turned in this season was well [unreadable]. His entry in the first half might have been swinging magazine covers instead of bats for all the results they had. Still, Storey had them in the first division all the way. When the team was improved for the first-half fight, Harvey improved the standing for the entry. What more could you ask?
Also, in a day when cutting to be important, Harvey stands out as an asset instead of a liability. Never in his career has he asked for [unreadable]e. The chance they gave [unreadable] to play was favor enough.
[remaining two paragraphs unreadable]

Monday, September 7, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 46 31 .597 —
Lewiston .... 42 29 .592 1
Vancouver ... 42 35 .545 4
Edmonton .... 38 33 .535 5
Yakima ...... 39 34 .534 5
Salem ....... 39 34 .534 5
Calgary ..... 32 39 .451 11
Tri-City .... 31 42 .426 13
Wenatchee ... 30 42 .417 13½
Victoria .... 28 46 .378 16½


KENNEWICK, Sept. 6—The Spokane Indians got a needed doubleheader sweep on Monday night to remain a game ahead of the determined Lewiston Broncos. A six-run first inning helped the league-leaders to a 15-1 thumping in the opener and a five-run sixth assisted in an 11-6 win in the nightcap.
Tri-City pitchers were generous with the gopher balls, as the Indians popped out four home runs in the first game and three in the second.
First Game
Spokane ........ 623 030 100—15 18 0
Tri-City ......... 000 000 010— 1 7 0
Romero and Sheets; Snyder, Bloom (1), Zeffel (4), Michelson (9) and Pesut.
Second Game
Spokane ....... 010 105 121—11 15 0
Tri-City ........ 010 131 000— 6 13 0
Franks, Nemes (5) and Sheets; Dobernic, Snyder (7), Bloom (8), Michaelson (9) and Warren.

LEWISTON, Sept. 7—Lewiston had little trouble with Victoria in their seven-inning opener in a 6-1 win but it took the Broncs 11 innings to subdue the Tyees in the nightcap, 7-6.
First Game
Victoria ............... 100 000 0—1 8 0
Lewiston ............. 001 113 x—6 11 2
Drilling and Harford; Butler and Garay.
Second Game
Victoria ............... 000 131 010 00—6 14 1
Lewiston ............. 101 100 021 01—7 16 3
Collins, Prior (9) and Harford; Perez, Marshall (5), Breamer (8) and Cameron, Garay (7).

VANCOUVER [Clancy Loranger, Province, Sept. 8]—Two more chapters of “the charge that came too late” were written into the books over the holiday weekend by the suddenly-aroused Capilanos, who can’t win the WIL’s second half title but are now making noises like champs.
Harvey Storey and Co. won a pair of doubleheaders Saturday and Monday to make it nine wins in 10 starts and seven in a row but not good enough surge that they didn’t start soon enough. Just before the streak the Caps lost eight in a row to sink their second half chances.
K IN FORM
Their double win here Monday over Wenatchee, by 4-2 and 5-4 scores, followed on the heels of a twin win Saturday in Victoria by 9-1 and 2-0 scores, where they swept the four-game series.
K Chorlton was the big story in the Labor Day wins. The smooth centre fielder provided the game-winning edge in the first game, which was scheduled for seven innings, and went 10. K broke it up with a two-run homer in the 10th that hit the top of the lefyt field wall and bounced over.
Earlier, K had galloped to the 400-foot mark to pull down a Babe Fuhrman drive that was labelled “triple.” On the play Don Stanford was doubled off first base; he was well on his way to third when K made his impossible catch.
Chorlton contributed another single in that game, and beat two bunts in greyhound fashion in the nightcap.
SIX FOR CARL
Carl Gunnarson got credit for his sixth victory in the opener, and also was called upon in the second game, which saw Van Fletcher gather win No. 17. Carl came in to pitch to the last batter in the ninth with the tying and winning runs on base. Pinch-hitter Mike McCormick flied out to end the game.
Saturday, Rod MacKay came out from under wraps to pitch the shutout after Pete Hernandez had won the afternoon game. Pete will be back in action, along with Clarence Marshall, when the Caps wind up their season with another twin bill against Wenatchee tonight.
PROVINCE STARS – K Chorlton, as smooth a piece of outfielder who’s ever roamed ‘round Capilano gardens … Jack Bukowatz, the Caps’ most improved player … And ageless Carl Gunnarson for 10-inning triumph.
First Game
Wenatchee .......... 010 010 000 0—2 12 1
Vancouver ........... 100 001 000 2—4 9 1
Beamon and Bartolomei, Helmuth (7); Gunnerson and Duretto.
Second Game
Wenatchee .......... 011 000 101—4 12 1
Vancouver ........... 005 000 00x—5 10 0
Oubre and Bartolomei; Fletcher, Gunnerson (9) and Duretto.

CALGARY — Whitey Thomson's home run with two out in the ninth inning gave Edmonton Eskimos a 4-2 victory over Calgary Stampeders here Monday night in a Western International Baseball League panic.
Clint Weaver who had received a walk to open the game was on second base when Thomson lined the pitch over the left-field fence.
The Eskimos made the most of six hits, garnered off Calgary's Glenn Hettner. Bob Meisner lined another pitch over left field to open the Edmonton scoring in the sixth.
In the same inning, Vern Campbell lined a triple to centre and scored on Andy Skurski's infield out. Stampeders got their first home run in the first inning on a pair of hits and Don Hunter claimed the other one with a home run over centre in the sixth.
Don Tisnerat gave up eight hits in picking up the win.
Edmonton ........... 000 002 002—4 6 2
Calgary .............. 100 001 000—2 7 1
Tisnerat and Morgan; Hittner and Bricker.

YAKIMA, Sept. 7—Yakima and Salem split a Labour Day doubleheader and remained tied in fifth place. Gene Roenspie pitched his 19th WIL victory as Salem whipped the Bears 8-1 in the nine-inning opener. Jack Hemphill allowed Yakima only four hits in the abbreviated nightcap but the Bears capitalized on Salem errors and emerged with a 3-2 triumph.
First Game
Salem ........... 000 420 002—8 13 2
Yakima ......... 001 000 000—1 7 2
Dahle, Roenspie (4) and Masterson; Del Sarto, Young (5) and Novick.
Second Game
Salem ........... 000 011 0—2 6 2
Yakima ......... 201 000 x—3 4 1
Hemphill and Nelson; Edmunds and Albini.

Sunday, September 6, 1953

               W  L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 44 31 .587 —
Lewiston .... 40 29 .580 1
Yakima ...... 38 33 .535 4
Salem ....... 38 33 .535 4
Vancouver ... 40 35 .533 4
Edmonton .... 37 33 .529 4½
Calgary ..... 32 38 .457 9½
Tri-City .... 31 40 .437 11
Wenatchee ... 30 40 .429 11½
Victoria .... 28 44 .389 14½


LEWISTON — The Spokane Indians, apparently determined to stay on top, regained first place in the Western International League by walloping the Lewiston Broncs 10 to 5 Sunday.
The game was played before the largest crowd to ever see a game in Lewiston, 3,753.
Two home runs in the fifth inning put the Indians out in front after trailing 4 to 1. Jim Command homered with two on, and Will Hafey repeated the stunt with the bases empty.
Spokane then added five more runs in the seventh on six hits and three walks.
The Indians collected six two-base hits during the evening.
Glenn Tuckett was the shining light for the Broncs hitting four for five.
Manager Bill Brenner was ticketed with the loss and George New gained credit for the Indian victory.
Spokane ....... 001 040 500— 10 15 1
Lewiston ...... 200 201 000—5 13 2
Worth, New (4) and Sheets; Marshall, Brenner (5), Powell (7), Kine (9) and Garay.

WENATCHEE, Wash.—Wenatchee and Yakima split a Western International Baseball League twin bill Sunday, Wenatchee taking the night cap 6-5 in 10 innings after dropping the opener 5-1. The doubleheader closed out the home season for the Chiefs.
A cheque for $464, representing membership in the "Wolves," a fan club, was presented to Wenatchee manager Mike McCormick. The Chiefs drew 2,004 for their final home appearance, raising the season gate to 68,096, compared to 52,660 a year ago.
First Game
Yakima ........... 030 020 0—5 7 1
Wenatchee ..... 000 000 1—1 4 2
Edmonds and Albini; Botelho and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Yakima ........... 000 000 032 0—5 13 2
Wenatchee ..... 201 002 000 1—6 9 2
Carter, Del Santo (7), Young (8), Townsend (10) and Novick, Albini (9); Monroe, DeCarolis (8), Klein (9), Bowman (9) and Bartolomei.

CALGARY — Bases-loaded homers by Don Herman and Andy Skurski gave the Edmonton Eskimos a lopsided 21-8 victory over the Calgary Stampeders as the two teams gave Calgary fans a tryout on Western International League Sunday baseball.
Charlie Mead provided the only light for Calgary, when he drove out his 31st circuit clout of the season. The hit almost clinched league home-run hitting honors for Mead.
Edmonton ........ 000 (11)00 460—21 23 2
Calgary ........... 020 000 501— 8 23 5
Utley and Morgan; Francis and Bricker.

Weaver Ousts Warren As WIL Batting Leader
UNDATED, Sept. 6—Clint Weaver, Edmonton first baseman, banged out 14 hits in 24 times at bat during a seven-game stretch to boost his batting average to .355 and take over the Western International League leadership from Tri-City catcher Jack Warren.
Warren dropped one point from his batting mark to .351 as he picked up six safeties in 18 tries. He lead Yakima outfielder Bob Wellman by a single point, according to official Howe News Bureau figures for games through September 6.
Victoria's Granny Gladston, who did not appear in enough games to qualify for the bating championshhip, continued a hitting slump in his last week with the Tyees and dropped eight points to .348 with eight hits in 30 times at bat. Gladstone, however, managed to bat in six runs to end up with 93 RBI's for his 87 games.
GOOD YEAR
Veteran Chalie Mead of Calgary took over the lead in runs batted in wih 114, two more than driven in my Wellman. Mead also held the top spot in total bases (281), runs scored (123) and home runs (31) with the last two days of the season not counted.
Individual batting — Players batting over .300
                       AB   R   H RBI Pct.
Williams, Lew ....... 239  51  88  63 .386
Weaver, Edm ......... 439  80 156 101 .355
McNulty, Edm ......... 85  17  31  21 .353
Warren, TC .......... 433  74 152  97 .351
Wellman, Yak ........ 423  85 148 112 .350
Gladstone, Vic ...... 310  72 108  83 .348
Storey, Van ......... 492  57 169  85 .343
Deyo, Sal ........... 463  75 155  87 .335
Palys, Spo .......... 468 102 156  92 .333
Witherspoon, Sal .... 399  72 132  71 .331
Noren, Yak .......... 571  89 187  75 .327
Pries, Vic .......... 509 101 165  77 .324
Stathos, Cal ........ 505  93 163  74 .323
Mead, Cal ........... 489 123 158 114 .323
Bricker, Cal ........ 393  63 127  78 .323
Luby, Sal ........... 307  64  99  42 .322
Command, Spo ........ 531  89 170  95 .320
McCormick, Wen ...... 279  49  89  49 .319
Prentice, Edm ....... 310  37  97  51 .313
Buccola, TC ......... 518 111 162  54 .312
Hafey, Spo .......... 486  87 150 103 .390
Wilson, Lew ......... 486  76 150  95 .309
Skurski, Edm ........ 490  96 151  82 .308
Vanni, TC ........... 397  67 122  67 .307
Cameron, Lew ........ 363  69 111  75 .306
Richardson, Lew ..... 440 100 134 102 .305
Garay, Yak .......... 169  29  51  18 .302
Martin, Vic ......... 415  55 124  74 .299
Helbig, Vic ......... 331  59  99  77 .299

Pitching Records — Pitchers in 135 of more innings rated according to ERA
                     W  L  Pct. ERA
Fletcher, Van ..... 16 13 .552 3.05
Conant, Edm ....... 24 12 .667 3.09
Hernandez, Van .... 17 10 .630 3.15
McNulty, Edm ...... 17  7 .708 3.16
Franks, Spo ....... 13 13 .500 3.20
Nicholas, Sal ..... 23  7 .767 3.21
Myers, Van ........ 11  8 .579 3.29
Dahle, Sal ......... 6 10 .375 3.35
Bowman, Wen ........ 8  9 .471 3.40
Roenspie, Sal ..... 18  4 .818 3.43
Tisnerat, Edm ..... 12  7 .632 3.45

Saturday, September 5, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 40 28 .588 —
Spokane ..... 43 31 .581 —
Yakima ...... 37 32 .536 3½
Salem ....... 38 33 .535 3½
Vancouver ... 40 35 .533 3½
Edmonton .... 36 33 .522 5½
Calgary ..... 32 37 .464 8½
Tri-City .... 31 40 .437 10½
Wenatchee ... 29 39 .426 11
Victoria .... 28 44 .389 14


LEWISTON, Sept. 5—Pitching before the largest crowd in Lewiston’s organised baseball history, 3,035, Russ Butler turned in a perfect game tonight, when he blanked the Spokane Indians 4-0.
The win put the Broncs .007 percentage points ahead of the Indians in first place in the Western International League.
Only five fair balls were hit to the outfield off the 25-year-old right-hander. Two of the blows, by Stan Palys and Jimmy Brown in the eighth inning, were hauled down after long runs by Al Heist and Mel Wasley.
Butler struck out 11.
The Broncs picked up 10 hits against starter Bill Franks and reliever Bill Nemes, scoring two runs in the first inning and single tallies in the third and fifth frames.
It is believed to be the first perfect game in all of baseball this season.
The no-hitter was the first by a Lewiston pitcher in the club’s two-year history in the WIL. The gem also was the eleventh win against ten losses for Butler, who was selected as the No. 1 rookie in the Pioneer League in 1952, when he won 21 games for Pocatello.
Butler is the property of the St. Louis Browns.
The Broncs now lead 2-1 in the crucial series and the two teams will meet Sunday for the clincher in their rivalry.
Spokane ............ 000 000 000—0 0 0
Lewiston ........... 201 010 00x—4 10 9
Franks, Nemes (3) and Sheets; Butler and Garay.

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee poured five runs across the plate in the eighth inning to defeat Yakima 6-1 in a Western International League baseball game Saturday night.
Yakima ............. 001 000 000—1 6 1
Wenatchee ....... 001 000 05x—6 6 1
Rios and Albini; Bowman and Bartolomei.

CALGARY, Alta. — The Salem Senators gained a split of Saturday's doubleheader in their Western International League baseball series in Calgary by trimming the Calgary Stampeders 9-1 in the nightcap. Calgary took the first fame 11-6.
First Game
Salem ........... 121 200 111—9 18 1
Calgary ......... 000 000 100—1 7 6
Nicholas and Nelson; Schultz and Lillard.
Second Game
Salem ............ 002 020 011— 6 12 1
Calgary .......... 310 070 00x—11 13 0
Roenspie, Borst (3), Hemphill (6) and Nelson; Orrell and Lillard.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos wound up their home appearance of the 1953 Western International Baseball League campaign Saturday with a clean sweep of a daylight doubleheader with the Tri-City Braves. Edmonton took the first game 3-2 and the second 3-1.
Andy Skurski posted a six-for-six performance for the winners, in addition to stealing his 33rd and 34th bases.
First Game
Tri-City ............... 121 000 0—4 8 1
Edmonton ............ 000 300 x—3 4 0
Robertson and Warren; Conant and Morgan.
Second Game
Tri-City .............. 100 000 000—1 10 0
Edmonton ........... 030 000 00x—3 8 0
Bloom and Pesut; McNulty and Morgan.

VICTORIA [Doug Peden, Colonist, Sept. 6]—Despite the urgent appeal by officials of the Victoria Tyees for an average attendance of 2,000 for each of the Tyees’ final four games at Royal Athletic Park in order to meet salary commitments, only 2,601 spectators bought tickets for the four “payroll” games.
Saturday’s double-header, which officials had counted upon to produce a big turnout, attracted 582 paying customers for the afternoon game and 687 for the night contest.
PAYROLL MET
Although declining to make a definite statement regarding future plans for the local WIL club, business manager Reg Patterson disclosed Saturday night that enough money had been obtained to meet the players’ salaries.
While preferring that any official announcement come from club-president Arthur Cox, who could not be reached for comment Saturday night, Patterson did say “I do not think Victoria will be without baseball next year.”
CAPS NO HELP
The Vancouver Capilanos, along with baseball fans, refused to co-operate in making the Tyees’ final home series a successful one, completing a sweep of a four-game series by taking both ends of Saturday’s twin bill. The results gave Vancouver a record of 16 victories in their 26 meetings with the Tyees this season.
Pete Hernandez picked up his 17th win in 27 decisions with a four-hit, 9-1 triumph over the Tyees in the afternoon and Rod MacKay won out over Bill Prior, 2-0, when the Victoria defence collapsed in the ninth inning of the nightcap.
Harvey Storey, leading off for the Caps in the ninth, gained credit for a double when outfielders Granny Gladstone and Dwane Helbig allowed his fly ball to drop between them. Nick Castas [was] sent in to run for Storey and scored when the next batter, Gene Petralli, lined a single to right. Errors by Milt Martin and Lu Branham gave the Capilanos their insurance runs.
SUPPORT BAD
Bill Bottler took the loss in the afternoon contest, giving up 14 hits as he went all the way in taking his 14th loss in 24 decisions. Although hit hard, Bottler was the victim of shoddy fielding that gave the winners four unearned runs.
Hernandez lost his shutout in the seventh inning when he threw wide past second base in an attempt for a double play after catching Dwane Helbig’s liner. Don Pries, who had opened up the inning with a double, sprinted across the plate on the error.
The Tyees wind up their season with a three-game series in Lewiston, playing two games Monday night and a single contest Tuesday.
First Game
Vancouver ............ 202 010 202—9 14 3
Victoria ................ 000 000 100—1 4 5
Hernandez and Duretto, Leavitt (8); Bottler and Harford.
Second Game
Vancouver ............ 000 000 002—2 9 1
Victoria ................ 000 000 000—0 11 3
MacKay and Duretto; Prior and Martin.

Spokane Pitcher Fails to Duck, Badly Winged
LEWISTON, Sept. 5—The Western International League Spokane Indians lost the service of their top relief pitcher John Cordell for the remainder of the 1953 season.
Manager Don Osborn announced today that the veteran left-hander was suffering from a cracked bone in his left leg.
Cordell was hit on the leg with a batted ball Thursday during the current Lewiston-Spokane series.
Cordell had won nine and lost seven.

Friday, September 4, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 43 30 .589 —
Lewiston .... 39 28 .582 1
Yakima ...... 37 31 .544 3½
Salem ....... 37 32 .536 4
Vancouver ... 38 35 .521 5
Edmonton .... 34 33 .507 6
Calgary ..... 31 36 .483 9
Tri-City .... 31 38 .449 10
Wenatchee ... 28 39 .418 12
Victoria .... 28 42 .400 13½


LEWISTON, Idaho — Lewiston's versatile manager Bill Brenner pitched the victory and hit a three-run homer as the Broncs rolled past Spokane 9-3 Friday night to the battle between the two teams for the Western International League second half pennant.
The win pulled Lewiston up just one game behind the pace-setting Indians.
Spokane held a 3-0 lead after three innings but the versatile Lewiston manager blanked the losers the rest of the way.
The Broncs' scoring began in the fourth with five runs on a single, triple, a walk and an error and Bob Williams' two-run homer.
Brenner's over-the-fence hit came in the sixth after Artie Wilson and Ed Garay had singled. Garay was the leading hitter of the night with a single, double and triple in four trips to the plate. Brenner moves to 21 and 10 witn the win. Spokane starter Jack Spring was the loser.
Spokane ...... 102 000 000—3 10 1
Lewiston ..... 000 503 01x—9 9 2
Spring, New (6) and Sheets; Perez, Brenner (3) and Garay.

CALGARY, Alta. — Home runs proved the difference Friday night as the Calgary Stampeders edged the Salem Senators 4-3 in a Western International Baseball League game.
Jim Wert connected for a two-run homer in the second inning to give the Stamps a 2-1 lead and Don Bricker broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth with a similar blow.
The Senators earned single runs in the second, fifth and eighth innings.
Eddie Kapp claimed the victory, his ninth of the season. He scattered eight hits, struck out two and walked three.
Southpaw Bob Collins was tagged with the loss. He allowed Calgary eight hits.
Salem ............ 010 010 010—3 8 2
Calgary .......... 020 002 00x—4 8 0
Collins and Nelson; Kapp and Lillard.

WENATCHEE — Yakima defeated Wenatchee, 9-8, in a Western International League baseball game in which not a runner who scored for the winners reached base on a hit. All were walked.
Herman Lewis cracked a two-run double in the ninth to bring across the tying and winning runs.
Prior to that Wenatchee had jumped out in front with three runs in both the first and second innings only to have Yakima tie it up with one in the second and five in the third.
Two Wenatchee pitchers walked a total of 13 batters. Jake Helmuth hit his 13th homer of the season for the losers, with two men aboard in the first inning.
Yakima ........... 015 000 012—9 8 1
Wenatchee ..... 330 001 010—8 12 0
Townsend, Rial (8) and Albini; Beamon, De Carolis (3) and Bartolomei.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 5]—Clarence Marshall, the Bellingham, Washington, wild man, forgot to live up to his reputation at Royal Athletic Park Friday night, walking only five batters as he tossed a four-hitter at Victoria Tyees in leading the Vancouver Capilanos to a 6-1 WIL triumph.
A pair of former Victoria players gave Marshall a big boost in racking up his second win since coming to the Caps from the Pacific Coast League. Shortstop Jim Clark stroked two doubles and scored twice and outfielder Gale Taylor drove in two runs on three singlesin four trips to the plate.
ONLY 685 FANS
Only 685 fans—a slight increase over the previous night—paid their way into the park on Friday. Marshall, a three-time loser whose only other victory came on a no-hitter, allowed just two Tyees to reach third base. Lu Branham made it in the first inning on a base on balls, an error and a wild pitch and Milt Martin tripling to reach there in the seventh. Martin scored the Tyee run as the next batter, Jim Harford, grounded out.
DRILLING GOES ROUTE
Bob Drilling, who had beaten the Capilanos in three successive starts and scored shutouts in the last two, went all the way for the Tyees, giving up15 hits as he took his 17th defeat, compared with 14 wins.
Harvey Storey ended the Tyee righthander’s skein of scoreless innings against Vancouver at 21 when he belted a home run in the fourth inning to start the visitors on their way to their 14th triumph in 24 meetings with Victoria this season.
Vancouver ....... 000 112 110—6 15 1
Victoria ........... 000 000 100—1 4 1
Marshall and Duretto; Drilling and Harford.

Tri-City at Edmonton, doubleheader, postponed, rain.

Time Short For Tyees
Fate of Baseball Rests with Fans

BY DOUG PEDEN
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 5, 1953]
The hour is late, but not too late!
Tonight at Royal Athletic Park, the clock runs out on professional baseball in Victoria for 1953, and perhaps for all time.
If, when it strikes its last chime, it rings down the final curtain on the Victoria Tyees, it will be the city’s sports fans who struck the death knell.
SIMPLE REMEDY
The remedy to keep the ailing Tyees alive is a simple one, yet it needs widespread co-operation from the public and it needs to be administered today. An oversize dose of fan support at each of today’s games with Vancouver’s Capilanos could still provide sufficient stimulus to keep baseball breathing.
Directors of the Tyees had asked for an attendance of 2,000 for each of the club’s last four games in order to enable the management to meet payroll commitments and to give assurance that Victorians want to be able to watch baseball in the future.
DON’T TURN OUT
It is hardly seemed too much to ask for a sport which has provided so much recreation and entertainment in recent years and to save the city from the inevitable loss of prestige which will result if the Tyees go under, yet only a fraction of the necessary number turned out for the first two games.
Valuable though it is from a recreational standpoint, professional baseball means more than that to city residents. It means publicity and increased business through the influx of home and visiting club players and from the visits of Up-Island fans.
It provides a goal for junior and Little League players, encouraging them to expend their energy in a beneficial manner with the knowledge that they may someday wear a Tyee uniform, even as Bill Prior, Berlyn Hodges and Jim Harford have done this season.
OPERATE NEXT YEAR
Despite apparent financial difficulties elsewhere throughout the Western International League, there is little doubt but what there will be a circuit again next year. Teams may change and franchises may be shifted, but the league will almost assuredly survive, for many franchises—among them Victoria—are too valuable to lose in view of future possibilities. The question is whether or not the Tyees will be in it.
True, the Tyees have not had a happy season, finishing in seventh place during the first half of the WIL schedule and currently holding down last place in the second-half chase. Still, they romped home in front last year and may do it again in1954 if given a chance. Last place is inescapable for one team in any league, this time it was the Tyees.
MANY MISFORTUNES
The club appeared destined for better things before a succession of misfortunes combined to thwart all efforts by the Tyee management to give Victorians a first-division club.
An illness that has kept Manager Cec Garriott under doctor’s care for the better part of the season, robbing the club of the full advantage of his dynamic leadership which played such a big part in their 1952 success, was perhaps the most damaging stroke of ill-luck.
There were many more. Ben Lorino’s failure to report and a winter injury to Jim Clark’s hand which kept the dexterous shortstop out of action for a considerable time, the loss of pitchers Don Hopp and Frank Chase to the U.S. army and injuries to key players were only some of the things which buffeted the Tyees. But, to the credit of both players and management, they never quit trying.
DESERVE SUPPORT
Victoria’s Tyees deserved a better break that they received from Lady Luck and their fans. The only thing left for them is a hearty vote of confidence that their efforts were not entirely unappreciated.
Let’s all go out to the ball games today. The first one starts at 2:30 and the second one at 8 p.m.

Thursday, September 3, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 43 29 .597 —
Lewiston .... 38 28 .576 2
Salem ....... 37 31 .544 4
Yakima ...... 36 31 .537 4½
Vancouver ... 37 35 .514 6
Edmonton .... 34 33 .507 6½
Calgary ..... 30 36 .455 10
Tri-City .... 31 38 .449 10½
Wenatchee ... 28 38 .421 11½
Victoria .... 28 41 .406 13½


LEWISTON, Idaho — The Spokane Indians had to fight it out through 12 innings before downing the Lewiston Broncs 9-6 Thursday in their neck-and-neck race down the final stretch of the Western International League second half.
The win moved the Indians two full games ahead of Lewiston.
Stan Palys knocked home the winning run with no men out in the top of the 12th frame, sending home Wilbur Johnson, who had singled and advanced to third on Jim Command's single. Command was put out on the play and Will Haley came up next to provide two insurance runs with a homer.
Al Heist had tied the score in the bottom of the ninth frame with the longest home run ever hit in the Lewiston park. It easily cleared the 405-foot sign directly opposite home plate.
Hafey also homered for Spokane in the fourth with one man on base.
Lefthander John Cordell picked up the win in relief of Ralph Romero, despite working the last several innings after being hit on the leg with a line drive.
John Marshall suffered the loss, his 11th in 32 decisions.
2,663 fans turned out, believed to be a new park high.
Spokane ........... 010 004 001 003—9 13 2
Lewiston .......... 010 200 102 000—6 12 1
Romero, Cordell (7) and Sheets; Kime, Marshall (6) and Garay.

CALGARY, Alta. — The Salem Senators opened a Western International League baseball series on a victorious note here Thursday night as they downed the Calgary Stampeders 9-6.
Trailing 2-0 at the end of three innings, Senators took the lead with three runs in the fourth and then easily extended their margin.
Jerry Ballard and Les Witherspoon homered for Salem. Both came with nobody on. Bob Bonebrake homered with one aboard for Stamps in the bottom of the ninth.
Dave Dahle spaced 13 hits to pick up the victory.
Salem ........ 000 321 120—9 9 1
Calgary ..... 020 000 013—6 13 4
Dahle and Nelson; Hittner, Francis (8) and Bricker.

WENATCHEE — Yakima defeated Wenatchee, 5-1, Thursday night behind the five-hit pitching of southpaw Tom Del Sarto in a Western International League baseball game.
Yakima .............. 022 010 000—5 7 1
Wenatchee ........ 001 000 000—1 5 0
Del Sarto and Albini; Oubre, Monroe and Albini.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 4]—Victoria’s first “Payroll Night” baseball game turned out to be a flop.
Despite urgent pleas from club officials for an average attendance of 2,000 fans for the last home series, only 647 paying customers showed up at Royal Athletic Park last night as Victoria Tyees opened a four-game series against the Vancouver Capilanos.
THREE MORE
Disappointed club officials, who warned that a huge attendance increase was necessary to meet the club’s final payroll and thereby ensure continuation of professional baseball next season, could only hope that fans will rally for improved support in the remaining three games—tonight, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening.
To make matters worse, the Capilanos stood off several Tyee attempts to pull the game out of the fire and walked off the field with a 5-4 decision.
It was the 11th time this season that the two clubs had played to a one-run decision. The Tyees have won six of the close ones but lag, 10-13, for the season against Harvey Storey’s club.
SNAP STEAK AT 28
The Tyees started the game with a record of 27 scoreless innings of pitching against the Caps. Earl Dollins blanked them in the first inning but Gene Petralli brought the streak to an end at 28 innings when his lead-off home run in the second inning sparked a three-run rally. K. Chorlton scored the other runs with a double to overcome a 2-0 Victoria lead set up in the first inning. Tyees tied it in the third but two singles and errors by Dollins and centre-fielder Bill Bottler gave the Mainlanders two runs in the fourth.
Dollins shut the door from there and his opposing number, Van Fletcher, was unbeatable from the third to the ninth, when the Tyees pushed across one run and left the tying and winning runs on the bags as Granny Gladstone grounded to Fletcher for the game-ending out.
PAIR RECALLED
Business-manager Reg Patterson announced after the game that Gladstone and Bottler would report to the Portland Beavers at the conclusion of the home stand and that outfielders Bob Moniz and Dwane Helbig will report to the Coast League club for spring training next season.
The Tyees wind up the season with a three-game series at Lewiston next week.
Vancouver ......... 030 100 001—5 9 0
Victoria ............. 201 000 001—4 11 4
Fletcher and Duretto; Dollins and Martin.

EDMONTON, Alta. — The Edmonton Eskimos were double losers Thursday night when they dropped an 11-3 decision to the Tri-City Braves in the first of a four-game Western International Baseball League series.
Esks also lost the service of playing manager Bob Sturgeon when he suffered a broken left arm in a first base collision with Vic Buccola. Sturgeon was sideswiped in the fourth inning after retiring Buccola on a sacrifice.
Three Edmonton pitchers failed to hold the Braves in check. Jack Widner went out for Larry Manier in the third inning and Manier was relieved by Pat Utley in a five-run ninth inning.
Terry Carroll led Braves with three hits in six trips. Clint Weaver hit 3 for 4 to lend Esks.
The win was Bob Snyder's, his 15th of the season against 18 losses. Paid attendance was 607.
Tri-City ............. 004 101 003—11 11 1
Edmonton .......... 002 000 001— 3 8 2
Snyder and Warren; Widner, Manier (3), Utley (9) and Morgan.

Wednesday, September 2, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 42 29 .592 —
Lewiston .... 38 27 .585 1
Salem ....... 36 31 .537 4
Yakima ...... 35 31 .530 4½
Edmonton .... 34 32 .515 5½
Vancouver ... 36 35 .507 6
Calgary ..... 30 35 .462 8
Tri-City .... 30 38 .441 10½
Wenatchee ... 28 37 .431 11
Victoria .... 28 40 .412 12½


SPOKANE—Spokane Indians blanked Wenatchee 9-0 Wednesday night behind the four-hit pitching of Art Worth to regain the lead in the Western International League and take a 2-1 triumph in their series with the Chiefs.
Two home runs by Stan Palys accounted for the Indians' first run in the second inning and their last three tallies in the eighth.
Spokane tagged Wenatchee starter Rich Botelho and Frank DeCarolis, who relieved him in the eighth, for 11 hits and six walks. Worth struck out 11 Chiefs, while walking only five.
Wenatchee threatened only once in the third inning, when an error sent Ross McCormack to first, and Mike McCormick and Harry Bartolomei got on a walk and a hit.
Spokane moves to Lewiston Thursday for a crucial four-game series with the second-place Broncs.
Second baseman Jim Brown, chosen the most valuable Spokane player by the local writers, received numerous gifts during the contest.
Wenatchee ........ 000 000 000—0 4 1
Spokane ............ 010 003 23x—9 11 4
Bothelo, DeCarolis (3) and Bartolomei; Worth and Sheets.

VANCOUVER [Clancy Loranger, Province, Sept. 3]—It’s been a long wait between visits, but for Vancouver fans at least, Lewiston Broncs’ stay here was one of the most interesting and enjoyable of the season.
Bill Brenner and his crew, who hadn’t been here since April, would probably just as soon have skipped this trip. Fighting for the pennant, the Broncs ran into a Capilano team that was bouncing back after a sad losing streak, and after three losses in four tries, will have to win their flag the hard way, if they win it.
But, even in the losing, the Broncs gave the folks something to holler about, or at least at. In splitting Wednesday night’s doubleheader, Brenner and Co. kept the paying customers off their hands all the way.
10TH FOR PETE
Showing the way in the color department was John Marshall, the extroverted pitcher who once toiled, not too successfully, for Vancouver. John has learned considerable about pitching since those days, and last night in the nightcap was trying for his twenty-second victory of the season.
He didn’t make it, as he got a little mad, and when he gets mad he tries to throw the ball past the hitters. In three separate innings, he wasn’t too successful in that regard, the Caps putting together three hits in the fourth, fifth and seventh frames to pile up enough runs for Pete Hernandez, who had pretty good stuff but was wild. Hernandez recorded his sixteenth win.
BRENNER IN CHARGE
Bill Brenner was the story in the first game, which saw the Broncs pick up their only win here. Bill, who scored victory number 20, at one stage retired 14 straight as he allowed just five hits.
And just to make sure that things wouldn’t get dull, his pitching opposition was Dick Barrett, once the scourge of the Coast League. Dick, at 46, is a trifle fat, but he’s still somewhat cute, and he was far from disgraced by the loss.
Of the seven hits he allowed before giving way for a pinch hitter in the sixth, four were of the infield variety, and Dick gave a pretty good lesson in what to do when you’re in trouble. [He also allowed four walks before being replaced by Carl Gunnarson.]
Tonight the Caps go to Victoria, where they play four games in their second-last series of the year. The Caps finish at home, with doubleheaders on Monday (Labor Day) and Tuesday against the Wenatchee Chiefs.
PROVINCE STARS – Bill Brenner, who’s still making pitching look like he invented it … K Chorlton, who does the same with his fielding in the middle garden and also tossed in a tremendous triple in the nightcap … And little Jack Bukowatz, who contributed three hits for the second straight night.
First Game
Lewiston .............. 100 002 1—4 6 0
Vancouver ........... 000 001 0—1 5 1
Brenner and Garay; Barrett, Gunnarson (7) and Duretto.
Second Game
Lewiston .............. 003 000 020—5 7 2
Vancouver ........... 000 221 10x—6 10 1
Marshall, Brenner (8) and Garay; Hernandez and Duretto.

EDMONTON — Home runs by Whitey Thomson and Clint Weaver Wednesday night gave Edmonton Eskimos a clean sweep of their three-game Western International baseball League series with the Salem Senators as they edged Salem 8-7.
Paid attendance was 587.
Thomson broke a 6-6 tie with two out in the eighth inning by slamming one over the wall for two runs. Salem manager Hugh Luby protested it went foul.
Weaver hit a four-run homer in the third inning for Edmonton after Salem had gone ahead 6-0.
After going the route in all of his previous 22 victories, John Conant required help from Ray McNulty to win the game after the Senators had scored once. Conant lasted eight and two-thirds innings in hid duel with Joe Nicholas, another 22-game winner, before McNulty came in to fan Jerry Ballard for the final out. Conant is now 23-12.
Salem ............. 015 000 001—7 14 0
Edmonton ....... 004 200 02x—8 6 1
Borst, Nicholas (4) and Nelson; Conant, McNulty (9) and Morgan.

CALGARY — Tri-City Braves swept their Western International Baseball League doubleheader with Calgary Stampeders Wednesday, winning 5-2 and 8-6.
First Game
Tri-City ......... 023 000 0—5 6 2
Calgary ......... 000 200 0—2 5 3
Robertson and Pesut; Levinson and Bricker.
Second Game
Tri-City ......... 303 020 000—8 11 1
Calgary ......... 301 200 000—6 16 1
Bloom, Dobernic (9) and Warren; Stites and Bricker.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 3]—Yakima Bears, sparked by the three-hit pitching of Ted Edmunds, ended this season’s hostilities against Victoria by scoring a 9-1 victory over the Tyees at Royal Athletic Park Wednesday night.
Edmunds exhibited little of the wildness that has often curtailed his effectiveness this season as he earned the victory that gave him a record of seven wins and six losses and which gave Yakima its 13th victory in 17 meetings with the Tyees this season. The Yakima right-hander walked three batters, hit one and set 11 down on strikes.
PRIOR BEATEN
Bill Prior suffered his fourth defeat at the hands of the Bears and his 15th of the season as he toiled eight innings for the Tyees. Although victim of errors that led to four unearned tallies, Prior was hit hard and gave up 13 hits and six runs before going out for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Bob Wellman, hitless in eight previous trips to the plate, smashed his 26th home run in the seventh inning for the first earned run off Prior, giving the winners a 4-0 lead. Three hits and an error accounted for two more runs in the eighth and Zeb Walker yielded four safeties and three runs while pitching the ninth.
Bob Moniz, with two doubles, and Dwane Helbig, with a single, connected for the only hits off Edmunds. Moniz barely missed a home run with a blow off the fence in the third but he scored the lone Victoria run after doubling to open the eighth.
“CRUCIAL” SERIES
The Tyees, opening their final home series of the season with a single game against Vancouver Capilanos at Athletic Park tonight, will be seeking to extend their skein of 28 scoreless innings over their Mainland rivals, while club officials will be hoping for at leat 2,000 fans for the first of four “payroll” games.
In a statement on Tuesday, Tyee president Arthur Cox stated that 2,000 admission must be sold for each of the four games with Vancouver in order that the Victoria cub could meet payroll commitments and to ensure WIL baseball here next season.
Yakima ............ 012 000 123—9 17 0
Victoria ........... 000 000 010—1 3 4
Edmunds and Albini; Prior, Walker (9) and Harford.

Brown Calls League Meeting In An Attempt to Solve Woes
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 3, 1953]
With cries for financial help rising all around him, WIL president Bob Brown Wednesday called an early meeting to discuss the league’s mounting worries and woes.
Club officials will gather Sept. 26 in Yakima to decide whether the WIL in 1953 [sic] will be a 10-team loop, as at present, an eight (which seems more likely), or something else entirely.
At least one club official, President Paul Thomas of Wenatchee, has suggested an entirely new set up. He was quoted yesterday as favoring a plan that would have Wenatchee, Yakima, Tri-City and Lewiston withdraw from the Class A WIL and form a Class C league, possibly with Walla Walla and Tacoma.
TACOMA NEXT?
Vancouver, Victoria, Spokane, Edmonton and Calgary, he suggested, could continue in Class A, picking up perhaps Great Falls or Billings, Montana.
Bob Brown doesn’t give this plan much chance of success. Tri-City and Lewiston have no great financial troubles, he says, and Salem already has money ready for next year’s operation.
Yakima, Spokane, Victoria and Vancouver have always been good franchises, and Edmonton has drawn well in its first year. And well-backed interests in Tacoma want to play Class A ball, not Class C, he says.
CALGARY SHAKY
Calgary is the league’s one franchise that’s really shaky. Brown is convinced the teams will refuse to play in Calgary’s bandbox ball park, and he can’t see the Stampeders back in the circuit unless they spend some money.
Fred Mercy at Yakima wants to get out, and so does Roy Hotchkiss at Spokane. But that doesn’t mean baseball’s finished there. But [unreadable few words].
One thing is certain: the Sept. 26 meeting won’t be dull.

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 3, 1953]
Around the WIL is the rumor that Victoria Tyees either have had the promise of financial aid or have found a buyer for next year. Don (Edmonton Journal) Fleming ran into the rumor in Salem and reported that “Victoria’s plight appears to have lessened with the news that a wealthy man and his associates have been scouting the situation with the intention of investing heavily.”
Asked about Fleming’s quote, business-manager Reg Patterson, busy trying to scrape together enough money to meet the Tyees’ final 1953 payroll, only scoffed. “Wish it was true,” was the essence of his response as he denied any knowledge of possible sale or financial help.
Despite the denial, however, there have been recent indications that something is in the wind as regards the Tyees. How else can one account for the rather incompatible statements attributed to club officials Tuesday?
First of all, Patterson was quoted Tuesday afternoon as stating “We’ll be back in ’54—if there is a league.” On another page in the same publication, club-president Arthur Cox was reported as stating it would be “impossible” to keep baseball here unless the club averaged 2,000 fans a game for its remaining home games.
Patterson denied making a statement that the Tyees would definitely be back but the second statement was borne out by a press release over the signature of Cox which said in part “…and it is necessary to have 2,000 fans at each game to meet this payroll. If we are to keep baseball next season, it is necessary that all salaries be paid.”
Tuesday night the Tyees drew only about 300 fans instead of the 2,000 said necessary. Following the game, Cox is reported as saying “We intend to start working on next year’s club immediately following the conclusion of the season.”
The apparent assurance could hardly have come from the first-night response to pleas for 2,000 fans a game. I think I can be excused for wondering just what is up.
Random Harvest
John Ducey, business-manager of the Edmonton Eskimos of the WIL, has made it clear that his club will oppose the continuation of Calgary Stampeders in the league unless Calgary is able to get a new park or suitably renovate what has passed for a park this season … Ducey has also plumped for Lethbridge as a WIL possibility in case another city is needed. And there are recurring rumors that Tacoma will seek to re-enter the league and that Eugene, Oregon, is still anxious to get a franchise.

Tuesday, September 1, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 37 26 .587 ½
Spokane ..... 41 29 .586 —
Salem ....... 36 30 .545 2½
Yakima ...... 34 31 .523 4
Edmonton .... 33 32 .508 5
Vancouver ... 35 34 .507 5
Calgary ..... 30 33 .476 7
Wenatchee ... 28 36 .433 9½
Tri-City .... 28 38 .421 11½
Victoria .... 28 39 .418 12


VANCOUVER — Lonnie Myers bowed out of the Western International League with a flourish Tuesday night, holding the Lewiston Broncs to one run as the Vancouver Capilanos came through with a 3-1 win.
Myers was sold to the Seattle Rainiers Monday and will report to the Pacific Coast League club Thursday.
He got into the hole in the first inning by giving up four hits, but escaped with only one run when he mates pulled off a twin-killing. The Broncs managed only three hits over the next eight innings.
Seattle owned Myers' contract until this spring, when he was sold to Vancouver. But his fastball, described as "major league," has drawn attention from visiting major league scouts. Apparently, Seattle has decided to take advantage of its "first choice."
- - -
VANCOUVER [Clancy Loranger, Province, Sept. 2]—Lewiston Broncs haven’t had too much trouble with the Capilanos this season—until now. “Now” happens to be a very embarrassing time for Bill Brenner and Co. to be losing, just when they’re head and head with Spokane Indians in the WIL’s second-half home stretch.
The Broncs will have to take both ends of tonight’s double-header of they’re to get out of town with an even break in their four-game stand here.
TWO STRAIGHT
The Caps, bouncing back from their recent eight-game losing streak that all but finished their own second-half flag chances, are playing the way they’re supposed to play again. They made it two straight over Lewiston Tuesday at Cap Stadium as Lonnie Myers matched Bob Roberts’ previous night performance before reporting to Seattle Rainiers.
He didn’t match it exactly, because he didn’t look nearly as good as Roberts did. His fast ball and curve weren’t at their sharpest, but they were good enough to give him his 11th win against eight losses for the season.
Lonnie got a couple of breaks, too. With two out and a man on first in the third inning, Caps’ Jack Bukowatz attempted a bunt. Lewiston pitcher Russ Butler fielded the ball, then threw wild to first, the runners advancing to third and second.
Then, with two strikes on him, Bob Duretto swung, and most everyone in the park thought he’d missed the third strike. But apparently he had tipped the ball, and he got a “life”. Bob whacked the next one sharply to right field for a single that scored two runs—the winning margin.
EXCITEMENT TONIGHT
Tonight’s twin bill promises to be one of the season’s most interesting. Brenner is going all out to get that even split, and he’s pitching his two aces—one of whom happens to be Bill Brenner.
Bill, who has 19 wins this year, will oppose Dick Barrett in the seven-inning opener. John Marshall, a 21-game winner to date, will square off against Pete Hernandez (15-10) in the nightcap.
PROVINCE STARS – Lonnie Myers, who gave up four first-inning hits, and just three thereafter … Harvey Storey, who broke out of his slump with two hits, and threw out a Lewiston runner the hard way—from a sitting position … And Russ Butler, who lost a toughie.
Lewiston .......... 100 000 000—1 7 1
Vancouver ........ 002 001 00x—3 8 1
Butler and Garay; Myers and Duretto.

SPOKANE, Wash. — A hitting spree that brought in four runs in the seventh inning gave the Wenatchee Chiefs a 5-3 Western International League baseball victory over Spokane Tuesday night.
Keith Bowman scattered 11 hits and left 11 runners stranded, as he pitched the distance for the winner.
Wenatchee ......... 000 001 400—5 12 1
Spokane ............. 100 000 101—3 11 1
Bowman and Bartolomei; Franks, New (7), Giovannoni (3), Romero (9) and Sheets.

EDMONTON — Sammy Kanelos led an Edmonton Eskimos comeback Tuesday night to nip Salem Senators 4-3 for Edmonton's second successive victory in a three-game Western International Baseball League series.
Paid attendance was 840.
With one out in the fourth inning, Kanelos blasted a homer over the right field wall for the first hit off Gene Roenspie who was bidding for his 19th win of the season since coming down from Sacramento in June. Kanelos' blast started Roenspie to his fourth loss.
Kanelos singled home another run in the sixth inning and in the eighth his resounding double scored pitcher Don Tisnerat with the winning run after he had singled.
Tisnerat blanked Salem through the last six innings in picking up the win. He was tagged for single runs, one a homer by Chuck Essegian in the second inning.
Salem ............. 111 000 000—3 9 2
Edmonton ....... 000 101 11x—4 7 4
Roenspie and Nelson; Tisnerat and Morgan.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 2]—Yakima Bears, probably the most troublesome club in the Western International League for Victoria this season, provided only a small problem for the Tyees at Royal Athletic Park Tuesday night, going down to a 14-4 defeat as the home club evened its three-game series at one game each.
Bill Bottler picked up his 10th win, as he pitched the victory that snapped a six-game winning streak which had boosted the Bears into fourth place, and gave the Tyees their fourth win in 16 meetings with the heavy-hitting Bears this year.
SUPPORT GOOD
Although giving up 11 hits, the Tyee righthander was tough in the clutches, and was aided by errorless support in his route-going performance. Bottler, who held the Bears’ siege gun, Bob Wellman, hitless in four trips, struck out eight and gave up only three bases on balls.
On the other hand, the Tyees connected for only nine hits against three Yakima pitches but received the benefit of 12 bases on balls, one hit batsman and two errors.
Danny Rios, starting for the Bears with a record of 18 wins and eight losses, was charged with six runs before he was relieved by Jack Rial with on one out [sic] in the third inning. Dwane Helbig’s single, four walks and a hit batsman gave the Tyees three runs in the second frame and they added three more in the next inning on the strength of three bases on balls, Milt Martin’s double and Bottler’s outfield fly to take a 6-1 lead.
TYEES KEEP ADDING
The Tyees picked up another in the fourth, two more in the seventh and finished up by scoring five times against Dick Young in the eighth. The Bears, who had opened the scoring with a single tally in the first inning, got their second in the fifth and their final two on John Albini’s double in the seventh.
Martin drove in four runs with a pir of doubles in four times at bat and Helbig, who had a perfect night, with three singles in three official appearances, scored four times.
Yakima ............. 100 010 200— 4 11 2
Victoria ............ 033 010 25x—14 9 0
Rios, Rial (3), Young (8) and Albini; Bottler and Harford.

Tri-City at Calgary, postponed, rain.

Rainiers Buy Vancouver Righthanders
SEATTLE, Sept. 1—Bob Roberts and Lonnie Myers, two of the top pitching prospects in the WIL, have been sold to Seattle Rainiers of the Coast League by the Vancouver Capilanos.
Roberts, with Spokane last season, was acquired from Calgary for $600 this season and immediately found his form in his new surroundings, compiling a 10-3 record for the Caps. Myers was sold by the Rainiers to the Caps last spring but when he drew the attention of major league stars, the Coast League team apparently decided to take advantage of its first choice arrangement with its farm club.

Mercy Offers Yakima Bears for Sale
UNDATED, Sept. 2—Wanta buy a baseball club?
Three of them may be up for grabs in the Class A Western International League when the 10-team loop, largest in organized baseball, rings down the curtain on the 1953 season next week.
This possibility developed Wednesday with the announcement by Frederick Mercy Jr., owner of the Yakima Bears, that he wants to retire from baseball and is ready to sell his players, franchise and equipment.
The Yakima capitalist said he wants to drop his baseball holdings because of conflict with his other extensive business interests.
Two Others on Block
The announcement followed statements by Victoria and Spokane club owners that they too are considering bowing out of the league. They blamed crippling gate losses.
Mercy's decision to retire from baseball was disclosed in a letter to the Yakima Daily Republic.
The letter said baseball is keeping Mercy from his business. But the newspaper said it was known he was disheartened by the failure of the community to respond to his effort to give Yakima a championship club.
Attendance has been low despite a last-half spurt that carried the Bears from the cellar to fourth place in the league standings.
The Republic, in reporting Mercy's decision to quit baseball, speculated on possible new owners of the Yakima franchise.The newspaper said there was a possibility that Dewey Soriano, general manager of the Vancouver Capilanos, might buy the Bears.Soriano was president and one-fourth owner along with Mercy and the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1949 and 1950. Three weeks ago, the Republic said, Soriano said he was "definitely interested" in returning to Yakima as the owner.
Victoria Crowds Down
Similar lack of interest on the part of the fans was blamed by Victoria and Spokane owners for their problems.
The situation at Victoria was described as critical. In its latest SOS, the club says a total of 8,000 persons must watch the final four home games of Victoria Tyees this week — or baseball likely won't be back next summer.
In fact, the club said, the Western International League team won't even be able to pay salaries on Saturday unless attendance improves.
A statement issued Tuesday by the Victoria Baseball and Athletic Co. president, Arthur Cox, said: "It is necessary to have 2,000 fans at each game to meet the payroll if we are to keep baseball next season and it is necessary that all salaries be paid."
Tyee home attendance this year has been approximately 52,000 against 106,000 last year. Revenue was not enough to pay operating expenses, let alone allow the club to buy additional players.
Several times during the 1953 season, players have accepted a portion of their salaries, leaving the balance until the club was in a position to meet commitments.
Indians, Chiefs in Trouble
Spokane's attendance troubles, however, did not result from a faltering team. The Indians are locked with Lewiston in a tight race for the second-half championship. Despite this, Roy Hotchkiss, owner of the Spokane club, said last week he did not expect to break even in 1953 and was giving serious thought to abandoning his franchise in the city that set a minor league attendance record in 1947.
Wenatchee also has acute troubles. Officials said the Chiefs are $10,000 in debt but that strong efforts will be made to squart accounts before the question of folding the franchise is considered.
President Paul Thomas said the sale of Wenatchee players' contracts, station wagons and other assets may eliminate the red ink.
"We want to do everything possible to keep baseball in Wenatchee," Thomas said.
Thomas endorsed a suggestion that the WIL drop down to class C level with possibly Wenatchee, Tri-City, Yakima, Lewiston, Walla Walla and Tacoma in a revamped circuit with a class A league possibly to contain Vancouver, Victoria, Spokane, Edmonton, Calgary and possibly Great Falls or Billings, Mont.

Monday, August 31, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 37 25 .597 ½
Spokane ..... 41 28 .594 —
Salem ....... 36 29 .554 2½
Yakima ...... 34 30 .531 4
Vancouver ... 34 34 .500 7
Edmonton .... 32 32 .500 6
Calgary ..... 30 33 .476 7½
Wenatchee ... 27 36 .429 10½
Tri-City .... 28 38 .421 11
Victoria .... 27 39 .409 12


CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders opened their final home stand of the Western International Baseball League on a victorious note Monday night, downing Tri-City Braves 4-7.
Tri-City ........... 120 002 200— 7 10 2
Calgary ........... 242 040 20x—14 16 2
Michelson, Stoffell (5) and Warren; Orrell and Bricker.

SPOKANE — Jack Spring collected his second straight shut-out and his third for the year as the Spokane Indians blanked the Wenatchee Chiefs 13 to 0 in their Western International League tilt Monday.
His previous win was over Calgary by an identical score.
Will Hafey backed Spring's six-hitter with two doubles, two singles and four RBIs, raising his season total to 103.
Wenatchee ........ 000 000 000— 0 6 2
Spokane ........... 501 000 06x—13 12 0
Monroe, Klein (1) and Bartolomei; Spring and Sheets.

EDMONTON — Ray McNulty pitched and batted the Edmonton Eskimos to a 6-1 victory Monday night over the Salem Senators in the opener of a three-game Western International Baseball League series here.
The game attracted 2,305 customers Monday night to bring Edmonton season's total to 89,506.
Rookie Salem outfielder Chuck Essegian batted his first home run in professional baseball in the seventh inning for his team's only run.
Salem .............. 000 000 100—1 6 1
Edmonton ........ 101 020 21x—6 12 2
Hemphill, Collins (5) and Nelson; McNulty and Morgan.

VANCOUVER [Sun, Sept. 1]—Tonight at Cap Stadium still another hurler will say goodbye from the mound. This time, it’ll be Lonnie Myers who will be tossing his last for Vancouver and the WIL
Robert Roberts pitched a four-hit farewell Monday night for Caps before starting on what he hopes will be a long climb up the baseball ladder.
Both boys are headed for Seattle Rainiers of the Coast League, where they will finish the season. Caps get cold, hard cash in return.
Roberts made his exit gracefully. He was in charge just about all the way as he hog-tied Lewiston’s bucking Broncos on just four hits.
Despite the face the hopes of ever catching up have faded from view, the students of Storey looked their sharp selves of a few weeks back when they were breathing down the necks of the leaders. Then, as we know, they just about stopped breathing.
The games from here on in may not mean too much to Caps. But they sure mean an awful lot to Broncs. Bill Brenner’s charges are in the middle of a hectic scramble for the pennant.
But they didn’t look like winners last night. Veteran Manny Perez didn’t have any fun at all on the mound. He had plenty of troubles. They started in the third when Bob Duretto doubled to score Gale Taylor and Jack Bukowatz.
Then in the fourth Caps made sure. A rash of three runs and Manny was on his way to the showers, to be relieved by Dean Kime.
Wednesday night, Kewpie Barrett will make his first mound start for Vancouver. The veteran tosser claims he still has plenty of that old stuff that made him the scourge of the Pacific Coast League.
- - -
VANCOUVER — Bob Roberts gave up hits to the first two batters Monday night then barred the door on the Lewiston Broncs as the Vancouver Capilanos rolled to a 6-2 Western International League win.
Lewiston ............. 100 000 001—2 4 1.
Vancouver .......... 002 300 10x—6 10 1.
Perez, Kime (5) and Garay; Roberts and Duretto.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 1]—If manager Walt Novick of the Yakima Bears had chosen to leave Bob Wellman at home while the Bears visited Victoria, the decision would undoubtedly have met with the full-hearted approval of the Victoria Tyees.
The husky six-footer who patrols left field for the Bears ruined a good bid by the Tyees to end a five-game Yakima win streak by smashing two home runs out of Royal Athletic Park Monday night to power the visitors to a 9-5 triumph over Victoria in the first game of their three-game WIL series.
“NIGHTS” PLANNED
The result left the Bears with a 12-3 advantage in their 15 meetings with the Tyees this season. The two clubs wind up their season’s hostilities with a “ladies’ night” contest tonight and a “family night” encounter Wednesday.
Wellman, although hitting below his season’s average with a .333 mark, gained from 13 hits in 39 trips to the plate during nine games at Athletic Park, has six homers in those nine games and driven in 18 runs.
Held hitless in his first three appearances by Bob Drilling, who took his 16th loss in another route-going performance, the Bears’ clean-up hitting broke a 5-5 tie with a bases-empty circuit smash in the seventh inning and made the result almost certain when he hit his second, with Len Noren on base, in the ninth. Gordon Hernandez singled in John Albini with the final Bear tally.
HAS WON 14
Drilling, winner of 14 games, gave up 15 hits and walked two while striking out six. Dick Young, coming to the rescue of starter Don Carter with two on and none out in the sixth inning, blanked the Tyees without a hit the rest of the way to pick up the victory.
Drilling allowed only a lost-in-the-sky double as he stopped the power-laden Bears over the first four frames. In the fifth double for one run [sic] and then went in front, 5-2, with four runs on five hits in the sixth.
The Tyees, who had scored twice in the second frame on singles by Granny Gladstone and Don Pries, a double by Dwane Helbig and Milt Martin’s fly, came back to tie it up in the bottom of the sixth on successive singles by Bob Moniz, Pries and Gladstone and Jim Harford’s foul pop-up to third base on which Gladstone scampered across the unprotected plate after the catch.
Yakima .......... 000 014 103—9 15 1
Victoria ......... 020 003 000—5 10 2
Carter, Young (6) and Albini; Drilling and Harford.

Sunday, August 30, 1953

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 37 24 .607 —
Spokane ..... 40 28 .586 ½
Salem ....... 36 28 .563 2½
Yakima ...... 33 30 .525 5
Vancouver ... 33 34 .493 7
Edmonton .... 31 32 .492 7
Calgary ..... 29 33 .468 8½
Wenatchee ... 27 35 .435 10½
Tri-City .... 28 37 .431 11
Victoria .... 27 38 .415 12


SPOKANE — The Spokane Indians were perfect hosts Sunday, booting away the second game of their split doubleheader with the Calgary Stampeders 8 to 7 after Calgary did the same in the afternoon game by bowing to Spokane 6 to 4, in Western International League play.
Spokane scored first in the evening game but fell behind after Calgary's four run effort in the fourth inning.
The Indians got back in the game in the eighth, scoring five runs on six hits, to go ahead 6 to 5.
Calgary bounced back with two runs in the ninth on a walk and a bunt—and two Spokane errors.
Spokane tied it up again in their half of the ninth but the Stampeders went ahead in the eleventh with a lone run to win the game.
The Calgary defence went to pieces in the opener as they booted three grounders in a row and then threw one away for their four errors, all in the seventh inning.
First Game
Calgary ............ 101 100 010—4 11 4
Spokane .......... 003 000 30x—6 8 1
Hittner, Stites (9) and Bricker; Giovannoni, Cordell (5) and Sheets.
Second Game
Calgary .............. 000 400 012 01—8 8 2
Spokane ............ 100 000 051 00—7 15 3
Kapp, Stites (10) and Lillard: Nemes, Cordell (9), Franks (10) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE — Tommy Munoz tripled Harry Bartolomei home with the winning run in the 13th inning Sunday night as Wenatchee shaded Tri-City 6-5 in the nightcap of a Western International League baseball doubleheader. The Chiefs also won the first game 1-0 for an even split in the four-game series.
First Game
Tri-City ............. 000 000 0—0 3 2
Wenatchee ........ 000 010 x—1 2 0
Bloom, Dobernic (6) and Warren; Beamon and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Tri-City ........... 002 010 110 000 0—5 17 1
Wenatchee ...... 500 000 000 000 1—6 11 5
Snyder and Pesut; Oubre, DeCarolis (8) ard Beamon (13) and Bartolomei.

SALEM — Salem, playing its last regular home game of the season, defeated Vancouver 4-3 in the nightcap of a Western International League doubleheader. The Caps won the opener 1-0.
First Game
Vancouver ........ 000 000 100—1 7 0
Salem .............. 000 000 000—0 8 0
Fletcher and Duretto; Dahle and Nelson.
Second Game
Vancouver ....... 200 000 1—3 4 1
Salem ............. 100 120 x—4 12 1
Hernandez and Leavitt; Nicholas, Borst (7) and Masterson.

YAKIMA — Yakima swept both ends of a Western International League doubleheader with Edmonton Sunday 11 to 4 in the first and 8 to 1 in the second.
Ted Edmunds allowed only two hits in the 7 inning second game. The right-hander struck out 11 with his fastball and walked three. He gave up one hit in the third, a single by Pat Utley, who scored on two successive walks and a fly to the outfield. The other hit came in the sixth when Clint Weaver singled to right.
A wild outburst of eight runs in the fourth inning gave the Bears their victory in the first game.
Edmonton made 14 hits, only one less than Yakima but they weren't spaced at the right time. Five errors didn't help either.
The Bears made six doubles and Len Noren got four out of five for the winners. Andy Skurski got tnree for five for Edmonton.
The Bears won the four-game series with Edmonton and also made it five straight, the longest run of the season for the valley boys.
First Game
Edmonton ........ 000 121 000— 4 14 5
Yakima ........... 000 820 10x—11 15 2
Conant, Caster (4) and St. George; Townsend and Albini.
Second Game
Edmonton ........ 011 000 0—1 2 3
Yakima ........... 011 204 x—8 8 0
Utley and St. George; Edmunds and Novick.