WIL Baseball — 1953

1953 Just About Done

2008-07-21T02:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T02:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T02:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T02:07:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T01:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T01:49:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T01:44:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-21T01:40:00.001-07:00

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.

Tuesday, September 8, 1953

2008-07-13T04:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:28:00.000-07:00

               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

2008-07-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:07:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Saturday, August 29, 1953

2008-07-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 37 24 .607 —
Spokane ..... 39 27 .591 ½
Salem ....... 35 27 .566 2½
Edmonton .... 31 30 .508 5
Yakima ...... 31 30 .508 5
Vancouver ... 32 33 .492 7
Calgary ..... 28 32 .467 8½
Tri-City .... 28 35 .444 10
Wenatchee ... 25 35 .417 11½
Victoria .... 27 38 .415 12

VICTORIA [Doug Peden, Colonist, Aug. 30]—John Marshall might never win a popularity poll among Victoria’s baseball fans but the veteran righthander with the thinning locks is one of the big reasons the Lewiston Broncs are leading the Western International League pack down the home stretch in the second-half schedule.
GETS NO. 21
Big John, starting the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park amid a chorus of jeers from many of the 650 paying customers, had the last laugh again. He blanked the Victoria Tyees on four hits and ambled off the field with his second win of the four-game series and his 21st of the season, after the Broncs had pounded out 11 hits for a 5-0 victory.
The Tyees had scored their only win of the series as they edged the Broncs, 5-4, in an 11-inning thriller during the afternoon. Bill Prior, who relieved starter Bill Bottler in the eighth, batted in the wining run to pick up his 14th win in 27 decisions, and hand manager Bill Brenner his 10th loss instead of his 20th victory.
WALK STARTS IT
Granny Gladstone started the winning rally in the 11th by drawing a base on balls. Dwane Helbig beat out a bunt for his third hit of the game and moved to second as Gladstone was cut down at third on Davis’ attempted sacrifice. Milt Martin skies out because Prior broke up the game with a liner to right centre.
Only two Tyees reached third base against Marshall in the night game, Bob Moniz getting that far in the first inning and Don Pries making it when the Tyees loaded the bases in the seventh. Davis had two of the four Victoria hits with Helbig and Pries each picking up one.
Kenny Richardson, Clint Cameron, Artie Wilson and Al Heist each connected for two hits against Earl Dollins, who went all the way for the Tyees, as he took his 12th loss. Richson and Cameron each batted in two runs while Heist had the only extra-base hit of the game—a double.
BEARS MONDAY
Yakima Bears move in at Athletic Park Monday night for the first game in a three-game series. A feature of Monday’s program will be the appearance of the 32-piece Western Command Air Force Band, which will be flown over from Vancouver to present a program between 7 and 8 p.m.
First Game
Lewiston ........... 000 001 030 00—4 5 1
Victoria ............. 012 010 000 01—5 13 2
Brenner and Garay; Bottler, Prior (8) and Martin.
Second Game
Lewiston .......... 102 000 002—5 11 0
Victoria ............ 000 000 000—0 4 2
Marshall and Garay; Dollins and Martin.

SPOKANE — Calgary, apparently liking the daylight, whalloped Spokane 9-2 Saturday afternoon for its first Western International League win in three starts against the Indians.
Calgary ............ 041 021 010—9 15 2
Spokane ........... 001 000 001—2 7 0
Levenson and Bricker; Franks, New (2), Romero (5) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE — Tri-City rammed across three runs in the ninth inning to defeat Wenatchee, 6-5, here Saturday night. It was the second game in a row that the Braves came through for a ninth-inning victory.
Jess Dobernic made his 44th mound appearance of the year for Tri-City and protected Dan Robertson's 13th victory.
Tri-City .............. 010 101 003—6 11 1
Wenatchee ......... 020 000 300—5 11 3
Robertson, Dobernic (9) and Warren; Botelho, Monroe (9), De Carolis (9) and Bartolomei.

SALEM — Salem Manager Hugh Luby squeezed in the winning run with a bunt in the eleventh inning as the Senators defeated Vancouver 3-2 in the second game of Saturday night's Western International League doubleheader here.
Salem won the opener 8-2.
First Game
Vancouver ......... 000 002 0—2 6 2
Salem ............... 310 031 x—8 11 0
Marshall, Barrett (2), Thomason (6) and Duretto, Leavitt (6); Roenspie and Nelson.
Second Game
Vancouver......... 000 010 000 01—2 4 0
Salem .............. 000 000 001 02—3 10 3
Myers, Robertson (11) and Duretto; Borst and Masterson.

YAKIMA — Yakima spotted Edmonton three runs in the first inning then went on to win a free-hitting Western International League baseball game, 11-8.
The Canadians had only a short-lived advantage; Yakima scored five times in its half of the first LeRoy Johnson started it when he walked the bases full and Bob Wellman cleaned them off with a double. It was the first of three doubles scored by Wellman.
Edmonton ............. 300 013 100— 8 9 8
Yakima ................. 530 110 01x—11 15 1
Johnson, Manier (1), Tisnerat (8) and St. George; Blank, Rial (5), Carter (6) and Albini.

Calgary Stampeders Face Loss
CALGARY [TSN]—The Calgary Stampeders, with total attendance of only about 30,000, will wind up $72,000 in the red this season, according to reports.
Receipts will be $44,000 short of meeting operating expenses, it was estimated, and in addition the club spent $28,000 for players before the year started.

Friday, August 28, 1953

2008-07-13T03:53:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 36 23 .610 —
Spokane ..... 39 26 .600 —
Salem ....... 33 27 .569 3½
Edmonton .... 31 29 .517 5½
Vancouver ... 32 31 .508 6
Yakima ...... 30 30 .500 6½
Calgary ..... 27 32 .458 7½
Tri-City .... 27 35 .435 10½
Wenatchee ... 25 34 .424 11
Victoria .... 26 37 .412 12
AP has different standings for Vic

SPOKANE, Wash. — Young Jack Spring pitched a three-hit shutout against Calgary Friday night as Spokane swept a Western International League double header by scores of 13-0 and 10-8.
Spokane got off to a five run lead in the first inning of the second game and then worried as Calgary threatened with a four-run burst in the eighth inning.
Jim Command got three hits in three times at bat in the nightcap to lead Indian hitters.
Spokane jumped on veteran Joe Orrell for five hits in the first inning of the opener. The hits, combined with four walks and two errors for a total of eight runs.
First Game
Calgary ......... 000 000 0— 0 3 3
Spokane ........ 800 320 x—13 12 0
Orrell, Schulte (1) and Lillard; Spring and Ogle.
Second Game
Calgary .......... 030 001 040— 8 13 4
Spokane ........ 503 020 00x—10 13 0
Francis, Stites (8) and Bricker; Worth, Cordell (8) and Sheets.

VICTORIA [Doug Peden, Colonist, Aug. 29]—Lewiston Broncs, held to check on four hits by southpaw Berlyn Hodges over the first five innings, broke loose for 13 in the final four frames as they rolled to a 10-1 victory over the Victoria Tyees at Royal Athletic Park Friday night.
Showing no signs of fading in the home stretch as they did in the first half of the Western International League’s split schedule, the Broncs barely held on to their slim lead over Spokane Indians, who kept right on their heels with 13-0 and 10-8 victories over Calgary.
Results left Broncs ten percentage points ahead.
Righthander Russ Butler, starting the game with a record of 10 wins and 10 losses, went all the way for the Broncs. He scattered nine hits and wriggled out of several tight spots with clutch pitching that left 13 Victoria runners stranded. He walked six and struck out five.
The Tyees scored their run and went into the fifth inning when Don Pries led off with a double—his third straight hit—and came across on Milt Martin’s two-out single.
Lewiston’s heavy-hitting veterans found the range in the top of the sixth, scoring four times on doubles by Artie Wilson and Al Heist, a base on balls, and singles by Clinton Cameron and Glen Tuckett.
They added four more against Hodges in the seventh with six successive hits after two were out, and finished up with a single tally against Bob Drilling in the eighth and an unearned run off Zeb Walker in the final frame.
TWO TODAY
Manager Bill Brenner will start for the Broncs in the afternoon game of today’s split doubleheader at Athletic Park and will send big John Marshall out after his 20th victory in the night contest. Cec Garriott plans to counter with Bill Bottler in the first game and then Earl Dollins. Both pitched shutout victories over Vancouver in their last starts.
Lewiston ......... 000 004 411—10 17 3
Victoria ........... 000 010 000— 1 9 1
Butler and Garay; Hodges, Drilling (8), Walker (9) and Harford.

YAKIMA, Wash. — Three hits by John Albini, coupled with four-hit pitching of Danny (The Lion) Rios, were all that Yakima needed Friday night to defeat Edmonton in a Western International League game which Bears won 7-1.
Albini homered in the second inning for Yakima's opening tally, then added the game clincher in the fourth inning when his double drove in the first of three runs. He finished with three hits in four appearances and batted in three runs.
Rios held Edmonton for four hits in his 18th victory. The knuckleballer has a chance to become the first Bear since Hub Kittle in 1939 to win 20 games.
Edmonton ........ 000 000 010—1 4 1
Yakima ............ 010 300 30x—7 11 3
Widner and Morgan; Rios and Albini.

WENATCHEE — Tri-City cashed in on five Wenatchee errors and three unearned runs to defeat the Chiefs, 4-3, in a Western International League baseball game here.
Relief pitcher Jess Dobernic, making his 45th appearance of the season, received credit for his 13th win against six losses. He allowed one hit in three innings.
Tri-City scored two runs in each of the fourth and ninth innings, a pair of Wenatchee errors in each case playing an important part in the rallies.
Tri-City ............. 000 200 002—4 6 1
Wenatchee ........ 000 001 200—3 5 5
Michelson, Dobernic (7) and Pesut; Bowman and Bartolomei.

Vancouver at Salem postponed, wet grounds.

Spokane Indian Owner Selling Out
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 29 — The owner of Spokane Indians of the Western International League announced Friday he was in an "advanced stage" of negotiations for the sale of the team's home park, Ferris Field.
"I would much prefer to have baseball stay in Spokane and to help keep it there," said owner Roy Hotchkiss. "But since there has been no indication that any single party, or combination of parties, is interested in buying the ball club as such. I am negotiating for sale of the property the ball park is on. If the deal goes through, the property will not be used for baseball."
Hotchkiss, a dairy farmer who bought the Indians in 1949, announced recently he planned to give up the "costly" baseball operation unless the team drew 4,000 fans for its remaining home contests. Attendance had improved, but did not approach the required figure.
The Indians, the traditional WIL attendance leader, set a minor league attendance record by drawing 287,185 fans as a class B club in 1947. The ball park burned down in 1948, just before Hotchkiss took over, and fans have said lack of comfort on the rebuilt stands have kept them away.
Hotchkiss still owes the city of Spokane $30,000 on the purchase price for Ferris Field.
"I want to stress again that selling the property for non-baseball use is a last alternative with me," Hotchkiss said. "But if no one is interested in taking over the ball club, then that's the course I'll have to get out from under."

The Sports Herald
Keith Matthews
[Vancouver News-Herald, Aug. 29, 1953]
Changes made...
Putting one little word after another, and you may look for vast changes in the set-up of the Western International baseball league in 1954.
There will be a meeting called in September to begin decisions on how to improve for next year, and when that starts, at least two will be erased in the “economy move.” It is definite that Calgary won’t be allowed in the league unless they alter their “peanut barrel” into a regulation ball park. Lewiston is another possibility to be ousted. Clubs just don’t want to travel that far. Wenatchee is an almost certainty to abandon baseball, and you can look for changes in management in Spokane, and possibly Victoria, too.
League president Bob Brown is in favor of slashing travel costs by setting up a []ent schedule for that visiting clubs to the prairies only play in one city for one week, then move to the other city for an addition week. He figures a couple of similar schedule maneuvers like this would cuts $11,000 travel costs.
Nenezich due…
Johnny Nenezich, the only umpire in our memory who has made himself popular with the fans, will be here Monday to call the balls and strikes in the Lewiston-Vancouver series … Reminds us of the time four years ago when the Capilanos were to play Tacoma here, and the Tigers were so low in the standings the game had all the aspects of slow, torturing death … Nenezich sensed that the fans wouldn’t like it, so arranged a whale of a rhubarb with George Nicholas to enliven things … It was to happen in the third inning, but when Nicholas got into hot water in the first, he came to the plate to protest a called ball … “Yer a blankety-blank no good,” George said. Nenezich grinned. “Furthermore, ya couldn’t see past the end of your nose,” Nick went on. Again, Johnny grinned. “And furthermore,” Nicholas finished, “this ain’t part of the act, ya’ bum.”
“That being the case,” Nenezich smiled, “you may have your shower right now.”

Thursday, August 27, 1953

2008-07-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 35 23 .603 —
Spokane ..... 37 26 .587 ½
Salem ....... 33 27 .569 3
Edmonton .... 31 28 .525 4½
Vancouver ... 32 31 .508 5½
Yakima ...... 29 30 .492 6½
Calgary ..... 27 30 .474 7½
Wenatchee ... 25 33 .431 10
Tri-City .... 26 35 .426 10½
Victoria .... 26 36 .419 11
AP has different standings for Vic

VICTORIA — Lewiston Broncs pushed over two runs in the ninth inning to edge Victoria Tyees 9-7 in a series-opening Western International League baseball game here Friday night.
The victory, coupled with Spokane's defeat by Yakima, again put the Broncs in first place Broncs facing Victoria pitching which had blanked Vancouver Capilanos in three successive games, ended Tyees streak of scoreless innings at 20 by scoring three runs in the first inning. They took a 7-2 lead at one time but Tyees finally got to Manny Perez and tied it with two runs in the eighth.
Doubles by Al Heist and Artie Wilson around a single by Ken Richardson produced the winning runs. Larry Barton was the most productive Lewiston hitter, getting four singles in four trips.
The victory went to John Marshall, third of three Lewiston pitchers. Marshall put out the Victoria rally in the eighth and had no trouble holding the Tyees in the ninth.
Lewiston ........... 300 310 002—9 14 2
Victoria ............. 200 020 120—7 12 1
Perez, Klein (8) Marshall (8) and Garay; Prior, Bottler (9) and Harford.

YAKIMA, Wash. — Yakima unlumbered its big sticks Thursday night to break a five game losing streak, defeating Spokane 5-1 in a Western International League baseball game.
Don Carter spaced out six hits for the win, breaking his own six game losing streak and making his 1953 record 9-9.
Spokane started the scoring with one run in the fourth when Stan Palys doubled and eventually came home on Carl Bush's bunt.
The Bears evened it in their half of the inning when John Albini homered over the centrefield fence. They added the clinchers in the sixth when Herman Lewis homered over the same fence with Albini aboard. The homers were Albini's 10th and Lewis' 16th of the season.
Spokane ........... 000 100 000—1 6 2
Yakima ............. 000 102 20x—5 8 1
Giovannoni, Romero (7) and Sheets; Carter and Albini.

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Bob Snyder pitched a six-hit shutout, his second shutout of the season, as Tri-City defeated Calgary 4-0 in a Western International League baseball game Thursday night.
Tri-City's first run was unearned coming when Len Tran walked and then came home on Jack Warren's single that was mishandled in the field to permit Tran to come home.
The Braves added three more in the seventh on five singles and a double.
Edo Vanni, Tri-City manager, was booted from the game when he protested an umpire's ruling in the first inning.
Calgary .... 000 000 000—0 6 3
Tri-City .... 000 001 30x—4 9 0
Hittner, Stites (8) and Bricker; Snyder and Warren.

SALEM, Ore. — Home runs gave Edmonton a sweep of a Western International League double header from Salem, 6-3 and 3-1, here Thursday night.
Andy Skurski's three-run homer in the fifth inning of the second game decided a pitching duel between Edmonton's Pat Utley and Salem's Joe Nicholas who lost his sixth of the season against 21 victories.
Utley, who allowed only two hits to Nicholas' four, had yielded a run in the first inning when Gene Tanselli stole home. The Detroit sandlot player signed by the New York Yankees struck out 11.
Sam Kanelos' three run homer in the third inning started Eskimos to their win in the seven-inning opener.
Skurski and Clint Weaver finished the winners' scoring with consecutive homers in the fifth.
First Game
Edmonton ........ 004 020 0—6 8 2
Salem ............. 000 201 0—3 7 0
Tisnerat, McNulty (7) and Morgan; Hemphill, Borst (6) and Masterson.
Second Game
Edmonton ........ 000 030 000—3 4 3
Salem ............. 100 000 000—1 2 1
Utley and Morgan; Nicholas and Nelson.

No other games scheduled.

Calgary to test Sunday Pro Ball
CALGARY, Alta., Aug. 27 — Sunday professional baseball will be tested here the first time Sept. 6 as the Stampeders play the Edmonton Eskimos in a Western International League night game. A recent Sunday game in Edmonton drew 3,500 fans and a silver collection of $1,700. Vancouver also has tried a WIL Game on the Sabbath.
The planned contest was originally part of a doubleheader scheduled for Labour Day, Sept. 7. Now, only one game will be played that day.

Wednesday, August 26, 1953

2008-07-13T03:46:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 37 25 .597 —
Lewiston .... 34 23 .596 ½
Salem ....... 33 25 .589 2
Edmonton .... 29 28 .509 5½
Vancouver ... 32 31 .508 5½
Yakima ...... 28 30 .483 7
Calgary ..... 27 29 .482 7
Wenatchee ... 25 33 .431 10
Victoria .... 26 35 .426 11
Tri-City .... 25 35 .417 11½
AP has different standings for Vic

YAKIMA — The Spokane Indians defeated the Yakima Bears, 7-5, in a Western International League baseball game Wednesday night before a scant 194 paying customers and took a one percentage point lead over rain-idled Lewiston for the league lead.
Ralph Romero of Spokane was kayoed by Yakima for the third time this season, and for the third time escaped a loss when Bob Nemes replaced him during a four-run second inning. Romero issued seven passes before he was lifted for Nemes, who went the rest of the way for the win.
Spokane .............. 200 120 101—7 14 3
Yakima ................ 040 010 000—5 3 2
Romero, Nemes (2) and Sheets, Ogle (8), Townsend and Albini.

KENNEWICK — Tri-City bunched seven hits in one inning Wednesday night to defeat the Calgary Stampeders, 8-6, in a Western International League baseball.
Although giving up 16 hits, Don Robertson racked up the victory for the Braves. He did not issue a walk and struck out eight, who of the whiffs ending with runners in scoring position.
Calgary .......... 000 030 003—6 16 2
Tri-City .......... 016 000 10x—8 11 2
Kapp, Stites (3) and Bricker; Robertson and Warren.

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, Aug. 27]—It has been 33 innings, or four days, since the Capilanos last scored a run—and if you will, professor, this one might be otherwise entitled “how bad can a drought get?”
The Capilanos went down to their sixth straight baseball defeat Wednesday, 1-0, when Van Fletcher was out-duelled by Bob Drilling, who managed to befuddle the Capilano “hitters” in much the same way as they have been this past while.
Way back on Saturday, when the Caps were in Calgary playing the second game of a double-header, Vancouver scored a run. Little did the boys know it, but the game should have been stopped right there. Somebody should have brought out the champagne, the hors-de-ovres and what not because it was a great moment. Who know? The Caps may never score a run again.
Fletcher pitched magnificently, even in losing his No. 11. For five and two-thirds innings he had a no-hitter and he only lost it when Frank Mascaro misjudged a fly ball which appeared to be just another easy out. The Tyees went on from there to score an eighth inning run which stood up as big as Mount Everest as the Caps failed away, but appeared to be using magazine covers instead of baseball bats.
Nobody has quite seen the like of it before. Way back in May, this would have been accepted as just another one of those things, because the club at that time was just that impossible at the plate. Now, a new gang has been brought in, a bunch which has been levelling the WIL with its power and its timeliness of hitting. It just happens that they need runs right now more than they ever have, and that alone could be the reason why they aren’t getting them.
The club looks “tight,” over-anxious and under pressure at all times. They are bungling easy chances to score because they seem to be trying to hit the ball out of the park instead of out of the infield. It is a habit which comes with every slump, but it happens that it couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time.
Fortunately the Caps get a day’s rest today prior to their trip to Salem and an important five-game series with the Senators. It is a must now that the Caps take at least four of these games to stay in the fight for the second-half championship, because there are only 17 left on the schedule and each one is getting more important than its predecessor.
Lonnie Myers, the young fireballer, will pitch the opener for the Caps Friday night.
Victoria ............... 000 000 010—1 5 0
Vancouver ........... 000 000 000—0 6 1
Drilling and Harford; Fletcher, Myers (9) and Duretto.

SALEM — Salem edged Edmonton, 4-3, here Wednesday night after the Canadian team had won the first game of a Western International League double-header, 1-0.
In a duel of two of the loop's top winners, Gene Roenspie posted his 17th win against only three losses in the night game, defeating John Conant, who drops to 22 and 11.
First Game
Edmonton ............ 000 010 0—1 7 0
Salem ................. 000 000 0—0 3 0
McNulty and Morgan, Dahle and Nelson.
Second Game
Edmonton ............ 011 000 100—3 9 0
Salem ................. 010 101 10x—4 10 2
Conant and Morgan; Roenspie and Masterson.

Lewiston at Wenatchee cancelled, rain.

Williams Gets Bucks to Leave Broncos
LEWISTON, Aug. 26—The Lewiston Broncs have lost the services of slugging outfielder Bob Williams for their last nine road games of the season.
Williams, who had been batting .376, has been forced to leave the club today to start on his job a football coach at Lewiston High School.

Chiefs Threatened With Eviction
WENATCHEE, Wash., Aug. 27—The Wenatchee Chiefs of the Western International League had an ultimatum from their landlord Wednesday: "Pay the rent or we'll lock up the ball park."
Mayor Si Simenson said the Chiefs owe an estimated $2,000 in back rent for use of city-owned Recreation Park. He called on the club to do something about it at next week's city commission meeting — or else.
"If no one shows up at the meeting," the mayor said, "we'll lock up the park and there'll be no baseball played that week."
Frank Dasso, general manager of the eighth-place Chiefs, said he'll show up and try to work something out. He suggested that park improvements made by the club be applied against rent.
The rental figure is based partly on attendance which hasn't been too good. Simenson asked for an official accounting. He said the club was sent two letters asking for a report on July attendance but that the city got no reply.
The Chiefs end their home schedule Sept. 3, 4, 5 and 6 against Yakima.

Tuesday, August 25, 1953

2008-07-13T03:43:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 34 23 .596 —
Spokane ..... 36 25 .590 —
Salem ....... 32 24 .571 1½
Vancouver ... 32 30 .516 4½
Edmonton .... 28 27 .509 5
Yakima ...... 28 29 .491 6
Calgary ..... 27 28 .491 6
Wenatchee ... 25 33 .431 9½
Victoria .... 25 35 .417 10½
Tri-City .... 24 35 .407 11
AP has different standings for Vic

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, Aug. 26]—It was the consensus of opinion that the umpiring was so bad at Capilano Stadium Tuesday that the Capilanos were led like unwilling lambs to the slaughter and lost a doubleheader 2-0 and 6-0. However, as bad as the officiating admittedly was, how many ball games do you win in this day and age without the benefit of a run?
It was the fifth straight loss for Vancouver and the first time this season they had been disgraced by the whitewash brush in both ends of a doubleheader. It also left this WIL second-half championship strictly up to them—only a miracle such as the 1951 Miracle of Coogan’s Bluff can save the Capilanos now.
HITTING ATROCIOUS
The pitching was good enough for at least a split. The hitting was atrocious. In the first game, the Caps had three successive chances to win it in regulation innings, one of them in the fifth when Harvey Storey reached third base with nobody out. Nobody scored, however, and the game went one inning past regulation before the Tyees pushed across a pair in the eighth to win it 2-0. It was a tough loss for Pete Hernandez, his No. 9, but just as nice a win for young Bill Bottler, his No. 10.
The second game was as wild as they ever will come in organized ball.
BAD NIGHT
Mel Steiner, the umpire behind the plate, had the type of evening he would just as soon forget. He kicked K. Chorlton and Dick Barrett out of the game for prolonging a third strike call on Chorlton in the fifth inning. But he missed pitches and generally allowed the situation to get out of order so much the game developed into a farce.
When Chorlton left the game, Nick Castas came in to replace him. Steiner forgot to make the substitution announcement, a misdemeanor which carries an automatic $25 fine from league headquarter—if it is reported and carried out. Officially the Capilanos finished the game with only eight men because Mr. Castas never did get himself in there according to the rules in the book.
Bob Roberts was the loser in this one, although he was going along nicely until the seventh inning blow-up. Obviously angered by the Chorlton incident, Roberts got himself out of the game in a hurry by failing to control his temper.
MATTERED LITTLE
It was, perhaps, consolable because of the continued weird calls at the plate, but in the end it mattered little because the Caps couldn’t beat their way out of a paper bag with their bats.
Earl Dollins, who had previously tagged 11 losses as against five wins this year, managed to pitch a four-hitter for his first shutout. He isn’t the type of pitcher who usually does those things to you, but last night the Caps were as feeble as Aunt Martha with the wood and even a girl scout could have gotten them out.
DIAMOND DUST – Tonight, with the Caps vainly trying to put some kind of win streak together, Van Fletcher will be the guy who will be getting it going or not at all … It’s Economy Night at the ball park, incidentally, with no charge at the gate … You just pay whatever you think is fair … Hampers of food will be given away to some lucky customers … Seattle general manager Lee Miller is in town.
First Game
Victoria ............ 000 000 02—2 6 1
Vancouver ........ 000 000 00—0 5 1
Bottler and Martin; Hernandez and Duretto.
Second Game
Victoria ............ 000 101 400—6 8 1
Vancouver ........ 000 000 000—0 5 1
Dollins and Harford; Roberts, Marshall (7), Thomason (8) and Duretto.

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Calgary and Tri-City fought it out on even terms fnr nine innings Tuesday night before Don Bricker rapped out a three-run homer in the first over-time inning of the Western International League baseball game for a 10-1 Calgary win.
The round-tripper by the Calgary catcher came after two men got aboard on a walk and an error.
Tri-City got two in its half to threaten another tie but pinch hitter Ernie Hockaday struck out with the tying run on second base.
Four of Calgary's runs were unearned, with four Tri-City errors figuring in the loss charged against Ken Michelson, who came in the game in the 10th.
Calgary ............ 004 001 002 3—10 19 1
Tri-City ........... 100 011 112 2— 9 16 4
Levenson, Stites (10) and Bricker; Bloom, Dobernic (6), Michelson and Pesut, Warren (10).

WENATCHEE — Pitcher-manager Bill Brenner batted in the deciding runs and pitched 21st victory of the season as his Lewiston Broncos defeated the Wenatchee Chiefs in a Western International League baseball game Tuesday night.
Lewiston ............. 004 013 010—9 13 0
Wenatchee ......... 013 020 010—7 10 1
Brenner and Garay, Beamon, Klein (6), De Carolis (9) and Bartolomei.

YAKIMA — Spokane made quick work of sewing up a Western International League baseball game with Yakima Tuesday night, scoring twice in the first inning and adding four more to win, 6-1.
Bill Franks, Spokane pitcher, allowed only seven scattered hits for his near shutout.
Indians got their opening pair when Wilbur Johnson singled, and Stan Palys boarded first on an error and Will Hafey doubled them home.
Spokane ............ 230 000 100—6 9 2
Yakima .............. 000 010 000—1 7 1
Franks and Sheets; Del Sarto, Edmunds (2) and Albini.

Edmonton at Salem doubleheader, postponed, rain.

Caps Seek Roof For Stadium
VANCOUVER, Aug. 25—A request for the allotment of $110,000 to roof Capilano Stadium was presented to a special committee of Vancouver City Council today by Dewey Soriano and John Hoyland as representative of the Capilano ball club.
Hoyland told the councillors that lack of a roof had been a factor in the decline of the Caps’ attendance from 119,000 in 1952 to an estimated 100,000 this season.
He also said construction of the roof over the concrete stands and the wooden bleachers would make it possible for Vancouver to bid for a franchise in the Pacific Coast League if a berth in the Open Classification circuit became available.

today’s fanfare
Storey and Soriano, Inc. Play The Field
By Eric Whitehead
[Vancouver Province, August 26, 1953]

Wherever the Capilanos finish in the WIL standings in this year of baseball 1953, we’ll have to give the brand new team of Soriano & Storey an A for effort.
With a surge, their ball club could still come through with a second-half pennant, but be that as it may, the Double S combo is about to conclude a very satisfactory freshman year out at Little Mountain.
Big Dewey ambled into his front office early last spring blithely humming “There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” and he didn’t abandon that virile theme song. The ball club he brought back from sunny California needed some changes, all right, and he made them.
In actual player changes, we are personally limited to a recount of ten because at that juncture we run out of fingers and toes, but we do recall these attempts to revitalize the local lineup and the results therefrom:
First base: Long Jim Wert, whose competitive fire fizzled out like a damp squib with the season’s opening pitch, was released in favor of Gene Petralli, who was hurriedly drafted out of a spell of California retirement. When Wert left he was hitting (?) .212 (after prior seasons of .280 and .327). Petralli’s current mark, accompanied by a space of un-Wertlike hustle, is in the .270s. Which adds up to a prosperous switch.
The Unpredictable Davis
Second-base: Gordie Hernandez, brother of pitcher Pete, was a sad disappointment both around the keystone sack and back of home plate, was sent to Yakima and Jumping Jack Bukowatz was moved in (and out again, after various shuffles with Davis at short). Gordie was hitting .240 when he departed. Bukowatz is coming up fast past the .250 mark, is far more effective afield than was Hernandez, and is improving every game. Another good switch.
Shortstop: Davis, a Rizzuto one minute and a bum the next two or three, was never reliable afield, and his .245 at the plate was no redemption. The switch here of course was Davis to Victoria and Jim Clark to the Caps, and the bleacher jockeys have nothing but praise for that deal. Clark, topping .290 with the stick and sparking the infield from his shortstop post, was a major acquisition.
K Is Now Climbing
Left-field: Dick Briskey, another great disappointment, hit rock-bottom with his .202 average and was released outright to make way for Tyee gardener Gale Taylor. Taylor is clipping along at about 70 points over the Briskey batting average, fair enough recommendation for that switch.
Centre-field: Rookie Nick Castas, who started, was never figured as a permanent fixture and was a stop-gap, albeit a very handy and effective one, until the parent Rainiers kicked through with some excess talent. K Chorlton was the answer, and although he’s taken several weeks to get up steam, he’s now climbing fast with his current .275 mark. With the lad’s fielding and base running, he is now the club’s most valuable outfielder.
No change in right field, where Moose Msacaro is still patrolling with unspectacular but adequate efficiency. And, of course, no change at third, where Boss Storey holds fort, with occasional reinforcements from shortstop. But what Harv may lack in mobility, he makes up for with his war-club, still one of the most potent in the minors.
With Help From Schuster
Catcher: And there, come opening night, was real trouble, which persisted until Mr. William Schuster, garage proprietor of Hollywood, Cal., agreed to release his partner Robert Duretto to active service in baseball. It was a sad day when first-stringer Sam Hairston was shipped off to Colorado Springs after a contract mix-up, and it was a sad day also when Soriano kicked in a hefty wad to purchase Don Lundberg from Tulsa. Lundberg, a very likely looking receiver with a fast-improving record, flopped miserably as our great white hope.
So up came Duretto of Schuster & Duretto, like Petralli starting “cold” in mid-season. Bob’s current .280, his hustle and his handyman proportions throughout the length and breadth of the lineup leave no doubt about the value of that switch that sent Lundberg into retirement.
Pitchers: Only switch here was the voluntary retirement of problem-boy Bud Guldborg, who beetled off home to California, but the two-man “replacement” squad of Bob Roberts, Clarence Marshall is somewhat better than an even break. Particularly in light of Bob’s 9-3 record.
In all the new deals, there’s been not a dud in the carload. You can’t get a much better try than that.

Monday, August 24, 1953

2008-07-13T03:39:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 33 23 .589 —
Spokane ..... 35 25 .583 —
Salem ....... 32 24 .571 1
Vancouver ... 32 28 .533 3
Edmonton .... 28 27 .509 4½
Yakima ...... 28 28 .500 5
Calgary ..... 26 28 .481 6
Wenatchee ... 25 32 .439 8½
Tri-City .... 24 34 .414 10
Victoria .... 23 35 .397 11
AP has different standings for Vic

WENATCHEE— Lewiston defeated Wenatchee 5 to 3 here Monday night in a Western International League baseball, game as veteran John Marshall spaced eight Wenatchee hits.
Lewiston got only six hits off Charley Oubre but one was a bases-loaded double by Clint Cameron in the second inning, the big blow as the winners scored four times.
Ed Garay, who replaced Cameron in the eighth when the Lewiston catcher went out of the game with a split finger, doubled home the final run for the Broncos in the ninth.
Ross McCormack, with three singles in four times at bat, led the Wenatchee attack and drove in two of the three tallies for the losers.
Harry Bartolomei doubled home the other Wenatchee run.
- - -
WENATCHEE — Big John Marshall hung up his 118th victory in eight seasons in the Western International League Monday.
The Lewiston hurler's 5-3 win over Wenatchee was his 19th of the current campaign, against 10 losses, and his second highest total in the eight-year span. He won 22 and lost 14 with Bremerton in 1949.
Lewiston has 14 games remaining in which he can try to better his 1949 mark.
During the eight years, the veteran slider pitch artist has won 118 games and lost 92. He has a cumulative earned ran average of 3.32 runs a game.
His first year in the league in 1946, when he was with Yakima, Vancouver and Bremerton and accumulated a 3-12 record, is the only losing effort on his chart.
His 22-14 season in 1949 won him a spring trial with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League out he soon returned to the WIL circuit.
Lewiston ............ 040 000 001—5 6 0
Wenatchee ....... 001 010 001—3 8 2
Marshall and Cameron, Garay (8); Oubre and Bartolomei.

Victoria at Vancouver, postponed, rain.

Exhibition Game
Drain, Oregon (Semi-Pro) 6, Salem (WIL) 5

(only games scheduled)

The Sports Herald
Keith Matthews
[Vancouver News-Herald, Aug. 25, 1953]
Close Calls…
At the races, it is said that the fun doesn’t start until the ponies hit the home stretch. It is here that the real racing begins, such as it is in baseball, and now the real race has started.
There are but 15 days remaining this WIL schedule with eight lengths separating the first eight clubs. It is as tight as Grandma’s corset.
Over the weekend, some of us were wondering how long it has been since a baeball race was so cosy. It was, we recall, the year 1947.
That year recalls success for the Capilanos. It was the last year they dangled a pennant from the worn mast-head at the old Capilano Stadium. It was not, we remembered, actually finished without difficulty. Watchers of the men who play the game of the baseball that you can’t tell your ball players until they run into a tight clutch.
It was a cold September evening when the Caps pulled out of Vancouver on their last road trip. Bill Brenner had his guys streaking. They had come from 11 games off the pace to within just two and a half. But there was just a week left and we wondered if it were enough.
Bremerton was in the lead at that point, Spokane a hot second and the Caps third. The first stop on this last suicide journey was Victoria.
Vancouver won the first two and moved ahead of Spokane and just behind Bremerton. By half a game. The club was rolling now and we wrote that only a disaster could stop them.
The disaster struck the next day … Seattle, going nowhere in the Coast League, lost its second baseman through injury. The obvious fill-in was Leon Mohr, but Leon was helping the Capilanos win a championship.
The Rainiers thought it over and then relented. Mohr would stay in Vancouver, but Lee didn’t like the idea. He wanted that Seattle chance, moreso than a pennant in the WIL. When he heard the Seattle decision, he quietly went to his room, packed and jumped the club.
Begged Off …
A form of panic set in. Bill Brenner knew it and the others felt it. Half an hour before game time, the “body beautiful” reported in with a “bad back.” Such aches are often located in the heat of a do-or-die pennant. Brenner had no choice. He named Jim Hedgecock, who had already won 30 [sic] games and was dog-tired.
Jim pitched the game of his life that evening. He won 11-0 and made the Bremertons look so bad that the local fans hooted manager Alan Strange right out of a job. Now the Caps were in the lead. They had no second baseman and they had the pitching miseries, but they were on top.
Tacoma next … another one-night stand. Memory recalls that Hal Saltzman pitched this one and did it up good. He was ahead 7-0 in the seventh when the Tigers got a man on base with two out. So what, everyone figured. Saltzman called time and when Brenner went out to him, Hal moaned, “I’m hurt, Bill. Get me out of here!”
The last stop was Yakima. Now the Caps only had to watch what Spokane didn’t in Victoria. And the Indians never had a chance. They were rained out on the final day—the Caps were home free, even if they lost their doubleheader on Sunday.
Strangely, the cripples all became healed and anxious to play the final games. At that, it was probably fortunate because the real heroes held their victory party just the night before.

Sunday, August 23, 1953

2008-07-13T03:33:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 35 25 .583 —
Lewiston .... 32 23 .582 ½
Salem ....... 32 24 .571 1
Vancouver ... 32 28 .533 3
Edmonton .... 28 27 .509 4½
Yakima ...... 28 28 .500 5
Calgary ..... 26 28 .481 6
Wenatchee ... 25 31 .445 8
Tri-City .... 24 34 .414 10
Victoria .... 23 35 .397 11
AP has different standings for Vic

SPOKANE — The Spokane Indians snapped a seven-game losing streak, stopped an 11-game winning steak, and regained first place in the Western International League Sunday as they trounced the Lewiston Broncs 12 to 0.
The Indians got off to a big start as they banged out five hits in the first inning good for three runs.
They picked up two more runs n the third when Carl Bush homered with one on, and then added lone runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
In the big eighth inning, Spokane hit reliefer Manny Perez for seven consecutive safeties and five runs.
Wilbur Johnson started the inning with a triple and ended it grounding out.
Lewiston .... 000 000 000— 0 4 1
Spokane ..... 302 001 15x—12 23 2
Brenner, Perez (8) and Cameron; Worth and Sheets.

YAKIMA — Wenatchee took both ends of a Western International Baseball League doubleheader from Yakima Sunday night, 4-2 and 8-6.
The second game went 10 innings, Wenatchee winning with a three-run outburst in the top of the 10th to hand Yakima's ace hurler, Danny (The Lion) Rios, who was trying for his 17th win, his eighth loss.
Harry Bartolomei and Tom Munoz rapped out successive singles to open the 10th after Yakima had sent the game into overtime with an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth. Jack Helmuth's double to left center scored Bartolomei and Munoz. Helmuth advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home when Yakima catcher John Albini's attempted pickoff misfired.
Wenatchee nipped a Yakima rally in the bottom of the tenth after a single run scored.
Pitcher Rick Bothelo limited Yakima to four hits in the opener.
Prior to the second game, Rios was presented with a pair of bookends bearing the likeness of a lion by the Honorary Mexican Society of Toppenish, Wash.
First Game
Wenatchee ... 000 031 0— 4 9 1
Yakima ......... 010 000 1— 2 4 2
Bothelo and Bartolomei; Carter and Albini.
Second Game
Wenatchee ... 100 003 001 3—8 11 4
Yakima ......... 000 200 201 1—6 7 3
Monroe, Klein (7), DeCarolis (9) and Bartolomei; Rios and Albini.

Salem at Tri-City cancelled after one and one-third innings, rain.

(Only games scheduled)

Attendance at Spokane Falls
SPOKANE, Aug. 25— The Spokane Indians, leading the Western International League but on shaky legs financially, drew only 5,300 fans
for three nights over the weekend – far short of the 12,000 deemed necessary by the front office.
“This is insufficient to solve our problem,” observed owner Roy Hotchkiss, who said last week attendance “would have to average 4,000 a game to keep professional baseball here.”
The Indians have now drawn about 74,000 fans at home and have only six more home dates. Hotchkiss said it's far below what is needed and that “I'm tired of carrying the burden alone.”
A crowd of 2,611, largest of the season, saw Saturday night's game with Lewiston, but only 1,200 showed up Sunday.

NON WIL BASEBALL NEWS
Record Throw
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Aug. 24—Don Grate, Chattanooga Lookout center fielder, threw a baseball 443 feet, 3½ inches here Sunday to better his own world's distance record.
His previous record of 434 feet, 1 inch, was officially recognized and the ball is in the Coopersown, N. Y., baseball museum.
Standing at the centerfleld flag-pole, Grate took a running start and heaved four of five throws past home plate. The fifth was the record-smasher.

Saturday, August 22, 1953

2008-07-13T03:29:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Lewiston .... 32 22 .593 —
Spokane ..... 34 25 .576 ½
Salem ....... 32 24 .571 1
Vancouver ... 32 28 .533 3
Yakima ...... 28 26 .519 4
Edmonton .... 28 27 .509 5½
Calgary ..... 26 28 .481 6
Wenatchee ... 23 31 .426 9
Tri-City .... 24 34 .413 10
Victoria .... 23 35 .397 11

SPOKANE, Wash. — Lewiston swept into first place in the Western International League Saturday night by running its win streak to 11 straight, taking both ends of a double-header from Spokane, 5-3 and 5-4.
The wins gave the Broncs six straight victories over the former WIL leaders.
John Marshall was the steadying force for Lewiston as he came on to relieve in both games and put down Spokane threats. He got credit for the first win.
Spokane got two runs in the first inning of the second game, but Lewiston bounced back with three scores in the second and two more in the fourth.
Spokane also started fast in the opening game, getting three runs in the first inning. Then Marshall came on the mound for the Broncs and pitched shutout ball, allowing Spokane just one hit in the remaining six innings.
Marshall now has a record 4 wins and 11 losses.
First Game
Lewiston ............ 021 010 1—5 12 2
Spokane ............. 300 000 0—3 3 0
Butler, Marshall (1) and Cameron; Spring, Cordell (7) and Sheets.
Second Game
Lewiston ............ 030 200 000—5 13 1
Spokane ............. 200 000 020—4 7 0
Kime, Powell (1), Marshall (8) and Garay; Franks, Romero (4), Cordell (8) and Sheets.

CALGARY— Calgary Stampeders downed Vancouver Capilanos 7-3 and 5-1 in a double-header Saturday to take a 3-1 edge in their Western International League series with the coast club.
In the first half of the split doubleheader, veteran Joe Orrell limited Caps to one hit in the first six innings. He gave up only four more in the last three, one of them a three-run homer to Bob Duretto in the seventh. Orrell helped his own cause with a homer in the sixth.
Trailing going into the bottom of the fifth under the lights, Calgary tapped out three hits to take a 2-1 lead. They got another pair in the sixth to wrap up the game and added a single in the eighth on a homer by Charlie Mead.
It was Mead's 25th homer of the season tying him with teammate Don Hunter for the league lead.
In the night game, Glenn Hittner on the Calgary mound gave up only five hits.
First Game
Vancouver ......... 000 000 300—3 5 1
Calgary ............. 222 001 00x—7 10 0
Myers, Roberts (8) and Duretto; Orrell and Bricker.
Second Game
Vancouver ......... 010 000 000—1 5 1
Calgary ............. 000 022 01x—5 11 1
Fletcher, Roberts (8) and Leavitt; Hittner and Bricker.

EDMONTON — Edmonton Eskimos came from behind twice to edge Victoria Tyees 6-5 in both ends of a Western International Baseball League double-header here Saturday.
The wins gave Eskimos a 3-1 margin in their four-game home stand with Victoria.
The first contest was an extra-inning thriller. Esks spotted Tyees two runs in the top of the 10th, then swept back with three of their own on four successive singles, a walk, and an error to grab the victory.
John Conant, who relieved starter Don Tisnerat in the 10th, got credit for his 22nd win against 10 defeats. Bob Drilling, the first of two Victoria pitchers, was charged with the loss.
Dick Morgan smashed a two-run homer for Edmonton in the sixth. Granny Gladstone clouted a circuit blow for Tyees.
The second encounter also was a closely played affair. With the Eskimos trailing by one run going into the bottom of the fourth, Andy Skurski drove in a pair of Edmonton runners with a double.
Then after Victoria's Bob Moniz homered in the top of the seventh to knot the count, Skurski hit a long outfield fly in the last of the seventh to bring home the winner.
Jack Widner went the route Esks to post his 10th triumph. He walked one, struck a batter and struck out five in surrendering ten hits. Southpaw Ben Lorino also lasted the distance absorbing the defeat, striking our four, walking one, and hitting a batter while giving up ten hits in his first complete game.
First Game
Victoria ............ 002 000 001 2—5 12 1
Edmonton ......... 000 002 100 3—6 13 0
Drilling, Prior (10) and Harford; Tisnerat, Conant (10) and Prentice, Morgan (4).
Second Game
Victoria ........... 300 100 100—5 10 3
Edmonton ......... 210 200 10x—6 10 0
Lorino and Harford; Widner and Morgan.

KENNEWICK, Wash.— Tri-City swept two games from Salem Saturday night, by scores of 5-1 and 4-1, to chalk up its first twin win of the 1953 Western International League baseball season.
Bob Snyder pitched six-hit ball as the Braves took the Solons in the nightcap, thereby pushing Lewiston into the league lead.
First Game
Salem ............ 000 100 0—1 8 0
Tri-City ......... 101 030 x—3 3 0
Collins, Hemphill (4) and Nelson; Robertson and Warren.
Second Game
Salem ........... 000 100 000—1 6 1
Tri-City ........ 010 201 00x—4 7 0
Nicholas and Masterson; Snyder and Pesut.

YAKIMA — Yakima baseball fans, 1,776 of them, paid what they wanted to get in and saw what they got in for Saturday night as the Bears defeated the Wenatchee Chiefs, 7-3, in a Western International League baseball game.
The Bears got off to a good start, a second inning homer by Herman Lewis. It was his 15th of the year but the first on the home field. They added another tally in the second but Wenatchee bounced sack with one in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take a temporary lead.
The two runs in the fifth came on Don Stanford's double and singles by Keith Bowman, Harry Green and Ross McCormack.
Yakima took it back with five runs in the seventh as the team batted around, starting with Bob Wellman's double-and ending with his line out to third.
Wenatchee ......... 000 120 000—3 7 1
Yakima ............... 011 000 50x—7 7 2
Bowman, Klein (7) and Bartolomei; Townsend and Albini.

Friday, August 21, 1953

2008-07-13T03:25:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 23 .596 —
Salem ....... 32 22 .593 ½
Lewiston .... 30 22 .577 1½
Vancouver ... 32 26 .552 2½
Yakima ...... 27 26 .509 5
Edmonton .... 26 27 .491 6
Calgary ..... 24 28 .462 7½
Wenatchee ... 23 30 .434 9
Victoria .... 23 33 .411 10½
Tri-City .... 22 34 .393 11½
AP has different standings for Vic

KENNEWICK — Tri-City defeated Salem, 14-6, in a home run-laced Western International League baseball game Friday night.
Tri-City started ahead with a tally in the first on a homer by Len Tran, but dropped behind in the second when Salem got three quick.
Salem .......... 032 001 000— 6 11 0
Tri-City ........ 110 023 07x—14 17 1
Hemphill, Borst (6), Ballard (8) and Masterson; Bloom, Dobernic (6) and Pesut.

CALGARY, Aug. 21 (CP) — The Calgary Stampeders paced by five home runs Friday night downed the Vancouver Capilanos 11-4 in a Western International League baseball game.
Don Hunter struck two homers for Calgary and one each came from the bats of Charley Mead, Eddie Kapp and Don Bricker.
Stamps romped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and forged ahead again after Caps tied the count in the third.
Playing manager Harvey Storey homered for Capilanos. Hunter's homers were numbers 24 and 25 of the season and gave him a one-homer edge over Mead for four-base hit honors.
Vancouver ......... 013 000 000— 4 5 2
Calgary ............. 401 100 23x—11 14 2
Hernandez and Duretto; Kapp and Bricker.

EDMONTON — The Victoria Tyees evened their four-game Western International League baseball series with the Edmonton Eskimos at one each Friday night when Earl Dollins hurled a four-hit 4-1 victory for the coast club.
The slender Dollins struck out nine, hit one batter and walkked only one in gaining his fifth victory in sixteen decisions. He lost his shutout in the ninth inning when Edmonton catcher Dick Morgen, leading off, rifled the southpaw's second pitch obver the left-field wall.
All the hits off Dollins went for extra bases. Whitey Thompson picked up a triple in the second which left field Dwane Helbig lost the ball in the lights and also doubled in the seventh. Ray McNulty added a double in a pinch-hitting role for starter Pat Utley.
Both of Thomson's hits came with two out and Dollins ended the threats by striking out Don Herman on each occasion.
Utley, the fireballing rookie who now has a record of five wins and five losses, held the Tyees scoreless until the fifth.
Victoria ............. 000 031 000—4 9 2
Edmonton .......... 000 000 001—1 4 0
Dollins and Harford; Utley, Manier (9) and Morgan.

SPOKANE — Lewiston was out-hit by Spokane Friday night but kept its domination over the Western International League leaders by taking a 5-1 win.
Lewiston ........... 202 000 000—4 9 1
Spokane ........... 000 100 000—1 10 1
Perez and Garay; New, Nemes (5), Cordell (9) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE — Bob Wellman doubled leading off the 12th inning and scored the winning run on Herman Lewis' fly ball to the outfield to give Yakima an 8-7 win over Wenatchee here Friday night.
Jack Rial pitched 4 1-3 innings of two-hit relief ball to get credit for the victory. Losing pitcher Frankie De Carolis worked 8 2-3 innings before Wellman scored the winning run. The victory gave Yakima one game out of the four-game series.
Yakima ................. 020 500 000 001—8 9 1
Wenatchee ........... 102 120 100 000—7 12 3
Edmunds, Del Sarto (4), Rial (8) and Albini; Beamon, De Carolis (4) and Bartolomei.

Thursday, August 20, 1953

2008-07-13T03:22:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 22 .607 —
Salem ....... 32 21 .604 ½
Lewiston .... 29 22 .569 2½
Vancouver ... 32 25 .561 2½
Yakima ...... 26 26 .500 6
Edmonton .... 26 26 .500 6
Calgary ..... 23 28 .451 8½
Wenatchee ... 23 29 .442 9
Victoria .... 22 33 .400 11½
Tri-City .... 21 34 .382 12½
AP has different standings for Lew, Edm and Vic

CALGARY [News-Herald, August 21]—The Capilanos, with Gene Petralli pulling the trigger, scored eight runs in the last two innings here Thursday to defeat the Calgary Stampeders 11-6.
Behind 6-3 in the eighth, Petralli banged in the tying runs with a clutch single, then delivered a three-run homer in the ninth to put the finisher on the Stampeder hopes.
The Capilanos banged 15 hits in their latest attack on rival pitching with the two leadoff batters, K. Chorlton and Jack Bukowatz accumulating seven of the hits. Chorlton had four with a homer, double and two singles.
Bobby Roberts picked up his no. 9 win on the late Vancouver rally after he had relieved Clarence Marshall in the seventh. Marshall was wild again, this time giving up nine walks and a pair of sixth inning homers.
The clubs traded the lead back and forth like it was a hot biscuit, the Caps jumping on top in the second inning 1-0, then Calgary coming on to lead 2-1 in the third. The Stamps made it 3-1 by the sixth when Chorlton bombed his homer, a two-run effort which tied it again.
Then Ken Whitehead and Don Hunter (his 23rd) delivered back-to-back sixth inning homers to give Gerry Levinson a 6-3 lead.
Gerry couldn’t stand prosperity. He loaded the bases in the seventh and Harvey Storey’s single scored one and Petralli’s two. That tied it again and set the stage for the Caps’ five-run ninth and the victory.
The same clubs play a single game tonight with Pete Hernandez seeking his No. 16 win for Vancouver. There will be a pair of games Saturday before the Caps return to their home park Monday.
Vancouver .......... 010 002 035—11 15 1
Calgary .............. 002 013 000— 6 9 3
Marshall, Roberts (7) and Duretto; Levinson, Stites (8) and Bricker.

EDMONTON — Despite giving up 14 hits, Ray McNulty hurled his 14th victory of the Western International League season with an 8-4 triumph Thursday night over the Victoria Tyees.
The game was the first of a four-game series. Paid attendance was 550.
Esks got eight hits off Bill Bottler and Berlyn Hodges but walks had both moundsmen in trouble. McNulty didn't give up a base on balls.
Andy Skurski was the big hitter for Esks. He hit a broken bat single in the third inning with the bases clogged with walks and also doubled to left field.
Lu Branham and Bob Moniz led Victoria with three for five.
- - -
EDMONTON [Colonist, Aug. 21]—Although Victoria Tyees out-hit Edmonton Eskimos Thursday night, they couldn’t put together enough of their blows together against the control pitching of Ray McNulty, dropping an 8-4 decision as they took their third defeat in four games played on their current road trip.
The Tyees connected for 14 hits in the first game of their four-game WIL series at Edmonton but McNulty, who did not issue a single base on balls, spaced them effectively in gaining his 14th victory compared with seven defeats.
WILDNESS COSTLY
Wildness on the part of Bill Bottler, Victoria’s starting pitcher, paved the way for the runs which gave the Eskimos a 3-0 lead in the first inning and the winners, although held to eight hits, never looked back.
Bottler gave up bases on balls to McNulty, Bob Meisner and Sam Kanelos to start Edmonton’s third inning and all three runners scored on Andy Skurski’s single and a pair of long fly balls.
Successive singles by Bob Moniz, Don Pries and Granny Gladstone, followed by Milt Martin’s outfield out gave Victoria a pair of runs in the fourth but Edmonton came back with a single run in the bottom of the fourth, two in the fifth and another singleton in the sixth for a 7-2 lead.
Bottler was lifted for a pinch hitter as the Tyees were scoring their final two runs in the top of the seventh and southpaw Berlyn Hodges finished up, allowing one earned run in his two-inning stint.
Lu Branham and Bob Moniz each had three hits in five trips to the plate for Victoria, Granny Gladstone poled a double and a single in four tries while Dwane Helbig singled twice in four appearances.
Victoria ........... 000 200 200—4 14 2
Edmonton ........ 003 121 10x—8 8 1
Bottler, Hodges (7) and Harford; McNulty and Prentice.

WENATCHEE — A pair of home runs by catcher John Albini accounted for all of Yakima's runs, but they weren't enough as Wenatchee defeated the Bears here Thursday night, 7-5.
Albini cracked a 395-foot home run over the centerfield wall in the second inning with one man on base and then a 365 foot drive over the right field wall in the ninth with two men aboard.
Yakima ............. 020 000 003—5 5 2
Wenatchee ....... 100 020 40x—7 11 5
Carter, Rial (7), Blank (8) and Albini; Oubre and Bartolomei.

LEWISTON — Manager Bill Brenner pitched six-hit ball Thursday night as Lewiston beat Spokane 5-1, the Broncs' third straight win over the Western International League leaders.
Brenner was never in trouble as he recorded his 18th win against 10 losses. Spokane got its lone run in the sixth inning on successive doubles by Eddie Murphy and Jimmy Brown.
Lewiston got off to a commnnding four-run lead in the second on two walks, a double steal, an error, double by Glen Tuckett and singles by Mel Wasley and Larry Barton.
Ken Richardson drove in Lewiston's other run in the seventh on a long fly ball.
About 2,400 fans watched the contest.
Spokane .......... 000 001 000—1 6 1
Lewiston ......... 040 000 10x—5 9 0
Worth, Romero (2), Cordell (7), Nemes (8) and Sheets; Brenner and Cameron.

SALEM — A five-run fourth inning and Gene Roenspie's steady pitching gave Salem a 9-5 Western International League victory over Tri-City here Thursday night.
Roenspie scattered 12 hits and was never in trouble as he recorded his 17th win of the season against three defeats.
Jim Deyo's three-run double and Larry Ballard's two-run homer accounted for the scoring in the Senators' big fourth. The blows came off Jim Hedgecock, the losing pitcher.
Jack Warren had three hits in four times at bat for Tri-City. Bob McGuire banged out two hits and drove in two of the visitors' runs.
More than 2,000 fans were in the stands for a "park the park" night for which no admission was charged. Those who wanted to were invited to drop money into barrels.
Tri-City ...... 000 012 110—5 13 0
Salem ........ 200 520 00x—9 13 1
Hedgecock, Michelson (4) and Pesut; Roenspie and Masterson.

Wednesday, August 19, 1953

2008-07-13T03:15:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 21 .618 —
Salem ....... 31 21 .596 1½
Lewiston .... 28 22 .560 3½
Vancouver ... 31 25 .554 3½
Yakima ...... 26 25 .510 6
Edmonton .... 25 26 .490 7
Calgary ..... 23 27 .460 8½
Wenatchee ... 22 29 .431 10
Victoria .... 22 32 .407 11½
Tri-City .... 21 33 .389 12½
AP has different standings for Lew, Edm and Vic

EDMONTON—John Conant gained his 21st win of the Western International baseball campaign Wednesday night by pitching Edmonton Eskimos to a 9-4 victory over the Vancouver Capilanos in the final game of a three-game series.
Paid attendance was 772.
Conant encountered rough treatment in the first four innings when he was tagged for nine hits. He settled down to pitch brilliant ball the rest of the route.
Esks smashed 14 hits off the combined offerings of Van Fletcher who hurled a no-hitter in his last game and Carl Gunnarson who took over with the sacks loaded, a run in and nobody out in the sixth inning. Bob Meisner and Andy Skurski led Edmonton each with three for five. Big blow of the game was Don Prentice's three-run homer to open Edmonton's scoring in the fifth inning.
Vancouver ............ 022 000 000—4 11 1
Edmonton ............. 000 034 11x—9 14 1
Fletcher, Gunnarson (8) and Duretto; Conant and Prentice.

CALGARY—(CP)—Trailing 8-1 going into the bottom of the second inning, Calgary Stampeders tied the count and then went on to outlast Victoria Tyees 19-16 in a Western International League Baseball game Wednesday night.
The cowboys battled through four Victoria pitchers while gaining their victory and a 2-1 edge in their series with the coast club. Tyees drove Stampeder starter Glenn Hittner from the mound with six hits and seven runs in the fust inning but could do little against the slants of reliefer Bill Francis.
Don Bricker homered twice for Calgary, driving in five runs. Charlie Mead also homered for Stamps. Granny Gladstone, Cec Garriott and Lou Branham drove out circuit blows for Tyees.
Victoria ......... 710 012 023—16 16 3
Calgary ......... 172 072 00x—19 22 5
Prior, Walker (5), Hodges (5), Lorino (6) and Martin; Hittner, Francis (7) and Bricker.

SALEM, Ore. — Terry Carroll's outfield fly in the 11th inning scored Jack Warren and Have Tri-City a 4-3 Western International League Baseball victory over Salem here Wednesday night.
Veteran Jess Dobernic, who came in as a reliever after Salem had pushed over the tying run in the ninth, was the winning pitcher. The run was scored by Chuck Essegian. He singled for one of his four hits, advanced to third on a sacrifice and a passed ball and came in on Dick Sabatini's outfield fly.
Dave Dahle pitched the distance break for Salem, allowing seven hits.
Tri-City .......... 000 020 010 01—4 7 2
Salem ............ 000 010 101 00—3 9 2
Robertson, Dobernic (9) and Warren; Dahle and Nelson.

LEWISTON — Lewiston chopped away at Spokane's dwindling Western International League lead Wednesday night with a humiliating 26-hit, 21-3 win Wednesday night.
Spokane ......... 003 000 000— 3 8 8
Lewiston ........ 606 013 14x—21 26 1
Franks, New (1), Giovannoni (3) and Sheets, Ogle (7); Butler and Cameron.

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee won a wild, rain-spattered Western International League game here Wednesday night, defeating Yakima 12-10 with a six-run uprising in the eighth inning.
Yakima ............. 211 113 001—10 12 2
Wenatchee ....... 210 003 06x—12 16 1
Rios, Rial (8), Townsend (8), Young (8) and Albini; Botelho, DeCarolis (5), Klein (9), Oubre (9) and Bartolomei.

Tuesday, August 18, 1953

2008-07-13T03:12:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 20 .630 —
Salem ....... 31 20 .608 1½
Vancouver ... 31 24 .564 3½
Lewiston .... 27 22 .551 4½
Yakima ...... 26 24 .520 6
Edmonton .... 24 26 .480 8
Calgary ..... 22 27 .449 9½
Wenatchee ... 21 29 .420 11
Victoria .... 22 31 .415 11½
Tri-City .... 20 33 .377 13½
AP has different standings for Lew, Edm and Vic

EDMONTON [News-Herald, Aug. 19]—The Capilanos made an awful lot of good hitting make up for a lack of good pitching Tuesday as they clubbed the Edmonton Eskimos for the second straight time, 8-5.
Their bats humming a busy tune as of late, the Capilanos drummed up a crescendo of 16 hits—eight of them for extra bases—in beating the crippled Esks.
Lonnie Myers, with a helping hand from Carl Gunnarson in the ninth, picked up win No. 10 though he was no puzzle to the Edmonton attack himself. Lon was touched for 16 hits, too.
The Caps broke a scoreless ball game wide open in the third with three runs off their former team-mate, Don Tisnerat. Four straight doubles by Myers, K. Chorlton, Jack Bukowatz and Harvey Storey, plus Jim Clark’s infield out, accounted for the runs.
Vancouver came back with some more of that extra base power in the fifth and scored three more. Frank Mascaro tripled and Myers single him home. That kayoed Tisnerat and in came Jack Widner. K. Chorlton greeted the reliever with a triple and Jack Bukowatz drove K home with an outfield fly.
Edmonton scored four times in their half of the fourth. Six hits, with Don Herman’s triple the longest, accounted for them.
Myers got by fairly well after that. He kept his bases on balls down to three while striking out four.
It wasn’t until the ninth that Lonnie was troubled again. Three hits scored one run and when left-hander Don Meisner stepped in at the plate as the potential tying run, Storey waved southpaw Carl Gunnarson in from the bullpen. Carl had a job to do and make it as short as possible. He threw three pitches as Meisner, Don swung at every one and got nothing but air.
Tonight the clubs play the final game in the series with Van Fletcher (14-9), who pitched an almost perfect no-hitter last time out, going for the Capilanos.
Vancouver ........... 003 310 100—8 16 2
Edmonton ............ 000 400 001—5 16 3
Myers, Gunnarson (9) and Duretto; Tisnerat, Widner (4) Manier (8) and Prentice.

CALGARY—Victoria Tyees edged Calgary Stampeders 7-5 in Western International Baseball League game here Tuesday night.
Stampeders jumped into a three-run lead in the first inning, but Tyees tied the count on Granny Gladstone's three-run homer in the third. Tyees gained a 5-4 lead in the fifth and stayed ahead.
Gladstone added the insurance run with his second homer of the game in the top of the ninth. Bob Drilling picked up the victory, while Joe Orrell was tagged with the loss.
Victoria ........... 003 002 101—7 15 2
Calgary ........... 300 100 100—5 11 2
Drilling and Martin; Orrell and Brickell, Lillard (2).

LEWISTON, Idaho—Larry Barton stepped to the plate in the ninth inning Tuesday night and hit the second pitch out of the park to give Lewiston a 5-4 Western International League win over Spokane.
Barton's blast ended Lewision a comeback against the league leaders who had tied the game in the eighth inning on two walks and a home run by Will Hafey. Spokane had scored once in the sixth on a double by Jim Command and a single by Hafey, who had all of the Indians' RBI's for the night.
Lewiston broke into the scoring column first in the fifth inning, when Mel Wasley hit a home run with one on base. Singles by Glen Tuckett and Ken Richardson drove in runs for the Broncs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Spokane ..... 000 001 030—4 8 1
Lewiston ..... 000 021 101—5 9 0
Spring, Romero (7) and Sheets; Kine, Marshall (7) and Cameron.

WENATCHEE, Wash.—Righthander Keith Bowman pitched a three-hitter to lead Wenatchee duets to a 5-1 victory over Yakima Bears here Tuesday night.
Bob Wellman's line single leading off the sixth inning was the only safety until the final inning.
A walk, a single by pinch-hitter Danny Rios and a single by Phil Steinberg in the ninth accounted for Yakima's only run.
Jerry Green collected four hits in five times at bat, to lend the Wenatchee attack.
Bowman struck out seven Bears batters and walked four. His teammates supported him with three double plays.
Yakima ............. 000 000 001—1 3 0
Wenatchee ....... 020 021 00x—5 13 0
Del Sarto, Edmunds (5) and Albini; Bowman and Bartolomei.

SALEM, Ore. — Joe Nicholas set an all-time Salem record Tuesday night when he pitched his 21st win of the season as Senators defeated Tri-City 11-0.
Nicholas also became the first player of the Western International League to pitch 21 wins this year.
He was in trouble several times but managed to pitch his way out. He struck out five, walked five and gave up seven hits —two of them to Des Charouhas.
Salem's only extra base hit was Jim Deyo's double with the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
Tri-City .............. 000 000 000— 0 7 4
Salem ................ 004 600 10x—11 14 1
Snyder, Michelson (4) and Pesut; Nicholas and Masterson.

BLUE SERGE HARNESS
Umpire Nenezich Again Arbitrates WIL Issues
By KEITH MATTHEWS [News-Herald, Aug. 19, 1953]
WIL president Bob Brown announced Tuesday he had signed umpire Johnny Nenezich to finish out the season with the league’s umpiring teams.
Ordinarily, announcements of this kind are greeted with a “so what” attitude. But Nenezich is not just an ordinary umpire.
It’s been four years since Johnny last pulled on his blue serge in the Western International. However, he has never been forgotten.
John was always former president Bob Abel’s trouble-shooter. Whenever a riot would rear its ugly head in one of the league’s cities, in would come Mr. Nenezich to put of the fire. Some said he was a better fireman than old Hugh Casey.
Once in Spokane, after Alan Strange had pulled his team off the field and the game had been forfeited, Abel sent a hurried wire to Nenezich which said: “Trouble in Spokane. Get down there immediately and take over as umpire in chief.”
For John, A Tossed Salad
Johnny went. The minute he stepped on the field, he was greeted with a shower of fruit and vegetables from the fans which made he think he stepped into One Long Pan’s warehouse. Nenezich cutely returned Abel’s wire: “Thanks for the assignment. I sold the fruit and vegetables for $20.”
Two years ago Nenezich got a chance in the Pacific Coast League. He did well, but there again an old habit of liking the ball players too much and trying to associate with them, cost him his job.
Two items brought about Nenezich’s re-hiring. One is the fact that Mel Steiner soon will have to leave the league staff. His father is seriously ill and not expected to live.
The other is John Luksik, whom Mr. Brown fired last week.
Saga Of Luckless Mr. Luksik
John has been on the WIL’s umpiring staff since the opening of the season. Last week, however he was involved in a hot argument in Edmonton, in which the Eskimos’ manager, Bob Sturgeon, said he was playing the game under protest.
Luksik refused to announce the protest and further, he refused to report it to league headquarter.
Several days later Brown heard about it. He wired Luksik immediately: “It is my understanding that I am still president of this league and must be informed of all protest games. Wire me immediately night letter, not more than 50 words an explanation of your actions.”
“He wired me all right,” Bob groaned. “It was quite an explanation. It cost me $14 for the telegram.
Mr. Luksik is with us no longer.

Spokane Could Lose Pro Ball If More Fans Don't Turn Out
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 19 — Spokane, the city that filled Ferris Field with 287,185 fans in 1947 to break Minor League attendance records, may be without a professional baseball team in 1954 if the turnstiles don't start clicking soon.
Roy Hotchkiss, owner of the Western International League team, said Tuesday that he can't continue to operate with the slumping attendance and if an average of 4,000 fans don't turn up for the remaining home games he may have to give up.
Winning Club
Hotchkiss, a dairy farmer who has owned Indians since 1949, said he thought all the city needed to keep the park full was a winning club. But last year, when Indians were second all season, the attendance was 104,600 the lowest in years.
This year, with Spokane on top in the second half of the WIL split season, the team has pulled in only 68,400 paying customers for 56 playing dates.
"I didn't expect to make any money out of baseball when I took over the Indians in 1949. Still, they must come closer to breaking even—otherwise I can't afford to carry on," he said.
If Spokane drew 4,000 for the remaining nine home dates, total attendance for 1953 would be 104,400, approximately the same as last year.
Couldn't Break Even
Hotchkiss said even that attendance figure wouldn't allow him to break even, "but at least that kind of support would indicate to me that the people of Spokane are interested in keeping baseball here."
Spokane, the traditional attendance leader of the WIL, drew the record gate as a class B club in 1947.
It outdrew every B team in the nation, and had better attendance than 10 class A leagues and eight AAA teams.
The Indians' home park Ferris Field, burned in 1948, before Hotchkiss bought the team. He rebuilt it but admits the stands may not be as comfortable as before.

Monday, August 17, 1953

2008-07-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 19 .642 —
Salem ....... 30 20 .600 2½
Vancouver ... 30 24 .556 4½
Lewiston .... 26 22 .542 5½
Yakima ...... 26 23 .531 6
Edmonton .... 24 25 .490 8
Calgary ..... 22 26 .458 9½
Wenatchee ... 20 29 .409 12
Victoria .... 21 31 .404 12½
Tri-City .... 20 32 .385 13½
AP has different standings for Lew, Edm and Vic

CALGARY — Grand-slam homers by Charley Mead and Gus Stathos gave the Calgary Stampeders an 11-7 victory over the Victoria Tyees in a Western International League game here Monday night.
Trailing 5-2 going into their half of the inning, the Cowboys unloaded five hits, including Mead's homer, and took advantage of two Victoria errors, to go ahead for the first time in the game.
Stathos slammed his in the eight put the issue beyond doubt. Don Hunter also homered for the Stamps, his 22nd of the season. Granny Gladstone hit a round-tripper for Victoria.
Earl Dollins, who was relieved by Bill Bottler in the eighth, was the loser.
Victoria ............ 000 013 102— 7 10 2
Calgary ............ 000 011 54x—11 15 4
Dollins, Bottler (8) and Martin; Kapp and Bricker.

(only game scheduled)

Soriano Holds Talks With Bob Roberts
[Vancouver News Herald, August 18, 1953]
While the Capilanos rested easily in Edmonton, enjoying their first off-day from baseball after 42 successive assignments, club general manager Dewey Soriano hurried to Richland, Washington to meet pitcher Bobby Roberts. Roberts left the club suddenly Thursday.
Soriano insisted the little right-hander was not a “jumper” and had asked permission to make the trip.
“His wife is going to have a serious operation,” Soriano said. “Bob wanted to be with her for a few days before she went under the knife. He did not say he might not rejoin the club and that’s why I’m making this trip to clarify the issue.”
Roberts has won eight and lost two since joining Vancouver from Calgary in July, He has pitched great ball and his loss would be felt by the slim-sized staff which is presently trying to carry the Caps to a second-half WIL championship.
However, Soriano feels that Roberts will rejoin the team. He reasons that Bobby will need the money to pay for such an operation and therefore will have to work out the remainder of the season. Besides which, Soriano now smells the blood of a second-half title and does not want to risk a chance of losing just because he is short-staffed.

Edmonton Has 3,659 Allies
EDMONTON — General Manager John Ducey of the Western International League Eskimos says he has 3,659 allies for the cause of legalized Sunday baseball in Edmonton.
A banner adorning the entrance to Renfrew Park Sunday afternoon mellowed the fans as they passed through the gates to see the Eskimo-Vancouver Caps game, first WIL game held here on the sabbath.
It said, in a gently kidding vein: "We think that this game is worth $1. What do you think?"
It developed that many of the bleacher bugs thought likewise, for the take amounted to a substantial $1,777.50. That averaged 48½ cents a head.
This was something like 12½ cents better than the Caps did recently when they staged a similar WIL offering on a Sunday collection basis. Vancouver fans turned out 5,000 strong for that game.
The Edmonton and Vancouver ball moguls would like to have Sunday ball as a regular diet, like they have it in Toronto, Montreal and in the United States.
Ducey said the best Sunday collection for baseball ever was an average 36 cents a head for a semi-professional playoff game in 1950 in the days of the defunct Calgary-Edmonton Big Four League. Before that, 25 cents a head was about tops.

Sunday, August 16, 1953

2008-07-13T03:03:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 19 .642 —
Salem ....... 30 20 .600 2½
Vancouver ... 30 24 .556 4½
Lewiston .... 26 22 .542 5½
Yakima ...... 26 23 .531 6
Edmonton .... 24 25 .490 8
Calgary ..... 21 26 .447 10
Victoria .... 21 30 .412 12
Wenatchee ... 20 29 .409 12
Tri-City .... 20 32 .385 13½
AP has different standings for Lew, Edm and Vic

EDMONTON — Vancouver Capilanos opened a three-game Western International Baseball League series with Edmonton Eskimos Sunday by posting a 5-4 victory after holding back a ninth-inning Edmonton rally. Edmonton's first Sunday baseball game drew 3,659 fans.
Pete Hernandez held Eskimos to five hits for his 15th victory as against seven defeats.
Rookie Pat Utley responded with a brilliant relief chore for Edmonton but was unable to make up for damage done when Jack Widner allowed five runs in the first two innings. Utley shut out the Caps in his seven-inning stint.
Playing-Manager Harvey Storey batted in the first two runs for Vancouver with a bases-loaded single in the first inning.
Vancouver ............ 320 000 000—5 8 1
Edmonton ............ 002 000 003—4 5 1
Hernandez and Leavitt; Widner, Utley (2) and Prentice.

SPOKANE — An inside-the-park home run gave the Wenatchee Chiefs a 4 to 3 victory over the Spokane Indians in their Western International League tilt Sunday.
The Chiefs Jerry Green banged a long one off the center field boards, and scooted in home when Eddie Murphy stunned himself on the fence trying to drag it in.
Wenatchee scored three runs off three hits in the second inning to gain a lead they never gave up.
The Indians managed only lone runs in the third, sixth, and ninth innings. They had the bases loaded twice, but were not able to bring them in.
Wenatchee ......... 050 000 001—4 8 3
Spokane ............. 001 001 001—3 10 1
Beamon, Bowman (7) and Bartolomei; Nemes, New (3), Cordell (9) and Sheets.

LEWISTON — Lewiston Broncs banged out a total of 27 hits in two games to sweep a Sunday Western International League doubleheader from the Tri-City Braves 12-4 and 6-1.
The Broncs picked up 17 safeties in taking their 12-4 victory in the regulation nightcap, hitting two homers in the process.
Al Heist added two triples to lead the league with 16.
Lewiston picked up an easy win in the seven inning opener as they downed Tri-City 6 to 1.
First Game
Tri-City ................. 000 001 0—1 9 1
Lewiston ............... 120 201 x—6 10 0
Michelson, Hedgecock (4) and Pesut; Butler and Garay.
Second Game
Tri-City ................. 000 020 101— 4 10 4
Lewiston ............... 300 205 02x—12 17 0
Bloom, Hedgecock (6), Michelson (8) and Warren; Brenner and Cameron.

Only games played.

Saturday, August 15, 1953

2008-07-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 34 18 .654 —
Salem ....... 30 20 .600 3
Vancouver ... 29 24 .547 5½
Yakima ...... 26 23 .531 6½
Lewiston .... 24 22 .522 7
Edmonton .... 24 24 .500 8
Calgary ..... 21 26 .447 10½
Victoria .... 21 30 .412 12½
Tri-City .... 20 30 .400 13
Wenatchee ... 19 29 .396 13

SPOKANE —The Spokane Indians took to the field on the hottest night of the year Saturday and proceeded to sweep a Western International League double header from Wenatchee by scores of 7-1 and 10-4.
Victoria native Art Worth pitched a five-hitter in the first game for the Indians.
First Game
Wenatchee .......... 001 000 0— 1 5 2
Spokane .............. 015 001 x— 7 11 2
Oubre and Bartolomei; Worth and Ogle.
Second Game
Wenatchee .......... 000 003 010— 4 9 2
Spokane .............. 015 030 10x—10 12 0
Klein, DeCarolis (3) and Bartolomei; Franks and Sheets.

VICTORIA [Doug Peden, Colonist, Aug. 16]—Salem Senators, apparently determined to add the second-half Western International League championship to their first-half title, made it four straight over the off-color Victoria Tyees as they swept both ends of a double-header at Royal Athletic Park, Saturday.
Battling to overhaul the front-running Spokane Indians after losing four in a row at Vancouver, the Senators pounded Victoria pitching for 16 hits and a 15-6 triumph in the afternoon and made 14 safeties good for an 11-5 victory under the lights.
The Senators, who managed only four runs in their series with the Capilanos, rebounded for a total of 44 in their four games with Victoria and collected 50 hits against an overworked Tyee pitching staff.
Leaving on a 10-game road trip this morning, the Tyees will make the trip without first baseman Chuck Abernathy, who drew his unconditional release from the club Saturday. Abernathy, a .277 hitter with the Tyees last season, missed some of this year’s season with a chronic leg condition. In latest official averages the first baseman was hitting at a.270 clip through 88 games with 82 hits in 304 times at bat and had batted in 51 runs.
Abernathy played in the first game but handyman Don Pries took over at first base for the nightcap with Bob Moniz again moving in at third base.
OVERWORKED
Bob Drilling, again forced to make a start with only two days rest, opened on the mound for Victoria in the night game and was driven to cover with one out in the fourth inning after giving up eight runs and nine hits.
Zeb Walker then made his fourth relief appearance in four games. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fifth and Ben Lorino finished up, yielding two runs and three huts in his four inning stint.
Righthander Jack Hemphill went all the way for the Senators, gaining his 15th win against nine losses as he limited the Tyees to eight hits. He gave up the first Victoria run in the sixth when Granny Gladstone poled his 14th home run of the season and weakened in the ninth, giving up four runs on five bases on balls and Dwane Helbig’s two-run single.
Gene Roenspie, third Salem pitcher in the afternoon encounter, was credited with the victory when starter Larry Borat failed to complete the required five innings. It was Roenspie’s second victory in two days and gave him a record of 15 victories and three defeats.
Bill Bottler took the loss, loosely played games, [sic] going four innings before being followed by Walker and, in the sixth, Bill Prior.
The Tyees, who played errorless ball at night, committed six errors in the day contest, giving Salem seven unearned tallies.
Dwane Helbig supplied the brightest moment from a Victoria standpoint with a pinch homer run in the fifth inning. It was his 13th of the season.
First Game
Salem ........... 300 060 303—15 16
Victoria ........ 100 050 000— 6 10 6
Borst, Dahle (5), Roenspie (7) and Masterson; Bottler, Walker (5), Prior (6) and Harford, Martin (6).
Second Game
Salem ........... 004 500 110—11 14 1
Victoria ........ 000 001 004— 5 8 0
Hemphill and Nelson; Drilling, Walker (4), Lorino (6) and Martin.

VANCOUVER — The wildness of Clarence Marshall, who hurled a no-hitter the last time out, helped the Yakima Bears to an 11-6 Western International League baseball win over the Vancouver Capilanos here Saturday night.
Marshall ran into trouble right from the start as the Bears took advantage of five walks and two hits in a pair of innings to score four opening runs.
Winning pitcher Danny Rios hit two doubles and three a single and big Bob Wellman batted in three runs with three hits. White accounted for three runs for the winners as well, while John Albini smacked a solo homer.
Gene Petralli batted in three Capilanos, while Moose Mascaro led Vancouver in hits with three.
Yakima ............... 132 020 210—11 13 2
Vancouver .......... 000 003 300— 6 14 0
Rios and Albini, Novick (8); Marshall, Thomason (2), Castas (8) and Duretto, Leavitt (6).

LEWISTON — Manny Perez hurled a shutout Saturday night as Lewiston took a quick, clean 2-0 Western International League win from Tri-City.
Tri-City ............ 000 000 000— 0 6 0
Lewiston .......... 100 100 00x— 2 7 0
Robertson, Dobernic (8) and Warren; Perez and Garay.

EDMONTON — Calgary Stampeders made it three straight over Edmonton Eskimos by trimming Esks 4-0 in the first game of a Western International Baseball league split doubleheader Saturday, but Edmonton salvaged one win in the four-same series, edging the Stamps 8-7 in the nightcap.
Jerry Levinson hurled a magnificent two-hit shut-out in the first contest. Eskimos' only hits were seventh inning singles by Andy Skurski and Dick Morgan.
Stamps counted for two runs in the sixth, and two more in the seventh when Gus Stathos drove in a pair of runners with a single.
John Conant became the first pitcher in the league this year to post his 20th victory when he went the route in the second tilt before 1,087 fans.
First Game
Calgary ........... 000 002 200—4 11 0
Edmonton ........ 000 000 000—0 2 2
Levinson and Bricker; McNulty and Morgan.
Second Game
Calgary ............ 210 130 000— 7 10 0
Edmonton ......... 001 001 15x— 8 11 4
Stites, Orrell (8) and Lillard; Conant and Morgan.

Friday, August 14, 1953

2008-07-13T02:56:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 32 18 .640 —
Salem ....... 28 20 .583 3
Vancouver ... 29 23 .558 4
Yakima ...... 25 23 .521 6
Lewiston .... 23 22 .511 6½
Edmonton .... 23 23 .500 7
Calgary ..... 20 25 .444 9½
Victoria .... 21 28 .429 10½
Wenatchee ... 19 27 .413 11
Tri-City .... 20 29 .408 11½

VANCOUVER, [Dick Beddoes, Sun, Aug. 15]—Last week, when the Vancouver Caps were floundering in a series with Victoria Tyees, folks were saying: “Now is the time for all good miracles to come to the Caps.” This week, they arrived as a phenomena of pitchers who pitch no-hit baseball games.
Clarence Marshall accomplished the feat Tuesday, impaling Salem Senators on a nine-inning no-hitter as the Caps won 12-1. The second was a spectacular seven-inning job, whipped up Friday night by Van Fletcher before 1938 delighted customers at Cap Stadium.
The cigar-chawing tobacco farmer from East End, North Carolina was so stingy toward the Yakima Bears that he wouldn’t give ‘em the right time unless they sneaked a peak [sic] at his watch. In blanking the Bruins 2-0 in the first half of a doubleheader, Fletcher came within one man of pitching a perfect game and that blot was a result of his own error in the first inning.
FAST BALL SANK
Van juggled Phil Steinberg’s ground ball long enough to give Phil a life at first, where he died. No other Bears got a chance to languish on the bases. Fletcher struck out three, walked nobody and only five of the 22 batsmen to face him knocked the ball out of the infield.
Owner of a 14-9 won-loss record, Fletcher’s chief weapon last night was a fast ball that sank. It served him well as he became the fifth hurler in Western International League history to stymie the opposition on no hits over a seven inning route.
And except for his own miscue, Fletcher would have become the seventh pitcher of all time to achieve a perfect game in organized baseball. The last such feat occurred April 30, 1922, Charles Robertson allowed no one to reach first base as Chicago White Sox shut out Detroit Tigers 2-0.
Fletcher was required for a brief relief chore in the ninth inning of the second game when manager Harvey Storey ran out of pitchers. The shortage of firemen was heightened when Storey used three in some last-second strategy, and the fact that Bob Roberts didn’t bother to appear for work forced the Cap leader to use Fletcher.
GUNNAR GREAT
With Vancouver ahead, 5-4, one out, a Yakima runner at second base and southpaw swinging Fuzzy White at bat, Storey relieved right-hander Dale Thomason in favor of Lefty Carl Gunnarson. The percentage worked, Gunnarson whiffing White on four pitches.
Then Storey’s skull whirred so warmly the smell of burning hair rose on the cool stadium air. He replaced Gunnarson with Fletcher, figuring a right thrower would have more success than a lefty with wicked walloping, right-handed Bob Wellman. As it developed, Wellman singled off Storey’s shins but Fletcher got Herman Lewis to ground out and thwart the rally.
- - -
VANCOUVER [CLANCY LORANGER, Province, Aug. 14]—Baseball historians, whose names are legion and whose memory is prodigious, were busily wracking their record books, trying to find another week when two no-hit games were pitched in one ball park in one week by one ball club.
Yes, it happened here. When Van Fletcher pitches seven innings of near-perfect baseball against Yakima Bears at Capilano Stadium Friday night, it was the second time this week that a Vancouver pitcher has trod the diamond game’s mythical hallowed halls. Clarence Marshall came up with the first one on Tuesday against Salem.
Although Fletcher’s performance came in a scheduled seven-inning game and as such rates a niche or two below a regulation effort, it was in many ways a superior offering. Where Marshall walked nine men, Van didn’t allow a base on balls. In fact, only one Yakima runner got on base, courtesy of an error by Fletcher himself in the third inning, and he never got beyond that point.
GOOD SUPPORT
Fletcher, younger brother of ex Coast League pitching ace Guy, retired the last 20 men in order, three of them by strikeouts, as he recorded his 14th win against nine losses. Van, who had terrific support, particularly by Jim Clark and Jack Bukowatz, was naturally thrilled by the turn of events.
Naturally, the Caps won that game, and they made a night of it by taking the nightcap, too, thanks mostly to the generosity of the Yakima fielders—plus some Durocher-type juggling of the pitching staff in the ninth inning.
HARVEY THINKING
Yakima threatened to get even in the ninth, but Cap Manager Harvey Storey, manipulating his pitchers like puppets, outsmarted ‘em. With one out and a man on second, Storey brought in left-hander Carl Gunnarson to pitch to southpaw swinger Al White. Gunnarson struck him out, then gave way to Fletcher.
PROVINCE STARS — Naturally, Van Fletcher, who with any luck would have close to 20 wins now … Jim Clark (again) who not only fielded superbly but gave the Caps a lesson in base running as he twice eluded fielders waiting for him at the keystone in stealing second … That’s all: Fletcher rates two stars.
- - -
VANCOUVER [KEITH MATTHEWS, News-Herald, Aug. 15]—Only once before has the same kind of lightning struck over baseball’s passive history. Friday, Van Fletcher pitched a seven-inning no-hit, no-run 2-0 victory for Vancouver and it was the second “dream” accomplishment by a local pitcher this week.
The once before was 1945 when Johnny Vander Meer, then at the peak of his career, twice walked out and pitched double-no efforts for the Cincinnati Reds. The Vancouver Capilanos must take a back seat to this one, but to no other.
With the Fletcher effort as their inspiration, Vancouver took both ends of a double set, winning the second game as Harvey Storey exerted his season’s best managerial strategy in winning 5-4. Harv used four pitchers, three of them in the last inning, in obtaining the win.
Fletcher, of course, was the story. Tuesday it had been Clarence Marshall, not long from the Majors, who pitched the first no-hitter in Vancouver’s history since Bill Richardson turned the trick in Bob Brown’s old semi-pro league in 1937. And now, just three days later, Fletcher walked out and did it again.
In a way, it was better than Marshall’s even though a seven-inning no-hitter is never considered in the same category as a full nine. But Fletcher came within one baserunner of pitching a completely perfect game.
Long Time Between Perfects
It was in the first inning that Phil Steinberg hit an easy tap back to the mound. Fletcher reached up to grab it and the ball hit the heel of his glove and rolled free for an error. Steinberg was the lone Yakima baserunner in the entire seven innings. Fletcher walked none. The Capilanos erred no more behind him. Had he managed that one other out, Fletcher would have become baseball’s second pitcher to turn the “perfect” trick. The last and only was Charley Robertson, the old Chicago White Sox hero, who beat the Detroit Tigers in 1917 and faced only the minimum 27 batters in so doing.
Fletcher was mobbed as he walked from the field, after the third out in the seventh. “It’s my first ever,” he yelled. “I knew it in the fifth inning and right then I said if they’re going to get a hit off me, they’re going to have to hit my best pitch!”
The 5-4 victory, even though it was every bit as dramatic in its intensity, became secondary.
Harv Played The Percentages
Jack Bukowatz set the stage when he drove in two runs in the seventh to attain the 5-4 margin. Then, with Dale Thomason pitching in the ninth, Yakima got a base runner in position through a walk and Andy Anderson sacrificed him along to a scoring station at second.
It was here that Storey reached into his bag of tricks. He hauled Carl Gunnarson from the bullpen to pitch to left-handed hitting Al Smith. Cal got his man out on four pitches with a strikeout. Then Storey yanked the “Gunner” and came in with Fletcher again to pitch to the right-handed Bob Wellman.
Wellman cracked a scorching grounder down the third base side and Storey held it to an infield hit with a valiant stop. Fletcher then got Herman Lewis on an infield out to wind it up. It was quite a night.
Tonight the same clubs play a single game with the Capilanos, now winners of their last seven out of nine, pitching Clarence Marshall, the other no-hit hero. Danny Rios goes for Yakima.
First Game
Yakima .............. 000 000 0—0 0 1
Vancouver ......... 000 200 x—2 5 1
Edmunds, Townsend (6) and Novick; Fletcher and Duretto.
Second Game
Yakima ............. 100 201 000—4 9 4
Vancouver ........ 102 000 20x—5 9 2
Carter, Rial (8) and Albini; Myers, Thomason (3), Gunnarson (9), Fletcher (9) and Duretto.

EDMONTON — Calgary Stampeders made it two straight Friday night in their four-game Western International Baseball League series with Edmonton Eskimos as they drubbed Esks 10-5 before 1,029 fans.
Glenn Hittner went the route for Calgary, hurling his third win over Esks and his 11th of the season against 12 losses.
Bob Bonebrake and Jim Wert blasted home runs for Stamps while Whitey Thomson hit a three-run homer for Edmonton.
Included in Calgary's 15 hits against Leon Day and Pat Utley was a double by Don Hittner. The teams meet Saturday in a day-night double-header.
Calgary .......... 000 311 500—10 15 1
Edmonton ....... 000 200 300— 5 8 3
Hittner and Bricker, Lillard (9) ; Day, Utley (7) and Morgan.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 15]—Salem Senators, still smarting from the sting of four straight setbacks at Vancouver, threw their two righthanded aces—Joe Nicholas and Gene Roenspie—at Victoria Tyees at Royal Athletic Park Friday night to sweep both ends of their WIL doubleheader.
Nicholas, the pitcher the Lewiston Broncs didn’t want this season, racked up his 20th victory in 24 decisions with a five-hit, 13-4 triumph in the opener and Roenspie collected his 14th win against three losses as the Senators took the seven-inning nightcap, 5-3.
TWO TODAY
The two clubs conclude their series with a double bill at Athletic Park today. Bill Bottler is due to start the afternoon game and Bob Drilling may take the mound in the “Family Night” game which starts at 8.
Ben Lorino, a 24-game winner with the Tyees last year, made his first Victoria start and was shelled out in the midst of a seven-run outburst in the fourth inning, after giving up eight runs on six hits, three bases on balls and two errors.
GRAND SLAM
Earl Dollins, who relieved Lorino with two out and, two on, gave a base on balls to Jim Deyo to load the bases then served up a home run pitch to first baseman Gerry Ballard. Ballard collected his second homer—this one with the bases empty—off Zeb Walker in the seventh.
Catcher Jim Harford picked up the first two hits against Nicholas, singling in each of the third and fifth frames. He scored on Bob Moniz’fly ball in the third and crossed the plate in the fifth on Moniz’ single. Lu Branham, who ahs been swinging from the left side of the plate in recent games, doubled to open the Victoria eighth. Cec Garriott tripled to score Branham and came in with the final Tyee run on Don Pries’ ground out.
PRIOR LOSES
Bill Prior, away to a shaky start in the first inning of the second game, was charged with the loss, which dropped the Tyees down into a last-place tie with Tri-City Braves.
An error and four successive singles gave the Senators a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. They added another in the fourth, when Jim Deyo stole home as Milt Martin failed to hold Prior’s pitch to Roenspie. Deyo scored the fifth Salem run in the fifth.
Granny Gladstone doubled and scored for the Tyees in the second inning and Don Pries poled a two-run double in the fifth to bring the Tyees closer.
Martin with three singles in three times at bat and Pries and Gladstone, each with two for four, led the Victoria attack.
First Game
Salem ............ 201 700 111—13 12 1
Victoria .......... 001 010 020— 4 5 3
Nicholas and Masterson; Lorino, Dollins (4), Walker (8), Hodges (8) and Harford.
Second Game
Salem ........... 301 010 0—5 8 0
Victoria ......... 010 020 0—3 8 3
Roenspie and Nelson; Prior, Collins (6), Walker (7) and Martin.

LEWISTON, Aug. 14—The Lewiston Broncs moved ahead in the standings Friday night with a double victory over Tri-City which left the Braves sharing the cellar with the Victoria Tyees.
The Broncs eased through, 4-3, in the first game, then pounded out a 26-3 triumph in the second with a barrage of extra-base hits which included five home runs and six doubles. Mel Wasley, Bob Williams and Clint Cameron each batted in five runs.
First Game
Tri-City ........... 000 000 3—3 8 0
Lewiston ......... 004 000 x—4 6 2
Dobernic and Warren; Kine and Garay.
Second Game
Tri-City ........... 200 010 000— 3 6 2
Lewiston ......... 500 424 0(11)x—26 21 0
Hedgecock, Snyder (2), Dobernic (5), Hockaday (7), Tran (8) and Pesut; Marshall and Cameron.

Wenatchee ........ 000 210 000—3 8 0
Spokane ............ 000 000 001—1 5 0
Botelho and Bartolomei; Giovannoni, New (5), Romero (9) and Sheets.
(story unavailable)

Baseball Wife’s Gypsy Life Suits Her to a ‘T’
By THELMA ROOT
[Vancouver Sun, Aug. 14, 1953]
Dewey Soriano wasn’t “the boy next door” but he was a constant visitor to the boy next door.
“So I had to go all the way to California to meet him,” recalled his attractive wife, who is one of her husband’s Capilano baseball team’s most avid fans.
With the Capilanos fighting strong for the second half pennant in the Western International League play-offs, Mrs. Soriano sees “even less” of her manager-husband than usual, but she still insists she wouldn’t trade being a “baseball wife” for any other job in the world.
FAN SINCE BABYHOOD
“I’ve been a baseball fan ever since I was two,” she said, “and I guess I’ll be a baseball fan when I’m an old lady.”
Daughter of Royal Brougham, sports editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Mrs. Soriano used to cast admiring looks at the young ball-player who visited her neighbor.
“But we were never introduced,” she said. “So one year I went to spring training in California with my Dad. And that’s how I met Dewey.”
Their seven-and-a-half-year-old son, Gary, is a constant fan of the Capilanos and even two-and-a-half-year-old Patti can recognize a foul ball when she sees one.
NEVER MISS GAME
“We never miss a game,” Mrs. Soriano said. “The children just sleep in late in the morning and Patti has a long nap in the afternoon.”
Maybe some wives would object to the constant travelling about that goes with being a baseball wife, but not Mrs. Soriano.
“We’re all good travellers, and the children see a lot of the country they wouldn’t see otherwise,” she said.
And neither does she object to it when Dewey “goes on the road” with the team and leaves her behind.
THIS IS HEAVEN
“He used to be in the Merchant Marine, and be gone fro three or four months,” she laughed. “This is heaven when he’s only gone for a week or so.”
And she’s never once looked back and thought she should have married a business man who went to work at 9 a.m. and came home at 5 p.m.
“Sure,” she said, “I guess ball-players are a little more temperamental than ordinary men. They’re bound to be with the fans spoiling them. But they’re still pretty wonderful.”
MISSES WASHER
There’s only one tiny touch of sorrow in it.
“There’s my wonderful automatic washer and dryer sitting in our house in Seattle nd I’m doing washing in an old machine here!” she mourned.

WILfan note: This story just reeks of the 1950s. And nowhere in the story do we learn her first name. It’s like she’s her husband’s property.

Thursday, August 13, 1953

2008-07-13T02:50:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 32 17 .648 —
Salem ....... 26 20 .585 4½
Yakima ...... 25 21 .543 5½
Vancouver ... 27 23 .540 5½
Edmonton .... 23 22 .511 7
Lewiston .... 21 22 .488 8
Victoria .... 21 26 .447 10
Calgary ..... 19 25 .432 10½
Tri-City .... 20 27 .426 11
Wenatchee ... 18 27 .400 12
AP has 20-27 for Victoria

SPOKANE, Aug. 13—A fellow alumnus of Washington State College spoiled Jack Spring's effort at a no-hit Western International League game Thursday night as Spokane beat Tri-City 4-1.
Terry Carroll, Spring's former teammate at Washington State College, accounted for both Tri-City safeties. He beat out a bunt in the seventh to wreck Spring's bid for a no-hitter, and singled in the ninth.
Tri-City....... 000 001 000—1 2 1
Spokane ..... 000 002 11x—4 11 4
Snyder and Warren; Spring and Sheets.

EDMONTON, Alta., Aug. 13—Behind six-hit pitching by Eddie Kapp, the Calgary Stampeders trounced the Edmonton Eskimos 10-4 Thursday night in the opener of a four-game Western International Baseball league series.
Paid attendance was 1,058.
Capp was seldom in trouble in a dull contest between two travel-weary clubs. Calgary scored a pair of runs in the first inning and recaptured the lead to win going away after Edmonton scored three runs in the third.
The big righthander fanned 10 in claiming his sixth victory of the season against as many losses. Charlie Mead led Calgary's 12 hits against two Edmonton hurlers with a single, a double and a triple in live trips.
Calgary ....... 200 230 120—10 12 2
Edmonton .... 003 001 000— 4 6 2
Kapp and Bricker; Manier, Johnson (8) and Morgan.

VANCOUVER [By Dick Beddoes, Sun, Aug. 14]—Peter Hernandez’s right-handed hooks snagged 13 Yakima Bears Thursday night but enough big ones got away to wreck the Senor’s bid for his 15th win.
Peter’s curve came in alive and crackling, humiliating 13 Yakima batsmen who swung where there wasn’t any ball. However, the challenging Bruins gobbled up whatever else he had to offer, winning 5-2 to shatter Vancouver’s five-game win streak and bust past the Caps into third place in the Western International League.
The loss shoved the Cap Stadium residents 5 ½ games to the rear of the front-running Spokane Indians, who whacked Tri-City Braves 4-1. Caps get two chances tonight to shake off their temporary lapse on the route to a second-half pennant, playing Yakima in a double-header beginning at 7 o’clock.
NEW PUNCH SHOWS
In the very first inning the locals demonstrated their new-found punch at the plate, Jimmy Clark singling to centre and Harvey Storey screaming a triple to The Sun sign 400 feet from home base. Storey’s shot scored Clark, and the Vancouver manager came home himself on a passed ball.
Following that rally, however, the Caps were never again able to mound a serious threat. This was a tribute, in part, to the pitching of Lefty Tom Del Sarto, who seems to have licked the damaging habit of choking up in the late innings.
But Yakima’s hustle in the field and hammer with the bat complemented Del Sarto’s performance. The Bears have been re-staffed and revitalized since the spring, experiencing a housecleaning that detached all but first-baseman Irv Noren and right-fielder Herman Lewis from their jobs.
ROBERT RAPS
One of the newcomers is Robert Joseph Wellman, who muscled up in the seventh inning and crashed a low-inside curve over the left field wall. It was Wellman’s 20th home run of the year and was accomplished with third-baseman Phil Steinberg on base.
Wellman’s wallop provided Yakima with two insurance runs, the Bears having squared it with two in the fifth and moved ahead with another in the sixth. Their tie-breaker was the product of singles by Lewis and Noren and a lengthy fly swatted by Andy Anderson.
- - -
VANCOUVER, B. C., Aug. 13—Pete Hernandez struck out 13 batters Thursday, but he allowed enough base hits in between to allow Yakima a 5-2 baseball victory, thereby ending Vancouver's five game win streak in the Western International League.
When big Bob Wellman hit his 20th home run of the season in Vancouver Thursday night he erased another Yakima Western International baseball league record set by Harlond Clift.
Clift, Yakima's former major league, now coaches the San Francisco Seals in the Pacific Coast League.
Clift set the former record for Yakima at 19 home runs seven years ago.
Wellman, who was leading the WIL hitters with .363 in the last official averages, also tied Don Hunter, Calgary, for the league's home run leadership. However, Hunter had an advantage in playing half of his games in Calgary's bandbox park.
Although Wellman didn't join the Bears until a third of the season had gone, he stands a good chance of leading the league in home runs, total bases, two-base hits and runs-batted-in if he keeps up his present pace.
The 6-foot-4-inch 225-pound outfielder, who is 26, played briefly with the Philadelphia Athletics several years ago. Most of his career has been in the WIL.
Wellman's 350-blast over the left field wall also scored Phil Steinberg in the seventh inning and ensured the win for Tom Del Sarto.
Vancouver got its two runs in the first inning on a single by Jim Clark and manager Harvey Storey's single.
Yakima ............ 000 021 200—5 10 0
Vancouver ....... 200 000 000—2 7 0
Del Sarto and Albini; Hernandez and Duretto.

Salem at Victoria postponed, teams unable to reach Victoria in time.

Only games scheduled.

Rock Slide Costly To Tyees
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 14]—One of the worst slides in the history of Snoqualmie Pass prevented the Victoria Tyees from arriving home in time for a scheduled double-header with the Salem Senators last night, cost the financially-embarrassed club an estimated $1,500, and came uncomfortabaly close to causing an accident.
En route by bus to Seattle from Yakima, where they had concluded a series Wednesday night, the Tyees missed the slide, which took two lives and caused plenty of damage, by a matter of minutes. It was at Snoqualmie Pass in 1946 that the Spokane club bus went over the side, killing players and cutting short the baseball careers of others.
The Tyees were forced to detour to Wenatchee and finally reached Seattle late yesterday by way of Blewett and Stevens Passses. They arrived in town last last night.

Infielder Bought
CALGARY, Alta. — Calgary of the Western International League had purchased First Baseman Jim Wert from Vancouver, also of the WIL.

Broncs Sign New Pitcher
LEWISTON, Aug. 14—Pitcher Larry Powell, who was with Lewiston of the Western International League in 1952, has signed with the Broncs for the remainder of the season.

Bleak Outlook for Wenatchee Chiefs; $4,400 in Red
WENATCHEE, Wash., Aug. 14 - Wenatchee's Western International League baseball club has dropped $4,400 in operations through June 30, President Paul F. Thomas said Wednesday.
Thomas said reports for July will show further losses, as attendance at home games declined during the month. Expenses for the team are $710 a game on the road and $740 at home, he said, and many times these figures have not been reached.

Wednesday, August 12, 1953

2008-07-13T02:47:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 31 17 .646 —
Salem ....... 26 20 .565 4
Vancouver ... 27 22 .551 4½
Yakima ...... 24 21 .533 5½
Edmonton .... 23 21 .523 6
Lewiston .... 21 22 .488 7½
Victoria .... 21 26 .447 9½
Tri-City .... 20 26 .435 10
Calgary ..... 18 25 .419 10½
Wenatchee ... 18 27 .400 11½

LEWISTON, Aug. 13—Calgary subdued Lewiston with a three-run rally in the ninth as the Stampeders came from behind to defeat the Broncs, 5-4, in a Western International League thriller on Wednesday night.
Calgary ........ 101 000 003—5 9 0
Lewiston ...... 000 010 300—4 11 0
Orrell, Stites (9) and Bricker; Butler and Garay.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 13—Centrefielder Andy Skurski sparked Edmonton to an 11-5 triumph over Wenatchee on Wednesday night.
Skurski drove in four runs on two hits in three times at bat in the opener and scored both Edmonton runs in the second game.
First Game
Edmonton ....... 000 055 1—11 11 1
Wenatchee ..... 220 100 0— 5 6 3
Tisnerat, Utley (5) and Morgan; DeCarolis, Beamon (5), Monroe (6) and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Edmonton ...... 000 001 010 —2 7 0
Wenatchee .... 000 000 000—0 8 0
Widner, Conant (8) and Prentice; Morgan, Bowman (3) and Bartolomei.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 13—Vancouver fashioned back-to-back wins over Salem Wednesday and all but knocked the wandering Senators into second place in the Western International baseball league.
Carl Gunnarson limited Salem in the opener in Vancouver. The Senators scored only one run on a seventh inning double by Les Witherspoon, an error by Jim Clark and a single by Don Masterson.
The Caps led the second game in the first inning, scoring twice on three hits and a walk.
Bob Roberts picked up his eighth victory in the second encounter, aided by Clark's two-run double that got the Caps away to a 2-0 lead in the first frame.
The Senators managed only one run in each of their four games.
- - -
VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, Aug. 13]—So many times in past years one man has joined the Capilanos late in the year and sparked a resurgence which brought about a championship—or at least a thrilling year.
This is the case again in 1953, the Caps now being at full gallop following a clean sweep of the Salem series. Wednesday they won both games 3-1 and 6-1 before the year’s largest crowd, 3300.
The one man right now is Jimmy Clark, a little bit of a shortstop who does large chunks of everything in that big hole. Wednesday he made some unbelievable plays, as did each of the Capilanos, and extended his strange record of batting in the Caps’ first run each game to four in a row.
JOB EASY
The winning pitchers this time were Carl Gunnarson with his No. 5 and Bobby Roberts with his No. 8. Both of them received the kind of support, offensively and defensively, which made the job easy.
The good plays were too many to identify one by one. However, Clark robbed Bob Nelson blind in the fourth inning of the second game by going way behind second base for Nelson’s trickler and flipping to first in the same motion for the out. Jack Bukowatz rivalled his keystone companion in the second inning of the same game. He dived on his “tummy” for a one-bounce liner from Chuck Essegian’s bat, got up and flipped to Clark for a force at second.
The crowd, off their hands and enjoying this stuff immensely for the first time this year, ate it up.
NOT SLUMP
Hugh Luby, the Salem manager, did everything in his power to snap the Salems out of their slump and give the Caps the what-for. He had a clubhouse meeting both before and after the twin set. However, he found that this was not a Salem at all—merely a Capilano resurgence.
DIAMOND DUST – Doug Hepburn flexed his muscles in between games and the crowd liked the show so much that they chipped in $725.26 toward the fund to send Doug to Stockholm for the world’s weight-lifting championship . . . The donations put the fund over the top . . . Tonight Pete Hernandez (14-6) tries to extend Vancouver’s win streak to six when he pitches against Yakima . . . Tonight is Ladies’ Night, incidentally, all the gals getting in on the house.
First Game
Salem ............ 000 000 1—1 6 2
Vancouver ..... 210 000 x—3 8 1
Hemphill and Masterson; Gunnarson and Duretto.
Second Game
Salem ........... 010 000 000—1 7 3
Vancouver .... 210 210 00x—6 10 0
Dahle and Nelson; Roberts and Duretto.

YAKIMA, Wash. [Colonist, Aug. 13]—Herman Lewis ruined Bob Drilling’s bid for his 10th straight victory by cracking a two-run single with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth inning to give Yakima Bears a 6-5 victory over the Victoria Tyees at Yakima Wednesday night.
It was a close struggle all the way with the Tyees twice coming from behind to start the final inning with a 5-4 advantage.
Pitcher Danny Rios opened the Yakima ninth with a single through the middle then moved to second as Jim McNamara beat out a bunt for a single. Drilling forced Rios at third on Phil Steinberg’s attempted sacrifice and Al White grounded out as the runners moved up.
Manager Cec Garriott ordered Bob Wellman, a .350 hitter who had doubled in the fourth and tripled in the fifth, intentionally passes to bring up Lewis, a southpaw swinger with a .283 batting mark. Drilling worked the count to two balls and two strikes before Lewis bounced a single into right field to break up the game.
The result left Drilling with a record of 12 wins and 13 losses for the season and gave Rios, who went all the way for the Bears, his 16th victory.
Victoria ....... 000 023 000—5 9 0
Yakima ........ 001 120 002—6 12 0
Drilling and Harford; Rios and Novick.

SPOKANE, Aug. 13—Spokane used three pitchers to quell a seventh-inning rally as the Indians held off the Braves 6-5 in the first game of a twin-bill Wednesday night.
John Cordell put out the last-inning fire after one run scored.
The Braves out-hit the Indians 16-13 in the afterpiece, but fell short in the run department, losing 12-8.
First Game
Tri-City ...... 200 020 1—5 7 0
Spokane ..... 003 120 x—6 8 1
Bloom and Warren; Nemes, New (7), Cordell (7) and Ogle.
Second Game
Tri-City ..... 200 002 121— 8 16 4
Spokane .... 225 020 107—12 13 3
Michelson, Dobernic (3), Hockaday (5) and Warren, Pesut (6); Romero and Sheets.

Tuesday, August 11, 1953

2008-07-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 29 17 .631 —
Salem ....... 26 18 .591 2
Vancouver ... 25 22 .532 4½
Yakima ...... 23 21 .523 5
Edmonton .... 21 21 .500 6
Lewiston .... 21 21 .500 6
Victoria .... 21 25 .457 8
Tri-City .... 20 24 .455 8
Wenatchee ... 18 25 .419 9½
Calgary ..... 17 25 .405 10

VANCOUVER [by CLANCY LORANGER, Province, Apr. 12]—When Clarence Marshall joined the Capilanos last week, he said he was down there for one thing: To get to pitch regularly and prove that at 28 he still had a future in baseball.
The big righthander, a former member of the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, obviously isn’t through. He proved that Tuesday night at Capilano Stadium in the most convincing language a pitcher knows—he threw a no-hitter at the Salem Senators.
It wasn’t a no-hit, no-run game because Clarence was wild, and in the eighth inning, with one out, he walked three men in a row to fill the bases. Then another Marshall, another former major leaguer, a big outfielder named Max who once played for Cincinnati, poled a long fly to centre field to score the man from third [Hugh Luby] and spoil his namesake’s shutout.
But it was the first no-hit game in the new ball park, and the first pitched by a Vancouver hurler since 1951, when George Nicholas came up with a no-hit effort at Spokane.
And it was a well-deserved effort. Not until the ninth did the Senators give Clarence, and the fans, a scare. Jim Deyo started that frame with a hard-hit ball down third that Harvey Storey blocked with his body, glove and legs for the first out.
TOUGH MOMENT FOR A SCORER
Then Les Witherspoon fired another live shot down third, but it went foul, and Witherspoon finally grounded out for No. 2.
Huge Gerry Ballard came to bat, then, and he slammed one between left-fielder Gale Taylor and K Chorlton in centre. The two desperately set sail after the ball, Taylor got there first, and called for the ball. He got his glove on it, but when Chorlton passed in front of him, he dropped it. It was scored an error.
“I had it in my glove,” Taylor said later. “It just bounced out.”
Marshall then went to work on Salem’s Bob Nelson, and the catcher grounded to Gene Petralli at first base for the third out and Clarence’s ticket to the Hall of Fame.
The 205-pound Marshall, “little” brother of Lewiston’s colorful John, was a tired boy at the finish. And with reason—it was only his second start of the year for the Caps, and the first time that he has pitched nine innings since 1948. He was with Newark then, went 12 innings, and lost, 2-1. Clarence was soundly racked in his first start Friday in Victoria.
Marshall, who’s always had a good fast ball, displayed a sharp-breaking curve as he struck out four and allowed just two men to get as far as third. Control was his only trouble—he walked nine.
The Cap management was naturally elated with Marshall’s performance, not to mention the general improvement the club has shown against Salem.
Double-Bill On Menu Tonight
“If we’d had this club all year we’d have romped through that first half,” said happy manager Harvey Storey. “And Clarence looked great, didn’t he?”
He did indeed, and so did the ball club, as they produced 15 base hits including a home run by Chorlton, and gave Marshall near-perfect support.
The win was the second straight against the second-place Senators, who will toss Dave Dahle and Jack Hemphill against the Caps tonight in an attempt to recoup. Storey will counter with Van Fletcher and Bob Roberts.
There’ll be added attractions, too. They include Miss Canada—Kelowna’s Kathy Archibald—the former Mr. America, Roy Hilligan, and local weight-lifter Doug Hepburn. The last-named will not, rumors to the contrary, attempt to lift Dewey Soriano and Dick Barrett.
PROVINCE STARS — Clarence Marshall, who demonstrated why he was in the major leagues … Little Jack Bukowatz, who batted in three runs with three hits, and handled 11 chances successfully at second … And Harvey Storey, who confessed he had trouble following the left-handed pitches of Bob Collins—so only got three hits.
- - -
VANCOUVER [By EATON HOWITT, Sun, Aug. 12]—Joltin’ Joe. Rapid Robert. Larrupin’ Lou. Real he-men names in baseball. Now add to these yet another … Clarence Cuddles.
Doesn’t sound very impressive, does it? Not a name to exactly make your blood tingle or your eyes light up.
But remember, what’s in a name? You can’t tell a book by its cover.
The name of Clarence (Cuddles) Marshall will be engraved for all time in the records of baseball. He’ll have a place of honor, especially in the WIL. Or more especially in the history of the Capilano Baseball Club.
For, Tuesday night, a big right hander whop really is called Clarence Cuddles realized a hurler’s dream, or a batter’s nightmare.
He tossed a no-hitter.
It was the first time since George Nicholas did it against Spokane in 1950 that a Cap had managed the trick. Only four WIL pitchers have ever done it.
This time Salem Senators were the victims.
His Biggest Thrill
Guys who have pitched for New York Yankees, or St. Louis Browns, like Cuddles can become pretty darn blasé about things.
Not Clarence. He admitted after the game that last night’s effort was his biggest thrill. And remember he was a member of the world champion Yankees in 1949.
He’s done it before too. Last time was a long way from green, green Capilano. It was in Austria, when he was pitching ‘em for Uncle Sam. He did it twice when he was in high school.
But this was his first in “real” baseball.
Even pitching coach Kewpie (another real he-man handle) Barrett only turned the trick once in 28 years of organized ball. Marshall has been living just as long as Kewpie has been playing ball.
“Yes sir, it’s a great feeling,” grinned the big fellow as he poked his head from a steaming shower. “I honestly think that’s all I needed. From here on in I should be OK:” (Ed’s note … we’ll forget those nine walks last night, Cuddles old boy.)
he could have been referring to the fact that in his first start with Vancouver last week he hit two batters and walked four in two innings over in Victoria. All is forgiven.
Clark Sparkled, Too
But, oh yes, the game. There were some other fellows out there too.
Jim Clark continues to be worth his weight in diamonds (sparking not baseball) to Harvey Storey. Lots of people are muttering that perhaps when Dewey Soriano bought Jim from Victoria he came wrapped in the WIL pennant. He singled in Jack Bukowatz in the first inning last night and was also really sharp at short.
Poor K. Chorlton. If it hadn’t of [sic] been for Cuddles he would have been right at the top of this epic. For in the sixth frame he lifted one over the left fence, a good 340 feet away with Gene Petralli perched aboard.
All in all, it was a good night for the Caps. They’ve won three in a row now, and are flying.
Salem committed five (count ‘em) errors, some of them mighty glaring. Senators’ only run came in the eighth when another Marshall, Max, filed out to centre after Clarence had walked three.
The series continues tonight with a doubleheader starting at 7 o’clock.
- - -
VANCOUVER [By KEITH MATTHEWS, News Herald, Aug. 11]—Until Tuesday, Clarence Marshall’s most prized possession was a solid-gold, diamond-studded 1949 World Series ring which he received for his part in just another Bomber conquest.
Tuesday, the ring became No. 2 on Cuddles’ list. Now he will look back to the day when he pitched his first no-hitter in organised baseball, a 12-1 defeat of Salem in which he served the dream of every pitched in the game today.
It was quite a feat for the 28-year-old. Just out of the Army this year, this was only his second start in his past three years. It was his first complete job since 1948 when he went a full nine innings for Newark. And naturally enough, when Tuesday’s job became the toughest (the ninth inning) Marshall was dog-tired.
What gone before was a brilliant, though slightly erratic, job of pitching. Clarence knew he had the no-hitter on his hip, though he lost the other half of the double-no job in the eighth when he walked three straight and allowed a scoring outfield fly.
BIG THREE
But the no-hitter was on his mind all the way through. And when he persuaded his 205 pounds to follow him out for the final three outs, they looked as big as a house.
In was quite an inning. The first batter, Jim Deyo, hit a terrific one-hop smash right at Harvey Storey. The manager jumped on the ball like it was a lost gold piece and got his man well in time.
Then Les Witherspoon stepped in. He looked at one pitch then smashed a line drive down the left field line. It curved foul by inches, but foul nonetheless. Then the Salem outfielder grounded out.
WIPED EYES
Marshall was one out away from his lifetime dream—the greatest reward for all pitchers. The perspiration dripped down from his face in a constant flow. Twice he stepped off the rubber and wiped his eyes clear.
He threw a darting fast ball at Jerry Ballard and the husky first baseman lined it into the left centre field hole. Over 1200 fans gasped for air. Then at the last second Gale Taylor game over with the speed of light, stuck out his glove—and the ball popped out of it onto the ground!
Correctly, the scorer ruled an error.
Now it was Bob Nelson, and Bob didn’t stop the tension from mounting. He bounced out weakly to first base and it was over!
SHOULDERS STOOPED
The entire Capilano club came off the bench and swarmed over Marshall. And Clarence, his shoulders stooped from the weight of the achievement, accepted the congratulations with the bashfulness of a two-year-old.
Salem ............ 000 000 010— 1 0 5
Vancouver ...... 100 203 51x—12 15 1
Collins, Peterson (7), Ballard (7) and Nelson; Marshall and Duretto.

SPOKANE — Spokane kept to its winning ways and the Western International League lead Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over Tri-City on the seven hit pitching of Bill Franks.
Spokane collected runs in the third and fifth innings and then had its lead erased when Tri-City scored three in the seventh on three singles and two errors.
Indians tied up the score in their half of the seventh and gained the winning margin in the eighth on a single by Eddie Murphy.
Tri-City .......... 000 000 300—3 7 1
Spokane ......... 001 010 11x—4 10 2
Robertson and Pesut, Warren (8); Franks and Sheets.

LEWISTON — Four timely home runs told the tale Tuesday night as Lewiston came from behind in the ninth inning to take a 10-9 Western International League victory from Calgary.
Calgary .......... 302 200 002— 9 13 3
Lewiston ........ 002 000 224—10 13 2
Levinson, Francis (9) and Bricker; Brenner, Marshall (4) and Cameron.

YAKIMA — Victoria beat out a 13-hit tattoo off two Yakima pitchers Tuesday night to win a Western International League baseball game, 8-3.
Tyees were scoreless until the fifth inning when three runs were scored. Jim Harford and Bob Moniz singled. Pitcher Don Carter then walked Cece Garriott and Don Pries for the first run and Granny Gladstone singled in two more.
The Bears came back with a pair in the sixth when a decision on Gladstone's throwing error resulted in a protest from Yakima manager Walt Novick.
The Tyees clinched it with another counter in the eighth when Duane Helbig doubled and came home on Harford's single.
Ben Jeffey’s three-run homer in the top of the ninth—his first four-base clout since rejoining the Tyees this season—highlighted a four-run outburst that made it reasonably safe.
Yakima picked up one run in their half of the inning but Bottler ended the rally and preserved his eighth win by taking the league’s top hitter, Bob Wellman, for the final out.
Former Vancouver shortstop Chuck Davis, who missed Monday’s encounter through cross-border difficulties, had a line-drive single in five trips and handled five chances flawlessly in his debut as a Tyee.
Victoria ..... 000 030 014—8 13 2
Yakima ...... 000 002 001—3 7 2
Bottler and Harford; Carter, Rial (9) and Albini.

WENATCHEE — Catcher Harry Bartolomei singled home the winning run in the tenth inning to give the Wenatchee Chiefs a 3-2 victory in the second game of a Western International League baseball twinbill here on Tuesday. Edmonton won the opener, 5-1.
First Game
Edmonton ......... 001 200 2—5 8 1
Wenatchee ....... 000 100 0—1 7 1
McNulty and Prentice; Monroe and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Edmonton ........ 000 000 011 0—2 5 3
Wenatchee ...... 000 020 000 1—3 13 2
Conant and Morgan; Oubre and Bartolomei.

But Listen!
Alf Cottrell
[Vancouver Province, August 12, 1953]
When I asked Art Jacobs what is so tough about umpiring, he said, “Wearing an inside chest protector behind the plate in Tri-City or Lewiston when it’s a hundred in the shade.”
Jacobs, a stocky fellow in his mid-forties, has only been in the umpiring business about five years. Prior to that he was a Paramount employee in Hollywood. Before that, he was a good left-handed pitcher in the top minor leagues.
“I had two good years with Portland in the Coast League,” he said. “In fact one year old Spence Abbott gave me credit for winning the pennant.”
He was the Joe Black of the Portland staff. While he had a 14-won record on his own, he saved many games for faltering team-mates with his relief pitching.
He was in the International and American Association for several years. He saw some good ones, notably Lou Boudreau and Phil Rizzuto. And he likes to talk about them.
Phil The Guide
Rizzuto, of course, went up with his second base mate, Jerry Priddy. Everybody said, “That Priddy will wow them in Yankee Stadium. But Rizzuto, guess he is just going along to see that Priddy finds the stadium all right.”
Priddy has been bounced around the majors from one club to another. The Yankees kept Rizzuto.
“Fast some folks say Rizzuto has kept the Yankees,” Jacobs said.
It was that way, too, he relates, when Ray Mack and Lou Boudreau went up. Mack was a cinch, but Boudreau, all he had was personality.
“Seems like they went for Lou’s take-charge ways up there,” said Jacobs. “While Mack, I just plumb lost track of where he got to.”
Jacobs decided to have a shot at umpiring when things got slack at Paramount, after the war. He started in the Class C Sunset loop. That league took in southern California, plus parts of Nevada and New Mexico.
Two years in the league and Clarence Rowland, Coast League president, took an option on him. That’s fairly fast promotion in this business.
And Two Suits
“While I’m waiting around for an assignment, though, Johnny Nenezich quit his WIL job. So Rowland asks how would I like to come up here. I said that was fine and, well here I still am, nearly three years later,” he said.
I asked him about reports the WIL arbiters were well paid.
He said they were. On the other hand there were expenses. An umpire has to buy clothes and equipment. He needs two pairs of shoes, one for behind the plate, one for the bases. Roughly they cost $18 each. The plate shoes have metal toe and instep guards.
The late suit has to be freer, to go outside the protector. Its pockets are bigger, to hold balls. On the bases the cap is long-billed. For plate work you have a short-billed cap. Indicators, white shirts, etc. all cost money.
Traveling, you drive your own car. His sidekick, Amby Moran, rides with him. The league pays 7 cents a mile for that.
All in all it wasn’t bad, he agreed. And as old Tim Hurst said for himself and for all the umpires who cam after him, “You can’t beat thim hours.”

today’s fanfare
Some Views on Speedsters By Kewpie The Comet
By Eric Whitehead
[Vancouver Province, August 12, 1953]

A group of fans out at the ballpark were overheard recently discussing the relative merits of Capilano centre-fielders past and present: Dick Sinovic and K Chorlton.
It wasn’t an argument, because, with a bow to recent memory, there is no basis for an argument. Sinovic, the husky, moody, hustling Cap centrefielder of three years back, is now one of the big men with the bludgeon in the AA Southern Association. As the outstanding star of the Atlanta Crackers, big Dick has just been nominated to the League’s All-Star team and is one of the soundest minor league ballhawks in the business. As many a local fan will fondly testify, he can hit, run, field and hustle with the best. Only a weak throwing arm keeps him out of the big show.
Chorlton hasn’t had a shot at Double A ball; he almost, but not quite, clicked with the Seattle Rainiers of the Coast League. But his Vancouver record can’t rate with Sinovic.
But one of the prettiest local sights on a summer’s evening is that of Chorlton scudding around the basepaths out at the ballpark.
Graceful as a young gazelle and almost as speedy, Chorlton would rate a quick boost up the ladder if he could only develop the elusive knack of getting on the basepaths more often.
It is sheer speed that has kept him knocking at the door of the Coast League this past several seasons.
One of K’s admirers is the club’s newest and largest pitcher-coach, Kewpie Barrett. Kewpie himself has at least one claim (self-made) to game as a speedster.
“I,” he proclaims loudly, “would place at least one-two in a race to first base with Dewey Soriano.”
But Kewpie admits Chorlton would be very hard to catch.
“On the coast,” says Mrs. Barrett’s pride and joy, “you have to rate Chorlton with the top speed merchants—maybe the fastest of them all. Two Coast League centrefielders, Seattle’s Jim Tobin and Portland’s Bob Marquis, can make K stretch out, but Chorlton will at least stay with them.
And A Vote For Jo-Jo
Who does Kewpie figure as the outstanding speed merchants during his span in baseball?
“Well,” drawled the big boy, “this Minnie Minoso who went to the Chicsox from San Diego really had a pair of winged heels. So has Jim Rivera who moved up to the majors from the Rainiers. So had a guy named Jo Jo White who used to play a little baseball out this way and in Detroit. Then there was that jet-propelled rabbit named Jigger Statz who used to cover the outfield and most of suburban Los Angeles for the Angels of that town.”
How about DiMaggio?
“A good question,” said Kewpie. “Any pitcher was saved a couple of hits a game with Joe patrolling centrefield behind him. Joe could cover so much ground that before he left ‘Frisco for New York, a coast manufacturer wanted to patent him as a tarpaulin.”
Twenty-Eight Down ?? To Go
What player in all of Kewpie’s experience, figures as the fastest, smartest base-runner of them all?
“Well,” he began, slipping a Confederate dime in the coke machine, “in all my 28 years in baseball I’ll take the old Pittsburgh Pirate himself. Easy.”
He stopped as we counted rapidly on our fingers. Then our toes.
“Yup,” he said, “that’s right. Twenty-eight years. You know, to my knowledge, there’s only one other living man who has played baseball actively for that length of time. That’s Cy Young. He used up his time winning 511 major league ball games. Turned out to be quite a hobby.”
Barrett himself has done more than collect stamps during his 28-year life-span (to be continued) as an active player, as his 366 wins in pro ball can testify, 234 of them in the Coast League.
“Yep,” he admitted under pressure, “ten of those years did all right all of one spell. Averaged 21 wins a year for ten years with Seattle.
“Figure with a good month here I might go back next spring and make it 11 years.”
“And have you noticed,” said Soriano, “how young Carl Gunnarson has been looking lately?”
“Look,” said Kewpie pleasantly, “please keep my older brother out of this.”

Monday, August 10, 1953

2008-07-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 28 17 .622 —
Salem ....... 26 17 .605 1
Yakima ...... 23 20 .535 4
Vancouver ... 24 22 .522 4½
Edmonton .... 20 20 .500 5½
Lewiston .... 20 21 .488 6
Tri-City .... 20 23 .465 7
Victoria .... 20 25 .444 8
Calgary ..... 17 24 .415 9
Wenatchee ... 17 24 .415 9

LEWISTON, Idaho, Aug. 10—It was give-away Monday as Calgary Stampeders gave away nineteen hits, nineteen bases on balls, and lost a 25-4 ball game to Lewiston Broncs in their Western International League tilt.
The hapless Stampeders got but one home run among their four tallies. Rocky Tedesco laced one out in the eighth with none on.
Lewiston picked up two homers along the way. Al Heist homered in the second inning with none aboard, and Ken Richardson repeated the performance in the sixth with the bases loaded. Richardson also accounted for eight of the Lewiston runs.
Calgary .... 000 201 010— 4 6 3
Lewiston .. 521 037 52x—25 19 0
Hittner, Bonebrake (1), Shulte (4), Stites (7) and Lillard; Kine and Cameron.

YAKIMA, Wash., Aug. 10— Reliefer Danny Rios whipped three strikes past Dwane Helbig in the top of the eighth after two runs had scored to lead Yakima Bears to a 6-5 decision over Victoria in Western International League baseball play here Monday night.
Rios left the tying and winning runs at the plate.
Trailing by three runs, Tyees got two runs off Ted Edmunds, who had replaced Yakima starter Don Townsend, before Rios came in. The tallies came off a hit batter, two walks and Granny Gladstone's single.
Bears got all the runs they needed in the bottom of the seventh on two singles, a walk and an error.
Bill Prior took the loss. He gave up only six hits but was hurt with two errors.
Victoria ...... 000 030 020—5 10 2
Yakima ....... 030 000 00x—6 6 0
Prior and Harford; Townsend, Edmunds (5), Rios (8) and Albini.

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, Aug. 11]—Revitalized through the addition of the “take charge” guy they’ve been looking for all year, the Capilanos stomped heavily on the toes of proud Salem Monday winning 5-1.
It was hardly coincidental—more poetic justice in fact—that Jimmy Clark, the most recent and important acquisition, batted in the runs which won the game with a 380-foot, third inning triple. It accounted for two runs and the Salems never recovered from that wallop.
Clark was in on a pair of double plays besides, and helped spark an infield which looked somewhat like the traditionary Vancouver inner defences. Jack Bukowatz, Jim’s partner at the keystone, came up with a couple of beautiful grabs and Gene Petralli wound up the game with a leaping one-hander of Jerry Ballard’s line smash which Gene turned into an unassisted double play.
The ball club as a whole gave fans something to cheer about. They played with a new abandon and color which has been lacking all year. Lonnie Myers, who picked up his No.8 win, showed a distinct benefit from Dick Barrett’s coaching by coming up with a chance of pace which he had never thrown before.
Myers’ contribution was a seven-hitter in which he showed far more control than he had been displaying. It is Barrett’s feeling that Myers throws too many fast ball, even though it is by far his best pitch.
“He doesn’t set up the pitch the right way,” Dick explained. “If we can get him to throw more curves and the odd change, then come in with that fast ball, he won’t be walking many and he’ll be winning a lot more.”
Tonight the same clubs do it again at 8:30.
- - -
VANCOUVER, Aug. 10—Lonnie Myers' seven-hit pitching led Vancouver Capilanos to a 5-1 win over Salem Senators in a Western International League baseball game here Monday.
Myers struck out four and picked up his eighth win against six losses as he didn't allow Salem an extra-base hit.
Salem got its run in the fifth inning on a single, a fielder's choice and another single.
Jim Clark, who joined Vancouver Monday from Victoria Tyees, hammered out a triple in the third inning to drive in three runs, and played errorless ball at short.
Salem ............... 000 010 000—1 7 1
Vancouver ......... 003 001 01x—5 9 0
Borst, Peterson (8) and Nelson; Myers and Duretto.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

Sunday, August 9, 1953

2008-03-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 28 17 .622 —
Salem ....... 26 16 .619 ½
Yakima ...... 22 20 .524 4½
Vancouver ... 23 22 .511 5
Edmonton .... 20 20 .500 5½
Lewiston .... 19 21 .475 6½
Tri-City .... 20 23 .465 7
Victoria .... 20 24 .455 7½
Calgary ..... 17 23 .425 8½
Wenatchee ... 17 24 .415 9

VANCOUVER, Aug. 9—The largest crowd of the season jammed Capilano Stadium Sunday as Vancouver trounced Victoria Tyees 10-1 in a special Western International League game.
More than 5,000 fans chipped into a silver collection for the British Empire Games fund.
The Caps ace righthander Pete Hernandez spun a neat five-hitter at the Tyees while his mates rapped three Victoria lefthanders for 13 hits.
Victoria scored their lone run in the eighth when Bob Moniz walked, took third on a single by Jim Clark and crossed the plate on Don Pries' single.
Victoria ............ 000 000 010— 1 5 1
Vancouver ........ 021 014 20x—10 13 3
Hodges, Dollins (3), Lorino (8) and Harford; Hernandez and Leavitt.

SALEM, Ore., Aug. 9—Salem, after defeating Wenatchee 4-3 and 7-2 in Sunday's doubleheader here, was only one-half game behind first place Spokane in Western International League standing. Salem won the series here 4-1.
Wenatchee's two runs in the nightcap came on a walk and consecutive triples by Tom Munoz and Jake Helmuth in the sixth inning.
Salem, which had one run in the first inning, gained more on Connie Perez' three-run homer in the third.
Both teams scored two runs in the first inning of the opener. Salem went ahead in the third inning with a run on a walk and hits by Jim Deyo and Les Witherspoon.
First Game
Wenatchee .......... 000 102 0—3 9 2
Salem ................. 000 040 x—4 7 0
Botelho, DeCarolis (4) and Bartolomei; Collins, Nicholas (6) and Masterson.
Second Game
Wenatchee ...... 000 002 000—2 5 1
Salem ............. 103 030 00x—7 6 1
Bowman and Bartolomei; Roenspie and Masterson.

Yakima ..... 020 000 003—5 10 1
Tri-City .... 000 000 100—1 8 1
Del Sarto and Albini; Snyder and Warren.
(story unavailable)

VANCOUVER, B. C., Sun. Aug. 9 — Bob Wellman of Yakima jumped into the batting lead in the Western International League with a .363 average as official statistics were released this week by Howe News Bureau. He gained 10 points oven the previous week.
Clint Weaver of Edmonton had a busy night Aug. 1 against Calgary, clouting three homers and a double to drive in eight runs. He leads the league in R. B. I.'s with 88 and in total bases with 211. The home run leader, however, still is Don Hunter of Calgary, with 20.
John Conant of Edmonton leads the pitchers in an earned-run basis with an average of 2.73. On a won-lost rating, Gene Roenspie of Salem is in front with 12 victories.
The batting leaders:
AB H RBI AVE
Francis, Cal. ...... 32 12 2 .375
Wellman, Yak ...... 278 101 79 .363
Hernandez, Van ..... 62 22 9 .355
Williams, Lew ..... 144 51 36 .354
Gladstone, Vic .... 185 65 60 .351
Devo, Sal ......... 320 112 64 .350
Warren, TC ........ 341 119 80 .349
Palmer, Wen ........ 92 32 10 .348
Palys, Spo ........ 333 117 67 .348
Weaver, Edm ....... 367 126 68 .343
McCormick, Wen .... 231 79 47 .342

VICS GET DAVIS
Capable Jim Clark a Capilano Tonight
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, August 10, 1953]
Vancouver Capilanos made an important “capture” on the weekend. General-manager Dewey Soriano announced today he had closed the long-pending deal for Jim Clark, the capable shortstop who was the heart and soul of the infield on 1952’s pennant-winning Victoria Tyees.
Clark, who boasted a .304 batting average in the latest official figures, will join the club immediately. Soriano had to put a good chunk of money to get him from the Tyees, who will also acquire Caps’ shortstop Chuck Davis on via Seattle Rainiers.
This latest in a series of deals designed to bring Vancouver the second-half WIL pennant leaves the Caps with few apparent weaknesses for the last month of the season.
● ● ●
It also leaves the locals with just two regulars, exclusive of pitchers, who were in the starting lineup on opening night. Only manager-third baseman Harvey Storey and rightfielder Frank Mascaro have survived as Soriano sought to improve the Caps’ sad swatting.
Jack Bukowatz and Nick Castas were around last April 23, but Bukowatz started as a utility infielder, and Castas has been used sparingly. Jim Leavitt has hung on as No. 2 catcher.
Gone are catcher Don Lundberg, first-baseman Jim Wert, second-baseman Gordie Hernandez, Davis, and outfielder Dick Briskey.
● ● ●
Centre-fielder K. Chorlton was acquired from Seattle in May, and left-fielder Gale Taylor was another Victoria purchase in mid-June. Second-half dealings brought handyman Bob Duretto, first-baseman Gene Pentralli [sic] and just recently, pitching coach Dick Barrett and pitcher Clarence Marshall. Now Clark.
Clark, who was the “take charge” guy in Victoria’s infield, is a solid performer who is steady afield and should add more punch to the ever-improving Caps’ stick brigade.

Saturday, August 8, 1953

2008-03-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 28 17 .622 —
Salem ....... 24 16 .600 1½
Yakima ...... 21 20 .512 5
Vancouver ... 22 22 .500 5½
Edmonton .... 20 20 .500 5½
Tri-City .... 20 22 .476 6½
Lewiston .... 19 21 .475 6½
Victoria .... 20 23 .465 7
Wenatchee ... 17 22 .436 8
Calgary ..... 17 23 .425 8½

KENNEWICK—Yakima and Tri-City split a Western International League baseball doubleheader Saturday night, Yakima taking the wild hitting opener, 6-3, and Tri-City the nightcap, 9-0.
First Game
Yakima .......... 000 131 1—6 12 0
Tri-City ......... 021 000 0—3 8 1
Townsend, Carter (3), Edmunds (4) and Novick, Albini (4); Michelson, Dobernic (5), Robertson (7) and Warren.
Second Game
Yakima ............ 000 000 000—0 4 3
Tri-City ........... 200 010 06x—8 11 1
Rios, Young (8) and Albini; Bloom and Pesut.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 9]—Bob Drilling racked up his ninth straight victory when he pitched a masterful six-hit shutout as Victoria Tyees downed the Vancouver Capilanos, 7-0, at Royal Athletic Park Saturday night to gain a split in their Western International League doubleheader.
The Tyees, who dropped a 4-3 decision as the Caps scored an unearned run in the eighth inning of the afternoon encounter, ended the four-game series by winning three games.
SQUARES RECORD
In evening his season’s record at 12 wins and 12 losses, Drilling gave up one double and five singles, struck out four and did not allow a base on balls. Only one Capilano reached second base, losing pitcher Bob Roberts managing the feat twice.
Roberts, who started in search of his eighth victory and ended up with his second defeat, doubled in the third inning and got as far as second base again in the sixth when he opened the inning with a single and moved up on Bob Duretto’s one-base blow.
The Tyees, playing their best baseball of the season in the past two weeks, are still very much in the hunt for second-half honors. They are only a game and half out of third place and would have moved ahead of Vancouver and into fifth spot yesterday had they managed to sweep the two games with the Caps.
PLAY TODAY
They get a chance to gain ground today, when they meet the Caps at Vancouver in a special game being played to help the British Empire Games Fund. It will count in the standings. They Tyees then move on to Yakima Monday for three games before returning home Thursday to face the Salem Senators in a series which will undoubtedly decide whether or not they will get into pennant contention this season.
In the nightcap, Victoria picked up one run in the opening inning and added their second on Chuck Abernathy’s home run in the fourth. Bob Moniz’ triple highlighted a two-run fifth and the Tyees finished their scoring with a three-run outburst in the sixth.
Moniz, with three hits in three times at bat, and Jim Clark with three for four, headed the batting attack. Moniz, Clark and Granny Gladstone, making his first strat in three games, each drove in two runs.
LINEUP SWITCHED
Manager Cec Garriott shook up his roster for the night game, bringing Moniz back into the lineup at third base, moving Don Pries to second and benching himself and Lu Branham. Jim Harford was behind the plate for Milt Martin, who was nursing bruised knuckles which forced him out in the third inning of the afternoon encounter.
Dwane Helbig clouted his 12th home run of the season to give the Tyees a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the opener. Jack Bukowatz homered for the Capilanos in the sixth and Harvey Storey banged one out of the park in the seventh for his third homer in three games
Zeb Walker replaced starter Earl Dollins at the start of the eighth inning with the count tied at 3-3 and was charged with the loss after Branham dropped Harford’s throw, which would have retired Chorlton on an attempted steal of second.
Walker was replaced by Bill Bottler with Chorlton on third, Storey at first base and two men out. Chorlton scored the winning run on Frank Mascaro’s ground ball as Branham failed in an attempt to force Storey at second.
First Game
Vancouver ......... 000 001 210—4 6 1
Victoria ............. 020 001 000—3 5 1
Fletcher, Gunnarson (8) and Duretto; Dollins, Walker (8), Bottler (8) and Martin, Harford (3).
Second Game
Vancouver ........ 000 000 000—0 5 0
Victoria ............ 100 123 00x—7 11 0
Roberts, MacKay (7) and Duretto; Drilling and Harford.

SALEM — Salem won both ends of a Western International League doubleheader here Saturday night defeating Wenatchee 4-3 in the opener and then winning the nightcap 8-1.
First Game
Wenatchee ........... 000 102 0—3 9 2
Salem .................. 000 400 x—4 7 0
Bothelho, DeCarolis (4) and Bartolomei; Collins; Nicholas (6) and Masterson.
Second Game
Wenatchee .......... 000 100 000—1 8 1
Salem ................. 025 010 00x—8 9 1
Klein, DeCarolis (3) and Bartolomei; Dahle and Nelson.

EDMONTON — Lewiston Broncs gained a split in their four-game Western International Baseball League series with Edmonton Eskimos Saturday when Russ Butler pitched a rain-curtailed five-inning 5-1 victory.
Edmonton took the afternoon game 5-2.
The night game was called at the top of the sixth when a downpour arrived as Broncs were climbing to five more runs with only one out.
Leon Day, Esk's starter, was in trouble in every inning, and was replaced with none out in the sixth first by Pat Utley then by Jack Widner.
In sixth inning action, Mel Wasley hit a homer for Lewiston, but the score reverted to the fifth when the inning was washed out.
Andy Skurski led Edmonton's 10-hit afternoon attack with a first-inning homer and a double in the eighth that scored another run.
However the victory may have been costly for Edmonton. Clint Weaver, leading WIL hitters in bases earned and runs batted in, suffered a sprained ankle in an attempted steal in the eighth inning.
First Game
Lewiston ............. 010 100 000—2 7 1
Edmonton ............ 100 003 01x—5 10 1
Marshall and Garay; Manier and Prentice, Morgan (9)
Second Game
Lewiston .............. 201 02—5 10 0
Edmonton ............. 000 10—1 4 0
Butler and Garay; Day and Morgan.

Spokane at Calgary, postponed rain.

Friday, August 7, 1953

2008-03-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 28 17 .622 —
Salem ....... 22 16 .579 2½
Yakima ...... 20 19 .513 5
Vancouver ... 21 21 .500 5½
Edmonton .... 19 19 .500 5½
Tri-City .... 19 21 .475 6½
Lewiston .... 18 20 .474 6½
Victoria .... 19 22 .463 7
Wenatchee ... 17 20 .459 7
Calgary ..... 17 23 .425 8½

EDMONTON, Aug. 7—Edmonton Eskimos drubbed Lewiston Broncs 10-2 Friday night behind Don Tisnerat's five-hit pitching to regain sole possession of fifth place in the Western International baseball league.
A crowd of 1,361 paying fans saw Eskimos shunt Lewiston back into sixth place and deadlock their four-game series at a win apiece.
Andy Skurski, Clint Weaver and Dan Prentice led the 15-hit Edmonton attack on pitchers Manny Perez and Bill Brennan with three hits apiece.
Lewiston ........... 010 000 010— 2 5 4
Edmonton ......... 400 041 10x—10 15 2
Perez, Brenner (2) and Garay; Tisnerat and Morgan.

VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 8]—Victoria Tyees and Vancouver Capilanos crammed a lot of baseball action into their Western International League game at Royal Athletic Park Friday night as the Tyees barely managed to outlast their Mainland rivals for a protested 13-12 victory—their third in a row over the Caps.
Bill Bottler, after giving up five runs on six hits in the first two innings, settled down to hold Vancouver to one hit and a single tally in the next five innings. The Tyee righthander was routed during a five-run Vancouver rally in the eighth but Bill Prior came on to preserve Bottler’s seventh win in 17 decisions this year.
Clarence Marshall, former major-league pitcher, made his WIL debut with the Caps and ran into a streak of wildness in the third when the Tyees scored seven runs to take an 8-5 lead. Marshall, who was charged with the defeat, gave up four hits and two bases on balls. He also hit two batters, balked one run across the plate and was the victim of Harvey Storey’s error.
The Tyees completed their scoring with three runs off ageless Carl Gunnarson in the fourth and two more off Rod MacKay in the seventh inning.
Granny Gladstone, out of action to rest a sore muscle in his side, provided the dramatic blow of the game, coming in as a pinch-hitter for Ben Jeffey in the fourth and blasting Gunnarson’s first pitch for a three-run homer.
Storey, continuing his batting rampage against Victoria pitching, smashed a three-run double in the second inning and brought the Caps closer with a three-run homer in the eighth. After Gene Petralli followed Storey with a base on balls, Frank Mancuso brought the count to 13-11 with a four-base blow.
Prior relieved Bill Bottler after Mascaro’s homer and ended the inning by getting the next two hitters. Prior ran into trouble in the ninth when Don Pries’ error, K Chorlton’s single and an intentional walk to Storey loaded the bases with two out.
He hit Petralli to force in Chorlton but took the dangerous Mascaro on strikes to end the suspense for the 2,500 “fan night” spectators.
PROTEST DECISION
An acknowledged error by plate umpire Emmett Ashford in the fourth inning resulted in a protest by manager Storey. Mascaro, batting with two out and the bases loaded, topped a ball that landed foul and bounced into fair territory. Ashford lost sight of the ball and called it foul but Bottler retrieved the ball and threw it to first base.
After a consultation with base-umpire Van Keuren, Ashford ruled Mascaro out, and Storey lodged his protest.
The clubs conclude their series with a day-night double-header at Athletic Park today., Earl Dollins is due to start for Victoria in the afternoon encounter while Ben Lorino is a possible choice for the evening “family night” game.
Vancouver ....... 230 100 051—12 11 3
Victoria ........... 017 300 20x—13 16 2
Marshall, Gunnarson (3), MacKay (8) and Leavitt; Bottler, Prior (8) and Martin.

Spokane ........... 231 100 011—9 15 2
Calgary ............ 010 000 006—7 9 1
Giovannoni, Cordell (9) and Ogle; Francis, Stites (2) and Lillard.

Yakima ........ 210 000 000—3 8 2
Tri-City ....... 300 002 10x—6 10 1
Carter, Edmunds (7) and Albini; Snyder and Warren.

Wenatchee ... 200 000 301—6 11 0
Salem .......... 100 030 000—4 8 2
Oubre and Bartolomei; Borst, Roenspie (7) and Masterson.
(stories unavailable)

Thursday, August 6, 1953

2008-03-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 27 17 .614 —
Salem ....... 22 15 .505 1½
Yakima ...... 20 18 .526 4
Vancouver ... 21 20 .512 4½
Edmonton .... 18 19 .486 5½
Lewiston .... 18 19 .486 5½
Tri-City .... 18 21 .462 6½
Victoria .... 18 22 .450 7
Wenatchee ... 16 20 .444 7
Calgary ..... 17 22 .436 7½

KENNEWICK — Jess Dobernic did fireman's duty Thursday night to put out a Wenatchee rally in the eighth inning and give Tri-City an 7-6 win in a Western International League baseball game.
Wenatchee ....... 201 020 010—8 9 3
Tri-City ............ 221 101 00x—7 12 2
Beamon, DeCarolis (6), Klein (8) and Bartolomei; Robertson, Dobernic (8) and Warren.

EDMONTON — The Lewiston Broncs pulled into a fifth-place tie with Edmonton in the Western International League by defeating the Eskimos 4-2 Thursday night. A crowd of 1,549 paying fans saw the opener of a four-game series.
Dean Kime pitched Lewiston to victory but needed help in the ninth after Bob Meisner walked and Sam Kanelos doubled with one out.
Lewiston ............ 000 310 000—4 8 1
Edmonton .......... 000 000 101—2 8 0
Kime, Marshall (9) and Cameron; McNulty and Morgan.

SALEM — Joe Nicholas and Gene Tanselli teamed up here Thursday night to give Salem a 9-1 Western International League baseball win over Yakima.
Yakima .......... 000 000 100—1 5 0
Salem ........... 132 200 10x—9 14 3
Edmunds, Young (3), Rial (4), Blank (8) and Albini; Nicholas and Nelson.

CALGARY — The Spokane Indians and Calgary Stampeders split a Western International League doubleheader Thursday night, Spokane winning the first game 7-6 and Calgary the second 11-4.
Two homers in the seventh and last inning lifted the Indians from behind in the first game. Stan Palys homered twice for Spokane in the first game and once in the second, and Jim Command and Will Haley once each in the opener.
In the second, a grand slam homer by Charlie Mead in the fifth helped the Stampeders towards victory.
Rocky Tedesco and playing manager Gene Lillard also homered for the Stamps.
Jim Brown of Spokane was ejected in the second game after talking to the umpire. Command was taken to hospital for observation after being struck on the ear by a hit ball.
First Game
Spokane ........... 000 040 3—7 10 0
Calgary ............ 010 400 1—6 10 1
Nemes, Cordell (6) and Sheets; Orrell and Lillard.
Second Game
Spokane ........... 200 020 000— 4 10 2
Calgary ............ 011 050 04x—11 13 1
Worth and Ogle; Kapp and Lillard.

VICTORIA — Pitcher Bill Prior wrote a storybook ending to the Western International baseball league game Thursday night, singling in the winning run with two out in the last half of the ninth inning to give the Victoria Tyees a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Capilanos.
In fashioning his 13th win of the season, the righthander gave up seven hits and seven bases on balls while striking out four batters.
Dale Thomason, who relieved starter Lonnie Myers in the eighth, took the loss as Myers had been yanked for a pinch-hitter.
The Tyees scored a single runs in the first inning. Harvey Storey briefly gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead in the fifth when his seventh home run, over the centre field wall, brought in K Chorlton. Victoria then scored single runs again in the fifth and seventh innings.
Vancouver tied it at 3-3 with an unearned run in the eighth that came on third baseman Don Pries' third error of the game. He threw away pinch-hitter Frank Mascaro's easy grounder and Nick Castas scored.
Chuck Abernathy singled to open the Victoria ninth and moved to second base on Duane Helbig's sacrifice. Granny Gladstone was intentionally walked and Milt Martin raised an infield fly for the second out. Prior stroked a looping liner off the fence into left centre field to score Abernathy and break up the game.
Vancouver ........... 000 020 010—3 7 1
Victoria ............... 100 010 101—4 8 3
Myers, Thomason (8) and Leavitt; Prior and Martin.

Wednesday, August 5, 1953

2008-03-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 26 16 .619 —
Salem ....... 21 15 .583 2
Yakima ...... 20 17 .541 3½
Vancouver ... 21 19 .521 4
Edmonton .... 18 18 .500 5
Lewiston .... 17 19 .472 6
Tri-City .... 17 21 .447 7
Victoria .... 17 22 .436 7½
Calgary ..... 16 21 .432 7½
Wenatchee ... 15 20 .429 7½

EDMONTON — John Conant hurled his 19th victory of the Western International Baseball League season as Edmonton Eskimos defeated the first-place Spokane Indians 7-2 Wednesday night.
A crowd of 1.549 paying fans saw Eskimos salvage one win in the three-game series. Spokane won Tuesday night's doubleheacler.
Conant, hurling against his former teammates, was in trouble only in the sixth when an outfield error caused most of his grief.
The losing pitcher was Ralph Romero.
Outfielder Vern Campbell and third baseman Sam Kanelos led the 10-hit Edmonton attack with an important pair of hits apiece.
Spokane .......... 000 002 000—2 6 3
Edmonton ....... 010 304 00x—7 10 1
Romero, New (4), Giovannini (7), Cordell (8) and Ogle; Conant and Morgan.

KENNEWICK — Keith Bowman tossed a five-hitter to lead Wenatchee to a 6-1 win over the tri-City Braves in WIL baseball here Wednesday night.
Wenatchee ...... 001 020 012—6 14 1
Tri-City ........... 000 010 000—1 5 0
Bowman and Bartolomei; Bloom, Hedgecock (5), Michelson (6) and Warren.

VANCOUVER — A ninth-inning rally by Vancouver Capilanos fell short Wednesday night as Victoria Tyees slipped home with a 4-3 Western International League baseball win.
Capilanos pushed across two runs in the ninth and had the tying run on second with two out when Jack Bukowatz ended the rally by grounding out to deep third.
Victoria got off to a fast start with two runs in the first frame and added singletons in the sixth and eighth. Caps scored their other run in the seventh.
- - -
VANCOUVER [News-Herald, Aug. 6]—This year’s biggest baseball crowd (excepting the exhibition against Seattle) watched the Capilanos run into a dead stymie Wednesday as Victoria put down a tense ninth inning rally and won 4-3.
Over 4000 jammed the grandstand on this “family night” at the ball yard, 1448 of which were paid but all of them mighty happy at everything that went on save probably the final score.
STOREY CRITICIZED
When it ended, the second guessers went to work and figure that had Harvey Storey played it differently the game might still be going. It was in the sixth inning with Don Pries on second and two out that Storey instructed Pete Hernandez to pitch to Charlie Abernathy. The situation suggested that Abernathy be walked, what with the open base at first and Abernathy’s prowess as a left-handed hitter against a righty pitching.
As it turned out, Abernathy singled and Pries scored. It wasn’t the fourth run, but in a ball game which is lost by one run every one of them is as important as the other. And so the second guessers had their fun.
Actually, Hernandez was not nearly at his peak as he went a’hunting for his No. 14 win and came up, instead, with his No. 5 loss.
SHOW SPUNK
He got behind too many hitters and made it awfully tough on himself.
At that, the Capilanos, who lately are showing a lot of spunk in their ability to come back, almost pulled it out for Peter.
Down 4-1 in the ninth, Nick Castras hit a chance of pace way down in the right field corner for a triple. Chuck Davis flied out for the second out but Hernandez doubled to score Castras. Chorlton then shot a single to score the Senor and Bob Drilling finally got out of it when Jack Bukowatz grounded out. It was a near thing, that Bukowatz grounder, but Price made a good stop on the ball and a better throw to get his man by half a whisker.
Apart from the final score, there was an interesting duel between Storey and Victoria pitcher Bob Drilling, who incidentally was winning his eighth straight game. Storey has hit Drilling at Capilano Stadium this year like a long-lost cousin.
Harv had nine for nine against Drilling when this game started and bumped that total to 10-for-10 before he flied out in the eighth.
DIAMOND DUST – Dick Kewpie Barrett arrived in time to coach the Caps from the third base side and he added a lot of color to the scene … The Kewp may yet wind up pitching a few games for the Caps before this season ends … The same clubs move on to Victoria now with Lonnie Myers going tonight and newcomer Clarence (Cuddles) Marshall making his bow in the WIL Friday.
Victoria ............ 200 001 010—4 10 0
Vancouver ....... 000 000 102—3 11 0
Drilling and Martin; Hernandez and Leavitt.

CALGARY — The Lewiston Broncs, powered by two home runs by Al Heist, defeated the Calgary Stampeders 7-2 in WIL baseball on Wednesday.
Heist drove in three runs in the second inning with his first circuit clout and socked his second with a mate aboard in the sixth.
Lewiston ....... 040 102 000—7 16 0
Calgary ......... 000 000 003—3 8 3
Butler and Garay; Stites, Francis (6) and Lillard.

SALEM — The power-hitting Yakima Bears climbed within three gameds of the top by thumping Salem's second-place Senators 15-7 in WIL baseball on Wednsday night.
Yakima ............ 002 222 070—15 18 2
Salem ............. 101 003 002— 7 10 4
Del Sarto and Albini, Novick (6); Roenspie, Hemphill (8), Borst (8) and Masterson.

But Listen!
Alf Cottrell
[Vancouver Province, August 6, 1953]
The gravel outside the Capilano Stadium office crunched as a yellow and black cab stopped. Paying the driver and grabbing armfuls of baggage, chubby Dick Barrett ambled toward the office.
In there before he arrived they had been talking about Kewpie Dick. How he had been with the Phillies, the Athletics and so on.
“He has the Coast League record for strikeouts yet,” [said GM Dewey Soriano…] probably never will break it.”
He had that good fast ball, they said. Along with a curve that was almost as quick as his fast one.
Soriano got up as Barrett came in and, sticking out his hand, said, “Hello Rich.”
“Thought you told me it didn’t get hot up here!” puffed the new Capilano pitching coach. Then he noticed manager Harvey Storey.
“Why, there’s big Harv,” he said.
They shook and Storey said, “Maybe you’re right, Dewey. Maybe we haven’t got a uniform wide enough for him.”
Lefty No Runner
Soriano asked Barrett if he could pitch batting practice right away.
“Not tonight I couldn’t,” said Kewpie. “I had to stand all the way from Bellingham on the bus. I’ll have to do a little running before I’m ready for anything.”
“We got the outfield for you to do it in,” Storey said. “Lots of room.”
Barrett said it was funny. Everybody agreed a pitcher had to run a lot. Everywhere in baseball pitchers ran and ran.
“But I’m on the same club with a fellow once, in the big league, and he didn’t run. Didn’t believe in it. But he won his 20 games most years, for a lot of years. Fellow called Lefty Moses Grove.
Barrett asked how many pitchers the club had.
“Ten counting the boss,” grinned Storey. “Eleven counting you.”
“Say I might pitch just so you don’t play left field. Remember the time you played left field? Every time you did catch a ball I would look out at your and you would say: “I fooled you this time.”
Long Fly Ball
Barrett slapped his thigh and his contagious grin widened as he recalled a night in San Diego. The game was in the tenth inning. Ad Liska was his pitching opponent.
“We got the bases loaded in the tenth and Bucky Harris says, ‘Just give me one guy who can hit that long fly ball.’ All we need is one run, of course.
“Big Harv is sitting on the bench, because Al Rosen is playing third for us. Same guy who is busting ‘em for Cleveland now. Well I remember that all through the game you keep saying this to me, ‘I could hit this Liska guy even if it’s midnight and they turn all the light out.’
“So I says to Bucky, ‘Big Harv is telling me all night how he can hit this Liska.’ So Bucky points his finger at you and says ‘You! Grab at bat and get in there.’
“I guess you could get orders to hit the first pitch, or something, because it seems to come in high and outside. But you hit it. You hit the long fly ball all right. Only it keeps going out of the park for four runs.”

Tuesday, August 4, 1953

2008-03-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 26 15 .634 —
Salem ....... 21 14 .600 2
Vancouver ... 21 18 .538 4
Yakima ...... 19 17 .528 4½
Edmonton .... 17 18 .486 6
Tri-City .... 17 20 .459 7
Lewiston .... 16 19 .457 7
Calgary ..... 16 20 .444 7½
Victoria .... 16 22 .421 8½
Wenatchee ... 14 20 .412 8½

KENNEWICK, Aug. 4—Ernie Hockaday celebrated his wedding day in fine fashion when his single in the bottom of the 12th frame drove home the winning run as Tri-City downed Wenatchee 11-10 in a Western International League baseball game Tuesday night.
Hockaday, who earlier in the day had been married to Merilyn Messery of Richland, banged his single to tally Len Tran from second.
Wenatchee got off to a nine-run lead in the fifth inning on the strength of four unearned runs and a homer by Ross McCormack. Rich Botelho, meanwhile, was limiting the Braves to only one hit the first six innings. Tri-City broke the ice then with a single by Bob McGuire and four straight walks. They added four more in the seventh on three walks, a triple and a single.
Jack Klein came in to squelch the Braves scoring, although they added a brace of runs in each of the eighth and ninth innings to force the game into extra innings.
Every Tri-City score came after two were out and no one was on base.
Wenatchee ....... 000 450 001 000—10 10 2
Tri-City ........... 000 002 422 001—11 13 2
Botelho, Klein (7), Oubre (9) and Bartolomei; Hedgecock, Michelson (5), Dobernic (9) and Warren.

EDMONTON, Aug. 4—The Edmonton Eskimos' drive toward the top of the Western International Baseball League was stalled Tuesday night when the Spokane Indians swept both ends of a double bill 5-1 and 4-2.
The second largest crowd of the season, 4,822 paying fans, saw pitchers Bill Franks and Jack Spring of Spokane throttle the Eskimos.
In the opener second baseman Jim Brown of Spokane led a 12-hit attack on two Edmonton pitchers with four hits in four trips to the plate.
In the nightcap Will Hafey hit three-for-three as Spring defeated Jack Widner in a tense duel.
First Game
Spokane ............ 110 021 0—5 12 2
Edmonton .......... 100 000 0—1 6 0
Franks and Sheets; Tisnerat, Day (6) and Morgan.
Second Game
Spokane ............ 010 002 010—4 9 1
Edmonton .......... 000 001 001—2 7 3
Spring and Ogle; Widner, Manier (8) and Morgan.

VANCOUVER, Aug. 4—Two triples by Frank Mascaro were good for four runs Tuesday night as the Vancouver Capilanos took a 6-3 Western International League baseball win over the Victoria Tyees before 673 fans.
The first scored two runs in the fourth and evened the count at 2-2. The second game in the eighth inning when the Caps used six hits to score four times.
Prior to the sixth, Earl Dollins had allowed just two hits. He took the loss.
- - -
VANCOUVER [by KEITH MATTHEWS, News-Herald, Aug. 5]—Weird things are going on at the ball park these days. A protested Monday game evidently wasn’t enough, for our of the Capilano’s [sic] 6-3 triumph Tuesday came one of baseball’s oddities, and a corresponding unusual decision.
It happened in the sixth inning with Victoria ahead 2-0. The Capilanos had men on third and second with two out when Frank Mascaro muscled a tremendous triple to the right centre field wall.
Bob Duretto, the runner on third, stopped just before he reached home plate to give Harvey Storey, the runner behind him, the signal to come in standing. In so doing, Duretto didn’t touch home plate.
THREW ONE PITCH
Earl Dollins, the Victoria pitcher, threw one pitch to Gene Petralli when Cece Garriott called time and instructed his catcher to go to the Vancouver dugout to tag Duretto out. The catcher did, but umpire Gerry Van Keuren said it wasn’t a legal out because a pitch had already been thrown to the following hitter, thereby nullifying the out.
Garriott countered by saying it hadn’t been a legal pitch. The pitcher had stepped back off the mound and merely thrown the ball to the catcher so he could make the out.
There was the basis of the argument and it went on and on until everybody tired completely of it and the events which followed.
FOUR-RUN RALLY
What did follow was a four-run Vancouver rally in the eighth which sewed up Van Fletcher’s No. 12 win. Here again the big hit came from Moose Marasco as the big fellow crashed his second triple off the left centre field fence.
Garriott was still howling when it was over, and likely with reason. This time he did protest, because the fault lay in the umpire’s decision. It did develop into some interesting post-game oratory, though, with both sides agreeing that maybe Duretto didn’t touch the plate with that important run and that Garriott was probably right after all. It was just his tough luck to run into an umpire who didn’t know how right Cecil was.
DIAMOND DUST – Another scout joined the growing party at the stadium last night, Jo-Jo White, the former Seattle Rainier manager and presently beating the bushes for the Cleveland Indians … the same clubs play again tonight with Pete Hernandez serving for Vancouver … Tonight is family night, incidentally, with everybody getting in for the price of one ticker … The Caps move on to Victoria tomorrow.
Victoria .......... 100 001 001—3 10 1
Vancouver ...... 000 002 04x—6 10 0
Dollins, Lorino (8) and Martin; Fletcher and Leavitt.

SALEM, Aug. 4—Salem was knocked out of first Place in Western International League standings Tuesday night when it was beaten 9-3 by Yakima.
Yakima pitcher Danny Rios, who went the route, started the scoring in the third inning with his home run over the left field fence. A walk, a double by Al White, a wild pitch and a fly added two more runs that inning.
A single by Andy Anderson, a triple by John Albini and a ground out added two more in the fourth.
Herman Lewis tapped out a homer for another Yakima run in the sixth.
Yakima ......... 003 201 111—9 13 1
Salem .......... 000 010 101—3 11 1
Rios and Albini; Dahle, Collins (8) and Nelson.

CALGARY, Aug. 4—The Calgary Stampeders trounced the Lewiston Broncs in both ends of a Western International League baseball doubleheader Tuesday night — 4-0 and 17-9.
Homers by Don Hunter and Rocky Tedesco contributed to the 4-0 Calgary win in the first game. In the nightcap, Stampeders jumped into a 6-0 lead in the first two innings but Lewiston fought
back to tie the count at 7-7 in the top of the seventh Stampeders plated four runs in the seventh and six in the eighth to tum the game into a rout.
Jim Mellinger homered twice for the Stamps and Charlie Mead once.
Bob Williams and Glen Tuckett each had two round-trippers for Lewiston and Mel Wasley got the other.
Playing manager Bill Brenner, although nipped for 22 hits, went the distance for the Broncs.
First Game
Lewiston ..... 000 000 0—0 7 1
Calgary ...... 010 021 x—4 11 0
Marshall and Garay; Hittner and Lillard.
Second Game
Lewiston ..... 001 130 202— 9 13 3
Calgary ...... 330 001 46x—17 22 2
Brenner and Cameron; Levinson and Bricker.

KEWPIE!
Barrett Here To Give Cap Pitchers Aid
[Vancouver Province, August 5, 1953]
General Manager Dewey Soriano announced today that he’s hired himself just the man to straighten out a few kinks in the Capilano pitching corps.
The man in question is none other than Dick (Kewpie) Barrett, long-time scourge of the Pacific Coast League, who joins the club today.
Kewpie, who still owns the PCL record for total strikeouts, will act in a dual capacity as pitching coach and third base coach.
Barrett performed the same job with the Yakima Bears two seasons ago after he gave up the managerial helm in Victoria.
One of baseball’s most colorful citizens, Dick is expected to join the active list for the last 20 days of the season, too.

Sunday Baseball Will Aid BEG
[Vancouver News-Herald, August 5, 1953]
Sunday baseball comes to Vancouver this weekend with the professional Vancouver Capilanos and Victoria Tyees playing a regular Western International League game beginning at 2:30 at Cap Stadium.
All proceeds of the game will be turned over to the British Empire Games [unreadable] events committee and the proceeds naturally will be derived from a silver collection.
Dewey Soriano has been working hard on the feature for some time now and finally realized his goal last weekend when the Victoria club decided to put on a Sabbath game. Through a trade approval between the clubs and other expenses have been cut to the minimum so that the BEG Fund will realize as much financially as possible.
FIRST IN YEARS
It will be the first time in four years that professional baseball has been tried on a Sunday.
Oddly enough, the last Sunday game of pro ball played here was between the same two clubs. But it was only an exhibition for the M[] Relief and bad weather turned an expected large to a meagre 1200 fans in the old park.
EXPECT TOP CROWD
With a break in the weather, Soriano is fully expecting one of the best crowds of the season this time.
Gates will open at 12 and the regular game begins at 2:30. Rival managers Harvey Storey and Cece Garriott said they would try to name the starting pitchers before the weekend in the hope that more fans will turn out.

Monday, August 3, 1953

2008-03-23T15:51:00.001-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 21 13 .618 ½
Spokane ..... 24 15 .615 —
Vancouver ... 20 18 .526 3
Yakima ...... 18 16 .529 3
Edmonton .... 17 16 .515 3½
Lewiston .... 16 17 .485 4½
Victoria .... 16 21 .432 6½
Tri-City .... 15 20 .429 6½
Wenatchee ... 14 19 .424 6½
Calgary ..... 14 20 .412 7

VANCOUVER — Pitcher Bob Roberts continued his mastery in a Vancouver Capilano uniform Monday night with a 1-0 Western International League victory over the Victoria Tyees.
Since being acquired from Calgary in mid-season, Roberts has won seven and lost but one for the Caps.
He scattered six Tyee hits and was in trouble only twice, extricating himself neatly each time.
Vancouver scored the only run of the game in the fourth when Nick Castas singled, stole second and went to third on a wild throw by the catcher. He scored on a single to center field by Chuck Davis.
- - -
VANCOUVER [by KEITH MATTHEWS, News-Herald, Aug. 4]—The Capilanos won one of the better played ball games of this 1953 season at Capilano Stadium Monday, 1-0, but there will be a short intervening time before the victory becomes official. In short, Cec Garriott, the Victoria manager, played the game under protest.
This brings up and interesting point. Where, everybody is asking, will the Tyees get the necessary $25, the fee necessary to post an official protest?
Here is a club which has been seriously handicapped all season by financial difficulties. Not so long ago they were on the ropes of poverty. Today, they are parking of one of baseball’s luxuries, a protested game—and the involved fee.
WAS NICE SLIDE
The protest developed from an interesting situation. Leading 1-0 in the seventh, the Tyees’ first man up, Jimmy Clark, singled to signal a rally. On a 2-and-1 count to Milt Martin, Clark broke to steal and Bob Duretto’s throw had beaten him to second by several strides. Clark, however, avoided Chuck Davis’ tag with a desperate slide and got there safely.
When umpire Gerry Van Keuren called safe, Davis went wild. He threw his glove to the ground and gesticulated wildly. Here, Garriott made his entrance, claiming that Davis should have been thrown out of the game for tossing his equipment. Cece became violent in his insistence and Van Keuren quickly eliminated Cecil.
FEW UPHELD
Right here, Garriott played the game under protest. Whether he will awake this morning to the realization that such a luxury costs $25 and very, very few protests are upheld is the big question.
Davis, along with pitcher Bobby Roberts, were the heroes in the Vancouver conquest. Chuck singled home the winning run in the fourth. Roberts hung up his No. 6 win with a six-hitter in which he allowed only one runner to get as far as third base.
DIAMOND DUST – Van Fletcher goes for the Capilanos tonight as the two teams play the second act in what may become a highly entertaining season … Boston Red Sox scout Ernie Johnson is in town for the set … The Caps returned from their gruesome road trop with a pair of fresh injuries, Gale Taylor with a jammed hip and Carl Gunnarson with a sore right elbow … New pitcher Clarence (Cuddles) Marshall, formerly of the New York Yankees and St. Louis Browns, failed to show up Monday but is expected to fly in today … Jim Wert, who played half the season for the Caps at first base, has been sold outright to Calgary and will report for duty today.
Victoria ......... 000 000 000—0 6 2
Vancouver ..... 000 100 00x—1 6 1
Bottler and Martin; Roberts and Duretto.

Lewiston at Calgary, postponed, rain; double header Tuesday.

The Sports Herald
Keith Matthews
[Vancouver News-Herald, August 4, 1953]
In effigy? …
It is recorded somewhere—and for some inane reason—that a golfer once committed a mortal sin, was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to hang “by the neck until found dead.”
As the hangman was tightening the knot, the golfer was asked if maybe there wasn’t something he’d like to say before sentence was obeyed.
“Yes,” the golfer replied. “I’d like to take a couple of practice swings if you don’t mind.”
Oddly, what brought us unto this one was not a golfer but a baseballer named Dewey Soriano, who was saying the other day “you can hang me if I’m not right, but Bob Duretto will be in the Coast League next year as a catcher.”
Dewey should know of what he speaks in this case, having been the fellow who completed the transformation of Ray Orteig from a third baseman to a catcher in 1949. Ray, we’ll remind you, is the No. 1 guy with the “tools of ignorance” in the PCL just now, and the other day the Seattle Rainiers hung out a $75,000 price tag on their prize husky for the major league clubs to nibble at.
In Duretto, Soriano sees much the same thing as he saw in Orteig.
“He is intelligent,” Dewey praised. “He rarely calls for the wrong pitch in an important situation. Just watch and see for yourself. Count the number of times a pitcher shakes off Bob’s signal. Not many, I’ll bet.”
He’s accurate …
Whoever hung the description “tools of ignorance” on the catching trade hit a foul ball. It is the most important job in baseball. Yes, probably even greater than pitching, because it is the catcher who guides the destiny of his battery mate. He must know the batters’ weaknesses, he must be able to set up his pitcher’s best pitch, he is the only man on the diamond who can see every other position on the field without turning his head. In other words, good catchers run your ball club for you.
The reasoning is sound because history bears it out. Who are the powers in baseball today? The Yankees and the Dodgers. The Yankees with Yogi Berra, the Dodgers with Roy Campanella. Nobody, in other words, goes places these days without sound catching.
There was a time in 1952 when Bill Schuster spotted Duretto’s capabilities as an outfielder and confessed that the handy-andy would surely be a 1953 Coast Leaguer. The argument against that, however, was that Duretto doesn’t hit the long ball necessary of Triple-A outfielders.
Later on, Bob was tried in the infield—at all corners of it, in fact. But there was no one position in which he gave you the necessary feeling of defensive security, so on the experiment went.
By good fortune, the Capilanos came up with a serious disease behind the plate this year. Duretto, when he was coaxed out of semi-retirement, was sent into the breach, just as he has been the fall guy for so many other needs.
What has happened since has been a revelation. Without spring training, with—even—as much as a bat in his hand since September, 1952, Bob has stayed around the .300 mark. He has steadied an over-worked pitching staff. And what of this throwing, which is an important ingredient of this new trade? Well, the boys say Bob can knock the pips out of razzberry at 90 feet!

Sunday, August 2, 1953

2008-03-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 21 13 .618 ½
Spokane ..... 24 15 .615 —
Yakima ...... 18 16 .529 3
Edmonton .... 17 16 .515 3½
Vancouver ... 19 18 .514 3½
Lewiston .... 16 17 .485 4½
Tri-City .... 15 20 .429 6½
Wenatchee ... 14 19 .424 6½
Victoria .... 16 20 .421 7
Calgary ..... 14 20 .412 8

LEWISTON, Aug. 2—The hitting of Al Heist and Gabby Williams was too much for Vancouver in the nightcap as Lewiston Broncs took an 11-7 game over the Capilanos after losing the Sunday opener 5-4.
Heist and Williams both homered and accounted for eight of the runs.
In the first game, Dale Thomason came on in the second inning to hold the Broncs for the win, after a shaky Carl Gunnarson gave up three runs to open the contest.
First Game
Vancouver ....... 300 011 0—5 9 4
Lewiston .......... 030 100 0—4 6 4
Gunnarson, Thomason (2) and Duretto; Kine, Butler (5) and Garay.
Second Game
Vancouver ..... 023 011 000— 7 16 2
Lewiston ........ 003 202 40x—11 10 2
Myers, MacKay (4) and Leavitt; Brenner, Perez (3), Butler (8) and Cameron.

Tri-City ....... 000 000 0—0 4 1
Yakima ........ 202 000 x—4 8 1
Robertson and Warren; Edmunds and Albini.

First Game
Salem ............. 000 100 0—1 3 3
Wenatchee ...... 000 602 x—8 12 1
Collins, Roenspie (4) and Masterson; Beamon and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Salem ............. 000 000 000— 0 3 1
Wenatchee ...... 530 002 00x—10 11 0
Hemphill, Borst (2) and Nelson; Oubre and Bartolomei.

Victoria ........... 011 002 000—4 9 1
Spokane .......... 100 102 22x—8 12 3
Prior, Walker (9) and Martin; Nemes, New (6) and Sheets.

(stories unavailable)

CLARENCE MARSHALL
Former Yankees Chucker Joins Cap Mound Staff
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Aug. 3, 1953]
Vancouver Capilanos will have an ex-New York Yankee on their staff when they tee off against Victoria Tyees tonight at Cap Stadium in the opener of a three-game series.
General Manager Dewey Soriano, worried about the signs of disintegration of his over-worked pitching corps on the road this past week, announced today he had signed Clarence Marshall as a free agent.
Marshall, a Bellingham boy and younger brother of Lewiston’s colorful John, will fly up from Hollywood today. He has been toiling for Hollywood Stars of the Coast League, whom he joined after St. Louis Browns released him last month.
The big right-hander, who is 27, returned to baseball this spring after a couple of years in the army. He wasn’t able to regain the form that once earned him a chance to wear a Yankee uniform.
Made a free agent by the Browns, he signed with the Coast League leaders.
Soriano saw him in action in Seattle recently and said that although Marshall was wild, he was throwing hard and figures he can win in this league.
Marshall is not unknown here. He pitched several games here during the war for a strong Fort Lewis Army team.
“I figure he will help us,” says Soriano, “he just needs steady work.”
Eddie Malone, Hollywood catcher who made a visit to Vancouver recently, liked what he saw of Marshall, but said the Stars weren’t able to give him enough work because they are pennant contenders and couldn’t afford to gamble.
The Cap pitching staff has been working shorthanded since Bud Guldborg left the club recently to return to California.

Saturday, August 1, 1953

2008-03-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 21 11 .656 —
Spokane ..... 23 15 .605 1
Yakima ...... 17 16 .515 4½
Edmonton .... 17 16 .515 4½
Vancouver ... 18 17 .514 4½
Lewiston .... 15 17 .469 6
Victoria .... 16 19 .457 6½
Tri-City .... 15 19 .441 7
Calgary ..... 14 20 .412 8
Wenatchee ... 12 19 .387 8½

YAKIMA, Aug. 1—Yakima evened its Western International League baseball series with Tri-City Saturday night, defeating the Braves 8-6, in a free hitting game.
Bob Wellman spelled the difference between the two teams, getting successive two run homers in the first and third innings. They were his 17th and 18th of the season.
The first round-tripper put Yakima ahead, 2-1, and preceding his second, Jim McNamara and Bill Steinberg had tripled back to back.
The Bears never lost the lead after that.
Tri-City ............ 101 000 004—6 10 0
Yakima ............. 203 021 00x—8 13 4
Michelson, Dobernic (3) and Warren; Rios and Albini.

SPOKANE, Aug. 1—First the Capilanos and then the Indians was the story again Saturday night as Victoria won the first game of a Western International double header 6-5 and Spokane took the second 10-4.
Bob Drilling, who used to be noted for wildness, walked only two Spokane batters in the seven-inning first game and scattered seven hits to gain his 10th win against 12 losses.
First Game
Victoria ........... 000 114 0—6 11 1
Spokane .......... 001 000 4—5 7 0
Drilling and Martin; Cordell, New (6) and Sheets.
Second Game
Victoria .......... 010 030 000— 4 12 4
Spokane ......... 020 016 10x—10 12 0
Hodges, Drilling (8), Dollins (8) and Harford; Worth, Giovannoni (5) and Sheets.

WENATCHEE, Aug. 1—Salem defeated Wenatchee 8-4 here Saturday night after jumping off to a four run lead in the first inning. It evened the series at one game each.
Manager Hugh Luby singled home the winning runs in the fourth, scoring Pitcher Joe Nicholas and Dick Sabatini, who had singled and moved up on wild pitches.
Salem .......... 400 200 011—8 8 0
Wenatchee ........ 201 000 010—4 9 3
Nicholas, Borst (6) and Nelson; Bowman, DeCarolis (9) and Bartolomei.

CALGARY, Aug. 1—The Edmonton Eskimos gained 4-3 and 13-5 victories from the Calgary Stampeders in a doubleheader Saturday, winding up a four game Calgary series with a 3-1 edge in the Western International Baseball League.
In the night game, John Conant picked up his 18th victory of the season for Edmonton, and in doing it held the Stampeders to eight hits. Joe Orrell—on the losing end—produced a neat seven-hitter.
Clint Weaver sparked the afternoon play by hitting three home runs and a double in four official trips to the plate. Bob Schulte who relieved starter Bill Stites in the seventh inning, passed him up on his fifth trip with a walk.
Ray McNulty worked into a masterful two-hit shutout going into the ninth of thie first game, but weakened to allow four hits, two homers and two doubles, which were good for five Calgary runs.
Ken Whitehead and Charlie Mead homered for Calgary in the day game.
Weaver teamed with catcher Dick Morgan for the hitting power in the opener, each clouting two for three.
First Game
Edmonton ..... 430 014 010—13 13 3
Calgary ........ 000 000 005— 5 8 2
McNulty and Morgan; Stites, Schulte (7), and Bricker.
Second Game
Edmonton ...... 000 101 011—4 1 2
Calgary ......... 000 100 002—3 8 2
Conant and Morgan; Orrell and Lillard.

LEWISTON, Aug. 1—Harvey Storey batted in a pair of runs in the first inning and Bob Duretto followed with another pair in the fifth Saturday night as Vancouver took a 6-3 Western International league win from Lewiston.
Jack Bukowatz and Pete Hernandez accounted for the remaining Vancouver scoring. Chuck Davis had a pair of singles for Vancouver.
Hernandez, who now has a 16-5 record, gave up 10 hits to nine safeties gained by the Capilanos, but he came through in the clutches and stranded 14 Lewiston batters.
Vancouver ........... 200 020 101—6 9 1
Lewiston ............. 010 000 020—3 10 1
Hernandez and Duretto; Perez, Butler (7), Marshall (9) and Cameron.

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL AVERAGES
Including Games of July 26
Compiled by Howe News Bureau
Player G AB H HR RBI Pct
Deyo, Sal .......... 78 296 107 1 62 .361
Warren, TC ......... 83 314 111 5 74 .354
Wellman, Yak ....... 66 255 90 16 70 .353
Palys, Spo ......... 79 302 104 14 58 .344
M. McCormick, Wen .. 66 231 79 4 47 .342
Storey, Van ........ 90 319 108 4 51 .339
Noren, Yak ......... 97 399 135 8 59 .338
Witherspoon, Sal ... 77 261 87 2 52 .333
Luby, Sal .......... 67 228 76 1 37 .333
Weaver, Edm ........ 91 340 111 12 75 .326
L. Tran, TC ........ 89 331 108 7 65 .326
Martin, Vic ........ 84 284 90 5 50 .317
Buccola, TC ........ 91 368 116 1 43 .315
Pries, Vic ......... 89 348 109 3 57 .313
Perez, Sal ......... 90 340 106 9 71 .312
Morgan, Edm ........ 82 320 99 8 44 .309
R. Tran, TC ........ 84 295 90 0 48 .305
Cameron, Lew ....... 74 266 81 5 45 .305
Tanselli, Sal ...... 91 378 114 9 49 .302
Mead, Cal .......... 90 313 94 15 62 .300

Pitcher G IP SO W L Pct
Roenspie, Sal ...... 16 112 45 11 2 .846
Nicholas, Lew-Sal .. 22 153 78 16 3 .842
Hernandez, Van ..... 18 144 83 12 4 .750
Hemphill, Sal ...... 28 173 66 14 6 .700
Brenner, Lew ....... 31 190 80 15 7 .682
Rios, Yak .......... 21 135 59 12 6 .667
McNulty, Edm ....... 17 144 63 10 5 .667
Spring, Spo ........ 18 124 105 10 5 .667
Dobernic, TC ....... 31 116 80 9 5 .643
Conant, Edm ........ 27 189 99 16 0 .640
Worth, Spo ......... 20 96 60 7 4 .636
Marshall, Lew ...... 26 172 117 13 8 .619

Friday, July 31, 1953

2008-03-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 20 11 .645 —
Spokane ..... 22 14 .611 2½
Vancouver ... 17 17 .500 4½
Yakima ...... 16 16 .500 4½
Lewiston .... 15 15 .500 4½
Edmonton .... 15 16 .484 5
Tri-City .... 15 18 .455 6
Victoria .... 15 18 .455 6
Calgary ..... 14 18 .438 6½
Wenatchee ... 12 18 .400 7½

YAKIMA, July 31—Three Yakima pitchers who couldn't control delivery and fielders who couldn't handle the ball added up Friday night to a 10-2 Western International League baseball victory for Tri-City's Braves.
The Bears out-hit the Braves 12-9, but couldn't bunch them for results in the scoring column. Fourteen Braves walked, one got aboard on a passed ball and one scored on a balk. Five Bear errors pushed up the scoring total, too.
Vic Buccola starred at bat for the winners, getting three hits in five trips and was credited with three runs batted in. Len Tran was walked four times successively.
Tri-City ........ 021 151 000—10 9 0
Yakima ......... 001 000 100— 2 12 5
Snyder and Warren; Del Sarto, Rial (2), Young (3) and Novick, St. George (7).

LEWISTON, July 31—The battery did the heavy batting Friday night as Lewiston took a 6-4 Western International League victory over Vancouver.
Winning Pitcher John Marshall and Catcher Clint Cameron both hit safely three times in powering Lewiston to the win. Marshall was credited with two doubles and three runs batted in and Cameron one double and two the aid of RBI's.
Lewiston's Bud Hjelmaa was rushed to hospital after being hit in the stomach in the seventh inning. His conditon is not immediately known.
Lewiston spotted Vancouver to two runs in the fourth inning, tied up the game in the seventh and added four more in the eighth, all with timely hits by the battery.
Vancouver ....... 000 200 020—4 11 2
Lewiston .......... 000 000 24x—6 12 1
Fletcher and Leavitt; Marshall and Cameron.

CALGARY, Alta., July 31—Calgary Stampeders snapped a five-game losing streak Friday night as they downed Edmonton Eskimos 5-4 in a Western International League fixture.
It was the first victory for Stamps in their current series against the Edmonton crew.
Stampeders took advantage of jittery Pat Utley to gain a 5-0 lead in the first two innings. Larry Manier came on in the second to hold Stamps scoreless for the remainder of the distance.
Glen Hittner hurled an 11-hitter while picking up his first victory at Buffalo Stadium since he won the Buffs home opener back in May.
Edmonton ..... 000 100 003—4 11 0
Calgary ........ 530 000 00x—5 3 2
Utley, Manier (2) and Morgan; Hittner and Bricker.

SPOKANE, July 31—First it was the pitchers and then the hitters in a Western International League double header here Friday night as Victoria won the first game 7-1 and Spokane the second 20-11.
The Tyees' Bill Bottler allowed only three hits in the seven-inning opener and faced just 18 batters in the final five innings. The ex-Oregon Oregon star now has six wins against eight losses.
Spokane came back to win the nightcap in a wild contest which saw a total of 31 runs on 37 hits.
Big bat for Spokane was Jim Command who batted in the Tribe's first run with a double in the first inning, brought in three more with a triple in the second and picked up a third hit in the fourth.
A spectator, Mrs. Luck J. Thomas, 40, received probable broken ribs when she was hit in the side by a foul ball.
First Game
Victoria .......... 001 231 0—7 9 0
Spokane ......... 100 000 0—1 3 1
Bottler and Martin; Spring, Giovannoni (5) and Sheets.
Second Game
Victoria ......... 012 005 030—11 12 3
Spokane ........ 433 302 00x—20 25 3
Dollins, Walker (1), Lorino (3) and Harford; Romero and Ogle, Sheets (3).

WENATCHEE, July 31—Rick Botelho, 18 year old Wenatchee southpaw, pitched a two-hitter Friday night as the last-place Wenatchee Chiefs edged the league-leading Salem Senators, 2-1.
Jerry Ballard and Chuck Essegian got the two safeties and Essegian scored the lone Salem run after hitting a double. He came across the plate from third base as the Wenatchee shortstop muffed a throw from the catcher when another Senator stole second.
Both Salem hits came in the fifth inning, the only round Botelho was in trouble.
The Chiefs tied the game up in the sixth when Babe Fuhrman singled, stole second and scored when the Salem shortstop booted a grounder.
Wenatchee won the game in the seventh on a single by Jake Helmuth and a 370-foot triple to left centerfield corner by Harry Bartolomei. Salem lefthander Dave Dahle, who pitched for Wenatchee, from 1950 through 1952, gave up seven hits in the first game in which he faced his former team-mates.
Salem ........... 000 010 000—1 2 2
Wenatchee .... 000 001 10x—2 7 1
Dahle and Masterson; Botelho and Bartolomei.

Thursday, July 30, 1953

2008-03-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 20 10 .667 —
Spokane ..... 21 13 .618 1
Yakima ...... 16 15 .516 4½
Vancouver ... 17 16 .515 4½
Edmonton .... 15 15 .500 5
Lewiston .... 14 15 .483 5½
Victoria .... 14 17 .452 6½
Tri-City .... 14 18 .438 7
Calgary ..... 13 18 .419 7½
Wenatchee ... 11 18 .379 8½

KENNEWICK — Pitcher-manager Bill Brenner starred at bat although a little weak on the mound Thursday night as Lewiston defeated Tri-City, 8-7, in a Western International League baseball game.
Brenner's fourth inning ground ball played the decisive role in the Bronc win. Bob Williams led off with a double in the fourth, and Ken Richardson walked. A sacrifice advanced both men.
Clint Cameron, Lewiston catcher, was walked intentionally to load the bases and Glenn Tuckett brought Williams home with a long fly. Brenner then hit his grounder to Ray Tran at third. Tran threw wild to first to let Richardson and Cameron come in.
Brenner hit safely three times in five trips, including two singles and a double. Jack Warren homered for Tri-City in the third inning with one man aboard.
Lewiston ......... 212 300 000—8 11 1
Tri-City .......... 202 200 100—7 11 3
Brenner and Cameron; Bloom, Dobernic (2), Hedgecock (5), Robertson (9) and Warren.

CALGARY, Alta. — The Edmonton Eskimos pounded the offerings of three Calgary pitchers for 20 hits and a 17-15 victory in a Western International League game Thursday night.
It was the Eskimos fourth straight victory over Calgary.
The short fences at Buffalo Stadium again were in the limelight as they were flattened for nine home runs—six by the Stampeders.
Eskimos three round-trippers— by Sam Kanelos, Clint Weaver and Dan Prentice—all came in the seventh inning off reliefer Eddie Kapp.
Ken Whitehead led the Stampeders homer parade with two and Don Bricker, Kapp, Rocky Tedesco and Charlie Mead got the others.
The Stampeders' loose play in the field was costly and they were charged with eight errors—four by Whitehead.
Edmonton ........ 030 505 400—17 20 2
Calgary ........... 011 224 140—15 14 8
Widner, Manier (5), Day (8) and Morgan. Levmson, Kapp (6), Lillard (8) and Bricker.

SPOKANE — Vancouver's 7-5 win Thursday night stalled Spokane's drive on the Western International league lead.
Vancouver Pitcher Bob Roberts tamed his former teammates on eight hits while striking out 11, although he had to be relieved by Carl Gunnarson in the ninth during the Indians' two-run uprising. Roberts now has a 6-2 record.
Manager Harvey Storey accounted for Vancouver's only home run of the night while Jim Command and Will Hafey collected round-trippers for Spokane. It was Hafey's 16th home run of the season.
Vancouver ....... 010 022 101—7 13 2
Spokane .......... 021 000 002—5 8 1
Roberts, Gunnarson (9) and Duretto; Franks, New (7), Giovannoni (9) and Ogle.

YAKIMA—The Salem Senators broke out for three runs in the top of the tenth Thursday night to defeat the Yakima Bears 5-3 in Western International League baseball. The win protects Salem's one-game lead over second-place Spokane.
Yakima managed one run in their last-ditch rally, but were stopped cold by Gene Roenspie, who pitched a brilliant four-hitter for the win. Loser Bob Edmunds also went the distance, allowing the winners eight hits.
Salem ....... 100 100 000 3—5 8 0
Yakima ..... 000 000 200 1—3 4 2
Roenspie and Nelson; Edmunds and Novick.

Only Games Scheduled.

Wednesday, July 29, 1953

2008-03-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 19 10 .655 —
Spokane ..... 21 12 .636 —
Yakima ...... 16 14 .533 3½
Vancouver ... 16 16 .500 4½
Edmonton .... 14 15 .483 5
Lewiston .... 13 15 .464 5½
Tri-City .... 14 17 .452 6
Victoria .... 14 17 .452 6
Calgary ..... 13 17 .433 6½
Wenatchee ... 11 18 .379 8

YAKIMA — Yakima set down league-leading Salem for the second night in a row, 2-0, as Don Carter held the Senators to three hits in a Western International League game here Wednesday night.
It was Carter's eighth win against three losses for the season.
Salem ........... 000 000 000—0 3 1
Yakima ......... 100 000 10x—2 7 0
Hemphill and Masterson; Carter and Novick.

SPOKANE [News-Herald, July 30]—The Spokane Indians burst out in a late inning rash of runs to swamp the Capilanos for the fourth straight time here Wednesday 11-2.
The victors moved the winners into a virtual tie with Salem for the WIL baseball lead.
MYERS KAYOED
Bob Nemes gave the Caps two runs in the opening inning then settled down to pitch shutout baseball as his offensive pecked away at Lonnie Myers and Rod MacKay for a big evening at the plate.
It was a ball game until the sixth inning when Spokane shoved across three runs with Stan Palys providing the biggest damage with a two-run single.
In the seventh, Spokane batted Myers into a shower when they added five more tallies.
MacKay came in to put out the fire but the damage had been done. Nemes kept getting better as the game went along and wound up winning with ease.
HEAVY HITTING
Every batter in the Spokane lineup hit safely with the exception of leadoff hitter Eddie Murphy. Five of Don Osborn’s rampaging tribe managed two hits in the slaughter.
The same clubs will wind up the long five-game series here tonight with Bobby Roberts (5-1) trying to halt the Capilano Kid. [sic]
Vancouver then moves on for a four-game date with Lewiston, playing singles Thursday and Friday and a doubleheader Sunday. The clubs return home Monday.
Vancouver ....... 200 000 000— 2 8 4
Spokane .......... 001 013 51x—11 13 0
Myers, MacKay (7) and Duretto; Nemes and Ogle.
WILfan note: the News-Herald has a column on a roof at Cap Stadium but it is not readable in the library microfilm copy.

KENNEWICK — Don Robertson got off to a shaky start but settled down to handcuff Lewiston with four hits to give Tri-City a 6-4 Western International League baseball win over the Broncs here Wednesday night.
Lewiston .......... 300 100 000—4 4 1
Tri-City ............ 103 000 02x—6 9 1
Butler and Garay; Robertson and Warren.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos outscored the Calgary Stampeders 11-8 Wednesday night for a sweep of their three-game Western International League baseball series. Paid attendance was 1,938.
Eskimos got off to a running start with catcher Dick Morgan's first-inning, grand-slam homer but Edmonton was forced to call on two relief pitchers in the ninth to stem a Calgary rally.
Gus Stathos of Calgary and Andy Skurski of Edmonton, rival centrefielders, both had perfect nights at the plate, hitting five for five. Stathos' collection included three doubles.
The teams now move to Calgary for a four-game series opening on Thursday.
Calgary ............ 200 010 025— 8 15 4
Edmonton ........ 430 020 02x—11 14 1
Orrell, Francis (2), Schulte (8) and Lillard; Tisnerat, Day (9), Conant (9) and Morgan.

VICTORIA — The Victoria Tyees won the rubber game in their three-game Western International League baseball series with the Wenatchee Chiefs by downing them 9-6 here Wednesday night.
Tyees gave righthander Bill Prior his 12th win of the season and his third in a row when they broke a 6-6 tie with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Prior, who had lost nine, gave up 10 hits, struck out nine and walked four.
Wenatchee ....... 100 003 110—6 10 2
Victoria ............ 004 002 03x—9 12 1
Beamon and Bartolomei; Prior and Martin.

Meisner To Edmonton
PENDLETON, Ore., July 29 — Yankee scout Gordon Jones said Wednesday he had signed Bob Meisner, 18, for Birmingham of the Southern Association and he probably would be assigned to Edmonton of the Western International League.
Meisner, of Berkeley, Calif., has been playing shortstop and hitting .390 for the local semi-pro baseball team. He is a student at the University of Southern California and expects to return there, Jones said.

Tuesday, July 28, 1953

2008-03-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 19 9 .679 —
Spokane ..... 20 12 .625 1
Vancouver ... 16 15 .516 4½
Yakima ...... 15 14 .517 4½
Lewiston .... 13 14 .481 5½
Edmonton .... 13 15 .464 6
Calgary ..... 13 16 .448 6½
Tri-City .... 13 17 .433 7
Victoria .... 13 17 .433 7
Wenatchee ... 11 17 .393 8

EDMONTON—John Conant won his 17th game of the Western International Baseball League season by pitching Edmonton Eskimos to a 4-1 victory over Calgary Stampeders Tuesday night. Paid attendance was 2,204.
Conant, who has suffered nine defeats this season, lost his bid for a shutout when Don Bricker homered for Calgary in the seventh.
Catcher Dick Morgan led the Edmonton attack on Bill Stites with two singles and a double.
It was Edmonton's 14th win over Calgary in 18 meetings this season.
Calgary ........... 000 000 100—1 7 0
Edmonton ....... 200 020 00x—4 11 1
Stites and Bricker; Conant and Morgan.

KENNEWICK—Lewiston pulled out of some tough spots three times running Tuesday night to defeat Tri-City, 6-4, in a Western International League baseball game.
Lewiston ........ 000 020 400—6 7 3
Tri-City .......... 000 000 112—4 6 1
Kime, Perez (8) and Cameron; Hedgecock, Dobernic (8) and Warren.

YAKIMA — Danny Rios limited Salem to seven scattered hits Tuesday night as Yakima beat the Solons, 7-2, in a Western International League baseball game.
Senators, were able to get more than one hit in only one inning— the ninth, when two hits gave them one of their pair of runs.
Yakima batters knocked Salem's starter, Joe Nicholas, out of the box in the seventh.
Salem ........ 000 000 101—2 7 0
Yakima ....... 000 201 40x—7 11 0
Nicholas, Collins (7) and Nelson; Rios and Novick.

VICTORIA — The Victoria Tyees got six runs in the second inning and another in the third Tuesday night to defeat the Wenatchee Chiefs 7-6 in the second game of a three-game Western International League baseball series here.
Victoria took a 7-1 lead in the third inning before Wenatchee rallied.
Bob Drilling went all the way for his ninth win against 12 losses in the season, giving up 12 hits but only one base on balls.
Wenatchee ........ 100 022 010—6 11 1
Victoria ............. 061 000 00x—7 8 1
Oubre and Bartolomei; Drilling and Martin.

SPOKANE — Spokane started out with a four-run burst in the first inning and then had to stage a ninth inning rally to eke out a 8-7 Western International League win over Vancouver Tuesday night.
Harvey Storey smashed his fifth home run of the year, a long four-run shot over the left field fence, for the losers in the seventh inning.
John Cordell ambled in from the bullpen in the ninth as the Capilanos got a runner in scoring position, and then put out the fire before the Indians went on to win it against a tiring Pete Hernandez, who didn't have hit best stuff and gave up 14 hits.
The big bat for Spokane was first baseman Carl Bush who got four hits in four times at bat, including a triple.
Vancouver ......... 100 010 410—7 14 1
Spokane ............ 400 200 011—8 14 2
Hernandez and Duretto; Worth, New (7), Cordell (9) and Ogle.

Monday, July 27, 1953

2008-03-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

W L Pct. GB
Salem ....... 19 8 .704 —
Spokane ..... 19 12 .613 2
Vancouver ... 16 14 .533 4½
Yakima ...... 14 14 .500 5½
Calgary ..... 13 15 .464 6½
Lewiston .... 12 14 .462 6½
Tri-City .... 13 16 .448 7
Edmonton .... 12 15 .444 7
Victoria .... 12 17 .414 8
Wenatchee ... 11 16 .407 8

SPOKANE [News-Herald, July 28]—Long John Cordell came hurrying in from the bullpen here Monday to put down a ninth-inning Capilano threat and preserve a 4-3 baseball victory for the Spokane Indians.
The Capilanos, in falling another half game behind Salem’s leading pace, tried to get by with a second-line pitcher, Dale Thomason, and they almost made it.
Thomason was touched, through no fault of his own, for a pair of runs in the fourth on two singles, a sacrifice and a costly error.
PETRALLI HOMERS
Then the Caps jumped back into the ball game in the seventh when Gene Petralli pumped his first homer of the year over the right field wall.
It didn’t last, though. Jerry Ogle, usually a mild-hitting Spokane catcher, got one of Thomason’s knuckle balls just where he wanted it in the eighth and banged a two-run homer over the left field wall. [It scored Will Hafey, who had walked]
SCORED ONCE
In the ninth, Vancouver scored once and had the winning run in position when Cordell came in to rescue Ed Romero. He got the side out without further scoring and kept the Indians safely in second place.
Tonight the same clubs do it all over again with Pete Hernandez (12-4) going for Vancouver.
Vancouver ....... 000 000 201—3 7 1
Spokane .......... 000 200 02x—4 9 0
Thomason and Duretto; Romero, Cordell (9) and Ogle.

EDMONTON—A three-run eight-inning outburst gave Edmonton Eskimos a 5-2 win over Calgary Stampeders in a Western International Baseball League game Monday night. Paid attendance was 1,206.
The teams play in Edmonton Tuesday and Wednesday, in Calgary Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Playing Manager Gene Lillard gave Stampeders a 2-1 lead with a homer in the seventh but Esks tied the count in their half and then won the game next time at bat.
Calgary ........... 000 001 100—2 9 1
Edmonton ....... 000 100 13x—5 8 1
Hittner and Brlcker; McNulty and Morgan.

VICTORIA — Keith Bowman tossed a seven-hitter at Victoria Tyees Monday night as he pitched Wenatchee Chiefs to an 8-5 victory in the first game of a three-game Western International League Baseball series.
The righthander struck out 10 and walked six in hurling his third victory of the season. Four of the hits came in the fourth frame when the Tyees put together a base on balls, a hit batsman, singles by Chuck Abernathy, Dwane Helbig and Lu Branham and a double by catcher Milt Martin for all their runs.
Wenatchee jumped on starter Earl Dollins for five runs in the first inning with singles by Jerry Green, Harry Bartolomei, Babe Fuhrman, Don Stafford and Bowman doing the damage.
Wenatchee ........ 501 002 000—8 14 3
Victoria ............. 000 500 000—5 7 3
Bowman and Bartolomei; Dollins, Hodges (7) and Martin.

PENDLETON, July 27 (Special) — The Pendleton Ranchers got an early jump on Joe Arenivar's first inning home run Monday night, but eventually bowed 10-3 to the Lewiston Broncs of the Western International League in an exhibition baseball game. About 550 persons attended the game.
Bud Hjelmaa of the Broncs hit a one-run homer in the top of the first frame, but Arenivar's blow gave the Ranchers a temporary three-run lead. A big third frame, topped by Richardson's four-master, produced five tallies for the visitors and gave them a lead they never lost.
The Ranchers turned in four double plays during the game, and Powell, Lewiston hurler, helped by grounding into three of them. The Broncs manufactured one twin-killing. Larry Carroll, who started for the hosts, was relieved in the fourth by Don Gersbach, who finished.
The game was played in an hour and 45 minutes.
Lewiston ........... 105 011 002—10 12 5
Pendleton ......... 300 100 102—7 7 5
Powell and Garay; Carroll, Gersbach (4) and Metcalf.

Sunday, July 26, 1953

2008-03-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Salem ....... 19 8 .704 —
Spokane ..... 18 12 .600 2½
Vancouver ... 16 13 .552 4
Yakima ...... 14 14 .500 5½
Calgary ..... 13 14 .481 6
Lewiston .... 12 14 .462 6½
Tri-City .... 13 16 .448 7
Victoria .... 12 16 .429 7½
Edmonton .... 11 15 .423 7½
Wenatchee ... 10 16 .385 8½

SPOKANE, July 26 — The Spokane Indians bounced back into the running Sunday as they trounced the Vancouver Capilanos 11 to 6 in their Western International League tilt.
Stan Palys drove in two runs in the first inning with a 375 foot home run. The Indians scored another run on a single, a stolen base, and a wild pitch.
Spokane brought in seven runs in the big seventh inning, putting together three hits, a pair of walks, three Vancouver errors, and a hit batsman to make the tallies. The inning's highlight was Palys' bases-loaded triple.
The Indians sent in another run in the eighth for "insurance".
Vancouver squeezed out one run in their half of the fourth inning, and then manager Harvey Storey homered in the sixth to score two more counters.
The Caps rallied a bit in the ninth as they brought in three runs off three doubles and a single.
Van Fletcher was the victim of the Indians' uprising and took the loss, while Jack Spring gained his tenth win.
Vancouver ...... 000 102 003— 6 11 4
Spokane ......... 030 000 71x—11 13 0
Fletcher, Gunnarson (7) and Duretto; Spring and Ogle.

SALEM, July 26 — Lewiston blanked first place Salem 3-0 in the opening game of a Western International League Sunday night doubleheader here but the Senators snapped back to win the second game 3-2.
Ken Richardson scored both Lewiston runs in the second game. He came in on a fly in the fourth inning. He walked in the eighth, was advanced on another walk and an infield out and scored on a wild pitch by Gene Roenspie.
First Game
Lewiston ....... 012 000 0—3 9 0
Salem ........... 000 000 0—0 3 0
Perez and Garay; Collins, Borst (3) and Nelson.
Second Game
Lewiston ....... 000 100 010—2 6 1
Salem ........... 000 000 30x—3 6 0
Marshall and Cameron; Roenspie and Nelson.

ONLY GAMES PLAYED

Flinn Is Recalled
SAN FRANCISCO, July 26—The San Francisco Seals yesterday recalled Harold Flinn, right handed pitcher, from Yakima of the Western International League. He will replace Cliff Coggin, who is on the disabled list with an injured shoulder.

Saturday, July 25, 1953

2008-03-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Salem ....... 18 7 .720 —
Spokane ..... 17 12 .586 3
Vancouver ... 16 12 .571 3½
Yakima ...... 14 14 .500 5½
Calgary ..... 13 14 .481 6
Lewiston .... 11 13 .458 6½
Tri-City .... 13 16 .448 7
Victoria .... 12 16 .429 7½
Edmonton .... 11 15 .423 7½
Wenatchee ... 10 16 .385 8½

VICTORIA [Colonist, July 26]—Victoria Tyees and Tri-City Braves battled through almost seven hours of baseball during their Western International League doubleheader at Royal Athletic Park yesterday. When the cannonading finally ended, the home-run happy Tyees had staged a couple of dramatic finishes to win both ends of the twin bill.
Granny Gladstone smashed a home run—his second of the game—with Cec Garriott on base to top of a six-run rally and give the Victorians an 18-17 triumph in the afternoon game. Garriott drilled a single in the 13th inning of the nightcap for a 12-11 Tyee triumph.
CHIEFS NEXT
Wenatchee Chiefs will be the next club to test the Tyees, moving into Athletic Park tomorrow night for the first game of a three-game stay.
Gladstone poled a home run with two aboard in the first inning of the opener. Garriott, back in the outfield as Bob Moniz moved in at third base to give Don Pries a rest, started Tyee rallies in the fourth and fifth frames with bases-empty homers.
However, the Braves had a couple of big innings of their own, scoring six times in each of the sixth and seventh frames and went into the bottom of the ninth holding a 17-12 advantage. Garriott cleared the bases with a double with two out and then Gladstone won it with his sixth home run of the week and his 12th of the season.
Victoria again got away to an early lead in the nightcap when Milt Martin poled a two-run homer in the second. Then after the Braves scored five in the top of the third, Dwane Helbig blasted a grand-slam home run—his fourth of the week and Victoria’s 16th—to put Victoria in front, 6-5.
Although the Victoria pitching staff was far from impressive yesterday, needing every one of 30 runs for the two wins, it was a pair of gritty performances that made the twin triumph possible.
Bill Bottler, who had lost a 2-1, 10th inning heartbreaker Friday night, gamely volunteered to take the hill after started Bob Drilling and reliever Zeb Walker were shelled out in the afternoon game. Admittedly tired, Bottler stuck it out and gained credit for his fifth win of the year.
Bill Prior, pitching with only two days’ rest, went all the way in the afterpiece, gave up 15 hits and 14 bases on balls before getting his 11th win when Garriott came through in the 13th
First Game
Tri-City ....... 201 006 820—17 17 1
Victoria ....... 301 034 106—18 20 1
Robertson, Dobernic and Warren; Drilling, Walker (6), Bottler (7) and Martin.
Second Game
Tri-City ....... 005 201 003 000 00—11 15 3
Victoria ....... 024 004 001 000 01—12 15 3
Snyder, Bloom (3), Michelson (9) and Pesut; Prior and Martin, Harford (11).

SALEM — Dick Sabatini tripled to bring in the winning run in the seventh inning as Salem edged Lewiston 3-2 in Saturday night's Western International League baseball game here.
Sabatini's three-bagger came after Jerry Ballard's double in the fourth drove home the first two runs for the winners.
It was Salem's fourth straight win.
Lewiston ........... 001 010 000—2 9 1
Salem ............... 000 200 10x—3 7 0
Brenner and Cameron; Dahle and Nelson.

EDMONTON, Alta. — The Edmonton Eskimos gained an even split in their four-game Western International Baseball League series with the Yakima Bears, whipping the Bears 8-3 in the second game of a day-night double header in Edmonton Saturday night.
First Game
Yakima .......... 000 300 001— 4 6 2
Edmonton ...... 100 001 000— 2 6 0
Flinn and Novick; Tisnerat and Morgan.
Second Game
Yakima ........... 000 200 010—3 6 3
Edmonton ....... 011 230 02x—8 13 2
Edmunds, Young (7) and Novick; Widner and Morgan.

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders got off to a flying start in a Western International Baseball League double-header when their first four batters drew bases on balls and then scored to pave the way for an 8-2 victory over the Wenatchee Chiefs in Calgary Saturday night.
Wenatchee won the second game 9-5.
First Game
Wenatchee .......... 001 100 0—2 7 1
Calgary ............... 402 110 x—8 6 2
DeCarolis, Klein (1) and Bartolomei; Levinson and Bricker.
Second Game
Wenatchee ..... 130 021 20—9 16 0
Calgary ........... 000 023 00—5 7 3
Bothelho and Bartolomei; Kapp, Stites (8) and Bricker.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Capilanos swept a three-game series from the Spokane Indians Saturday night by defeating the Tribe, 3-1, in a Western International League baseball game before 1,291 fans.
Bobby Roberts twisted a seven-hitter for his fifth victory over the year. He achieved it over Bill Franks, the league's ERA king, who was tough but not quite enough. Only one of the hits, a double by Jim Command, went for extra bases.
STOREY STARS
Harvey Storey burst out of hhis two-week hitting slump to spark the victory. He singled in the first inning to score K Chorlton from third after the fleet outfielder led off the inning with a walk.
In the fifth Storey punched another single to score Roberts and Jack Bukowatz doubled the manager home to give Bobby his working margin.
Storey had three of Vancouver's ten hits.
The little right-hander had to get over some tough spots, most of them accumulated through his own wildness, but in the clutch Bob had the right answers.
He gave up his only run in the sixth on a bases-loaded no out situation when Stan Palys bounced into a double play. Roberts then got Will Hafey on a pop up and he was over his worst hump.
Only 1,291 attended the game, as the weather before the game turned breezy.
Spokane ........ 000 001 000—1 7 1
Vancouver ..... 100 020 00x—3 10 0
Franks and Sheets; Roberts and Duretto.

Deyo Leading W.I.L. in Hits
SEATTLE — Jim Deyo of Salem was the Western International League's leading clouter at last statistical report and Joe Nicholas of Salem the hottest pitcher.
Although Bill Franks of Spokane had the best earned run average among the flingers with 2.44, and John Conant of Edmonton the most victories with 18, Nicholas' won-loss record of 15-3 tops them all for effectiveness.
Deyo's batting average was .370 for the season through Sunday, July 19. Clint Weaver of Edmonton took over the lead in runs batted in with 70 and total bases with 174.
Don Hunter's 18 home runs for Calgary topped the round-trip division and Andy Skurski, Edmonton, led to stolen bases with 21 thefts.
Strikeout king of the circuit is John Marshall of Lewiston, with 104 and his 13-6 record is among the best, although, he does not rate with the top ten pitchers on earned runs.

Friday, July 24, 1953

2008-03-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Salem ....... 17 7 .708 —
Spokane ..... 17 11 .607 2
Vancouver ... 15 12 .556 3½
Yakima ...... 13 13 .500 5
Tri-City .... 13 14 .481 5½
Calgary ..... 12 13 .480 5½
Lewiston .... 11 12 .478 5½
Edmonton .... 10 14 .417 7
Victoria .... 10 16 .385 8
Wenatchee .... 9 15 .375 8

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, July 25]—It is almost unbelievable that a total of four runs, evenly split at that, should win both games of a baseball doubleheader. Yet, what went on at Capilano Stadium Friday was just that—unbelievable—as Vancouver swept a pair from Spokane 2-1 and 2-0.
The heroes of the set were Pete Hernandez and Lonnie Myers, a couple of guys who went out there and bowed their necks and made a minimum of runs look like Mt. Everest on a foggy night.
The pitching, in fact, on both sides was superb, as was the baseball as slightly over 2000 fans got a greater kick out of two ball games than they have all year long. Statistics tell that there was one three-hitter, two four-hitters and a six-hitter in these games. And the figures don’t lie—it was strictly a night for the throwers.
ONLY ONE MISTAKE
Hernandez made only one mistake in his three-hit 12th win, that coming in the sixth inning when he tried out a screwball on Stan Palys and the husky outfielder parked it in the left field weeds. Otherwise the Senor couldn’t be had and he made single runs in the fourth and fifth look like Yankee-style bombardments.
As good as Hernandez’ job was, Myers overshadowed him. Lonnie came up with the biggest thrill in pitching, the strikeout, and utilized it to the maximum as he had the Indians vainly trying to figure out his fast ball.
Myers is always quick. However, he has never been so fast as he was this Friday. Never so fast and never so accurate; for his kept putting the ball in the right spot inning after inning as he compile nine strikeouts on his four-hit shutout and No. 7 win.
WORTH WAS OKAY
All the way it was a ball game which smacked of intrigue. Myers never allowed a Spokane runner to reach base in any inning until two were out. From the third until the seventh he had at least one strikeout per round, and in the third and sixth he struck out the side.
It wasn’t until the sixth that the Capilanos could get to Art Worth, who did a far better than average job for the Indians. On any other evening, Worth would have had an easy victory.
CHORLTON DOUBLES
In the sixth, Chuck Davis beat out an infield single and Myers moved him along with a sacrifice. Chorlton doubled down the left field line for one run and scored himself moments later on Mascaro’s line shot to centre. That was enough for Myers.
Backed by a defence which wouldn’t give an inch and by a crowd which urged him to the utmost, the youngster kept firing his big fastball until he had achieve the necessary 27 out. He made it pulled up.
DIAMOND DUST – As if the pitching wasn’t enough to make it the year’s best evening of baseball, the fielding was strictly big league … Chuck Davis came up with a first game over the shoulder catch of a Texas Leaguer which defies description … Tonight the same clubs play a single game starting at 8:30 and as the Capilanos start their big move towards first place, Bobby Roberts (4-1) will be the man of the hour on the hill.
- - -
VANCOUVER — The Spokane Indians were unable to get a man past second base Friday night and the Vancouver Capilanos whitewashed them 2-0 in a Western International League nightcap after taking the opening ball game 2-1.
Lonnie Myers gave up only four hits in the second contest, striking out nine men for his seventh win against five losses.
Art Worth also pitched a good game for Spokane but the three hits surrendered in the sixth gave Vancouver the win. Chuck Davis hit a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored on a double by K Chorlton. Chorlton scored the second run on a single by Frank Mascaro.
Paid attendance was 2,057.
An error in the fifth inning set up the winning run in the seven-inning opener.
Shortstop Bob Donkersley bobbled a grounder by Davis, who moved around the bases on a sacrifice and scored when Jack Bukowatz singled.
Bukowatz tripled in the previous inning and scored on an outfield fly by Manager Harv Storey for Vancouver's other run.
Pitcher Pete Hernandez, in scoring his 12th win against four losses, gave up only three hits including the biggest one of the game — right fielder Stan Palys' home run in the sixth.
First Game
Spokane ...... 000 001 0—1 3 1
Vancouver ... 000 110 x—2 6 1
Nemes and Sheets; Hernandez and Duretto.
Second Game
Spokane ........ 000 000 000—0 4 0
Vancouver ..... 000 002 00x—2 5 1
Worth and Ogle; Myers and Duretto.

EDMONTON — The Yakima Bears Friday night evened their four-game Western International League series with the Edmonton Eskimos at one game each with a 10-7 victory.
The Bears routed starting pitcher Pat Utley of the Esks in the course of a six-run first inning. Utley was pulled after failing to retire any of the first four men to face him and Larry Manier continued.
Cleanup hitter Bob Wellman led Yakima's 13-hit attack with a two-run homer and a pair of doubles in five trips. Al White also got three hits for the winners while Phil Steinberg clouted a homer with one on. Whitey Thompson hit a two-run homer for Esks in the eighth inning.
Yakima ........... 620 002 000—10 13 1
Edmonton ....... 000 010 150— 7 9 1
Carter and Hovick; Utley, Manier (1) and Morgan.

VICTORIA — Manager Edo Vanni delivered a pinch-hit single in the 10th inning to drive in Terry Carroll and give his Tri-City Braves a 2-1 decision over the Victoria Tyees here Friday night.
It was the first game of a three game Western International League baseball series.
Vanni's game-winning hit ended a fine pitching duel between the Braves' Ken Michelson and Bill Bottler, both of whom went all the way.
Tri-City .......... 000 001 000 1— 2 8 1
Victoria .......... 100 000 000 0— 1 7 0
Michelson and Warren; Bottler and Martin.

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders ended a home stand losing streak at four games Friday night as they won 15-10 over the Wenatchee Chiefs in a free-hitting Western International League baseball game.
A total of 36 hits went into the record books, six of them home runs.
The Stamps, ahead 6-1 in the second frame, then lost their wide margin as Chiefs came up in the third, sixth and seventh. A five-run burst in the seventh put Calgary out of danger. Joe Orrell was winning pitcher.
The loss was charged to Charlie Beamon. Jake Helmuth of Chiefs got two of his team's three homers, Bartolomei getting the other.
Meanwhile, Tedesco and Stathos homered for Calgary.
Wenatchee ....... 013 002 130 — 10 19 2
Calgary ............ 330 001 53x — 15 17 2
Beamon, Monroe (7) and Bartolomei; Orrell, Francis (8) and Lillard.

SALEM — Shortstop Gene Tanselli collected two homers and salted in four runs to lead the Salem Senators to a 7-2 victory over Lewiston in Friday night's Western International League baseball game here.
Tanselli's first circuit blow came in the first with no one on base. He added another in the sixth with one on.
Lewiston scored in the fourth on a walk to Al Heist and a double by Ken Richardson. Clint Cameron and Glenn Tuckett singled and Cameron came in while Salem was making a double play in the ninth.
Lewiston ........ 000 100 001—2 9 1
Salem ............ 310 102 00x—7 8 0
Butler and Garay; Hemphill and Masterson.

Thursday, July 23, 1953

2008-03-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Salem ....... 16 7 .696 —
Spokane ..... 17 9 .654 ½
Vancouver ... 13 12 .520 4
Lewiston .... 11 11 .500 4½
Yakima ...... 12 13 .480 5
Tri-City .... 12 14 .462 5½
Calgary ..... 11 13 .458 5½
Edmonton .... 10 13 .435 6
Victoria .... 10 15 .400 7
Wenatchee .... 9 14 .391 7

VANCOUVER, B. C. — Disaster caught up with Carl Gunnarson in the sixth inning Thursday night, ending a no-score ball game and starting the Tri-City Braves on the road to an 8-4 Western International League win over the Vancouver Capilanos.
Tri-City launched a six-hit attack off Gunnarson, along with a walk, to grab five sixth-inning runs and the game. The Braves added three more in the ninth off Rod MacKay on two singles, a triple by Jess Dobernic and a double by Bob McGuire.
- - -
VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, July 24]—In a lot of their losing efforts this season, the Capilanos have left too much for the imagination. A case in point is Thursday’s 8-4 loss to Tri-City, and it wasn’t the defeat which hurt the most. It was the fact that Vancouver again beat themselves.
Down 5-0 in the eighth after the Braves had exploded Carl Gunnarson into a shower with a sixth-inning burst, the Caps started rolling in earnest.
K. Chorlton walked and Jack Bukowatz singles. Frank Mascaro moved them up with an infield out and Bob Duretto walked to fill ‘em up. Another free one to Gene Petralli scored one and kayoed pitcher Dale Bloom from the ball game.
TAYLOR SINGLES
Gene Taylor, the first batter to face Jess Dobernic, shot a single into left field. Bukowatz scored and Duretto was about to also when he stopped half way down the baseline towards the plate and retreated to third. He was an easy out victim. Why he was stopped nobody has satisfactorily explained, though Harvey Storeyu was coaching at third himself and as the play was behind Duretto, Harv must accept the blame for it. It cut down the rally as it was, and the imagination started to work. How long would the inning have gone on without this blunder? Nobody knows.
Again in the ninth it happened. Now the Braves led 8-2, having put across three runs in their half.
DOUBLE ENOUGH
With one out, pinch-hitter Storey singled. Chorlton doubled him to third and Harvey scored on Bukowatz’ infield out. Then Mascaro caressed a 380-foot double off the left-centre field fence. Chorlton scored and Mascaro attempted to make a triple out of his wallop. Why? Well, that is the question. He already was in scoring position at second and the third run wasn’t half so important as keeping the rally alive. He was thrown out by a mile, naturally, and it was just another of those losses which left too much to the imagination.
Tonight, the Caps open one of their most important series of the year with a double-header against second-place Spokane. The game starts at 7.
Tri-City ......... 000 005 003—8 14 1
Vancouver ..... 000 000 022—4 11 0
Bloom, Dobernic (8) and Warren; Gunnarson, MacKay (6) and Leavitt.

EDMONTON — John Conant celebrated a night in his honor Thursday by pitching a five-hit 12-2 victory for Edmonton over the Yakima Bears in the opener of a four-game Western International League baseball series here.
The win was his 16th of the season against nine losses. The club staged the night for him out of recognition of his 100th WIL victory.
Conant didn't give up a hit after the fourth inning, struck out seven and walked one. He also hit safely twice in five trips. Esks wrapped up the contest with a six-run fourth inning which featured a grand slam home run by catcher Dick Morgan.
Yakima ......... 020 000 000— 2 5 0
Edmonton ..... 001 620 30x—12 13 1
Del Sarto, Tanner (4), Young (7) and Novick; Conant and Morgan.

CALGARY — Scoring two runs in the 10th inning after the Calgary Stampeders tied the count with a three-run rally in the ninth, the Wenatchee Chiefs won 7-5 here Thursday night in a Western International Baseball League baseball game played before a small crowd in chilly weather.
It was an unusual game for Calgary's short-field park. There were no home runs.
Singles by Tom Munoz and Jake Helmuth combined with a Calgary error gave the Chiefs the run that won them the game in the 10th and Don Stanford followed with another run on Mike McCormick's single.
Wenatchee .... 111 200 000 2—7 10 0
Calgary ......... 000 002 003 0—5 12 3
Oubre, Monroe (10) and Bartolomei; Stites, Francis (9) and Bricker.

VICTORIA — The Victoria Tyees ended their five-game Western International League baseball series with Spokane Thursday night by trouncing the Indians 11-3.
Southpaw Earl Dollins effectively scattered nine Spokane hits as he went all the way for his fourth win of the season. Dollins, who has dropped seven decisions, struck out 10 and walked only one.
Spokane ...... 000 010 011— 3 9 2
Victoria ....... 020 301 23x—11 10 0
Romero, Cordell (4), New (8) and Sheets; Dollins and Martin.

LEWISTON — Salem lost its manager but pushed across five runs in a hectic seventh inning here Thursday night and took an 8-5 Western International League victory over Lewiston.
The win keeps Salem at the top of the league.
Salem .......... 000 102 500—8 14 1
Lewiston ...... 100 101 200—5 8 2
Nicholas and Nelson; Marshall, Brenner (7) and Cameron.

Wednesday, July 22, 1953

2008-03-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Salem ....... 15 7 .682 ½
Spokane ..... 17 8 .680 —
Vancouver ... 13 11 .542 3
Lewiston .... 11 10 .524 3½
Yakima ...... 12 12 .500 4
Calgary ..... 11 12 .478 4½
Tri-City .... 11 14 .440 5½
Edmonton ..... 9 13 .409 6
Victoria ..... 9 15 .375 7
Wenatchee .... 8 14 .364 7

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, July 23]—Baseball put on its best bib and tucker Wednesday as the Capilanos swept a doubleheader from Tri-City in one of the best one-two offerings of the 1953 season.
The scores were 4-2 and 5-4, the latter accomplishment taking 11 tense and torrid innings. Van Fletcher won his no. 11 in the opener and Dale Thomason, in relief, his no. 3 in the latter. And the second packed most of the drama.
BOBBLED HOPPER
Behind 4-1 going into the eighth, the Capilanos got starting pitcher Bobby Roberts off the hook as K. Chorlton opened with a single. Then Vancouver got its biggest break when Terry Carroll bobbled home two runs and Bob Duretto singled in the Moose with the big one.
It stayed that way until the 11th with Bob Snyder and Thomason hooked up in a frantic duel. Thomason won it almost by his lonesome by leading off the 11th with a 415-foot triple and scoring on Chorlton’s liner.
The game had bits of everything. There had been a brush between Bob Roberts and Edo Vanni which smelled of a first-class rhubarb; there were some spectacular plays afield with Bukowatz and Len Tran coming up with the best; and there were daring base running and interesting inside baseball by both sides which made it a complete evening.
BEAT RALLY
Fletcher had no easy task in his victory in the opener. Vancouver scored a couple for him in the first and two more in the sixth, but even then “Doc” had to put down a last inning Brave rally to reach No.11 after three unsuccessful tries.
Tonight the same clubs wind up the series with a single game. Carl Gunnarson, replete with his new boyish crew-cut, takes a 4-7 record out to the mound in an attempt to make it three straight for the Caps. Spokane comes into town Friday night for a doubleheader.
- - -
VANCOUVER — An 11th-inning run by Dale Thomason, who also did some fancy pitching, Wednesday night gave Vancouver a 5-4 win over Tri-City in the second game of a Western International League baseball doubleheader.
The Caps also won the seven-inning opener, 4-2.
Tri-City was leading 4-1 going into the eighth inning on hits off Bob Roberts when Caps tied the score on four hits and an error at shortstop by Terry Carroll.
Thomason pitched the last four innings, allowing only one hit. In the 11th, he hit a long triple and then scored the winning run, coming in after the catch when K Chorlton hit a fly to left field.
First Game
Tri-City .......... 010 000 1—2 5 0
Vancouver ...... 200 002 x—4 8 1
Robertson and Warren; Fletcher and Duretti.
Second Game
Tri-City .......... 000 210 100 00—4 8 1
Vancouver ...... 010 000 030 01—5 13 3
Snyder and Pesut; Roberts, Thomason (8) and Leavitt.

CALGARY — Yakima made a clean sweep of its three-game Western International League baseball series with the Calgary Stampeders Wednesday night as the Bears won 16-3 on a 21-hit attack that included five out-of-the-park home runs. Stampeders, held to four hits by Danny Rios, got two of their three runs by similar homers.
Stamps held a brief lead when Rocky Tedesco homered over the left-field fence in the first but Bears combined two doubles and a pair of singles with a Stampeder error to save three runs in the second and were never headed. Bob Bonebrake homered over the fence in the second for Stamps, but Len Noren's three-run homer in the fifth and Rios two-run home run clout in the sixth put Bears far but in front.
In the seventh, Don Hunter rounded the bases on a walk, wild pitch, an infield out and Gus Stathos' long fly.
Bears got the run back with interest in the eighth as Anderson singled and Steinberg, Al White and Bob Wellman followed with homers'. Anderson put the ball out of the park with one on in the ninth and a pair of Stampeder errors and three singles produced two more runs to finish the Yakima scoring.
Yakima ........... 030 032 044—16 21 2
Calgary .......... 110 000 100— 3 4 3
Rios and Novick; Hittner, Wisneski (6), Lillard (9) and Bricker.

VICTORIA [Colonist, July 23]—Home runs by Dwane Helbig and Don Pries gave the Victoria Tyees a 3-2 victory over Spokane in the second game of a Western International League double-header at Royal Athletic Park last night after the league-leading Indians clouted five of the eight round-trippers hit in the opening game while romping to a 14-6 triumph.
SERIES ALL EVEN
Last night’s split gave each club two wins in their current series which winds up tonight with a single contest at Royal Athletic Park. Tri-City Braves follow the Indians, meeting the Tyees in a “family night” game tomorrow and a twin-bill Saturday.
Bill Prior went the route for the Tyees in the nightcap, allowing the Indians five hits while striking out eight and walking four as he raped up his 10th win of the season. Bill Franks, who took his sixth loss in 14 decisions, gave the winners but four hits.
Third-baseman Don Pries gave Prior a 1-0 lead with [a] line-drive homer in the second inning, but the Indians went ahead in the top of the fifth on Bob Donkersley’s two-run single. Chuck Abernathy opened the Victoria fifth with a base on balls and Helbig, hitless in the opener, belted the 10th home run of the night to end the scoring.
Sparkling catches by Bob Moniz and Granny Gladstone helped Prior over a couple of rough spots. Moniz came up with a lunging backhand grab against Jim Command in the second frame and Gladstone took Stan Palys’ drive off the fence in the fourth and doubled a surprised Jim Brown off second base.
MURPHY STARTS
Spokane’s Ed Murphy gave an indication of what was to come in the first game when he slapped starter Zeb Walker’s second pitch out of the park. Before Walker was relieved by Berlyn Hodges in the fifth, Donkersley, Carl Bush and Jim Command had clouted homers. Command’s was an inside-the-park drive that skipped past Gladstone in right field.
Hodges gave up a circuit clout to Palys while the Tyees scored all their tallies on a pair of homers by Gladstone and a two-run blast by Moniz. Gladstone’s were hit second and third in two games.
First Game
Spokane ........... 200 340 131—14 12 2
Victoria ............ 002 202 000— 6 8 4
Spring and Sheets; Walker, Hodges (5) and Martin.
Second Game
Spokane ............ 000 020 0—2 5 1
Victoria ............. 010 020 x—3 4 1
Franks and Ogle; Prior and Martin.

LEWISTON — Salem widened the gap between second and third place in the Western International League Wednesday night by walloping Lewiston 18-7 in a 32-hit game.
The Senators climbed within a half game of the first-place Spokane Indians by whacking 20 hits.
Gene Tanselli's home run in the first inning gave Salem a 1-0 lead and the Senators carried on in the second frame by scoring seven times.
Salem ......... 173 303 010—18 20 0
Lewiston ..... 001 010 302— 7 12 0
Roenspie and Nelson; Perez, Kime (2), Ruddell (5), Richardson (7) and Cameron, Garay ( ).

Wenatchee at Edmonton, double-header, postponed, wet grounds.

Tuesday, July 21, 1953

2008-03-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Spokane ..... 16 7 .696 —
Salem ....... 14 7 .667 1
Lewiston .... 11 9 .550 3½
Yakima ...... 12 12 .500 5
Calgary ..... 11 11 .500 4½
Vancouver ... 11 11 .500 4½
Tri-City .... 11 12 .478 5
Edmonton ..... 9 13 .409 6½
Wenatchee .... 8 14 .364 7½
Victoria ..... 8 14 .364 7½

VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, July 22]—It was, as someone suggested, a fine night for a baseball game. It was a pity, as a few of the 1400-odd fans suggested sometime later, that very little baseball was played on this weird, uncanny evening.
Tri-City won the “thing”, 9-5, bursting out with more base hits at the right time than the Capilanos and many, many less errors.
A steady parade of pitchers was put on view for the fans, and if nothing else, they got a full look at both staffs. Jess Dobernic, an old Coast League reliever, did a great job of relieving for the Braves and rightfully picked up the win. Pete Hernandez, who had one of his infrequent bad nights, got his fourth setback.
5 STRAIGHT HITS
Tri-City stamped Hernandez out of the game in the third inning when they made five straight hits good for five runs. In so doing the Braves overcame a 2-1 Vancouver lead and made the Caps come to them—which the townies attempted to do in gallant, but insignificant manner.
Vancouver touched Don Robertson, the second Tri-City pitcher, for two runs in the fourth and put him on the hook for keeps in the fifth with another run and bases loaded and one out situation.
GREAT IN RELIEF
That was when Jess Dobernic came out of the bullpen, and it was an unfortunate sight for Vancouver, for Jess once appeared in 55 Coast League ball games as a reliever and did such a tremendous job of it that he earned himself a shot with the Chicago Cubs. In other words, the guy is great at picking up where somebody else couldn’t finish off.
Jess stopped the Caps cold with four and two-thirds innings of one-hit relief ball. It was enough for the old timer’s 10th win of the year and Vancouver’s first loss in this series.
Tonight the clubs mix it again in a pair of games starting at 7 o’clock and for the first time this season a favorite ex-Capilano, Bob Snyder, will be appearing against his old club.
Bob will pitch in the second game with Don Robertson going in the other for the Braves. Van Fletcher and Bobby Roberts will offer the local opposition. The Little Leaguers will be on view, too, with a baseball school between games by Milwaukee Braves’ chief West Coast scout, Bill Marshall.
- - -
VANCOUVER — Six pitchers saw action Tuesday night as the Tri-City Braves, collecting five runs in a big third inning, grabbed a 9-5 Western International League baseball victory over the Vancouver Capilanos.
Pete Hernandez was tagged with the loss, his fourth against 11 wins. He gave up a four straight hits, starting with a double and a triple, in the third inning. Before it was over, five runs had scored.
Frank Mascaro was a bright spot for Vancouver, with a couple of doubles.
Tri-City ............ 015 100 110—9 14 1
Vancouver ........ 110 210 000—5 9 3
Hedgecock, Robertson (2), Dobernic (5) and Warren; Hernandez, MacKay (3), Gunnarson (9) and Leavitt.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos launched their first home stand in the second half of the Western International League baseball schedule Tuesday night with an 11-5 victory over the Wenatchee Chiefs.
The win gave Esks eighth place, a position they had shared with Chiefs. Paid attendance was 2,868.
Credit for the victory went to Ray McNulty, hurling his 10th win of the season against five losses. He needed help in the ninth inning afier Ross McCormack hit a three-run homer over the right-field wall.
Edmonton routed Wenatchee's starting pitcher, Keith Bowman, with two runs in the second inning and a six-run splurge in the third.
Dick Morgan and Dan Prentice paced Edmonton's 15-hit attack with three blows each. Lyle Palmer and Don Stanford each hit three for the Chiefs.
Wenatchee .... 000 020 003— 5 10 3
Edmonton ...... 026 000 03x—11 15 0
Bowman, De Carolis (3) and Bartolomei; McNulty, Day (9) and Morgan.

CALGARY — Despite a blast by Calgary Stampeders which saw three home runs off the first five pitched balls, Yakima Bears edged the Cowboys 4-3 Tuesday night in a Western Internaonal Baseball League game.
Bears counted singles in the first and second innings, then completed the score with Herman Lewis' two-run homer in the third. Great defensive play protected the slim lead.
Ken Whitehead put the first ball pitched by Ted Edmunds of Yakima over the centre-field fence to start the Stampeders. Jim Mellinger connected for the second, driving it out of the park in about the same direction. Rocky Tedesco let two pitches go by and then slammed the third over the centre wall.
Yakima ......... 102 110 000—4 7 2
Calgary ......... 300 000 000—3 11 0
Edmunds, Del Sarto (9), Rial (9) and Novick; Kapp and Bricker.

LEWISTON, Idaho— The first division race of the Western International League tightened up here Tuesday night as third-place Lewiston beat second-place Salem 6-3.
Broncs were outhit by the Senators nine to eight but Lewiston combined extra base hits with Salem errors to jump to an early lead.
Lewiston manager Bill Brenner's knuckle ball was working well as he scattered Salem's runs and then pitched shutout ball for the final four innings. His record is now 15-6.
Gene Tanselli accounted for two of Salem's three runs, getting on base with a triple in the first and a single in the fifth inning.
Salem ........... 100 110 000—3 9 3
Lewiston ....... 230 000 01x—6 8 2
Collins, Borst (2) and Nelson; Brenner and Cameron.

VICTORIA—The hit-happy Victoria Tyees slammed 22 hits off four Spokane pitchers in racking up a 23-9 triumph over the Spokane Indians in WIL baseball on Wednesday.
The hits included six doubles, a triple and three home runs as Bob Drilling coasted to his eighth win in 20 decisions.
Each of the starting players picked up at least one hit and shortstop Jim Clark was the only starter not gaining credit for an RBI.
Outfielders Dwane Helbig and Granny Gladstone each added six RBIs to their totals. Gladstone had a pair of singles, a double and a bases-loaded homer. Helbig blasted home runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings and barely missed another with a double in the second that just failed to clear the centre field fence.
Lu Branham poked three singles in five trips and Don Pries poled two doubles and a single in six trips. Drillling doubled his hit total for the season with a single and a double.
Spokane .......... 003 040 002— 9 19 2
Victoria ........... 191 063 03x—23 22 1
New, Nemes (2), Osborn (3), Command (5) and Sheets, Ogle (5); Drilling and Martin.

Monday, July 20, 1953

2008-03-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

W L PCT GB
Spokane ..... 16 6 .727 —
Salem ....... 14 6 .700 1
Lewiston .... 10 9 .526 4½
Calgary ..... 11 10 .524 4½
Vancouver ... 11 10 .524 4½
Tri-City .... 10 12 .455 6
Yakima ...... 10 12 .455 6
Edmonton ..... 8 13 .381 7½
Wcnatchee .... 8 13 .381 7½
Victoria ..... 7 14 .333 8½

VICTORIA, July 20—Spokane Indians opened a four-game series here Monday night with a 6-5 victory over Victoria Tyees.
A home run by pitcher Art Worth to start off the ninth inning gave the Indians a 6-4 lead and proved to be the decisive blow as Tyees pushed across their last run in the bottom of the inning.
Although continuously in trouble, Worth was the winning pitcher.
Victoria left 15 men stranded as Worth gave up 10 walks and 11 hits. Only in the seventh inning was he able to retire the side in order.
Spokane ........ 002 210 001—6 7 0
Victoria ......... 210 001 001—5 11 1
Worth, Nemes (9) and Sheets; Bottler and Harford.

VANCOUVER, July 20—Tri City hurler Ken Michelson limited Vancouver to four hits but the Capilanos converted three of them into runs and emerged with a 4 to 3 victory in the opener of a three game series in Vancouver.
K Chorlton and Jack Bukowatz pumped out singles off Michelson in the first inning and Chorlton scored on an infield out. After Gene Petralli was hit by a pitched ball, Bob Duretto brought in two more runs with a triple.
- - -
VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News-Herald, July 21]—The Capilanos, who have erred mentally quite often this season, Monday reaped the harvest of somebody else’s mis-placed thinking in a 4-3 conquest of the Tri-City Braves. Or, as you will, the ex-Capilanos.
Vancouver led all the way in Lonnie Myers’ sixth win of the year, but they might have been playing yet had it not been for a sixth-inning blunder by Del Charouhas, a usually alert Tri-City centre fielder.
FORGOT TO SLIDE
It was in the sixth that the Braves put on a bit of a spurt and cut a 4-1 Capilano lead to 4-2. They had something dangerous brewing, too, with a man on third and Charouhas on first and two outs. Ernie Hockaday hit a weak tap down to Harvey Storey and Harv made his play for second base and the force on Charouhas. It was a bad play. Charouhas had the throw well beaten and would have been in there safe as a church, with a slide. As it was, Des didn’t slide and the difference was an out instead of a safe and the end of a promising rally.
Edo Vanni, the Tri-City skipper, yanked Charouhas out of the game right away. Edo was plainly ready to eat nails and as it turned out, he had reason to because that was the run which his Braves needed to stay in the hunt.
TRIPLE BELTED
Vancouver got 75 percent of its hits in the first inning with Bob Duretto’s two-run triple the big one. That stood up until the fifth when Myers walked and scored all the way from first on K. Chorlton’s sacrifice. As three players gathered around K’s bunt, Lonnie noticed that nobody had covered third. He kept right on running and made it home as Len Tran threw wildly to third in the hope that one of his teammates might get there before the bal.
DIAMOND DUST – Eddie Malone, the Hollywood catcher, was at the game as a guest of Dewey Soriano’s … He and Dewey are old buddies, although Ed did confess he was told to look for a right-handed reliever for the Stars … Tonight the same clubs meet in a single at 8:30 with Pete Hernandez going for the Caps.
Tri-City ....... 000 101 010—3 5 1
Vancouver ... 300 010 00x—4 4 0
Michelson and Warren; Myers and Leavitt.

CALGARY, July 20—Yakima and Calgary produced 40 hits between them in a wild affair in Calgary, won by Yakima, 19 to 12. The visiting Bears outslugged the Stampeders 23 to 17. The barrage included seven home runs.
Yakima got to starting hurler Jerry Levinson for six runs in the second inning and after that the game was a romp.
Yakima ...... 061 120 333—19 23 1
Calgary ...... 001 221 114—12 17 5
Flinn and Novick; Levinson, Francis (3), Wisneski (8) and Lillard.

ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED

Eskimos Plan Big Night for 100-Game Winner
EDMONTON, July 20 — Edmonton Eskimos plan "A Night" for John Conant, their winningest pitcher, Thursday night. The club directors will make a presentation to the Tennessee righthander, who recently became a 100-game winner in the Western International League. Thursday, he is scheduled to pitch against Yakima Bears.

Sunday, July 19, 1953

2008-03-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 15 6 .714 —
Salem ....... 14 6 .700 ½
Calgary ..... 11 9 .550 3½
Lewiston .... 10 9 .526 4
Vancouver ... 10 10 .500 4½
Tri-City .... 10 11 .476 5
Yakima ....... 9 12 .429 6
Edmonton ..... 8 13 .381 7
Wenatchee .... 8 13 .381 7
Victoria ..... 7 13 .350 7½

SALEM — Salem and Spokane split a Western International League doubleheader here Sunday, Spokane winning the opener 4-2 but dropping the nightcap 3-1.
That left Spokane with a half game lead in league standings.
Jim Brown scored Spokane's lone run in the nightcap. He singled, went to second on a wild pitch and came home on a single by Carl Bush. Salem scored in the first on three hits and a bases loaded walk. Bob Nelson drove in Salem's third inning run with a single. Les Witherspoon singled in Jerry Ballard, who had doubled for Salem's final run in the fifth.
First Game
Spokane ......... 200 001 1—4 6 0
Salem ............. 000 000 2—2 5 1
Franks, Cordell (7) and Sheets; Dahle and Masterson.
Second Game
Spokane ........ 000 000 100—1 5 0
Salem ............ 101 010 00x—3 8 0
Romero and Ogle; Nicholas and Nelson.

KENNEWICK — Len Tran blasted out a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday night to give the Tri-City Braves an 8-6 Western International League decision over the Victoria Tyees.
The Tyees looked like sure winners as they pushed across six runs in the second frame to grab a 6-1 lead, but the Braves came back with two in the bottom of the second and singles in the fourth, seventh and eighth to throw the game into overtime.
Six Victoria errors paved the way for three of Tri-City's runs.
The win went to Jess Dobernic, who took over mound chores for Dale Bloom in the third and blanked the Tyees on three hits the rest of the way.
Victoria .......... 060 000 000 0— 6 8 6
Tri-City .......... 120 010 110 2— 8 13 2
Dollins, Prior (8) and Martin; Bloom, Dobernic (3) and Warren.

YAKIMA — The Calgary Stampeders swept both ends of a Western International League doubleheader from the Yakima Bears Sunday night, 6-0 and 3-1.
Stites won the opener for Stamps with a one-hitter.
The only safety earned off Stites was Andy Anderson's hot line single to left field in the third inning Stites fanned five and walked three.
The Stampeders got one run in the second and added five more in the seventh on two walks, three singles and Rocky Tedesco's two-run triple.
Unearned runs in the sixth and seventh innings decided the second game in Calgary's favor.
Jim Whitehead led off the sixth inning with a single. Yakima pitcher Don Carter fielded Jim Mellinger's bunt but threw late to second trying to nab Whitehead. Then Tedesco hit a short grounder which went through the shortstop's legs into the outfield and Whitehead scored from second.
In the second, Bob Bonebrake's long fly to center was dropped by Al White and Bonebrake wound up on second. He went to third on Joe Orrell's single and scored on Whitehead's single.
First Game
Calgary ............ 010 000 5—6 12 9
Yakima ............ 000 000 0—0 1 0
Stites and Bricker; Del Sarto, Tanner (7) and Novick.
Second Game
Calgary ............ 100 001 100—3 9 0
Yakima ............ 010 000 000—1 6 3
Orrell and Bricker; Carter and Novick.

LEWISTON — The Lewiston Broncs and the Eskimos from Edmonton split a Western International League doubleheader Sunday, the Eskimos taking a 7-0 victory in the second game and the Broncs winning the quickie opener 4 to 1.
It was Edmonton all the way In the second game as they opened up with one run in the first inning when Bobby Thompson singled, moved to second on a single by Sam Kanelos. and scored on a fielder's choice.
Dan Prentice singled to open up the five run second inning. He scored on a single by Bob Sturgeon. Thompson walked, and Vern Campbell doubled, sending in Sturgeon and Thompson. Clint Weaver doubled in Kanelos and Campbell.
Prentice ended the scoring in the third inning when he singled and scored on a fielder's choice.
Bill Brenner was the losing pitcher.
First Game
Edmonton .......... 000 010 0—1 5 1
Lewiston ............ 000 310 x—4 8 0
Conant and Morgan; Kime and Garay.
Second Game
Edmonton ......... 151 000 000—7 13 0
Lewiston ........... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Tisnerat and Morgan; Brenner, Butler (2) and Cameron.

WENATCHEE — Van Fletcher had a cosy 3-0 lead for Vancouver in the first game but saw it evaporate as the Wenatchee Chiefs pulled out a 4-3 win before taking the nightcap, 5-3.
He gave up three runs in the sixth inning before Bob Roberts came on to stop the damage.
Bob Duretto singled in two Vancouver runs.
In the finale, Dale Thomason and Rod MacKay struggled for Vancouver as Thomason was saddled with the loss. Frank Mascaro's singled was responsible for two Vancouver runs in the third inning.
First Game
Vancouver ....... 003 000 0— 3 5 1
Wenatchee ...... 000 013 x— 4 8 1
Fletcher, Roberts (6) and Leavitt; Monroe, Beamon (3) and Bartolomei.
Second Game
Vancouver ....... 000 200 000—2 4 1
Wenatchee ...... 012 011 00x—5 10 0
Thomason, MacKay (9) and Leavitt; Botelho and Bartolomei.

Saturday, July 18, 1953

2008-03-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 14 5 .737 —
Salem ....... 13 5 .722 ½
Vancouver ... 10 8 .556 3½
Lewiston ..... 9 8 .529 4
Calgary ...... 9 9 .500 4½
Yakima ....... 9 10 .473 5
Tri-City ..... 9 11 .450 5½
Edmonton ..... 7 12 .368 7
Victoria ..... 7 12 .368 7
Wenatchee .... 6 13 .316 8

SALEM — Spokane moved into a half game lead in Western International League standings by defeating Salem 6-3 here Saturday night.
Salem Starter Jack Hemphill had a one-hitter going into the eighth inning. But then Bob Donkersley homered to lead off a four-run spurt. The runs came on a walk to first, then a single to right field by Carl Bush and a single to left field by Stan Palys which scored Brown. Hemphill was replaced by Gene Roenspie. Will Hafey collected a line drive which Jim Deyo failed to handle and which permitted the other two runs to be scored.
Spokane added two more in the final inning.
Salem scored one run in the first, third and fourth innings.
Spokane ........ 000 000 042—6 6 2
Salem ............ 101 100 000—3 7 1
Spring, Cordell (8) and Sheets: Hemphill, Roenspie (8) and Masterson.

YAKIMA —The Calgary Stampeders made the best out of five hits Saturday night and beat Yakima 4-3 in a Western International League game.
Charlie Mead walked in the second and Calgary Manager Gene Lillard homered over the center field fence 372 feet from the plate.
Edmunds allowed only one hit the last six innings, a single by Mellinger.
The Bears scored once in the ninth to make the count 4-3 when Al White's single brought in Jim McNamara but Herman Lewis lined to the shortstop to end the game.
Calgary ........ 022 000 000—4 3 0
Yakima......... 100 100 001—3 9 3
Hittner and Lillard; Edmunds and Albini, Novick (4).

WENATCHEE — Pete Hernandez stopped the Wenatchee Chiefs on six hits for the 11th win of the year as the Vancouver Capilanos easily pulled off a 12-3 win Western International baseball league win Saturday.
Gale Taylor drove in three runs in a sixth-run seventh. Hernandez was two for five and batted in a run as well.
Vancouver ........ 011 000 613—12 12
Wenatchee ....... 000 111 000— 3 6 2
Hernandez and Leavitt; Oubre, Klein (8) and Bartolomei.

KENNEWICK—Former Victoria first baseman Vic Buccola's line drive broke up the game in the 11th inning to give the Tri-City Braves a 3-2 win in the first contest of a Western International League doubleheader Saturday.
Reliever Bill Bottler's old foe—lack of control—caught up with him in the 11th. He walked Ray Tran and Robertson to open the frame then uncorked a wild pitch. Bob McGuire was intentially passed to load the bases, but Buccola foiled the plan with a run-scoring single to deep right field.
First Game
Victoria ......... 002 000 000 00—2 10
Tri-City ......... 000 101 000 01—3 7 2
Lorino, Walker (6), Bottler (8) and Harford, Martin (10); Robertson and Warren.
Second Game
Victoria ........ 221 000 200—7 10 0
Tri-City ........ 000 000 003—3 6 1
Drilling and Martin; Snyder, Michelson (9) and Pesut.

LEWISTON — John Marshall chalked up his 13th victory as the Lewiston Broncs pounded out a 12-5 win over the Edmonton Eskimos in Western International baseball play here Saturday.
Edmonton ........ 002 012 000— 5 11 1
Lewiston ......... 533 001 00x—12 14 1
Widner, Utley (2) and Morgan; Marshall and Cameron.

SEATTLE — Salem's Jim Deyo is the active batting leader in the Western International League now that his teammate, Milt Smith, has been called up by the Coast League.
Statistics released Saturday showed Deyo batting .378. Smith was leading the league with .391 when he was called up by San Diego in midweek.
Howe News Bureau's figures including games through July 12 showed Charlie Mead of Calgary replaced Gene Tanselli of Salem as the leader in runs, with 72 to Tanselli's 67.
Vancouver's Pete Hernandez, at 2.44, still holds the best earned run average among the league's pitchers, and Joe Nicholas, Salem, again leads in won-lost percentage with 13-3.
Andy Skurski's 19 stolen bases put him one ahead of Salem's Connie Perez, but the latter continued to lead in runs batted in with 65.
Others who held their places are:
Len Noren, Yakima, 118 hits; Harvey Storey, Vancouver, 25 doubles; Clint Weaver, Edmonton, 156 total bases; Al Heist, Lewiston, 10 triples, and Don Hunter, Calgary, 18 homers.
TOP TEN BATTERS
                            AB H RBI Ave.
Smith, Salem ............. 202 79 51 .391
McNulty, Edmonton ......... 49 19 12 .388
Deyo, Salem .............. 241 91 53 .378
Palmer, Wenatchee ......... 37 14 4 .376
Warren, Tri-City ......... 258 96 60 .375
Noren, Yakima ............ 335 118 52 .352
Storey, Vancouver ........ 273 96 46 .352
Palys, Spokane ........... 246 86 42 .350
Wisneski, Vic-Cal ......... 20   7 4 .350
Williams, Lewiston ....... 109 38 29 .349

TOP TEN PITCHERS (on earned run average):
                            G W L ERA
Hernandez, Vancouver ..... 14 10 3 2.44
Franks, Spokane .......... 20 7 5 2.61
Roenspie, Salem .......... 13 9 2 2.61
Fletcher, Vancouver ...... 19 10 6 2.75
Conant, Edmonton ......... 23 14 7 2.87
Tisnerat, Edmonton ....... 18 5 4 2.90
Brenner, Lewiston ........ 26 14 4 3.07
Collins, Salem ........... 20 7 3 3.16
Guldborg, Vancouver....... 16 5 6 3.22
Nicholas, Salem .......... 19 13 3 3.31