Sunday, August 9, 1953

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.

Clark May Be Back With Tyees

[Victoria Colonist, March 4, 1953]
Victoria Tyees may have stellar shortstop Jim Clark back this season after all.
It was learned yesterday that Clark reported at the Portland Beaver training camp at Glendale, California, Sunday with his injured hand just out of a cast. He was told to rest his hand for another week and report to the Beavers again next week end.
If Clark does not stick with the Beavers he will be returned to the Tyees.
Sam Garbarino, newly-appointed general manager of the Beavers, stated that he was impressed with the showing of Bill Prior, former star of Victoria amateur baseball, at the Portland camp. He also named Ben Lorino, southpaw ace of last season’s Tyees, to start today’s exhibition game between the Beavers and San Francisco Seals.
Don Pries, meanwhile, phoned Tyee business manager Reg Patterson and informed him of four players he is bringing to Tyee training camp next month. They are catcher Nanny Tornay, a catcher and brother of former Yakima maskman Nino Tornay; a shortstop named Skulik, another infielder named Wainwright and an unidentified Negro outfielder who is reported to be a power hitter.
Manager Cec Garriott, meanwhile, has left for Sonoma, were he will open the ticket sale for the Tyee exhibition games with talks to the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs.

Victoria Roundup

IT BEATS ME
By Jim Tang
[from Victoria Colonist, January 24, 1953]

Victoria baseball fans haven’t forgotten Jimmy Clark, the little shortstop who played such a big part in helping the Tyees win the WIL championship last year. Protesting fans have been keeping business manager Reg Patterson’s phone ringing to voice protests ever since it was announced that Clark might be sold. “I don’t dare sell him now,” the harassed Patterson stated last night.
[from January 25] Clearing a mix-up in names. Nanny Fernandez, infielder with the Seattle Rainiers last season, is the player being mentioned as a managerial possibility for Vancouver Capilanos. Eddie Fernandez, the former Coast League catcher who managed Pocatello in the Pioneer League last year, is the new manager at Tri-City, which seems to end any hopes Edo Vanni may have had of remaining in the WIL as a manager…Capilanos have sold Ray Tran, veteran shortstop, to Tri-City…Cal McIrvin, the workmanlike southpaw who pitched so well for the Tyees last season, says he won’t play baseball this season and won’t be reporting to the Spokane Indians, who, understandably, were counting heavily on his services…The Tyees, who play to train at Sonoma this spring, won’t want for training camp competition. Salem Senators plan to condition at Calistoga, the Capilanos will be at Healsburg and Edmonton is thinking about Santa Rosa. All three towns are within short driving distance of Sonoma…Southpaw Ben Lorino is not likely to be back this season but the Tyees should be well fixed on the mound…Jim Hedgecock, who sat it out last season, is likely to return to the Capilanos…can’t help wondering if Alderman Waldo Skillings, in his new position as chairman of the parks board, will play ball with the Tyees this season…the Tyees, incidentally, are again willing to help the Victoria Amateur Baseball Association this season by playing an exhibition game against the amateur all-stars. Plans are also under way for a baseball school for city youngsters.

Victoria Changes

Carlsbad Signs Two For Longhorn Club
CARLSBAD, Jan. 20. —Purchase of two more players by the Potashers, Carlsbad's new entry in the Class C Longhorn League, has been announced by Manager Pat McLaughlin.
The two, both from Victoria, B. C., in the Class A Western International League, are Third Baseman John Treece, who hit .275 last season, and Pitcher P. Wisneski, a limited service player with a 5-4 won-loss record last season.

Jim Clark Said Sold to Calgary
[Victoria Colonist, Jan. 21, 1953]
Reg Patterson, business manager of the Victoria Tyees, stated that he had no player news last night after he returned from a two-day Western International Baseball League meeting at Vancouver, but a Canadian Press report stated that Calgary Stampeders had purchased two players.
The report said that the Tyees had sold Jim Clark, all-star shortstop to the Alberta club but did not name the second player. It is believed, however, that he is Chuck Abernathy, regular first baseman of last season’s league champions.
Patterson was not available for comment after the CP report had been received but it is known that Clark and Abernathy were for sale if the Tyees could get their asking price and that Edmonton was interested in both players. John Ducey, business manager of the Edmonton club, and Patterson discussed the possible sale last week end, while Ducey was in Victoria.
Another report from the WIL meeting was that Amby Moran, veteran umpire, has his mind set on a comeback and that he might return to the WIL next season.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Georgia Baseball Team Named 'Ikes'
By United Press
AUGUSTA, Ga., Jan. 20.—Augusta's baseball team became the "Ikes" today as its namesake became president of the United States.
Owners of the South Atlantic League club said the name was changed from the Tigers to the Ikes to bring a change of luck.
The name recognizes that President Eisenhower has indicated he will make his “Little White House” in Augusta.