Capilano Stadium (Finally) Opens

INCLUDING EMIL
Everyone Was Little Biased
By DAN EKMAN [Vancouver Sun, June 16, 1951]
Because he sort of has a 20-year mortgage on the place, you could expect Emil Sick to be slightly prejudiced in his remarks about the new Capilano Stadium.
But when he stepped to the microphone at last night's opening ceremonies in declaring that “several cities in the major leagues would love to have this stadium,” there was an instant roar of approval from 8000 throats. Which indicates that if Emil is prejudiced, then baseball-loving Vancouver is prejudiced along with him.
The mob that packed every section and spilled over into the aisles just couldn't believe its good fortune. Years of privation at the old Fifth and Hemlock shanty had made them forget that comfort and beauty could mingle with baseball; it will take a while to change their minds.
As early as 4 o'clock it was evident that the biggest crowd in local baseball history not excluding the one that watched Babe Ruth, according to the old-timers, would be there for the first-night pageantry.
By 6:45, when they began to sell the remaining 5500 tickets, patient queues stretched for dozens of yards from each window. Long before game time all the grandstand seats (plus some standing room) were gone, and there was a wild stampede to the bleachers.
Old Bob Made 'Em Laugh
But hundreds didn't make it; a few repaired to the grassy slopes of Little Mountain and caught occasional glimpes of the proceedings from this modern version of the Sixth Avenue rooftops [photo to right; Ted Tilton, Jean Stewart and Jack Devries]. Others caught Hal Rodd's radio description and still others went home vowing to be a little earlier this evening.
So thick was the traffic that officials couldn't produce an exact attendance total last night. They won't have all the stubs counted until late this afternoon, at which time a second wave will be upon them.
• • •
The pros at public speaking had their say in quick, concise fashion, but it remained for Baseball Bob (last name Brown) to get the folks laughing.
In the proudest moment of his life, the old redhead stepped up and allowed as how “I'm just a poor Irishman tryin' to get along here.”
That started it, and Bob kept on fracturing the folks, of gimpy-kneed manager Bill Schuster, for instance, he paraphrased McArthur in note that “old ball players never die, they just join the Vancouver club.”
And when Mayor Fred Hume prepared to toss the ceremonial first ball, he quipped, “We've got about 10 minutes to space for this event and it's a good thing it'll take that long for the mayor to get one across.” [photo to left]
Well, Mr. Hume didn't make a liar of Bob. He tossed one in the general direction of third base and strode back to his box, clutching the souvenir ball which was retrieved for him by Salem manager Hugh Luby.
That Was Just Too Much
With Capilanos president N.C.K. “Chuck” Wills directing traffic, dignitaries filed quickly to the mike and as quickly stepped back.
The crowd saved its best applause for Schuster, who admitted “I'm a brilliant strategist—that's why Bob hired me. But a few minutes ago a photographer came to me and said, 'Mr. Schuster, I have to take a picture of the first batter to get a hit. Would you mind telling me who it's going to be?'
“That,” said Bill, in mock exasperation, “is asking too much, even of a brilliant strategist.”
Here, in brief, is how other guests saw it:
Clarence Rowland, president of the Pacific Coast League—“I've been 42 years away from Vancouver. The last time I was here, Bob Brown was managing the Spokane club in the Northwestern league and I had the little Aberdeen team. I can't tell you how good it is to come back to a park where I know you're going to spend a happy day.”
Bob Abel, president of the WIL—“We're very proud to be associated with this great city.”
Mayor Hume (in direct contradiction to the political rule that your opponants must never be praised) “The building of this park was largely due to the efforts of ex-mayors Thompson and Cornett.”
Salem manager Hugh Luby—“I'm getting used to these opening nights in Vancouver. I was here, remember, on April the 30th, when you opened at the old park. Now, I'm back again, and I want to hear some applause even though I am an 'enemy'.”
Just a Little Strange
Marionette-ish military precision, as displayed by the color guard of the Navy, Army, Air Force and RCMP representatives, was received with acclaim. But each of the lads got a hand, noteably the red-coated Mountie who had plainly just stepped out of a travel folder.
• • •
Surprisingly, the opening ceremony was finished 15 minutes ahead of schedule, which is an astounding tribute to the mike-fright of the guest list. But the Police Pipe Band, complete with three majorettes, took up the slack — a little too well. It was 8:34 p.m. by the time Bob Snyder began to fashion his 12th win of the season.
• • •
When it was all over, somebody asked Bob Brown how he felt.
“Well, sir, just a little strange,” Bob replied. “In the old park I kenw exactly where every nail was. But you know something? In this one, there's at least a half a dozen nails I just can't account for.”

Stadium a Big Hit With Fans, Officials
By ERIC WHITEHEAD [Vancouver Province, June 16, 1951]
At 8:05 p.m., Friday night, Ruby Robert Brown walked out, grinned into an outdoor microphone, and bellowed:
“Well, how do you like it?”
A roar of approval swelled down from 7500 throats and the ageless old Fox of the Western International League pocketed the official, unmistakeable stamp of approval for his brand-new ball-park, an approval delivered by those he loves best: Joe Fan, the paying customer.
In fact, it was the beaming ex-dean of old Athletic Park who stole the magnificent Capilano Stadium opening night show from a galaxy of distinguished performers.
Said Bob, with a twinkle that glittered under the arc-lights:
“I’m just a poor old Irishman up here trying to get along . . .”
Officially heading the all-star christening cast was Mayor Fred Hume, who climaxed a brief oratorical splurge with the official opening pitch — an awesome “nothing” ball that floated high and inside across the third-base foul line.
Supporting Fireball Hume in the orators’ box were:
Brewery tycoon Emil Sick: “. . .if the world had more of this wonderful friendship between neighbor nations . . . there’d be no such thing as war. . .”
Pacific Coast League president Clarence “Pants” Rowland: “This is my first trip back here in 42 years . . . “You have a ball-park that many a major league city would love to have. . .”
Western International League president Bob Abel: “We in the Western International League are tremendously proud to be associated with Vancouver.”
First man to bat in the speaker’s circle was Capilano Baseball President Chuck Wills, but Chuck kept his pride well contained and let the guests toss the bouquets . . . and there were plenty.
The fans tossed their share and there was nary a beef in a car-load. Typical Joe Fan quotes:
Captain C.R. Brewster, harbor pilot, of 2936 West Thirty-sixth: “This is just wonderful. . .”
Mrs. Nellie McLachlan, 2285 West Sixth, “You bet I’m a regular fan. Especially from now on.”
Jack Dixon, turnstile attendant, 839 East Twenty-Sixth: “Didn’t know there were so many people from Vancouver . . . never had such a workout in my life.”
Mr. and Mrs. M. Ross of 692 West Twentieth: “Magnificent. All we need now is a roof and we’ll be happy.”

New Park Just 7 Years Late, Says Rowland
By LYALL DAGG
[Vancouver News-Herald, July 16, 1951]
Vancouver’s new Capilano Stadium, which underwent a large and obtrusive christening ceremony Friday night, is just seven years late in being completed.
This was the opinion of Clarence Rowland, president of the Pacific Coast Baseball League, who, along with close to 8,000 other fans, gaped in awe at the Caps’ new home last night.
Rowland, for those who don’t remember, made his first appearance in Vancouver in 1910 as manager of Aberdeen. He played against Caps’ general manager Bob Brown.
HAVE ANSWER NOW
“If Vancouver could have had this park in 1943,” Rowland said following the special two-hour opening ceremonies, “they would be a member of the Coast League today.
“That was the year Sacramento was faltering and the only thing that held this city out was the lack of a ball park. Here is the answer to that. It is one of the finest on the Pacific Coast. And with plenty of room to expand.”
The words of Rowland were copied by every man, woman and child who pushed his way into Cap Stadium last night. The part, that is, about it being a beautiful park.
DUNC LIKES IT
Dunc Andrews, possibly one of the oldest baseball fans in Vancouver and now head usher at the park, compared it with the big league ball yards.
And Andrews has seen them all. He was in Vancouver in 1910 but later moved to Chicago and lived near the home grounds of the Cubs.
The big night for Bob Brown began at exactly 6:40 p.m. At that time, the gate officially opened and the first paying customers walked proudly into the lobby below the stands.
From then until the wickets finally closed, from lack of tickets, the fans poured in a steady stream into the new park. When the gate was shut every seat in the house was taken and people were sitting in the aisles.
Commentary of the dignitaries and players was like a group of mothers admiring a new baby.
Chuck Will, Capilano president: “At least we’re here now.”
Brown, general manager, “How do you like it?”
Emil Sick, president of Sicks Brewery: “A lot of U.S. cities would be delighted to have this.”
Bob Abel, Western International League president: “We are proud to be associated with Vancouver.”
Bill Schuster, a limping Capilano manager: “I thought all the advertising signs in the field were going to be painted green.”
At this last statement a large green blind was pulled down over the offensive white sign in centre field.

Caps Win First Game at Capilano Stadium

Sinovic, McGuire Shine As Snyder Wins No. 12
Salem 3 Vancouver 10
By ERWIN SWANGARD [Vancouver Sun]
When general manager Bob Brown and manager Bill Schuster chose their outfielders for the 1951 season they put the emphasis on speed, obviously with an eye on the wide open spaces of the new Little Mountain stadium.
And because of that speedy outfield, particularly Bob McGuire in left, and Dick Sinovic in centre, Cap pitchers will have much easier sailing than they had in the old Athletic Park.
Lanky Bob Snyder, Capilanos' leading pitcher, was the first to experience the benefit of much space in the park's outfield and much speed by the outfielders as he coasted to his twelfth Western International Baseball League victory of the season Friday night.
Long Salem drives, which would have been homers, triples or doubles in the old park became mere routine flies as Messrs. McGuire and Sinovic galloped joyfully about the outer gardens.
CAPS WERE HITTING
Meanwhile, Snyder's mates pummelled a couple of Salem pitchers, including ex-New York Yankee Bill Bevens, and went wild around the bases as the Senators entered into the spirit of opening night celebrations with an exhibition of carnival in the seventh inning.
Caps wasted little time in showing the nearly 8000 customers and Salem which team was in charge.
They teed off for one run in the second and three in the third inning. After that Snyder went along smoothly and easily, even if he did give up a couple of runs in the sixth and another in the ninth.
About the seventh inning carnival, in case you haven't heard because just about every baseball fan in town was there anyway, Chuck Abernathy was on second and Charlie Mead on first with two out when Reno Cheso slashed a hard grounder through Curt Schmidt at second base.
GREAT EXHIBITION
All three Caps ran like blazes. The Salem Senators tossed the ball around with abandon to catch the runners. When the dust had cleared away Caps scored three runs and Senators had picked up two errors.
Today, Caps and Salem were finishing their three-game series with Sandy Robertson scheduled to pitch in the afternoon and George Nicholas in the evening.

Caps Wallop Salem 10-2 to Top off Big Event
Bob Snyder Gets 12th Win Before 7500 in New Park
By KEITH MATTHEWS [Vancouver News Herald]
Capilanos 10, Salem 3
What was probably the greatest crowd in Vancouver's baseball history crammed all the nooks and crannies of "new" Cap Stadium Friday night.
And apart from being sent away happy at the 10-3 Capilano victory, the crowd—and it was unanimous—was of the opinion that Vancouver now possesses one of the finest homes for baseball on the continent.
So large was the crowd, that Bob Brown's office crew hadn't counted all the noses by the time the game had ended. At a minimum estimate, 7500 were there and when the attendance is officially totalled this morning, Mr. Brown may then dig into his records to see if this was a new mark for attendance at a baseball game.
It seemed that all of Vancouver, some of New Westminster and a representation from several American towns were there for this one.
They started lining up to get in at 4 o'clock in the afternoon and they were still running around looking for seats, which had long since been filled at 8:45. It was a tremendous gathering, which was fired awed by the beautiful spectacle of the brilliant new setting and then started to sway and gush enthusiastically with every pitch.
Bob Snyder saw to it that every pitch was a winning one for the Caps.
Bob Just Couldn't Do Any Wrong
The guy they always pick to pitch the tough ones was out there again last night. He should have been a little nervous, for 7500 pairs of eyes were watching him as if he were a freak of nature. He should have been a little wild, for it seemed natural that he wanted to win this one so badly that something surely would go wrong. He might have felt that the opposition was being a little unfair to him, for Bill Bevans was the rival pitcher and hadn't the same fellow just four years ago come within one of pitching a World Series no-hitter?
None of it phased the string-bean right-hander. He mowed them down with such regularity that his attack caught fire under him and built him a lead he couldn't possibly slip and fall off.
For five innings Snyder allowed only one hit and no more. For all of the nine he didn't walk a man. Plainly, he wasn't giving anything away for nothing.
Meanwhile, Snyder's attack went to work. They scored once for him in the second inning when Reno Cheso got life on an error and Ray Tran batted him in on an infield hopper. They scored three more in the third when Chuck Abernathy crashed a hit-and-run double down the first base line to score [Gordie] Brunswick and Dave [sic] Sinovic smashed a tremendous 400-foot triple.
As far as Snyder was concerned, those runs were enough for his 12th pitching victory, but before the night was out, the Caps had picked up more for their ace.
Comparisons between the old park and the new were being handed out freely. Of course, there is no comparison between old and new, so great is the difference.
'Homer' Turns Into Outfield Fly
However, most of the 7500 came there for that reason and they got their first chance in the second inning when Charlie Mead got some good wood on a 3-and-2 pitch and lofted it into far-off right field. It was caught after a hard run by George McDonald and you could almost hear them saying, "That would have been a homer in the old park."
And so it went. Inning after inning, comparison after comparison.
In the seventh, with the Caps already well in the van, the great throng got together and started a hand-clap chant. It was new. In the old park, they would merely have stamped their feet on the wooden floorboards.
Here, it was hand-claps. 7500 pairs of hands clapping as one. They probably heard it in Kokamunga [sic], but after the game the players remarked "that it was sure nice to hear them hollering. It made us feel like we were in a ball park at last."
Today, there probably won't be so great a crowd as opening night. It might take an awful long time to wipe this record out. But the same two clubs will play twice, 2:30 in the afternoon and 8:30 at night.
Sandy Robertson will get his first call to arms in the afternoon game and George Nicholas (8-4) will pitch under those $20,000 lights.

8000 See Big Show
Caps Blast Senators 10-3 For Park’s Baptism
By DON CARLSON [Vancouver Daily Province, June 16, 1951]
Vancouver 10, Salem 3
Vancouver’s greatest baseball-audience ever turned out Friday night to open the new Capilano Stadium, and the Caps responded by baptizing their park with a victory.
Pitching masterfully, Capilano ace Bob Snyder, (now 12 wins, two losses for the season), fully justified his choice by manager Bill Schuster as the man to start a new baseball era here successfully.
In cold statistics, Caps beat Hugh Luby’s Salem club 10-3, getting to work early on Bill Bevans, the legendary ex-Yankee, and turning in a workman-like, if not too exciting, job of baseball.
Capilano general manager Bob Brown said after close to 8000 fans must have seen the game. “We lost track when we began rushing them in just at game time,” he said.
Besides those who got in, Brown said, crowds were turned away outside the gleaming new silvery turnstiles.
Scores more watched the game from lofty perches on Little Mountain.
FIELD SOFT
They sat for more than three hours, drinking in the beauty of the new stadium, and enjoyed baseball from an entirely new point of view to what they had been used to in the old dingy park where the fans sat practically on the players’ shoulders.
There was an hour of opening ceremony and entertainment. Then two more hours of pleasure for the hometowners as the Caps took their new field in their stride, without breaking their winning pace.
“The field was very soft,” manager Bill Schuster said after. But it affected the Caps less than Salem, the Senators bobbling four times, the Caps not at all.
LOTS OF BOOM
“It wasn’t too hard a game to win,” Snyder said after when, radiantly, he beat the rest of the team out of the showers and into Brown’s office where the bubbling spirits spoke of the end of a perfect day for the Capilano organization.
Snyder allowed 9 hits, struck out 6, and had only two weak innings, the sixth when they hit him three times and he delivered a wild pitch, and the ninth, when he obviously was relaxing.
Most obvious difference between the new park and old was the room the outfielders now have.
Caps outfielders McGuire, Sinovic and Mead, accounted for ten put-outs. Glen Stetter and Ritchie Myers each pounded a long drive against the left field wall 335 feet away.
The Brownies got one run in the second, then opened up in the third on a single, double and triple by Brunswick, Abernathy and Sinovic respectively.
Sinovic’s triple was a straight-away blast to almost dead centre that kicked up the dust at the foot of the wall over 400 feet away. From there on they weren’t headed.
Brunswick, who had a good batting night, three hits in five times, tripled in the fifth on a long drive to his off field that went into the right field coffin corner.

Caps Do It Right; ‘Firsts’ All the Way on New Field
[Vancouver Daily Province, June 16, 1951]
It was a strange coincidence June 7 when, in the last game ever played at old Athletic Park, Capilano figured in every “last” [line unreadable].
The coincidence soared last night at the opening of the new Capilano Stadium when Capilanos figured in every offensive “first”—plus both defensive “firsts.”
Here are last night’s historic “firsts”:
Run: Reno Cheso [photo left]. Single: Bob McGuire [photo right]. Double: Chuck Abernathy. Triple: Dick Sinovic. RBI: Ray Tran. Sacrifice: Bob Snyder. Assist: Gordie Brunswick. Put-Out: Abernathy.
The two firsts that the Caps didn’t want were recorded by Salem players. Error: Curt Schmidt. Strikeouts: Dick Faber.

Friday, June 15, 1951

               W  L Pct. GB
Vancouver ... 40 16 .714 —
Spokane ..... 37 20 .649 3½
Salem ....... 28 29 .473 13½
Wenatchee ... 24 29 .453 14½
Tri-City .... 24 29 .453 14½
Victoria .... 24 31 .436 15½
Yakima ...... 22 31 .428 16½
Tacoma ...... 22 34 .393 18

WENATCHEE, June 15—Steady pitching from Lou Tost hurled the Wenatchee Chiefs to a 6-3 win over the Tri-City Braves in a Western International league baseball game Friday night.
Wenatchee got off to an early lead with two runs in the second and two in the fourth. Will Hafey's triple, Lil Arnerich's double and Tost's single accounted for two in the first inning.
In the fourth, Hafey poled a bases-empty home run. A walk and singles by Len Neal and Buddy Hjelmaa sent on the second run. The Chiefs scored single runs in the fifth and eighth to insure the victory.
Tri-City tallied twice in the sixth when Vic Buccola's double drove in a run and Baccola scored when Don Fracchia threw the ball into the dugout. The Braves added another in the eighth when Nick Pesut doubled home Sam Kanalos, who had singled.
Buddy Peterson, Tri-City infielder, and Charlie Peterson, Tri-City manager were ejected in the fourth over a dispcted can at third. An inning later, Cy Greenlaw and Jack Brewer, Tri-City hurlers, were tossed out after riding the umpires from the bench.
Tri-City ......... 000 002 010—3 7 1
Wenatchee ..... 020 210 01x—6 10 4
McCollum and Pesut; Tost and Neal.

VANCOUVER, B.C., June 15—Mr. and Mrs. Vancouver flocked Friday night to the new $550,000 Capilano stadium and watched a happy baptism as Vancouver staggered Salem 10-3. Some of the fans were standing. The stadium seats 6,500 and the crowd was estimated unofficially at roughly 7,000.
Salem .......... 000 002 001—3 9 4
Vancouver ... 013 010 32x—10 13 0
Bevens, Hemphill (8) and Beard; Snyder and Ritchie.

Tacoma .... 400 002 000—6 9 0
Yakima ..... 000 010 030—4 9 1
Clark, Knezovich (8) and Lundberg; Boemler, Erickson (1), Anderson (6), Savarese (9) and Brenner.

Spokane .... 010 003 300—7 6 1
Victoria ..... 302 000 000—5 6 9
Palm, Wyatt (5) and Nulty; Marshall, Smith (6), Hedgecock (9) and Marcucci.

No Youngster, But
By KEITH MATTHEWS
[Vancouver News Herald, June 15/51]
There is a nasty rumor circulating that Carl Gunnarson broke into organized baseball the same day as Walter Johnson, though the two incidents took place several thousand miles apart.
Before this story gets around too much, we wish to stop it. It's a ridiculous piece of slander.
It happens that Gunnarson is a successful business man who often finds himself before the public eye. As such he is open to criticism and it just seems to be human nature that whenever you run into a successful business man, you run into countless stories about him, mostly no praise-worthy and often exaggerated beyond reason.
Gunnarson's business is pitching baseballs for the Capilanos. He does this from the trade terms "the wrong side." Otherwise known as the left hand.
True, Carl is no spring chicken. Originally he came from Mozart, Saskatchewan. When? Well, Carl admits it happened in 1920, January 1st to be exact.
According to his book-keeping, that makes him 31. There are guesses to the contrary, mostly because it hasn't been written yet to the contrary of baseball that a player ever gave his correct age. However, when challenged Carl will allow that his birth certificate is open for all to see, so we'll leave him with his 31 years and no questions asked.
Outsmarts 'em now
Carl's introduction to Vancouver was during the war years when shipyard baseball was the best we had to offer. In turn, Gunnarson was about the best pitcher the league had to offer.
About a year before the pros came back, the "Gunner" got his big chance. A shot at a pitching job with the Coast League Portland Beavers.
He did right well at it, too. In his first year, he was one of the Bevo' most reliable starters, but the following season when some of the pros started to trickle back from the wars, Carl was sent out to the bullpen to earn his pay.
Even then — this in 1945 — Carl was no youngster. His fast ball, which at one time had crackled for him, was starting to lose its zip. The ticket to the bullpen was just a stopping over point on the way to the Western International League.
The WIL resumed operation after a four-year war halt, in 1946. Gunnarson, by this time, was a member of theSalem Senators.
As the years wore on, the "Gunner" kept getting starter. He was making up for the loss of his "big pitch" by knowledge of the batters' weaknesses and by keeping them off balance with a variety of "stuff" they never hoped to see again.
However, it seemed as we were about to start the 1951 season that one old face would bwe removed from the Capilano roster. It was almost a cinch to be Gunnarson's, for the veteran had pitched only 69 innings while winning two and losing the same the year before.
Nobody paid much attention to him in Penticton. When the Caps' left-handed pitching was brought up, we spoke of Bob McLean first and added a fond hope that Billy Whyte would surprise. Gunnarson, however, might as well have been training at Brockton Point for all the notice he got.
A proud record
As it turned out, this is the way Carl wanted it. He put more miles on his "puppies" than Schuster put on the air the townspeople had loaned him. By the time spring training had ended, Mr. Gunnarson was in the finest shape of his career.
Now, there was just one more thing he had to achieve. He had to convince his "skipper", Schuster, that he had the necessary ingredients to earn a steady job.
Early in the year, the "Gunner" picked up three straight victories, all of them in relief and none of them particularly brilliant.
One day, when the Caps were due to play Tacoma, Schuster announced Gunnarson as his starting pitcher.
"Who?" a writer asked, "is going to hold him up for the last five innings?"
"Don't ask me," Schuster grinned. "He asked for the chance to start and he's getting it."
The "Gunner" responded with a five-hitter, allowing the opposition one run in as nice an exhibition of pitching as you'd ever hope to see. In fact, Carl should still have an unbeaten record for '51 had it not been for a careless fielding error on his own part in which he allowed four unanswered runs and lost 4-3.
As it is, Carl's record is five wins and one loss, and who is there to say that Mr. Gunnarson is not the "comeback of the year" story?

WILfan note: Carl's age seems to have been a matter of debate until the end. Here's an AP story from 1960.

Death Takes Gunnarson
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., April 13 — Carl Gunnarson, 44, trainer for the Vancouver Mounties of the Pacific Coast League, had a fatal heart attack during a spring training baseball game here yesterday.
Gunnarson, who was trainer for the Seattle Rainiers in 1955 and 1956, was rushed to a hospital after complaining of chest pains.
He died shortly after the game with the Rainiers ended.

But two UPI stories on his death report his age as 42. Regardless, he was less than forthright when he claimed he was born in 1930. But, then, age-fibbing is an old baseball custom, isn't it?
Carl spent 1957 as the business manager and trainer for the Salem Senators under G.M. Bill Brenner, his manager during part of his time with the Caps.

Cap Stadium Ready

ONE OF CANADA’S FINEST
New Capilano Baseball Stadium Opening Friday
[Vancouver Daily Province, July 14, 1951, pg.19]
Vancouver’s new $550,000 baseball stadium opens Friday night.
The huge stadium, located at Thirtieth and Ontario, is an exactly replica of the ball park in Seattle, except for the seating capacity. Capilano Stadium will seat 7500, while Seattle has additional bleachers, but the Vancouver stadium has ample space to build additional stands if necessary.
The huge park, considered to be one of the finest in Canada, and the best in the Western International League, takes up 18 acres.
ELECTRIC SCOREBOARD
Distance from home plate to centre-field is 415 feet, and to the left and right-field fences is 335 feet, which compares favourably with any major league park in America.
A large electronically-lighted scoreboard has been installed on the top of the centre-field fence, and the operator will have telephonic communication with the press and scorer’s box back of home plate so he can register hits, runs and outs instantly.
There are six entrances and eight double-doored exits from the park. Large ramps connect the stands wit the main hall, where concession stands are located.
The main concession stand is 120 feet long and there are two other booths to be used for selling popcorn.
NEW INNOVATIONS
The popcorn stands have additional heating units installed so the merchandise will be piping hot at all times.
New innovations in the hot-dog stands include hot plates to give patrons a choice of boiled or fried hot fogs. Another innovation will be the sale of aspirins and other headache remedies, ideal when the home team is losing.
The park is surrounded with hard-surfaced roads and two of them, Midlothian and Melrose, have been recently built to facilitate movement of traffic.
The huge parking lot adjoining the stadium can accommodate 500 cars at present and when completed will hold 1400.
GAME TIME 8:30
Bob Brown, manager of Capilano Stadium, said there will be 3500 rush grandstand seats and 2000 rush bleacher seats on sale when the park opens at 6:45 p.m. Friday. The 2000 box and reserved seats are already sold out.
Game time, when the league-leading Vancouver Capilanos meet Salem Senators, is set for 8:30, but official opening ceremonies are expected to start at 7:30.
New metal chairs have been installed in the boxes and other seats are comfortable wooden benches with folding seats.
In addition to the facilities for the public, there is a ladies’ lounge and press room, where the press can meet the managers of the teams, plus an umpires’ room and dressing rooms with showers.
Players will go direct from their dressing rooms to the dug-out via connecting tunnels.
Intercommunication systems connecting all parts of the building have been installed. Concessionaires will use this keep contact with the barkers to there will be no delay in bringing up new batches of hot dogs, etc.
LIGHT PARKING LOT
Lighting of the ball diamond will be done with 265 1500-watt lights. Special swivel lights have also been installed on the poles to light up the parking lot.
Turf from the old stadium has been laid in the infield and new grass in the outfield is coming on rapidly.
Mr. Brown paid special praise to Park Superintendent Eugene Edlund and his gang of workmen, who succeeded in transferring the turf in three days and nights of hard work.
Plans for the stadium were started four years ago, but it wasn’t until last September that actual construction began.
Mr. Brown, general manager of the stadium, started his career in baseball here in 1910, and built the old park at Fifth and Fir in 1913. Mr. Brown, who has been connected with baseball for 51 years, came to the coast to play for Portland in the old North West League, which was succeeded by the Western International in 1937.

WILfan note: the picture is a shrunken scan of a photocopy of a photocopy of a newspaper photo. The roof was added in 1956 and the press box was lengthened (the box in the photo is the right side of the current box when viewed from centre field). The distance to centre has been cut a number of times, most recently in 2007. The Ladies Lounge is long gone and the Press Room, where yours truly spent many pleasant times, was eliminated in the mid-1990s.

Thursday, June 14, 1951

W L Pct GB
Vancouver ... 39 16 .709 —
Spokane ..... 36 20 .643 6½
Salem ....... 26 28 .481 12½
Tri-City .... 24 28 .462 13½
Wenatchee ... 25 31 .446 14½
Victoria .... 24 30 .444 14½
Yakima ...... 22 30 .423 15½
Tacoma ...... 21 34 .382 18

KENNEWICK, June 15—Although they go back to a brand spanking new stadium the Vancouver Capilanos were reluctant to leave here. And the Tri-City Braves were apparently just as anxious to have them stay around. At least that's the way it seemed after the near three hour final struggle the teams went through last night. The classic of "long" games at Sanders Field wore out 8 pitchers and the patience of manager Charlie Peterson who got the heave-ho from umpire Joe Iacovetti in the seventh after a bitter protest at home plate over close decision involving Dick Sinovic. Lou McCollum took over the managerial reins for the final panels.
The eight well battered pitchers gave up a total of 30 base hits which included three home runs and two triples, Reno Cheso, Cap second baseman, uncorked a grand slammer in the second and also piled up a neat six rbi's. Chuck Abernathy also got a circuit smash for Vancouver. Clint Cameron posted his second for the cycle at Sanders Field when he belted a waist high pitch out of the park.
Incidentally Vancouver won the marathon 14-9 to get an even split in the series.
Cy Greenlaw started for the Braves and was charged with the loss. Don Tisnerat who opened for the Caps didn't stay around long to get credit for the victory which instead went to John Burak the third and final hurler for the winners. Bill Whyte also did a stint for them.
Jack Brewer, Ken Michelson, Dick Stone and Joe Nicholas followed Greenlaw to the mound in that order. Free hitting got Brewer into trouble while walks caused Michelson's downfall. Stone gave up a hit too, Abernathy's four master, but when he followed that with a pair of free passes Nicholas walked to the rubber.
Stone collected his first hit of the season and Al Spaeter got one for his 21st consecutive game. Clint Cameron also had a big night at the plate hitting four hits each time he was up. Buddy Peterson had two for three and Vic Buccola two for four.
Tri-City opens a four-game series in Wenatchee tonight. Lou
McCollum will start for the Braves and an Saturday Bob Costello will try for his third victory.
Vancouver .... 352 000 310—14-16-3
Tri-City ........ 102 501 000— 9-14-1
Tisnerat, Whyte (4), Burak (6) and Ritchey; Greenlaw, Brewer (2), Michelson (3), Stone (5), Nicholas (6) and Pesut.

SPOKANE, June 14—A third baseman finished the game on the mound at Spokane Thursday night as only one of the highlights of a peculiar evening in the Western International baseball league.
Spokane Manager Alan Strange sent Ken Richardson in from third in the fifth inning
after Victoria batters had collected a total of 12 hits from veteran Ward Rockey and rookie Maynard Park. Richardson gave up five more safeties to the A's, who came out of the game with a 12-4 edge.
Spokane contributed 14 hits, including Richardson's two-run homer in the eighth, to the scorekeeper's nightmare.
The defeat snapped Spokane's winning streak at six-in-a-row and landed the Indians 3½ games behind league-leading Vancouver's Capilanos.
Victoria ...... 020 234 100—12-17-1
Spokane .... 100 000 021— 4-11-1
Hedgecock and Marcucci; Rockey, Park (4), Richardson (6) and Sheets.

SALEM, June 14—Bases on balls gave Yakima six runs as the Bears edged the Senators 8-7 Thursday night for their first win in the three-game series.
Singles by Bill Brenner and Gene Gaviglio drove in Yakima's winning runs in the ninth.
As a highlight, Ken Baxes scored two runs without an official time at bat. He was walked three times and sacrificed once.
Yakima ..... 202 200 002—8- 8-1
Salem ....... 010 040 020—7-13-1
Zidich and Tiesiera, Brenner (6); De George, Lew (4), McNulty (9) and Beard.

WENATCHEE, June 14—Wenatchee posted its fourth straight win by edging Tacoma 3-2 at Wenatchee in a Western International League game Thursday night.
Tacoma ......... 000 002 000—2-4-3
Wenatchee .... 100 200 00x—3-8-2
Schulte, Mishasek (5) and Lundberg; Kanshin, Treiechel (7) and Neal.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from June 15/51]

At that Jack Salveson may have the right idea. Salveson, who admits to a baseball age of 37, uses the “throw-it-in-and-let-'em-hit” system. And so far this reason the imaging veteran has picked up 10 wins against three set-backs. Quite an idea at that, figuring that if he can persuade batters to hit at his first or second offerings he's saving his arm. But how are you gonna argue with a guy who is out in front that far. Another player who subscribes to this theory is Charlie Petersen . . . at least when he's out there on the mound. “Why,” said Pete “when there are eight other fellows out there getting paid, it's only fair they should work a little.”
There is a lot more to pitching than having a good assortment of stuff. It also takes a lot of luck. There are games when the batters will send line shots all over the park . . . but always a player happens to be waiting just there. Then there are other games when no one is there when the barrage has to be led from the mound before he gets himself cuts loose. That's when the luck is out and the hurler hurt.
CAN'T PITCH ALL SHUTOUTS
Augie Zande is a good example of what we mean. Now Augie doesn't have the best record in the league. In fact his 2-5 is considerably less than the Christmas package a manager is always hoping to find. But in those five games Zande lost the Braves went out and got him the grand total of 12 runs. That's less than 2.5 runs per game, which means Zande had to be hurling shutouts if he was going to win them. And hurlers who can do that over a five-game span don't hang around these parts long.
KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND
That Sam Kanelos may be just a youngster in years but he's getting smart fast baseball wise. The other night he hit one foul down the third base line but it was so close he had to leg it hard all the way to first. But instead of trotting back to his bat, as many a rookie would Kanelos took his time. There's a good reason for that the odds are against anyone who has made such a run getting a safe hit in that time at bat. So don't bet against it over the long run because you'll lose. In the big parks when that happens the odds against a player hitting safely rise fast . . . among the gamblers that is.

Wednesday, June 13, 1951

               W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver ... 38 16 .706 —
Spokane ..... 36 19 .655 2½
Salem ....... 26 27 .491 11½
Tri-City .... 24 27 .471 12½
Wenatchee ... 24 31 .436 14½
Victoria .... 23 20 .434 14½
Yakima ...... 21 30 .412 15½
Tacoma ...... 21 33 .389 17

KENNEWICK, June 14 [Herald] —The Tri-City Braves will be looking for the series edge and the Vancouver Capilanos an even split when they square off tonight in the final of their four-game series. It will be Cy Greenlaw for the Braves and Don Tisnerat for the Caps on the hill.
Last night's doubleheader went two ways. Carl Gunnarson served up a near-perfect game in the opener to shutout Tri-City 7-0. A careful sprinklllng of hits by Augie Zande backed up by some well timed blows by Neil Bryant, Clint Cameron and San Kanelos, plus some muster minding by Manager Charlie Petersen earned the 3-2 nightcap for the Braves.
Gunnarson set the Tri-City club down in order for five innings in the first one until Al Spaeter broke the hitless spell with a single to right field. Cameron got the only other safe blow that the left hander gave up.
Beaten by the Braves the last time they met it was sweet revenge for the Cap hurler.
Vic Buccola electrified the 1388 fans by starting and completing two "baseball player's" double-plays — Buccola to Peterson to Buocola. The hardest twin killing there is, the odds against two coming in a seven inning game run into the hundreds of thousands.
Jack Brewer made a noble start for Tri-City by striking out the first two batters. But then he gave up a pair of singles and when Charlie Mead slammed a fast ball deep over the right field fence the game went with it. The Caps added a pair in the second, and Ken Michelson went in to relieve finishing the rest of the game. Chuck Abernathy hit for the circuit in the fifth with Gordy Brunswick aboard.
Tri-City had to go to the final two innings before they got their well deserved victory for Zande in the finale. They broke out in front in the fourth when Buddy Peterson singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Bryant's blow. Vancouver tied the count 1-1 in their seventh and this time it was Cameron's black bat that looped one into right field to drive in the tie-breaking run.
Vancouver, fighting back all the way, tied it up when catcher John Ritchey bushwacked their third four-master in the eighth.
Bryant opened the ninth for Tri-City with a double and then manager Charlie Petersen gave the bunt sign to Bill Edelstein. The sacrifice worked and Bryan moved to third. Kanelos with the count 0-2 on him took George Nicholas' next pitch and hit it to right. Bryant held up a third until Mead gathered in the ball and then raced in to win the ball game easily.
First Game
Vancouver ...... 320 020 0—7-9-1
Tri-City ......... 000 000 0—0-2-0
Gunnarson and Ritchey; Brewer, Michelson (3) and Pesut.
Second Game
Vancouver ...... 000 000 101—2-10-0
Tri-City .......... 000 100 011—3- 9-0
Nicholas and Ritchey; Zande and Pesut.

WENATCHEE, June 13—Wenatchee downed the Tacoma Tigers 10 to 8 in Western International League baseball Wednesday night. Wenatchee tallied seven runs in a wild second inning highlighted by Will Hafey's two-run homer. Hafey's two-run double in the fourth was the margin of difference.
Tacoma ......... 003 010 130— 8- 9-1
Wenatchee ... 070 210 00x—10-15-2
Clark, Knezovich (2), Barta (8) and Lundberg, Watson (4); Breisinger, Gassaway (9), and Neal.

SPOKANE [Victoria Colonist, June 14]—Victoria Athletics fell to sixth plane in the Western International League when they dropped their second straight game to Spokane Indians, 3-2, at Spokane last night. The victory was the sixth straight for the rampaging Indians.
The clubs wind up the three-game series tonight and then return to Victoria for a four-game series opening at Royal Athletic Park tomorrow. Jim Hedgecock will be the likely mound choice for Victoria with Jim Holder his probably opponent.
Jim Propst went down to his sixth defeat against three victories last night when he weakened in the eighth inning. Tagged for successive singles by Eddie Murphy, Edo Vanni and Steve Mesner—the first three Spokane batters—Propst escaped with only one run charged against him in the first inning. He kept out of trouble until the eighth although the Indians received five walks and stole six bases.
WERT SINGLES
Jim Wert singled in the eighth, stole second and went to third as Jim Brown grounded out. Wert came in to tie the score at 2-2 as Bill Sheets laid down a squeeze bunt. John Conant, Murphy and Vanni singled in succession to drive in Conant with the winning run and Ron Smith relieved Propst to end the rally.
The A’s got away to a fast start in the first inning when they scored twice on singles by Jim Robinson, Lilio Marcucci and Hal Jackson a fielder’s choice and an error, but were held to two hits by Conant after the second inning.
Robinson played his first game for the A’s in sterling style. He handled three chances flawlessly at third base and picked up three hits in five trips to lead the club at the plate.
Victoria ...... 200 000 000—2 -7-1
Spokane ..... 100 000 02x—3-11-4
Propst, Smith (8) and Marcucci; Conant and Sheets.

SALEM, June 13—Aldon Wilkie zeroed in at Salem as he hurled the Salem Senators to a 8 to 0 triumph over Yakima on Wednesday night. It was Wilkie's second consecutive shutout. Glen Stetter insured victory by driving home a run in the first and doubling home two more counters in the third.
Yakima .... 000 000 000—0-4-2
Salem ........ 103 301 00x—8-9-3
Anderson, DelSarto (4) and Brenner; Wilkie and McKeegan.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from June 14/51]

You've heard that old saying about how you can see the ferest for the trees." Well, that's much the same position the Tri-City Braves might be considered to be in. Here they were out scoring the country for pitchers, and they looked everywhere except in their own front office . . . which is where they should have looked in the first place.
Of course it might be a bit difficult for Vern Johnson to combine the job of General Manager with that of a pitcher, but he's proved he can handle both of them, and pretty well too, thank you. But then the mound is no experience for Johnson who did some mighty fancy twirling at Stanford University and also for a while in the Coast league until his arm went bad.
What we're leading up to is that the other day at Connell, Vern walked out on the hill and cranked up the full nine innings giving up five hits and one run. What's more he didn't walk a man while striking out six. Being a portsider Johnson could help out quite a bit. But as Johnson laughingly pointed out, "I'd need a month's rest between games to get my legs in shape. And at that rate I'd only pitch four or five a year."
WHO WOULD TELL WHO
At that it could develop into quite an interesting sight if the playing manager walked out to the mound to pull the general manager out of the game. The possibilities of what could happen from that go on and on and on. But don't wait around for Vern.
"Although if the situation ever got real desperate I might be tempted to try it," he said. "But then if it ever got that bad I might not be the g. m. either, so you can't tell."
JOTS AND DOTS FROM HERE AND THERE
Artie Wilson, who asked for his release from the
Braves, has signed with Tucson of the Southwestern International league. Although it's a class C loop it's a fast one. Artie wanted to play the infield which is why he requested his release. One reason the Braves couldn't locate him in this league is because the other clubs hadn't had a chance to see him at third. If they had, Artie would still be in class B.

Tuesday, June 12, 1951

               W  L  PCT GB
Vancouver ... 37 15 .712 —
Spokane ..... 35 19 .648 3
Salem ....... 25 27 .481 12
Tri-City .... 23 28 .462 12½
Victoria .... 23 29 .442 14
Wenatchee ... 23 31 .426 15
Yakima ...... 21 29 .420 15
Tacoma ...... 21 32 .396 16½

KENNEWICK, June 13—It was all even for the Tri-City Braves on several counts today. When Bob Costello turned back Vancouver last night it brought Costello's season record to 2-2, and to 4-4 for the Braves and Caps in the eight games they have played.
Tonight at 7 p. m. the teams will play a doubleheader. Jack Brewer (1-0) will take the mound in the 7-inning game for Tri-City, and George Nicholas (8-3) will try and win it for Vanouver. In the 9-inning regulation game Augie Zande (1-5) will go for the locals while Bill Schuster will send Gunnarson (4-1) to the Vancouver rubber.
It was the second victory of the season over Vancouver for Bob Costello last night. And he let his old teammates down easy by holding them to eight hits and giving up but one run. Thus in the last four games the Tri-City mound staff has given up an average of only one run per contest.
Everything happened after two were out as Bob Snyder one of the winningest pitchers in the WIL, lost his second game of the year. It gave the slender right hander a record of 11-2 The Tri-City club scored all the runs they needed to win in the first frame after two were out. It started with Buddy Peterson drawing a walk. He scored on Clint Cameron's double and Cameron was plated on Neil Bryant's single. The Braves added another run in the third and again after two were out. This time successive singles by Cameron, Bryant and Bill Edelstein did the trick, with Edelstein hitting the payoff blow. Nick Pesut's double followed a like blow by Al Spaeter finished up the Tri-City scoring in the fourth inning.
CAPS GET ONE
The Caps picked up their lone counter in the seventh when Costello gave up three hits, the only inning in which he was touched for more than one. Bob Snyder started it off with a rousing double and moved to third on Bob McGulre's single. Gordy Brunswick then lofted one to Bryant in left and Snyder decided to test Bryant's arm by trying to score after the catch. It didn't work as Bryant pegged a perfect strike to Pesut to nail Snyder by several feet. How ever, Chuck Abernathy followed with a double to send McGuire all the way.
Sam Kanelos and Bill Edelstein came up with the fielding gems for the Braves. Kanelos dug a difficult line shot out of the dirt to bring down the house while Edelstein patrolling the center garden came up with a couple of circus catches. Kanelos also collected one of the six doubles of the game, while Edelstein drove in one of the four runs.
The league leading double-play combination of Peterson-Spaeter-Buccola came up with another one in the fifth inning to shut off a Cap threat.
Braves notes: Artie Wilson, third baseman and outfielder for the Tri-City Braves, was released outright by the baseball club last night. Wilson is the second player to be released recently the other being pitcher Sam Castro. Wilson was a star in the Sunset league last year where he hit .356.
Vancouver .... 000 000 100—1- 8-0
Tri-City ........ 201 100 00x—4-10-1
Snyder and Ritchey; Costello and Pesut.

WENATCHEE, June 12—Despite lusty hitting by Tacoma's Sol Israel, the Wenatchee Chiefs defeated Tacoma 9 to 5.
Israel enjoyed one of baseball's biggest — and rarest evenings — by hitting for the cycle and walking in five trips to the plate. He tripled in the third, singled in the fifth, doubled in the seventh and homered in the fifth. His walk came in the first inning.
Five of Wenatchee's total came in the third inning after two men were out with catcher Len Neal's three-run triple the big blow.
Tacoma ...... 010 000 012—5 12 4
Wenatchee .. 105 210 00x—9 13 1
Kipp, Mishasek (8) and Watson; Treichel and Neal.

SPOKANE, June 12—A first-inning four-run splurge gave Spokane its fifth victory in a row Tuesday night as the Indians downed Victoria 9 to 3. Victoria starter John Tierney gave up just one hit, a single by Steve Mesner, but he walked four in the opening frame.
A's note: Catcher Milt Martin has been called up to the Portland Beavers to replace Joe Rossi, who broke a hand catching in an exhibition game against Spokane on Monday.
Victoria ...... 001 010 100—3 9 4
Spokane ..... 420 200 10x—9 7 2
Tierney, Brkich (2) and Marcucci; Bishop and Nulty.

SALEM, Ore., June 12—A three-run surge in the third inning aided Salem here Tuesday night to a 7 to 2 win over Yakima in a series opener.
Dick Faber's two-run homer in the third put the Senators ahead for keeps.
Yakima .... 100 000 000—2-11-1
Salem ..... 203 001 01x—7-14-0
Saverase and Tiesiera; McNulty and Beard.

WI Hurling List Topped By Holder
TACOMA, June 13 — Jim Holder, Spokane right-hander, remains the Western International league's leading pitcher percentage-wise, according to statistics released today rom the office of Robert B. Abel, president of the circuit.
Holder achieved his sixth success without a defeat Sunday when he hurled a masterful three-hit shutout as Spokane defeated Yakima, 2-0.
Runner-up and the league's big winner is Bob Snyder of the front-running Vancouver Capilanos with an 11-1 record, while teammate Pete Hernandez is next in line at 5-1.
Tom Breisinger, diminutive Wenatchee southpaw, remained the league strikeout king with a season's total of 87, followed by another pair of left-handers, Victoria's Jim Propst, with 60, and Tacoma's Bob Schulte, with 55. John Marshall, Victoria right
hander, once more moved out in front in the number of walks issued with 71, followed by Schulte with 69 and Breisinger with 66.
The Leaders:
Western International league pitching (includes games of Sunday, June 10)
                    W L SO Pct
Holder, Spok ...... 6 0 40 1.000
Snyder, Van. ..... 11 1 44  .917
Hernandez, Van. ... 5 1 21  .833
Tisnerat, Van. .... 4 1 24  .800
Gunnarson, Van. ... 4 1  9  .800
Stone, T-C ........ 3 1 12  .750
Osborn, Vic ....... 3 1 16  .750
G Nicholas, Van. .. 8 3 30  .727
Rockey, Spok. ..... 5 2 34  .714
Whyte, Van. ....... 5 2  9  .700
Bishop, Spok. ..... 7 3 29  .700

Monday, June 11, 1951

EXHIBITION GAME
Portland 11 Spokane 1

TACOMA, Wash., June 12 — Vancouver's Dick Sinovic took a distinct liking to Wenatchee pitching last week hammering out 15 hits in 31 trips to the plate, and as a result the Western International league has a new batting leader.
Statistics released today from the office of Robert B. Abel, league president, disclosed that Sinovic had tacked 19 points onto his batting average to reach .378, giving him a 15-polnt margin over Lillo Marcucci of Victoria, last week's leader, who dopped eight to .366.
In third place was Don Pries of Victoria, the runner-up a week ago and now the owner of a .351 mark, representing a 12-point drop.
While making merry with the offerings of the Wenatchee elbowers, Sinovic batted in six runs for a season's total of 47 and thus regained the league lead in that department, passing up teammate Reno Cheso, who added only one for an aggregate of 44. Third with 41 was Buddy Peterson, Tri-City shortstop.
The W-I home run derby became a three-way race when
Will Hafey of Wenatchee belted two round-trippers and Vic Buccola of Tri-City added one to climb into a tie with Bill White of Victoria, each with seven circuit smashes.
The leaders:
                   AB H RBI  AVE
Sinovic, Van .... 201 76 47 .378
Marcucci, Vic ... 186 68 31 .366
Pries, Vic ...... 185 65 20 .351
Ritchey, Van .... 143 50 27 .350
Kovenz, Tac ..... 173 60 22 .347
Moran, Tac ...... 209 72 38 .345
Len Neal, Wen ... 180 62 17 .344
Buccola, T-C .... 181 62 31 .343
Vanni, Spok ..... 231 79 26 .342
Wert, Spok ...... 187 64 40 .342

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Minor Loop Team To Go On Block
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore., June 12—Directors of the Class D Far West league meet here today to decide the future of the Pittsburg, Calif., loop franchise.
Pittsburgh owner Vince Davis bias announced that he planned to disband the team due to poor support at the home gate. Despite the fact that it is leading the league Pittsburgh has averaged only 170 fans per game this season.
It was rumored that Albany, Ore., might take the Diamonds' franchise, but that probably will not be done because the season is so far underway, President Jerry Donovan said the league was prepared to continue on a five-team basis.

Sunday, June 10, 1951

               W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver ... 37 14 .723 —
Spokane ..... 34 19 .642 4
Salem ....... 24 37 .471 9
Tri-City .... 22 28 .458 13½
Victoria .... 23 28 .454 14
Yakima ...... 21 28 .429 15
Wenatchee ... 22 31 .415 15
Tacoma ...... 21 31 .404 16½

KENNEWICK, June 10—The Tri-City Braves went on the warpath for seven runs in the sixth inning Sunday night to defeat the Tacoma Tigers 9 to 2 in a Western International league baseball game.
Tri-City held a 2 to 1 lead going into the fourth. Harry Scherting, Tacoma's outfielder, tied it at 2 to 2 with a bases-empty home run.
In the sixth, Buddy Peterson opened for the Braves with a walk, Clint Cameron was hit by a pitch and Neil Bryant singled to load the bases.
Successive walks to Artie Wilson and Sam Kanelos forced in two runs. Nick Pesut then unloaded a two-run single and Al Spaeter duplicated the feat a moment later. Buddy Peterson's single chased the seventh run of the inning home.
- - - - -
KENNEWICK, June 11—The Tri-City Braves bounced back into the first division today by taking three of their four-game series with Tacoma. In the process they also released pitcher Sam Castro outright and simultaneously announced the purchase of outfielder Phil Steinberg from Yakima.
Lou McCollum notched his 6th victory of the season Sunday night by turning back tht Tigers 9-2. Although the big right hander was touched for 11 Tacoma hits he kept them well spaced over the nine-inning route.
The Braves broke up a 2-2 tie ball game in a hectic sixth inning uprising during which they scored seven runs on four hits.
Bob Schulte who started on the mound for Tacoma opened that fatal frame by walking Buddy Peterson and then hit Clint Cameron. Neil Bryant singled to load the bases and then Schulte walked Artie Wilson and Sam Kanelos in rapid fire order But when he gave up a single to Nick Pesut that was all. Manager Jim Brillheart immediately pulled Schulte but reliefer Jerry Barta also was touched. Al Spaeter's single scored two more and Buddy Peterson, up for the second time, singled to drive in Spaeter.
Tacoma scored first in the third inning but the Braves moved out in front 2-1 in the bottom of that stanza when Peterson's triple plated McCollum and Spaeter. Harry Scherting tied it up for Tacoma in the fourth when he homored over the left center field wall.
The series was marked by excellent pitching results from the Braves staff. Cy Greenlaw turned in a 4-0 shutout, Jack Brewer did almost as well by taking a 4-1 victory, also Saturday night, and McCollum climaxed it last night with his victory.
Tuesday night the Tri-City club opens a four-game series with the league leaders, Vancouver. This will include one game called because of wet grounds on the Capilanos last trip here.
Castro, who was released out right by the club yesterday, has been on the inactive list with a sore arm. It is understood that he is returning to his home in California.
Phil Steinberg, the new outfielder purchased by the Braves has also been on the inactive list recently because of,an injured knee. Fleet of foot Steinberg can cover a lot of ground, however, he reportedly is not too strong at the plate.
Tacoma ... 001 100 000 —2 11 1
Tri-City .. 002 007 00x —9 7 1
Schulte, Barta (6) and Watson; McCollum and Pesut.

SALEM, June 10—Salem and Victoria split a Western International league doubleheader here Sunday night. Salem blanked Victoria in the first game 3 to 0. In the nightcap, Victoria won 7 to 6.
Victoria took three wins in the four-game series here.
Singles by Bob Sturgeon, Lil Marcucci and Hal Jackson and a flyout by Bill White gave Victoria two runs in the sixth inning of the night game. They got one more in the seventh inning and put the game on ice with a four run surge in the eighth.
That came on Sturgeon's single, Jackson's triple, Milt Martin's double, Bill White's flyout, a walk and an error.
Both pitchers — Sal de George for Salem and John Marshall for Victoria — held batters to two hits in the seven-inning opener.
The three winning runs were scored when Ludwig Lew, pinch-hitting for Curt Schmidt, tripled with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.
First Game
Victoria .... 000 000 0—0 3 1
Salem ....... 000 003 x—3 2 1
Marshall and Martin; De George and Beard.
Second Game
Victoria .... 000 002 140—7 11 2
Salem ....... 000 042 000—6 9 4
Osborn, Smith (7) and Martin; Bevens, Wilkie (8) and McKeegan.

SPOKANE, June 10—The Spokane Indians blasted Yakima 11 to 2 Sunday night to sweep the four-game Western International league baseball series with the Bears.
The tribe's Jim Holder fashioned a neat 2 to 0 three-hit shutout in the afternoon opener.
First Game
Yakima .... 000 000 000—0 3 0
Spokane ... 002 000 00x—3 5 1
Thompson, Anderson (8) and Brenner; Holder and Nulty.
Second Game
Yakima .... 011 000 000— 2 7 3
Spokane ... 100 501 13x—11 14 2
Boemler, Noyes (5) and Tiesiera; Wyatt and Sheets.

WENATCHEE, June 10—Vancouver and Wenatchee divided a double-bill on Sunday. Wenatchee won the opener 4-1 but the Caps took the wild nightcap 9-8.
Singles by Charlie Abernathy, Dick Sinovic and Charles Mead in the top of the ninth inning gave the Caps their victory in the later game.
Don Tisnerat allowed 14 hits in the afterpiece, but his mates got to the Chiefs' Al Raimondi for 15.
Converted first baseman Bob McLean was the loser in the first game, a seven-inning affair. He gave way to Kevin King after four innings and with the Caps trailing, 3-1. In that time he had faced 20 batters and given up eight hits.
King gave up another run while unloosing two wild pitches and hitting Wenatchee third baseman Jim Marshall with another.
While Wenatchee didn't have too much trouble getting to Tisnerat in the second game, the Caps had even less trouble in solving Raimondi.
Chuck Abernathy and John Ritchey led Vancouver's hit parade, batting four for six and three for four respectively. Old reliable Charlie Mead helpedn things alone with three runs batted in.
First Game
Vancouver ... 010 000 0—1 8 0
Wenatchee ... 002 011 x—4 10 3
McLean, King (5) and Ritchey; Tost and Robertson.
Second Game
Vancouver ..... 301 101 201-9 15 2
Wenatchee ..... 412 000 001—8 14 3
Tisnerat and Ritchey; Raimondi and Neal.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from June 11/51]
Saturday night's twin victories proved a point were trying to make here just the other day. And that is when the Braves pitching staff turns in a good performance backed up with good hitting and defense they can look anything but like the team which has been bouncing around in the second division. True there are still a couple of problems to be ironed out notably the one of carrying three third basemen. Certainly a change is due in that respect.
To the list of other first timers who have made successful debuts with the Braves can now be added the name of Jack Brewer. For a pitcher who was supposed to have a sore arm the best comment would seem to be "let's have more of them." Others whom we can recall with performances just slightly short of sensational were Buddy Peterson and Jim Olsen Peterson upon joining the Braves from Denver last year hit a home run and a double in his first game. While Olsen, who joined the club on the road last season, hit two out of the park In his first game as a Brave. Now of course he's with Vancouver.
In hurling his 4-0 shutout Saturday night Cy Greenlaw came within four hits of duplicating the no-hitter he already holds. Only one Tacoma Tiger reached second base and only in three innings did Cy face more than the minimum of three. Greenlaw will never cease to amaze this department. For in pitching that shutout he looked just the same as others we've seen that wound up quite differently.
UMPIRING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
And part of that at least can probably be explained by the umpiring. For in Joe Iacovetti and Mickey Hanich you have a pair of well-qualified arbiters. They call the pitches on the corner and hustle that ball hard in the field. By that we mean they chase it those fly balls, which may be questionable, all the way.

Saturday, June 9, 1951

               W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver ... 36 13 .775 —
Spokane ..... 32 19 .627 5
Salem ....... 23 26 .469 13
Victoria .... 22 27 .449 14
Yakima ...... 21 26 .447 14
Tri-City .... 21 26 .447 14
Tacoma ...... 21 30 .412 16
Wenatchee ... 21 30 .412 16

KENNEWICK, June 9—The Tri-City Braves got two good pitching jobs Saturday night and turned them into a twin victory over Tacoma in a Western International league doubleheader.
Tri-City took the seven-inning opener 4 to 1 and won the nightcap 4 to 0 behind four-hit pitching by southpaw Cy Greenlaw.
Tacoma could muster but one run for the evening. It came in the fifth inning of the opener when Sol Israel doubled and came home on John Kovenz' single.
- - - -
KENNEWICK, June 9 [Herald]—THE TRI-CITY Braves won both games of the doubleheader Saturday night in Sanders Field.
The Tacoma Tigers went down 4-1 in the opener while Cy Greenlaw shut them out, 4-0, in the nightcap.
It was the first shutout game of the season for Sanders field and 1,570 fans watched the old mound master, Greenlaw, never once lose control. He struckout five Tigers and walked only three. It was his third victory this year.
The wins gave the Braves a 2-1 edge for the current series.
The final game will be played tonight. Game time will be 7:30.
GREENLAW never once was in trouble. He gave up only four hits and no Tiger ever got past first base. The double-play combination of Buddy Peterson to Al Spaeter to Vic Buccola clicked twice during the game.
Three of the Brave runs came in the second inning. Greenlaw's bat accounted for two of them.
His single drove in Neil Bryant and Sam Kanelos. Tiger Hurler Charlie Funk loaded the bases with walks. Another four balls to Buccola gave Nick Pesut a free ride across the plate.
Peterson's homer with none aboard in the fifth inning accounted for the final tally.
Three of the runs in the Brave opener came after two were out. Neil Bryant doubled, driving home two runs, and then he crossed the plate when Bill Eddlestein [sic] singled.
The final count came four innings later. Nick Pesut got hit by a pitched ball and went to second on Jack Brewer's sacrifice. He scored on Al Spaeter's single.
Brewer, the pitcher, made his first appearance on the home field, giving up nine hits.
Sol Isreal made Tacoma's tally. He doubled and came home on Kovenz' single.
First Game
Tacoma ..... 000 010 0—1 7 1
Tri-City ..... 300 100 x—4 9 0
Knezovich and Watson; Brewer and Pesut.
Second Game
Tacoma ..... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Tri-City ...... 030 010 00x—4 7 1
Funk, Mishasek (2), Barta (8) and Lundberg; Greenlaw and Pesut.

SALEM, Ore., June 9—Victoria edged Salem 4 to 3 in a Western International league basbeall game here Saturday night to sweep the first half of a four game series.
Salem stepped off to an early lead, taking two runs on three hits in the first inning.
Victoria tied it up in the second with 2 runs on hits by Hal Jackson, Orin Snyder, Milt Martin and Pitcher Jim Hedgecock.
Hedgecock's two run single in the fourth inning put Victoria ahead.
Salem's Glen Stetter doubled Pete Tedeschi home for the final run of the game in the eighth.
The two teams meet Sunday in a night doubleheader.
Victoria ..... 020 200 000—4 9 0
Salem ........ 300 000 010—3 8 1
Hedgecock, Tierney (9) and Martin, Marcucci (4); Hemphill, Lew (5) and McKeegan.

SPOKANE, June 9—Spokane took a 2 to 0 lead in their four game Western International baseball league series with Yakima Saturday night, defeating the Bears 4 to 2.
Yakima ..... 010 000 010—2 8 1
Spokane .... 000 020 20x—4 6 0
Zidich and Tiesiera; Rockey and Nulty.

WEMATCHEE, June 9—George Nicholas limited Wenatchee to six hits to give Vancouver a 7 to 1 victory Saturday night in a Western International league baseball game.
Wenatchee opened the scoring with a síngle run in the first inning. In the second, Ray Tran and John Ritchey singled for the Caps, both scoring when the Wenatchee outfield played at Alphonse and Gaston on Nicholas' outfield fly. It fell for a double and Nicholas later scored on an error.
Vancouver .... 031 000 120—7 14 1
Wenatchee .... 100 000 000—1 6 4
Nicholas and Ritchey; Gassaway and Neal.

Spokane Signs A New Hurler
SPOKANE, June 10 — The Spokane Indians signed a rookie pitcher and released another today. Gordon Palm, right hander who pitched this spring for North Idaho college of education was signed and Howie Martin, young Canadian pitcher, was given his outright release. Efforts by the Spokane club to farm Martin out failed.
Palm won eight games for North Idaho this spring. One of his best performances was against Spokane during spring training when he set the Indians down with only a couple of hits.

Yakima Purchases Caps Sacker
YAKIMA, Wash., June 10 — The Yakima Bears of the Western International league have purchased first baseman Earl Richmond, who bats and throws lefthanded.
Richmond was acquired in a deal with the Vancouver Capilanos.
Lee Riley, business manager of the Bears, announced he was leaving his position to return to his job as a theater manager here. Field manager Bill Brenner and Mrs. Edgar Mercy, secretary, will take over Riley's duties.

Marcucci Assumes WIL Batting Lead
TACOMA, Wash., — Lilio Marcucci of Victoria led Western International league hitters in games through Thursday, June 7, with a .370 mark, according to figures released by League President Robert Abel.
Vic Buccola of Tri-City and Bill White of Victoria were tied for the home run leadership with seven each, while Dick Sinovic of Vancouver led in runs-batted-in with 45.
The leading hitters:
                        AB H RBI  AVE
Marcucci, Victoria ....173 64 30 .370
Sinovic, Vancouver ... 185 68 45 .368
Pries, Victoria ...... 171 62 20 .363
Neal, Wenatchee ...... 160 61 17 .363
Kovenz, Tacoma ....... 156 55 21 .353
Moran, Tacoma ........ 194 68 35 .351
Buccola, Tri-City .... 168 59 30 .351

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [June 10/51]
If Clint Cameron ever decides to report to San Francisco the Braves search for a well-balanced outfield will be pushed harder than ever. Meanwhile, Cameron will still be with the club for some time. At least that's the way it looks right now.
It isn't that Clint doesn't want another shot at the Coast Leagues, but there are financial difficulties involved. A stipulation in the contract has to be ironed out and it may be that Clint will finish out the season here.
Well, about the only direction left for the Braves to go now is up, and they still have a good chance to finish near the top. It's still a long way from July 4, mythical turning point, of the league. Little by little the kinks' seem to be getting ironed out. For awhile, at the start of the season, the pitching seemed to be a problem, but the veteran arms are taking on new life as the sun gets warmer. One of the chief difficulties so far with the team seems to have been in getting
good pitching backed up by a solid hitting attack and fielding defense. When they do get that right combination, they are on a par with any other team in the league.
STILL SOME PROBLEMS
But you can look for more new faces before too many more weeks go by. Obviously if Cameron leaves, at least one, and possibly more, outfielders will be added. And just what the situation at third base will be is still doubtful. In young Sam Kanelos the Braves have a good leather man. But once again manager Charlie Peterson has the problem of whether to settle for a stronger defense at that position, or for a stronger offense.

Friday, June 8, 1951

               W  L  Pct
Vancouver ... 35 13 .729
Spokane ..... 31 19 .620
Salem ....... 23 25 .479
Yakima ...... 21 25 .457
Victoria .... 21 27 .438
Tacoma ...... 21 28 .429
Tri-City .... 19 26 .422
Wenatchee ... 21 29 .402

WENATCHEE, Wash., June 8—Bob Snyder looks like the Western International League’s surest bet for a 20-game winning season.
Friday night, the lean Vancouver righthander passed the halfway mark as the circuit-leading Capilanos took a 4-2 decision over Wenatchee Chiefs, their second in as many nights.
The veteran Snyder, anchor of the Vancouver mound staff for several seasons who dipped below the 20-win mark in 1950, has been beaten only once this year and won 11. And Tommy Thompson’s Wenatchee club never looked like it would damage that record on Friday.
The Chiefs touched Snyder for only five hits, and collected their two runs on one fourth-inning burst. The damage was done by Will Hafey, who homered with Walt Pocekay aboard.
But the Caps already salted away the game on a four-run rally in the third. Gordy Brunswick’s triple and Charlie Mead’s double were the big blows, but all the runs were unearned.
Little Tom Breisinger, the Wenatchee pitcher, turned in a performance good enough to win the average game. He yielded only eight hits, and, like Snyder, he had eight strikeouts. But the front-running Vancouver club still beat him.
Vancouver .... 004 000 000—4 8 1
Wenatchee .... 000 200 000—2 5 1
Snyder and Ritchey; Breisinger and Neal.

SALEM [Victoria Colonist, June 9]—Victoria Athletics jumped to the top of the second division in the Western International League last night behind the pitching and batting of slim Jim Propst.
The slender southpaw had his fastball hopping and turned in his second successive three-hit job as the A’s edged Salem Senators 2-1 in the opener of a four-game series. A sweep of the series will put the A’s in third place, ahead of the Senators whom they now trail by two games.
In fashioning his second straight victory and third of the season, Propst struck out nine and walked six but weakened again in the ninth. Big John Marshall came in with two out and the tying run on third and forced Bill Beard to ground out to shortstop Bob Sturgeon.
The A’s have now won six games in June and Propst, Bill Osborn and John Tierney have accounted for all of them, winning two each.
Propst gave up a single to Pete Tedeschi in the first and another one-base knock to Glen Stetter in the sixth. He had a two-hit shutout going into the ninth when Curt Schmidt singled after Stetter had opened the inning with a walk to put Propst in trouble. The runners were advanced by a sacrifice. Pinch-hitter George McDonald grounded to Sturgeon in deep short but there was no time to make a play at the plate. Stetter scored and Schmidt moved to third as McDonald was thrown out at first. Then Marshall came in and retired the final batter.
Propst batted in the winning run in the sixth when he singled with two out to drive in Bill White, who opened the inning with a double, from second. Singles by Marv Diercks and Don Pries and Lilio Marcucci’s long fly sent in Diercks with the first run in the firsi inning.
Victoria .... 100 000 100—2 8 0
Salem ....... 000 000 001—1 3 0
Propst, Marshall (8) and Martin; McNulty and Beard.

SPOKANE, June 8 — Maynard Park, Spokane's newly-acquired southpaw from Great Falls, Mont, turned in a brilliant relief job Friday night to take credit for Spokane's 6 to 5 win over Yakima. Park pitched one-hit ball after taking over from John Conant in the sixth inning with one man out.
Yakima .... 012 002 000— 5 9 1
Spokane ... 301 100 10x— 6 8 2
Thompson, Del Sarto (1), Anderson (6) and Tiesiera; Conant, Park (6) and Sheets.

Tacoma —12 18 2
Tri-City —11 6 4
Clark and Watson; Nicholas, Michelson () and Pesut.
LINESCORE UNAVAILABLE [not in Vancouver Sun, Province or Victoria Colonist]

Thursday, June 7, 1951

               W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver ... 34 13 .723 —
Spokane ..... 30 19 .613 5
Salem ....... 23 24 .489 11
Yakima ...... 21 24 .467 13
Victoria .... 21 27 .438 13½
Tri-City .... 19 25 .432 13½
Wenatchee ... 21 28 .429 14
Tacoma ...... 27 27 .428 14

VANCOUVER, B.C., June 7 — Vancouver Capilanos Thursday night traded out of the ramshackle, 38-year-old Capilano stadium for the last time—and they left as winners.
The Caps rallied for two runs in the 11th inning to nip Wenatchee Chiefs 10-8 and end the rain-abbreviated, two-game series at one game apiece.
Despite 16 hits by the winners and 13 by the losers, only four pitchers saw action. Winner Bill Whyte relieved star Carl Gunnarson in the eighth. Lou Tost, who took over from Al Treichel in the seventh, took the loss.
- - - -
VANCOUVER [Erwin Swangard, Sun, June 8]—Vancouver Capilanos bowed out of old Athletic Park Thursday night and not even a top Hollywood writer could have composed a more dramatic script for their farewell appearance.
For a while at least, it looked as if Caps’ board of strategy was determined to hand Wenatchee Chiefs a much-appreciated goodbye gift in the form of a victory—that was before catcher John Ritchey belted a tremendous homer over the right field fence in the 11th inning.
As baseball games go Thursday night, played before some 2000 shivering fans, had a little bit of everything, topped off by:
1. Gordon Brunswick’s daring steal home in the sixth inning.
2. Two wind-swept homers by Lil Arnerich and Jim Marshall of the visitors.
3. Vancouver’s own Bill Whyte’s one-hit relief pitching over four innings and his long game-tying single in the ninth.
4. Capilanos’ fantastic base-running in that ninth which probably robbed them of a chance to win the game right then and there.
COME FROM BEHIND
At that the Caps came from far behind. They trailed 5-1 after five innings as pitcher Carl Gunnarson presented no puzzle to the Chiefs batters. They tied the score at 6-6 in the sixth.
They were behind once more in the seventh, 8-7. Whyte’s single off the right centre field screen sent Reno Cheso home with the equalizer in the ninth.
On the same play, Ritchey was waved to home plate all the way from first. He was a sitting duck on the relay. Meanwhile, Whyte had made it to second which would have left the Caps with runners at second and third and one away if Ritchey had been held up at third.
As it was McGuire struck out and the teams had to play two more extra innings. Ritchey clouted one of Lou Post’s [sic] special deliveries right on the nose with Cheso once more aboard. That ball is probably still going. The Chiefs outfielders didn’t even bother to watch its flight. They just came trotting in.
FAST START
Meanwhile as workmen started dismantling seats for the move to the new Stadium in Little Mountain, general manager Bob Brown announced first baseman Earl Richmond had been sold outright to Yakima Bears and pitcher Bob Brunner [sic] would join the Caps next week.
Caps left today for a four-game series at Wenatchee and a three-game series at Tri-City before returning here Friday, June 15 for the grand opening at Little Mountain.
Who will pitch that opening game? Either Bob Snyder or George Nicholas.
Wenatchee ...... 200 301 200 00— 8 16 1
Vancouver ....... 100 023 101 02—10 17 1
Triechel, Tost (7) and Neal, Gunnarson, Whyte (8) and Ritchey.

YAKIMA, June 7 — Ted Savarese and Bill Boemler combined to notch the Yakima Bears to a twin victory over Spokane in a Western International League baseball double-header Thursday night.
Savarese space eight hits to take the seven-inning opener 5 to 1. Boemler allowed 11 hits in the nightcap but was tight in the pinches to chalk up a 3 to 2 victory.
Bill Andring's single chased home two Yakima runs in the fourth inning of the second game and Mike Baxes' single drove in the third Yakima tally. Spokane scored a single run in the sixth on singles by Steve Mesner, Ken Richardson and Jim Wert. Spokane tallied another in the ninth on singles by Wert, Jim Brown and Ed Murphy.
First Game
Spokane ..... 000 000 1— 1 8 0
Yakima ....... 100 013 x— 5 9 0
Wyatt, Roberts (5), Richardson and Sheets; Savarese and Brenner.
Second Game
Spokane ..... 000 001 001— 2 11 0
Yakima ....... 000 200 10x— 3 9 0
Bishop and Sheets; Boemler and Tiesiera.

TACOMA, June 7 — Supported by five double plays the Salem Senators behind pitcher Aldon Wilkie defeated Tacoma 5 to 0. Wilkie spaced eight hits and was in trouble only m the second inning when Tacoma had runners on second and third with one out. Two outfield flies got Wilkie out of the jam.
Tom Kipp, Tacoma left-hander, was the loser.
Salem ........ 003 101 000—5 11 1
Tacoma ..... 000 000 000—0 8 0
Wilkie and McKeegan, Kipp, Barta (5) and Lundberg.

END COMES QUIETLY
No Tears as Athletic Park Shuts Gates for Last Time
By DAN EKMAN [Vancouver Sun, June 8, 1951]
For Bob Brown, Thursday was a longer working day than usual. The extra-inning ball game had set back his office routine, and only now, at 11:35 p.m., the last well-wishers and the last players wanting expense money were gone. But there were still a couple of things to do.
Seated at his ancient rolltop desk in the tiny office, its walls brightened with calendars and yellowing team pictures and a 1907 Northwestern League pennant, he checked out the attendance report. Then he glanced over the list of future reservations and gave the same to a late-phoning fan. The night watchman came by to chat, said goodnight and continued on his rounds. And so the long day finished.
Down came the top of the rolltop desk. Bob pushed back the chair, put on his coat. He glanced around once, snapped off the light switch and went out. At 11:42 p.m., he locked the front office door, and as simply as that a 39-year chapter in Vancouver’s athletic history was closed.
• • •
It was a night for Auld Lang Syne at Athletic Park, but the old redhead left with few regrets. “Five weeks ago it would have been tough to leave,” he admitted. But since the second fire, without our old main grandstand and without the gym, it hasn’t been the same.
“No, I’m not sorry to go. These past few years, it’s been as bad for us to try to do business here as it’s been for fans having to watch their baseball here.
• • •
Nearly everybody felt the same way, but there were a few exceptions. The home owners around Fifth and Hemlock, for instance, were losing the little extra income that came their way each summer when they opened their back yards to car parking.
“It wasn’t a lot, but it paid the taxes,” said G.W. Linge [photo at left]. He has owned the corner house at 1402 West 5th for the past six years, but now he’s moving, too. “The city bought us out,” he explained. “I guess our lot will be part of the approach to the Granville Street bridge in a couple of years.”
• • •
In the lofty old houses that line Sixth Avenue there were a few regrets, too, because the free show was over. Last night, the cold and blustery weather kept most of the bird’s eye viewers indoors, but one hardy foursome, bundled under blankets, was watching without paying for the last time. After June 15, perhaps, the rooftop squad will gather on the northern slope of Little Mountain to watch their baseball.
For some of the regulars, the changeover to 33rd and Ontario means simply taking a different bus route each night. Don Kruissen, the 14-year-old scoreboard boy, thought he’d be out of a job when he heard that the board in the new stadium will be an electric job.
“But I found they’ll still need two boys behind it,” reported Don. “So I guess I’ll still be working, even though I won’t get such a good view of the games.”
• • •
For H.O. Hammond, the switch means just another gate to be watched [photo at right with Shriner W.J. Kirby of Rocky Mtn. House]. He’s the cheerful little man who has taken tickets at the reserved seat entrance for 19 years.
“I’m going to be on the pass gate at the new park,” says the 77-year-old stripling who kept an eye on another pass . . . the Khyber in India for 21 years as a British Army regular. “I’ll meet the same old friends each night, I suppose.”
• • •
The concession people can hardly wait to open for business [unreadable] where all hands don’t have to breathe in rhythm to save space. They’ve operated for the last time out of the ten-by-ten commissary. At the new stadium, Bob Sinclair will patrol a 40-foot counter, restocking his hog-dog setters, and boss Eddie Lamoreux will direct the operation by intercom, yet, from a seat high in the bleachers.
• • •
Sentiment? Famous last words. They were hard to find last night. Secretly, maybe, Bob Brown felt a twinge; for he was there at 3:15 on the afternoon of April the 18th in 1913 to open the glistening new park he’d carved out of the Fairview brush.
But during the seventh-inning stretch, when they asked the crowd to sing “Auld Lange Syne” instead of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” hardly anyone joined in. The record scratched to a finish, everybody sat down and a beacherite shouted:
“Awright, awright—let’s go.”
WILfan note: Harry Octavius Hammond died in Vancouver on July 15, 1956 at age 82.

Dewey Soriano Goes to Sea
SEATTLE, June 8 — Dewey Soriano has swapped his base ball uniform for seagoing togs.
Soriano, 31, former pitcher-president of the Yakima Bears in the Western International baseball league, signed with the Alaska Steamship company yesterday as a third mate. He will sail north next Wednesday on the S. S Alaska.
Soriano recently obtained his release from the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast league. Earlier in the season, he was with the Seattle Rainiers, the club that gave him his start in professional baseball ten years ago. The Rainiers had also released him.

NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Pittsburg Club Gives Up, No Support
PITTSBURG, Calif., June 7 (UP) — The Pittsburgh Diamonds, present leaders of the Far West baseball league, have announced they will give up their franchise owing to lack of support at the games by home town fans.
Vincent A. Dazi, owner of the club, said gate receipts for home games have been less than half the amount needed to keep the team out of the red — despite the fact that his club is leading the league by 3½ games.
League President Jerry Donovan said the franchise has been offered to a group in Albany, Ore., and he hoped for an answer today. The franchise will revert to league ownership and a five-team schedule will be played the remainder of the season if nobody takes the place of Pitisburgh.
It was estimated that Dazi lost at least $75,000 in operating the Diamonds the past 2½ years. He spent thousands on new lighting and other park improvements, yet continued to take a beating at the gate for home games.
The league decision to play home games this year with the home club keeping all receipts only added to the troubles for Pittsburg. In the past they could count on a flat $100 per game guarantee on the road. Dazi said that attendance at home this year was averaging less than 250 persons.