Cap Catcher Top Hitter, Holder Wins Hurling Title
TACOMA, Sept. 6—John Ritchey, Vancouver catcher, is the Western International League batting champion with a .346 average, four points ahead of his nearest rival, and Spokane’s Jim Holder, who finished with a 14-2 won-lost record, wears the pitching crown, it was disclosed in final unofficial averages released today from the office of President Robert B. Abel.
Chasing Ritchey down to the wire was a teammate, outfielder Dick Sinovic, who finished at .342.
Holder’s closest competition came from Pete Hernandez of Vancouver, who emerged with a 17-4 record, and in third place at 27-7 was Vancouver’s Bob Snyder, who won three times in the last five days to see a new league record for total triumphs.
WHIFFED 209
The league strikeout king is Tom Breisinger, Wenatchee southpaw, who whiffed 209, while the 176 walks issued by John Marshall, Victoria-Spokane righthander, was another high for the circuit.
Will Hafey of Wenatchee won the home run championship with 24, far ahead of the runner-up, Tri-City’s Buddy Peterson, with 13.
Sinovic wound up with the runs-batted-in title with a total of 113, one more than Spokane’s Jim Wert.
The 10 leading batters (based on 400 times at bat):
G AB H RBI HR Ave
Ritchey, Van ..... 137 451 156 86 7 .346
Sinovic, Van ..... 144 464 193 113 7 .342
Vanni, Spo ....... 136 588 195 62 1 .332
Peterson, T-C .... 127 483 160 95 13 .331
Wert, Spo ........ 142 544 117 112 1 .325
Pries, Vic ....... 143 540 174 60 4 .322
Richardson, Spo .. 126 435 140 108 12 .322
Arnerich, Yak .... 109 405 129 41 2 .319
Baxes, Yak ....... 143 531 169 69 9 .318
Mesner, Spo ...... 132 492 156 94 3 .317
The 10 leading pitchers (based on 10 decisions):
IP SO BB W L Pct.
Holder, Spo ....... 127 61 91 11 2 .846
Hernandez, Van .... 193 78 99 17 4 .810
Snyder, Van ....... 303 116 90 27 7 .794
Barrett, Vic-Yak .. 109 48 52 10 4 .714
G. Nicholas ....... 214 68 73 15 8 .625
Conant, Spo ....... 248 83 77 16 9 .640
Bishop, Spo ....... 240 62 87 16 9 .640
Bevens, Sal ....... 264 126 103 20 12 .625
DeGeorge, Sal ..... 217 83 96 16 10 .615
McNulty, Sal ...... 191 78 64 14 9 .600
WIL All-Star Club
TACOMA, Sept. 8—Pennant-winning Spokane and the second-place Vancouver Capilanos dominated the 1951 Western International League All-star team, announced Saturday by President Robert B. Abel.
Spokane placed four players on the “dream” club, picked by sportswriters and radio announcers in member cities, while Vancouuver landed three berths. Fourth-place Wenatchee gained two places and last-place Tri-City Braves, one.
The All-Star team:
John Ritchey, Vancouver, catcher; Jim Wert, Spokane, first base; Jimmy Brown, Spokane, second base; Buddy Peterson, Tri-City, shortstop; Ken Richardson, Spokane, third base; Ed Murphy, Spokane, Dick Sinovic, Vancouver and Will Hafey, Wenatchee, outfielders; Bob Snyder, Vancouver, right-handed pitcher; and Tom Breisinger, Wenatchee, left-handed pitcher.
Lone winner of an individual championship overlooked in the selection was Spokane’s Jim Holder, whose 11-2 won-lost record made him the pitching percentage titlist. Holder was passed in favor of Snyder, whose 27 victories established a new league record.
Ritchey captured the league batting crown with a .346 mark, Sinovic was the runner-up at .342 and led in runs batted in with 113. Hafey was the home run king with 24, and Breisinger was the strikeout pace-setter with 209 as well as the owner of the best won-lost record among southpaws.
Caps Attract 164,027 To Lead Loop Attendance
TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 14—Vancouver Capilanos, barely edged out of the Western International League pennant by Spokane Indians, led the circuit in attendance by a comfortable margin, final official totals released by Robert B. Abel, W.I.L. president showed today.
Capilanos attracted 164,027 customers, an increase of more than 65,000 over 1950, against Spokane’s 145,739, which was likewise better than last year’s 116,503.
Third-place Salem played before 103,976 customers against 56,935 last year.
Because of banner seasons at Vancouver, Spokane and Salem, league attendance total was off less than 70,000 from a year ago, as against a somewhat darker national trend. The W.I. aggregate was 715,155 this year, 782,076 in 1950.
After two pennant-winning seasons in a row, Yakima Bears dropped to fifth and suffered the largest decline in patronage, dropping to 60,019 from 117,790. Percentage loss was greatest in Tacoma, where the final 1951 count was 42,463 compared with 85,777 last year.
Victoria dropped from 110,317 to 69,850, Wenatchee from 105,501 to 64,482 and Tri-City from 91,797 to 64,599.
Final Stats Released
[Victoria Colonist, Nov. 7, 1951]
Victoria Athletics finished in sixth place in team batting, according to official Western International League averages released yesterday by the Howe News Bureau.
The A’s compiled a team average of .269, 23 points less than the pace-setting Spokane Indians. Other averages were: Vancouver .285, Wenatchee .281, Tri-City .277, Tacoma .277, Salem .264 and Yakima .263.
The A’s led in two departments—most doubles, 245, and most home runs, 54, which was equalled by the Wenatchee Chiefs.
Other leaders were: most at-bats, Vancouver, 4,975; most runs scored, Spokane, 860, most opposition runs, Tri-City, 851; least opposition runs, Vancouver, 584; most hits, Vancouver, 1,421; most total bases, Vancouver, 1,894; most triples, Spokane, 70; most sacrifice hits, Tacoma 118; most stolen bases, Spokane, 187; most walks, Spokane, 809; most hit batsmen, Tacoma, 40; most strikeouts, Wenatchee, 642; least strikeouts, Vancouver, 447; most left on bases, Spokane, 1286; most runs batted in, Spokane, 755.
CLAIM OFFICIAL
John Ritchey’s claim to the individual batting title was made official. The Vancouver catcher compiled a season average of .346, four points better than Dick Sinovic, and drew the most walks, 126.
Sinovic was top man in total bases, 288; triples, 17, and R.B.I.’s, 115. Edo Vanni of Spokane had the most hits, 195, and Butch Moran of Tacoma hit the most doubles, 40. Will Hafey of Wenatchee was undisputed home run leader with 24, and Hal Jackson of Victoria struck out the most times, 78.
Eddie Murphy of Spokane set a new stolen base record, 90, scored the most runs, 124, and tied with Jose Bache of Tacoma as the batter hit the most times, 11.
Sal DeGeorge of Salem topped pitchers in earned run averages with a mark of 2.57 in 217 innings. Jim Holder of Spokane had the best percentage, .846 on 11 victories and two defeats; Bob Snyder set a new league record of 27 wins and Tom Breisinger of Wenatchee led in strikeouts with 210.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Post-Season Exhibition
ENTERTAINERS ’STEAL’ BASEBALL FINALE
Caps ‘Champ’ Musicians, Too
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Daily Province, Sept. 6]—Everybody in baseball uniform got their names into the box score at Capilano Stadium’s “Players Appreciation Night” Wednesday, but the favorites of the 1823 paying customers at the Western International League’s 1951 finale were the members of the Caps’ singing quintet.
In a delightful short program of entertainment proceeding the game between the Caps and a pick-up team of Salem and Victoria players—all proceeds going to the players—stars turned out to be mouth-organist Jerry Barta, Carl Gunnarson, K Chorlton, George Nicholas of Vancouver, and Victoria’s ukelele-strumming Bill White.
These musicians brought the house down. Then they and their 26 other associates who eventually got into the box score put on a good ball game for the fans, which the All-Stars won 3-1, holding the Caps to four hits.
Other features of the pre-game entertainment included:
An announcement by Capilanos’ president N.C.K. Wills, that the club will contribute a sizeable cheque to the players’ pool from the league, a bonus which they will receive in compensation for lost returns as a result of cancellation of the post-season playoff.
Victory by Vancouver’s John Ritchey in the catcher’s accuracy throwing contest. He projected two of three throws from the plate right into the target, a washtub on second base.
K Chorlton outsped Salem’s Gene Tanselli and John Kovenz in a 100-yard dash. Jerry Barta, Ronnie Smith, Jim Hedgecock of Victoria, and Bill Schuster finished 1-2-3 in that order in fungo-hitting, a field apparently dominated by pitchers.
Dick Sinovic and Ritchey each won a suit of clothes for tying in the Caps’ 1951 home-run derby. Each hit 7.
It was a good baseball game. There were several great defensive players as the ballplayers hustled to please the crowd.
R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager, eulogized the season for the crowd over the loudspeaker system, declaring “We have a ball club we think is still the best in the league, and a pitcher, Bob Snyder, who, with 27 winds, has more ball games this season than any other pitcher in organized baseball.”
All-Stars ….. 010 002 000—3 11 1
Vancouver … 000 000 100—1 4 1
Hedgecock, DeGeorge (4), Osborn (8) and McKeegan; Tisnerat, Smith (3), Barta (4), McLean (5), Whyte (6), Gunnarson (7), Robertson (8), Sinovic (9) and Ritchey, Cheso (6)
All Stars Fail For Fernandez; Snyder Today
SALEM, Sept. 7—Salem defeated the Western International League all-stars 4-2 in an exhibition ball game here Friday night.
Saturday, Bob Snyder, Vancouver pitcher, with a record of 27 games won, will pitch for the All-Stars. Bill Bevens, 20-game winner, will pitch for Salem.
Stars ….. 010 010 000—2 9 2
Salem … 001 300 00x—4 7 2
Hernandez, Hedgecock (6) and Cheso; DeGeorge and McKeegan.
Caps ‘Champ’ Musicians, Too
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Daily Province, Sept. 6]—Everybody in baseball uniform got their names into the box score at Capilano Stadium’s “Players Appreciation Night” Wednesday, but the favorites of the 1823 paying customers at the Western International League’s 1951 finale were the members of the Caps’ singing quintet.
In a delightful short program of entertainment proceeding the game between the Caps and a pick-up team of Salem and Victoria players—all proceeds going to the players—stars turned out to be mouth-organist Jerry Barta, Carl Gunnarson, K Chorlton, George Nicholas of Vancouver, and Victoria’s ukelele-strumming Bill White.
These musicians brought the house down. Then they and their 26 other associates who eventually got into the box score put on a good ball game for the fans, which the All-Stars won 3-1, holding the Caps to four hits.
Other features of the pre-game entertainment included:
An announcement by Capilanos’ president N.C.K. Wills, that the club will contribute a sizeable cheque to the players’ pool from the league, a bonus which they will receive in compensation for lost returns as a result of cancellation of the post-season playoff.
Victory by Vancouver’s John Ritchey in the catcher’s accuracy throwing contest. He projected two of three throws from the plate right into the target, a washtub on second base.
K Chorlton outsped Salem’s Gene Tanselli and John Kovenz in a 100-yard dash. Jerry Barta, Ronnie Smith, Jim Hedgecock of Victoria, and Bill Schuster finished 1-2-3 in that order in fungo-hitting, a field apparently dominated by pitchers.
Dick Sinovic and Ritchey each won a suit of clothes for tying in the Caps’ 1951 home-run derby. Each hit 7.
It was a good baseball game. There were several great defensive players as the ballplayers hustled to please the crowd.
R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager, eulogized the season for the crowd over the loudspeaker system, declaring “We have a ball club we think is still the best in the league, and a pitcher, Bob Snyder, who, with 27 winds, has more ball games this season than any other pitcher in organized baseball.”
All-Stars ….. 010 002 000—3 11 1
Vancouver … 000 000 100—1 4 1
Hedgecock, DeGeorge (4), Osborn (8) and McKeegan; Tisnerat, Smith (3), Barta (4), McLean (5), Whyte (6), Gunnarson (7), Robertson (8), Sinovic (9) and Ritchey, Cheso (6)
All Stars Fail For Fernandez; Snyder Today
SALEM, Sept. 7—Salem defeated the Western International League all-stars 4-2 in an exhibition ball game here Friday night.
Saturday, Bob Snyder, Vancouver pitcher, with a record of 27 games won, will pitch for the All-Stars. Bill Bevens, 20-game winner, will pitch for Salem.
Stars ….. 010 010 000—2 9 2
Salem … 001 300 00x—4 7 2
Hernandez, Hedgecock (6) and Cheso; DeGeorge and McKeegan.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 1951
FINAL STANDINGS
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 93 49 .655 —
Vancouver ... 94 51 .648 ½
Salem ....... 74 68 .521 19
Wenatchee ... 68 75 .476 25½
Yakima ...... 63 80 .441 30½
Tacoma ...... 63 82 .434 31½
Victoria .... 62 83 .428 32½
Tri-City .... 58 87 .400 36½
VANCOUVER, Sept. 4—(CP)—Bob Snyder of the Vancouver Capilanos Tuesday night set a Western International League pitching record by winning his 27th game as the Caps closed out the season by blitzing the Spokane Indians 14-0.
Vancouver finished half a game behind Spokane, who won the pennant Saturday.
The Caps wasted no time teeing off on Spokane mound ace Jim Holter, who didn't last the first inning. Leadoff hitter K. Chorlton doubled. Two walks followed to fill the bases and Dick Sinovic singled.
The first frame carnage ended in a 6-0 lead for the Caps and they never stopped hitting. Charley Mead homered in the sixth with three.
Vancouver picked up single in the fifth, seventh and eighth.
Snyder, who threw a five-hitter, tied Bob Kerrigan's W.I.L. record Saturday night with his 26th victory. He was named most valuable player on the team. Negro catcher John Ritchey was named most popular.
- - - -
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Province, Sept. 5]—To all intents and purposes, Vancouver Capilanos today are the baseball champions of the Western International League. In my book they certainly are, after Tuesday night’s whopping 14-0 defeat of the official flag-winning Spokane Indians.
The victory had a three-fold significance.
1. It gave pitcher Bob Snyder his 27th win of the season, setting a new record.
2. It gave Vancouver actually MORE WINS this season than Spokane, the record now showing:
Spokane ....... 93 49 .654
Vancouver .... 94 51 .645
It rendered hollow any claim the Indians have to WIL supremacy, following the clean sweep of the three-game series here Monday and Tuesday by the Caps, in which they outscored Spokane 33-3 and outhit them 41-14.
There had been some suspicion following the Labour Day fiasco that Spokane had rolled over and played dead following their pennant-clinching week-end. This suspicion was dispelled Tuesday night when they sent their ace, Jim Holder (11 and 1 before the game) in to deprive Snyder of his record-breaking win.
The Caps disposed of him in the first inning, after bashing six runs and three hits off him. John Conant relieves him and the Brownies rested until the fifth and sixth [when they] went to work again, scoring five runs in the sixth on six hits, including Charlie Mead’s blow over the right field wall with two aboard.
They finished off with singletons off Dick Aubertin in the seventh and eighth, for a complete scuttling of the so-called WIL pennant winners.
“There is no doubt that they wanted to win that ball game,” said R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager after. “They started Holder, their ace, with the express purpose of stopping Snyder, and our club was just too powerful.
“Spokane had reached the point where they were breaking up after the flag drive pressure, and we beat them soundly.”
Capilano field manager Bill Schuster was equally convinced that the Indians went on the field with a serious purpose. “We heard that Aubertin was given instructions to loosen up some of the boys at the plate,” he said. “I told Snyder: ‘Bob, if that’s their game, you loosen up whoever tries THAT on us.”
It was a resounding baseball finale for the Caps. The sportswriters voted Snyder the club’s most valuable player for the season, and he responded by throwing a five-hitter at the Spokes.
The fans voted Johnny Ritchey their most valuable player, the hustling little catcher having led the polling all season.
Ritchey went hitless, but unofficial figures show he ended up as the league’s batting champion, with a final average of .344 (156 hits in 453 times at bat).
The Caps just threw too much wood at the Indians’ pitching staff From the first play of the ball game, when Eddie Murphy lost Chorlton’s high fly in the lights, there was little doubt among the 3500 paying customers that the Brownies were the better club.
The Caps close the baseball season tonight with a tussle against an “all-star” club picked from Victoria and Salem. All gate receipts will go to the players, in compensation for what they were deprived of when the league voted to cancel plans for a post-season playoff.
A pre-game novelty show is planned, including:
A 100-yard dash between K. Chorlton and Dick Faber.
Mouth organ music by Jerry Barta.
A catcher’s accuracy throwing contest.
Music by the Capilano trio (Carl Gunnarson, Barta and Chorlton), and by the whole club, rendering music the players sing while travelling the circuit in their bus.
A fungo hitting contest.
Spokane ......... 000 000 000— 0 5 0
Vancouver ...... 600 015 11x—14 16 0
Holden, Conant (1), Aubertin (7) and Sheets, Nulty (7); Synder and Ritchey.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 5]—By the time most sports-page readers have scanned these lines, every member of the 1951 Victoria Athletics will be homeward bound.
It may have been a glance at the standings, which show that the club wound up in seventh place, but whatever it was, the knowledge that they lost 11 of their last 13 games, or just plain homesickness, but whatever it was, the A’s wasted no time getting off Vancouver Island. Jim Hedgecock started the exodus by leaving on the midnight boat, his teammates all planned to leave early today.
They wound up the season a bit ingloriously last night by taking a 15-9 thumping from Salem Senators to end their last home stand with one victory in six games.
With nothing at stake, the players of both clubs fattened batting averages by shaking in 33 hits. From the Victoria standpoint, the feature was Bill White’s successful effort to finish the season with 100 runs batted in. The big outfielder batted in five last night with a home run and two singles to wind up with a total of 102 according to unofficial compilation.
It will be a lunch bucket and a time clock for most of the A’s in the off-season, with many planning to play some winter baseball. Just how many will be back next year, or if there is to be a next year for the A’s, remains to be seen, but this is what the A’s have in mind while waiting:
Ben Lorino—Straight home to North Hollywood and waiting lumber truck. Anxious to return to Victoria in 1952.
Milt Martin—No dallying on way to home in Vancouver, Wash., where he will look for a job. Would like to return.
John Tierney—Back to San Francisco home soonest. Hopes to spend off-season working for the post office department. Anxious to return.
Bill White—Home to Norwalk, Calif. Hopes to get job in Los Angeles school system working with youngsters with postural defects. Probably will return although disappointed with showing this season. Had hoped for good year and return to league in higher classification.
Hal Jackson—Heading for Torrance, Calif., where he will make decision whether to return to San Angelo, Texas, for department store employment or to go to Panama for winter baseball.
Marv Diercks—Plans two weeks in Portland before returning home to Laguna Beach, Calif. Plans indefinite. May operate service station or sell it and seek other employment. Would like to play second season in Victoria.
Bob Sturgeon—Driving to Sacramento with Bill Osborn, flying from there to home at Long Beach and immediate holiday in mountains with family. Plans indefinite. Had intended to pay in the Mexican League, will probably seek some off-season employment. Hopes the A’s will still be in the W.I.L. next April.
Bill Osborn—Wasted no time in reaching Sacramento home. Impending marriage of paramount importance, job-hunting next. Would like to come back here.
Don Pries—Flying to home in Alameda, Calif., where he will bite nails until some time in October when Mrs. Pries is due to present him with what he hopes will be left-handed hitting infielder. Will look for work, play winter baseball on Sundays. Would like another season in Victoria if unable to make the Coast League.
Gene Thompson—Leaving today with Mrs. Thompson and eight-month-old Tommy for home in Lynwood [sic] and job as truck driver.
Ben Jeffey—Straight to Los Angeles and date with draft board. Expects to be in U.S. army within a few week.
Jim Hedgecock—Plans to live in Oakland where he will work in laboratory for sugar company.
Bill Dunn—Returning to job as bartender in San Francisco. Not quite so definite about announced intention of hanging up spikes after fine finish at plate.
Rocco Cardinale—Going home at once to San Francisco. Plans from there indefinite.
Bill Carr—Straight to Vallejo home and hoped for job in shipyards. Promises to make better time on return trip.
Jim Clark—Almost became Victoria resident for winter months. Would have stayed but missed job of managing Strathcona Bowling Alleys. Now homeward bound for Santa Monica with plans for job of some sort and some winter baseball. Will be back if A’s play.
Jim Propst—Wasting no time in reaching home in Kansas City and job in ordnance plant.
Bill Prior—Remains at job with King’s Printers. Willing to play part-time baseball next season.
Salem ...... 040 041 141—15 17 2
Victoria .... 103 100 004— 9 16 1
Schmidt, Monroe (5) and Dana; Prior, Tierney (7), Jackson (9) and Cardinale.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 4—With shortstop Buddy Peterson leading the way, the Tri-City Braves Tuesday night waltzed to a 10-2 victory over Tacoma in a Western International league baseball game.
Tacoma ..... 100 001 000— 2 10 1
Tri-City ..... 002 132 02x—10 16 1
Schulte, Israel (1), Kipp (5) and Lundberg; McCollum and Pesut.
YAKIMA, Sept. 4—The Wenatchee Chiefs pushed across a run in the 10th inning Tuesday night to edge the Yakima Bears 4-3 in a Western International league baseball game.
Wenatchee tallied the run when Lyle Lake drew a walk and Tommy Breisinger doubled him home.
Wenatchee .... 102 000 000 1—4 9 2
Yakima .......... 001 002 000 0—3 9 1
Palmer and Pocekay; Brenner and Tiesiera.
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 93 49 .655 —
Vancouver ... 94 51 .648 ½
Salem ....... 74 68 .521 19
Wenatchee ... 68 75 .476 25½
Yakima ...... 63 80 .441 30½
Tacoma ...... 63 82 .434 31½
Victoria .... 62 83 .428 32½
Tri-City .... 58 87 .400 36½
VANCOUVER, Sept. 4—(CP)—Bob Snyder of the Vancouver Capilanos Tuesday night set a Western International League pitching record by winning his 27th game as the Caps closed out the season by blitzing the Spokane Indians 14-0.
Vancouver finished half a game behind Spokane, who won the pennant Saturday.
The Caps wasted no time teeing off on Spokane mound ace Jim Holter, who didn't last the first inning. Leadoff hitter K. Chorlton doubled. Two walks followed to fill the bases and Dick Sinovic singled.
The first frame carnage ended in a 6-0 lead for the Caps and they never stopped hitting. Charley Mead homered in the sixth with three.
Vancouver picked up single in the fifth, seventh and eighth.
Snyder, who threw a five-hitter, tied Bob Kerrigan's W.I.L. record Saturday night with his 26th victory. He was named most valuable player on the team. Negro catcher John Ritchey was named most popular.
- - - -
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Province, Sept. 5]—To all intents and purposes, Vancouver Capilanos today are the baseball champions of the Western International League. In my book they certainly are, after Tuesday night’s whopping 14-0 defeat of the official flag-winning Spokane Indians.
The victory had a three-fold significance.
1. It gave pitcher Bob Snyder his 27th win of the season, setting a new record.
2. It gave Vancouver actually MORE WINS this season than Spokane, the record now showing:
Spokane ....... 93 49 .654
Vancouver .... 94 51 .645
It rendered hollow any claim the Indians have to WIL supremacy, following the clean sweep of the three-game series here Monday and Tuesday by the Caps, in which they outscored Spokane 33-3 and outhit them 41-14.
There had been some suspicion following the Labour Day fiasco that Spokane had rolled over and played dead following their pennant-clinching week-end. This suspicion was dispelled Tuesday night when they sent their ace, Jim Holder (11 and 1 before the game) in to deprive Snyder of his record-breaking win.
The Caps disposed of him in the first inning, after bashing six runs and three hits off him. John Conant relieves him and the Brownies rested until the fifth and sixth [when they] went to work again, scoring five runs in the sixth on six hits, including Charlie Mead’s blow over the right field wall with two aboard.
They finished off with singletons off Dick Aubertin in the seventh and eighth, for a complete scuttling of the so-called WIL pennant winners.
“There is no doubt that they wanted to win that ball game,” said R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager after. “They started Holder, their ace, with the express purpose of stopping Snyder, and our club was just too powerful.
“Spokane had reached the point where they were breaking up after the flag drive pressure, and we beat them soundly.”
Capilano field manager Bill Schuster was equally convinced that the Indians went on the field with a serious purpose. “We heard that Aubertin was given instructions to loosen up some of the boys at the plate,” he said. “I told Snyder: ‘Bob, if that’s their game, you loosen up whoever tries THAT on us.”
It was a resounding baseball finale for the Caps. The sportswriters voted Snyder the club’s most valuable player for the season, and he responded by throwing a five-hitter at the Spokes.
The fans voted Johnny Ritchey their most valuable player, the hustling little catcher having led the polling all season.
Ritchey went hitless, but unofficial figures show he ended up as the league’s batting champion, with a final average of .344 (156 hits in 453 times at bat).
The Caps just threw too much wood at the Indians’ pitching staff From the first play of the ball game, when Eddie Murphy lost Chorlton’s high fly in the lights, there was little doubt among the 3500 paying customers that the Brownies were the better club.
The Caps close the baseball season tonight with a tussle against an “all-star” club picked from Victoria and Salem. All gate receipts will go to the players, in compensation for what they were deprived of when the league voted to cancel plans for a post-season playoff.
A pre-game novelty show is planned, including:
A 100-yard dash between K. Chorlton and Dick Faber.
Mouth organ music by Jerry Barta.
A catcher’s accuracy throwing contest.
Music by the Capilano trio (Carl Gunnarson, Barta and Chorlton), and by the whole club, rendering music the players sing while travelling the circuit in their bus.
A fungo hitting contest.
Spokane ......... 000 000 000— 0 5 0
Vancouver ...... 600 015 11x—14 16 0
Holden, Conant (1), Aubertin (7) and Sheets, Nulty (7); Synder and Ritchey.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Sept. 5]—By the time most sports-page readers have scanned these lines, every member of the 1951 Victoria Athletics will be homeward bound.
It may have been a glance at the standings, which show that the club wound up in seventh place, but whatever it was, the knowledge that they lost 11 of their last 13 games, or just plain homesickness, but whatever it was, the A’s wasted no time getting off Vancouver Island. Jim Hedgecock started the exodus by leaving on the midnight boat, his teammates all planned to leave early today.
They wound up the season a bit ingloriously last night by taking a 15-9 thumping from Salem Senators to end their last home stand with one victory in six games.
With nothing at stake, the players of both clubs fattened batting averages by shaking in 33 hits. From the Victoria standpoint, the feature was Bill White’s successful effort to finish the season with 100 runs batted in. The big outfielder batted in five last night with a home run and two singles to wind up with a total of 102 according to unofficial compilation.
It will be a lunch bucket and a time clock for most of the A’s in the off-season, with many planning to play some winter baseball. Just how many will be back next year, or if there is to be a next year for the A’s, remains to be seen, but this is what the A’s have in mind while waiting:
Ben Lorino—Straight home to North Hollywood and waiting lumber truck. Anxious to return to Victoria in 1952.
Milt Martin—No dallying on way to home in Vancouver, Wash., where he will look for a job. Would like to return.
John Tierney—Back to San Francisco home soonest. Hopes to spend off-season working for the post office department. Anxious to return.
Bill White—Home to Norwalk, Calif. Hopes to get job in Los Angeles school system working with youngsters with postural defects. Probably will return although disappointed with showing this season. Had hoped for good year and return to league in higher classification.
Hal Jackson—Heading for Torrance, Calif., where he will make decision whether to return to San Angelo, Texas, for department store employment or to go to Panama for winter baseball.
Marv Diercks—Plans two weeks in Portland before returning home to Laguna Beach, Calif. Plans indefinite. May operate service station or sell it and seek other employment. Would like to play second season in Victoria.
Bob Sturgeon—Driving to Sacramento with Bill Osborn, flying from there to home at Long Beach and immediate holiday in mountains with family. Plans indefinite. Had intended to pay in the Mexican League, will probably seek some off-season employment. Hopes the A’s will still be in the W.I.L. next April.
Bill Osborn—Wasted no time in reaching Sacramento home. Impending marriage of paramount importance, job-hunting next. Would like to come back here.
Don Pries—Flying to home in Alameda, Calif., where he will bite nails until some time in October when Mrs. Pries is due to present him with what he hopes will be left-handed hitting infielder. Will look for work, play winter baseball on Sundays. Would like another season in Victoria if unable to make the Coast League.
Gene Thompson—Leaving today with Mrs. Thompson and eight-month-old Tommy for home in Lynwood [sic] and job as truck driver.
Ben Jeffey—Straight to Los Angeles and date with draft board. Expects to be in U.S. army within a few week.
Jim Hedgecock—Plans to live in Oakland where he will work in laboratory for sugar company.
Bill Dunn—Returning to job as bartender in San Francisco. Not quite so definite about announced intention of hanging up spikes after fine finish at plate.
Rocco Cardinale—Going home at once to San Francisco. Plans from there indefinite.
Bill Carr—Straight to Vallejo home and hoped for job in shipyards. Promises to make better time on return trip.
Jim Clark—Almost became Victoria resident for winter months. Would have stayed but missed job of managing Strathcona Bowling Alleys. Now homeward bound for Santa Monica with plans for job of some sort and some winter baseball. Will be back if A’s play.
Jim Propst—Wasting no time in reaching home in Kansas City and job in ordnance plant.
Bill Prior—Remains at job with King’s Printers. Willing to play part-time baseball next season.
Salem ...... 040 041 141—15 17 2
Victoria .... 103 100 004— 9 16 1
Schmidt, Monroe (5) and Dana; Prior, Tierney (7), Jackson (9) and Cardinale.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 4—With shortstop Buddy Peterson leading the way, the Tri-City Braves Tuesday night waltzed to a 10-2 victory over Tacoma in a Western International league baseball game.
Tacoma ..... 100 001 000— 2 10 1
Tri-City ..... 002 132 02x—10 16 1
Schulte, Israel (1), Kipp (5) and Lundberg; McCollum and Pesut.
YAKIMA, Sept. 4—The Wenatchee Chiefs pushed across a run in the 10th inning Tuesday night to edge the Yakima Bears 4-3 in a Western International league baseball game.
Wenatchee tallied the run when Lyle Lake drew a walk and Tommy Breisinger doubled him home.
Wenatchee .... 102 000 000 1—4 9 2
Yakima .......... 001 002 000 0—3 9 1
Palmer and Pocekay; Brenner and Tiesiera.
Monday, September 3, 1951
W L PCT GB
Spokane .... 93 48 .660 —
Vancouver .. 93 51 .646 1½
Salem ...... 73 68 .518 20
Wenatchee .. 67 75 .472 26
Yakima ..... 63 79 .444 30½
Tacoma ..... 63 81 .437 31½
Victoria ... 62 82 .431 32½
Tri-City ... 57 88 .393 37
VANCOUVER, Sept. 4—The Caps waited until they had lost the pennant to splatter the new champions, Spokane Indians, against the fences of the new stadium which will not fly the flag in its first season as the home of the Brownies.
The Indians had not been in possession of their flag for 48 hours when the Caps turned the Labor Day double-bill watching by 8,000, into a fiasco.
They clouted the Spokes all over groundkeeper Gene Edlund’s perfect turf, winning the afternoon game 10-1 behind Vern Kindsfather’s four-hit pitching, and the night game 9-3, with Pete Hernandez winning his 17th on a five-hit job.
For the fans, the holiday double-header turned out to be a disappointment, as Spokane appeared to have left its vaunted power and hustle in Victoria [where it played last]. Only in the late innings of the night game did the Indians begin to behave like champions, after Eddie Murphy, Edo Vanni and Mel Wasley in the outfield had made a series of sparkling catches.
The Caps bashed 25 hits in two games off six Spokane pitchers, including third baseman Ken Richardson, who took one inning on the mound in the second game.
They burst into early leads in both games, and in the second were ahead 8-0 after three innings. They all hit in the first game except Johnny Ritchey, and all in the second except Hernandez. Kindsfather had a heavy day at the plate in his game, hitting three for four and batting in four runs. In the same game, K Chorlton batted four for five.
The Caps hustled afield as well, with Reno Cheso at third and Tran playing brilliantly. In the second game, Cheso, Jimmy Moore, Bobby McLean (who replaced Chuck Abernathy who hurt himself in the opener) and Tran pulled off three double plays, all of which were fast.
They close out the regular season at 8 p.m. at the Stadium tonight.
Wednesday night, R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager, announced the Caps will play a pick-up team from Salem with all proceeds going to the players.
First Game
Spokane ...... 000 001 000—1 4 1
Vancouver ... 130 014 01x—10 14 1
Rockey, Wyatt (6) and Nulty; Kindsfather and Ritchey.
Second game
Spokane ...... 000 000 200—2 5 1
Vancouver ... 341 000 10x—9 11 1
Aubertin, Marshall (2), Richardson (4), Roberts (5) and Sheets; Hernandez and Ritchey.
First Game
Salem ...... 100 100 030—5 14 2
Victoria .... 100 103 01x—6 8 1
Bevens and McKeegan; Lorino, Osborn (8) and Cardinale.
Second game
Salem ...... 231 000 0—6 8 0
Victoria .... 000 000 1—1 3 0
McNulty and Dana; Tierney, Hedgecock (3) and Cardinale.
First Game
Wenatchee .... 000 001 1—1 7 2
Yakima .......... 201 000 x—3 5 0
Breisinger and Roberson; Savarese and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 000 000 010—1 3 1
Yakima .......... 130 010 00x—5 13 1
Treichel and Roberson; Boemler and Tiesiera.
First Game
Tacoma ..... 000 200 0—2 6 0
Tri-City ..... 100 000 0—1 5 1
Clark and Lundberg; Zande and Pesut.
Second Game
Tacoma ..... 200 000 000 04—6 12 2
Tri-City ..... 000 000 002 02—4 10 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Nicholas and Pesut.
Spokane .... 93 48 .660 —
Vancouver .. 93 51 .646 1½
Salem ...... 73 68 .518 20
Wenatchee .. 67 75 .472 26
Yakima ..... 63 79 .444 30½
Tacoma ..... 63 81 .437 31½
Victoria ... 62 82 .431 32½
Tri-City ... 57 88 .393 37
VANCOUVER, Sept. 4—The Caps waited until they had lost the pennant to splatter the new champions, Spokane Indians, against the fences of the new stadium which will not fly the flag in its first season as the home of the Brownies.
The Indians had not been in possession of their flag for 48 hours when the Caps turned the Labor Day double-bill watching by 8,000, into a fiasco.
They clouted the Spokes all over groundkeeper Gene Edlund’s perfect turf, winning the afternoon game 10-1 behind Vern Kindsfather’s four-hit pitching, and the night game 9-3, with Pete Hernandez winning his 17th on a five-hit job.
For the fans, the holiday double-header turned out to be a disappointment, as Spokane appeared to have left its vaunted power and hustle in Victoria [where it played last]. Only in the late innings of the night game did the Indians begin to behave like champions, after Eddie Murphy, Edo Vanni and Mel Wasley in the outfield had made a series of sparkling catches.
The Caps bashed 25 hits in two games off six Spokane pitchers, including third baseman Ken Richardson, who took one inning on the mound in the second game.
They burst into early leads in both games, and in the second were ahead 8-0 after three innings. They all hit in the first game except Johnny Ritchey, and all in the second except Hernandez. Kindsfather had a heavy day at the plate in his game, hitting three for four and batting in four runs. In the same game, K Chorlton batted four for five.
The Caps hustled afield as well, with Reno Cheso at third and Tran playing brilliantly. In the second game, Cheso, Jimmy Moore, Bobby McLean (who replaced Chuck Abernathy who hurt himself in the opener) and Tran pulled off three double plays, all of which were fast.
They close out the regular season at 8 p.m. at the Stadium tonight.
Wednesday night, R.P. Brown, Capilano general manager, announced the Caps will play a pick-up team from Salem with all proceeds going to the players.
First Game
Spokane ...... 000 001 000—1 4 1
Vancouver ... 130 014 01x—10 14 1
Rockey, Wyatt (6) and Nulty; Kindsfather and Ritchey.
Second game
Spokane ...... 000 000 200—2 5 1
Vancouver ... 341 000 10x—9 11 1
Aubertin, Marshall (2), Richardson (4), Roberts (5) and Sheets; Hernandez and Ritchey.
First Game
Salem ...... 100 100 030—5 14 2
Victoria .... 100 103 01x—6 8 1
Bevens and McKeegan; Lorino, Osborn (8) and Cardinale.
Second game
Salem ...... 231 000 0—6 8 0
Victoria .... 000 000 1—1 3 0
McNulty and Dana; Tierney, Hedgecock (3) and Cardinale.
First Game
Wenatchee .... 000 001 1—1 7 2
Yakima .......... 201 000 x—3 5 0
Breisinger and Roberson; Savarese and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 000 000 010—1 3 1
Yakima .......... 130 010 00x—5 13 1
Treichel and Roberson; Boemler and Tiesiera.
First Game
Tacoma ..... 000 200 0—2 6 0
Tri-City ..... 100 000 0—1 5 1
Clark and Lundberg; Zande and Pesut.
Second Game
Tacoma ..... 200 000 000 04—6 12 2
Tri-City ..... 000 000 002 02—4 10 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Nicholas and Pesut.
Sunday, September 2, 1951
W L PCT GB
Spokane .... 93 46 .679 —
Vancouver .. 91 51 .641 3½
Salem ...... 72 67 .518 20½
Wenatchee .. 67 73 .479 26
Yakima ..... 61 79 .436 32½
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 33½
Tacoma ..... 61 81 .430 33½
Tri-City ... 57 85 .399 37½
KENNEWICK, Sept. 2— The Wenatchee Chiefs scored two runs in the seventh inning Sunday night to down the Tri-City Braves 5-3 in a Western International League baseball game.
Tommy Breisinger opened the inning with a double. Walt Pocekay then grounded out and Jim Marshall fanned but with two out, the Chiefs' offensive finally got going.
Will Hafey walked and Buddy Hjelmaa's single chased home a run. Hafey scored from third on a passed ball by catcher Nick Pesut. The Chiefs added an insurance run in the ninth.
Wenatchee ... 010 100 201—5 13 1
Tri-City ........ 200 001 000—3 5 0
Arnerich and Roberson; Costello and Pesut.
First Game
Tacoma .... 001 001 0—2 7 2
Yakima ..... 000 010 0—1 6 1
Kipp, Mishasek (7) and Lundberg; Wright, Powell (6) and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Tacoma ... 000 100 001—2 8 0
Yakima .... 000 100 14x—6 9 0
Knezovich, Mishasek (5) and Lundberg; Del Sarto and Tiesiera.
ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED
Spokane .... 93 46 .679 —
Vancouver .. 91 51 .641 3½
Salem ...... 72 67 .518 20½
Wenatchee .. 67 73 .479 26
Yakima ..... 61 79 .436 32½
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 33½
Tacoma ..... 61 81 .430 33½
Tri-City ... 57 85 .399 37½
KENNEWICK, Sept. 2— The Wenatchee Chiefs scored two runs in the seventh inning Sunday night to down the Tri-City Braves 5-3 in a Western International League baseball game.
Tommy Breisinger opened the inning with a double. Walt Pocekay then grounded out and Jim Marshall fanned but with two out, the Chiefs' offensive finally got going.
Will Hafey walked and Buddy Hjelmaa's single chased home a run. Hafey scored from third on a passed ball by catcher Nick Pesut. The Chiefs added an insurance run in the ninth.
Wenatchee ... 010 100 201—5 13 1
Tri-City ........ 200 001 000—3 5 0
Arnerich and Roberson; Costello and Pesut.
First Game
Tacoma .... 001 001 0—2 7 2
Yakima ..... 000 010 0—1 6 1
Kipp, Mishasek (7) and Lundberg; Wright, Powell (6) and Tiesiera.
Second Game
Tacoma ... 000 100 001—2 8 0
Yakima .... 000 100 14x—6 9 0
Knezovich, Mishasek (5) and Lundberg; Del Sarto and Tiesiera.
ONLY GAMES SCHEDULED
Saturday, September 1, 1951
W L PCT GB
Spokane .... 93 46 .679 —
Vancouver .. 91 51 .641 3½
Salem ...... 72 67 .518 20½
Wenatchee .. 66 73 .475 26½
Yakima ..... 60 78 .435 32½
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 33½
Tacoma ..... 60 80 .429 33½
Tri-City ... 57 84 .404 36½
VICTORIA, [Colonist, Sept. 2]—Two former members of Victoria Athletics helped give the Spokane Indians the W.I.L. championship yesterday and a third player joined with the pair to shove the A’s into sixth place, only a point ahead of Tacoma’s seventh place Tigers.
The Indians won the championship by taking two games from the A’s yesterday while Salem Senators broke even with Vancouver. It was John Marshall who stopped the A’s in the afternoon, 8-1, and it was Jim Wert, a 1950 Victorian, who scored the winning run in the 4-3 contest under the lights.
It was strictly no contest in yesterday’s first game as Marshall, as good as he had to be, shackled his one-time mates with an effective pitching job. He lost his shutout in the third inning on Jim Clark’s double and Gene Thompson’s single, gave up only two sixth-inning hits the rest of the way.
Spokane scored three times in the third with Ken Richardson’s two-run homer the big blow, and wound up with another trio in the ninth.
BEST GAME
The mazda tilt was by far the best with Bill Osborn stubbornly protecting the three-run lead his teammates gave him in the second until the sixth and then losing it in the ninth.
Indians cut the lead to one run in the fourth when Wert walked and later scored on Jim Brown’s triple. Brown counted when Ben Jeffey had trouble picking the ball up and then uncorked an aimless throw.
A neat, two-out bunt by Brown plated the tying run in the sixth and John Conant won his own game in the ninth by singling in Wert, who had led off with a single, moved up on a sacrifice by Brown, and held on as Bill Sheets skied out.
First Game
Spokane ..... 013 001 003—8 14 1
Victoria ...... 001 000 000—1 7 1
Marshall and Sheets; Propst and Cardinale.
Second Game
Spokane .... 000 201 001—4 9 1
Victoria ..... 030 000 000—3 8 1
Conant and Sheets; Osborn and Cardinale.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 1—The Vancouver Capilanos lost the Western International League title Saturday night, splitting with Salem 5-4 and 4-3, losing the second game on a heart-breaking eighth inning triple by Salem’s Dick Faber.
The Caps roared through the opening game, with Bob Snyder winning his 26th of the season, tying the league record set by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma in 1949.
Snyder started slowly and spotted Salem three runs in the first two innings, then settled down. Ronnie Smith relieved him in the seventh, but Snyder got credit for the win.
George Nicholas started the second game, with the pennant hopes riding on his shoulders. He went 2-0 in the first two innings, and by the seventh, was trailing 4-1.
The Caps, pecking away at Ludwig Lew’s pitching, got to him for three runs in the seventh after the fans had made their regular invocation to the baseball gods.
Then the play that lost the flag came.
Faber’s lashing liner drove straight for shortstop Ray Tran. Tran went down for it, but the ball caught the edge of the turf and skidded over his shoulder, through the outfield and out to the wall.
Bobby McGuire, playing his left field post, did not back Tran up on the play, and Faber ended up on third. He scored on Glen Stetter’s outfield fly.
First Game
Salem ........... 120 000 1—4 9 0
Vancouver ..... 012 002 x—5 8 1
Wilkie and McKeegan; Snyder, Smith (7) and Ritchey.
Second Game
Salem ............ 110 000 210—5 9 1
Vancouver ..... 000 100 300—4 6 0
Lew and Dana; Nicholas and Ritchey.
YAKIMA, Sept. 1—Kewpie Dick Barrett did double duty Saturday night for the Yakima Bears, pitching four-hit ball and driving in the winning run as the Bears edged Tacoma 1-0 in a Western International league baseball game.
Barrett scattered four hits and didn not allow a single walk as he racked up his 10th victory of the season against four losses.
Barrett faced only 28 batters. He singled in the only run in the ninth after the Tigers had walked a batter intentionally to get to him.
Tacoma .... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Yakima ..... 000 000 001—1 6 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Barrett and Tiesiera.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 1—The Tri-City Braves and the Wenatchee Chiefs split a doubleheader Saturday night. The Chiefs took the seven-inning opener 3-0 behind Charley Gassaway while Tri-City captured the nightcap 6-5 in ten innings.
First Game
Wenatchee .... 001 100 1—3 9 0
Tri-City ......... 000 000 0—0 5 0
Gassaway and Roberson; Brewer and Pesut.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 000 220 001 0—5 10 4
Tri-City ......... 000 011 012 1—6 14 1
Raimondi and Roberson; McCollum and Pesut.
Vanni Fined And Suspended For Rhubarb
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 2, 1951]
Spokane Indians won the W.I.L. pennant yesterday without the aid of Edo Vanni, their regular right-fielder.
Vanni was fined $15 and suspended indefinitely without pay for “gross misconduct” on orders of league president Bob Abel.
The incident which caused Vanni’s suspension and fine took place in the seventh inning of Friday’s game here when Vanni protested hotly to Umpire Joe Iacovetti over a called third strike. He had to be forcibly restrained by teammates, almost coming to blows with catcher Bill Sheets, and put on quite a display featuring gestures and obscene language.
Schuster’s Talented Caps All Set for Winter Work
By Jack DeLong [Vancouver Sun, Sept. 1, 1951]
They have been the darlings of Vancouver fandom for the past four months, mighty men of the diamond, beloved by their loyal supporters and respected by their foes.
After next Tuesday, they’ll be just student Bill, truck driver Dick, engineer Joe or carpenter Jack. We mean the members of the Vancouver Capilanos’ baseball team.
For now that there will no more playoffs in the Western International League, the Caps will be closing up shop in just three days.
Playing manager Bill Schuster—Bill plans to go back to work as general handyman at the 20th Century Fox movie studios in Hollywood until the umpire yells “Play ball” again next springs.
Dick Sinovic—The apple-pounding outfielder of Caps will have an operation for a stomach ailment performed as soon as gets home to Portland. Then he hopes to work in a Portland sporting goods store.
Jimmy Moore—This speedy Cap second sacker will go back to college in Compton, Calif., where he is majoring in physical education.
Bobby McGuire—This highly-useful outfielder is going back to coaching football, basketball and baseball at Pullman, Washington high school.
Carl Gunnarson—The home brew pitcher isn’t going anywhere to find a job, He’s got one right here in Vancouver as trainer for Coley Hall’s Canucks in the Pacific Coast Hockey League.
Reno Cheso—This good infielder and utility man returns to his home in San Mateo, Calif., to resume his work as a plasterer.
K. Chorlton—The smooth outfielder is going to finish a college course in general business administration in Seattle.
Ray Tran—The hardworking popular shortstop will be back at his job as a construction workerm in his home town of Anaheim, Calif.
Chuck Abernathy—The Mr. Big who went over big at first base for Caps will just plain look forward to a job when he gets home to Los Angeles.
Sandy Robertson—Another Vancouver boy who has pitched well for the Caps. Sandy will be right back at his old job of consulting engineer in the old home town.
John Ritchey—This popular catcher and hitting pepperpot doesn’t know just what he’ll do in the off-season yet beyond returning to his San Diego home.
Ronald Smith—Pitcher is going to run a restaurant and cocktail lounge in Glendale, Calif. He’ll also play some winter ball in the fast California winter league.
Bob McLean—McLean is another Cap pitcher who’ll hit out for California and resume his job as an electrical worker.
Bob Snyder—The league’s leading righthander will soon be back behind the wheel of a big trailer truck in Reno, Nevada.
Pete Hernandez—Here’s another Cap pitching ace who is going home to Oakland, Calif. Where he hopes to resume his job at an airport.
Charlie Mead—The fleet Cap outfielder will work as a carpenter this winter in Pasadena, Calif. George Nicholas—The good Cap righthanded moundsman is going to work as a clothes cutter in a large Los Angeles manufacturing plant.
Gordie Brunswick—Best known as the chap who filled in for injured Bill Schuster at third base for most of the season, Brunswick will return to his home in Tacoma and look around for a job.
Vern Kindsfather—The come-lately to the Cap pitching staff will go back to college in Portland where he is taking a course in physical education.
Reg Wallis—The popular trainer of the Caps has already left for Penticton and a winter’s job as manager of the Penticton Arena.
Jerry Barta—Pitcher Barta will be back at university in Portland on a physical education course and refereeing basketball.
Spokane .... 93 46 .679 —
Vancouver .. 91 51 .641 3½
Salem ...... 72 67 .518 20½
Wenatchee .. 66 73 .475 26½
Yakima ..... 60 78 .435 32½
Victoria ... 61 81 .430 33½
Tacoma ..... 60 80 .429 33½
Tri-City ... 57 84 .404 36½
VICTORIA, [Colonist, Sept. 2]—Two former members of Victoria Athletics helped give the Spokane Indians the W.I.L. championship yesterday and a third player joined with the pair to shove the A’s into sixth place, only a point ahead of Tacoma’s seventh place Tigers.
The Indians won the championship by taking two games from the A’s yesterday while Salem Senators broke even with Vancouver. It was John Marshall who stopped the A’s in the afternoon, 8-1, and it was Jim Wert, a 1950 Victorian, who scored the winning run in the 4-3 contest under the lights.
It was strictly no contest in yesterday’s first game as Marshall, as good as he had to be, shackled his one-time mates with an effective pitching job. He lost his shutout in the third inning on Jim Clark’s double and Gene Thompson’s single, gave up only two sixth-inning hits the rest of the way.
Spokane scored three times in the third with Ken Richardson’s two-run homer the big blow, and wound up with another trio in the ninth.
BEST GAME
The mazda tilt was by far the best with Bill Osborn stubbornly protecting the three-run lead his teammates gave him in the second until the sixth and then losing it in the ninth.
Indians cut the lead to one run in the fourth when Wert walked and later scored on Jim Brown’s triple. Brown counted when Ben Jeffey had trouble picking the ball up and then uncorked an aimless throw.
A neat, two-out bunt by Brown plated the tying run in the sixth and John Conant won his own game in the ninth by singling in Wert, who had led off with a single, moved up on a sacrifice by Brown, and held on as Bill Sheets skied out.
First Game
Spokane ..... 013 001 003—8 14 1
Victoria ...... 001 000 000—1 7 1
Marshall and Sheets; Propst and Cardinale.
Second Game
Spokane .... 000 201 001—4 9 1
Victoria ..... 030 000 000—3 8 1
Conant and Sheets; Osborn and Cardinale.
VANCOUVER, Sept. 1—The Vancouver Capilanos lost the Western International League title Saturday night, splitting with Salem 5-4 and 4-3, losing the second game on a heart-breaking eighth inning triple by Salem’s Dick Faber.
The Caps roared through the opening game, with Bob Snyder winning his 26th of the season, tying the league record set by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma in 1949.
Snyder started slowly and spotted Salem three runs in the first two innings, then settled down. Ronnie Smith relieved him in the seventh, but Snyder got credit for the win.
George Nicholas started the second game, with the pennant hopes riding on his shoulders. He went 2-0 in the first two innings, and by the seventh, was trailing 4-1.
The Caps, pecking away at Ludwig Lew’s pitching, got to him for three runs in the seventh after the fans had made their regular invocation to the baseball gods.
Then the play that lost the flag came.
Faber’s lashing liner drove straight for shortstop Ray Tran. Tran went down for it, but the ball caught the edge of the turf and skidded over his shoulder, through the outfield and out to the wall.
Bobby McGuire, playing his left field post, did not back Tran up on the play, and Faber ended up on third. He scored on Glen Stetter’s outfield fly.
First Game
Salem ........... 120 000 1—4 9 0
Vancouver ..... 012 002 x—5 8 1
Wilkie and McKeegan; Snyder, Smith (7) and Ritchey.
Second Game
Salem ............ 110 000 210—5 9 1
Vancouver ..... 000 100 300—4 6 0
Lew and Dana; Nicholas and Ritchey.
YAKIMA, Sept. 1—Kewpie Dick Barrett did double duty Saturday night for the Yakima Bears, pitching four-hit ball and driving in the winning run as the Bears edged Tacoma 1-0 in a Western International league baseball game.
Barrett scattered four hits and didn not allow a single walk as he racked up his 10th victory of the season against four losses.
Barrett faced only 28 batters. He singled in the only run in the ninth after the Tigers had walked a batter intentionally to get to him.
Tacoma .... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Yakima ..... 000 000 001—1 6 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Barrett and Tiesiera.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 1—The Tri-City Braves and the Wenatchee Chiefs split a doubleheader Saturday night. The Chiefs took the seven-inning opener 3-0 behind Charley Gassaway while Tri-City captured the nightcap 6-5 in ten innings.
First Game
Wenatchee .... 001 100 1—3 9 0
Tri-City ......... 000 000 0—0 5 0
Gassaway and Roberson; Brewer and Pesut.
Second Game
Wenatchee .... 000 220 001 0—5 10 4
Tri-City ......... 000 011 012 1—6 14 1
Raimondi and Roberson; McCollum and Pesut.
Vanni Fined And Suspended For Rhubarb
[Victoria Colonist, Sept. 2, 1951]
Spokane Indians won the W.I.L. pennant yesterday without the aid of Edo Vanni, their regular right-fielder.
Vanni was fined $15 and suspended indefinitely without pay for “gross misconduct” on orders of league president Bob Abel.
The incident which caused Vanni’s suspension and fine took place in the seventh inning of Friday’s game here when Vanni protested hotly to Umpire Joe Iacovetti over a called third strike. He had to be forcibly restrained by teammates, almost coming to blows with catcher Bill Sheets, and put on quite a display featuring gestures and obscene language.
Schuster’s Talented Caps All Set for Winter Work
By Jack DeLong [Vancouver Sun, Sept. 1, 1951]
They have been the darlings of Vancouver fandom for the past four months, mighty men of the diamond, beloved by their loyal supporters and respected by their foes.
After next Tuesday, they’ll be just student Bill, truck driver Dick, engineer Joe or carpenter Jack. We mean the members of the Vancouver Capilanos’ baseball team.
For now that there will no more playoffs in the Western International League, the Caps will be closing up shop in just three days.
Playing manager Bill Schuster—Bill plans to go back to work as general handyman at the 20th Century Fox movie studios in Hollywood until the umpire yells “Play ball” again next springs.
Dick Sinovic—The apple-pounding outfielder of Caps will have an operation for a stomach ailment performed as soon as gets home to Portland. Then he hopes to work in a Portland sporting goods store.
Jimmy Moore—This speedy Cap second sacker will go back to college in Compton, Calif., where he is majoring in physical education.
Bobby McGuire—This highly-useful outfielder is going back to coaching football, basketball and baseball at Pullman, Washington high school.
Carl Gunnarson—The home brew pitcher isn’t going anywhere to find a job, He’s got one right here in Vancouver as trainer for Coley Hall’s Canucks in the Pacific Coast Hockey League.
Reno Cheso—This good infielder and utility man returns to his home in San Mateo, Calif., to resume his work as a plasterer.
K. Chorlton—The smooth outfielder is going to finish a college course in general business administration in Seattle.
Ray Tran—The hardworking popular shortstop will be back at his job as a construction workerm in his home town of Anaheim, Calif.
Chuck Abernathy—The Mr. Big who went over big at first base for Caps will just plain look forward to a job when he gets home to Los Angeles.
Sandy Robertson—Another Vancouver boy who has pitched well for the Caps. Sandy will be right back at his old job of consulting engineer in the old home town.
John Ritchey—This popular catcher and hitting pepperpot doesn’t know just what he’ll do in the off-season yet beyond returning to his San Diego home.
Ronald Smith—Pitcher is going to run a restaurant and cocktail lounge in Glendale, Calif. He’ll also play some winter ball in the fast California winter league.
Bob McLean—McLean is another Cap pitcher who’ll hit out for California and resume his job as an electrical worker.
Bob Snyder—The league’s leading righthander will soon be back behind the wheel of a big trailer truck in Reno, Nevada.
Pete Hernandez—Here’s another Cap pitching ace who is going home to Oakland, Calif. Where he hopes to resume his job at an airport.
Charlie Mead—The fleet Cap outfielder will work as a carpenter this winter in Pasadena, Calif. George Nicholas—The good Cap righthanded moundsman is going to work as a clothes cutter in a large Los Angeles manufacturing plant.
Gordie Brunswick—Best known as the chap who filled in for injured Bill Schuster at third base for most of the season, Brunswick will return to his home in Tacoma and look around for a job.
Vern Kindsfather—The come-lately to the Cap pitching staff will go back to college in Portland where he is taking a course in physical education.
Reg Wallis—The popular trainer of the Caps has already left for Penticton and a winter’s job as manager of the Penticton Arena.
Jerry Barta—Pitcher Barta will be back at university in Portland on a physical education course and refereeing basketball.
Friday, August 31, 1951
W L PCT GB
Spokane .... 91 46 .664 —
Vancouver .. 90 50 .543 2½
Salem ...... 71 66 .518 20
Wenatchee .. 65 72 .474 26
Victoria ... 61 79 .436 31½
Tacoma ..... 60 79 .432 32
Yakima ..... 59 78 .431 32
Tri-City ... 56 83 .405 36
VICTORIA, Aug. 31—The Spokane Indians have mathematically eliminated Victoria from the first-division of the Western International League, thanks to a 6-2 victory over the Athletics on Friday.
Dick Bishop set the A's down on eight hits. The righthander received a three-run lead from his teammates in the fourth and it was all he needed.
Don Pries and Ben Jeffey picked up five of the Victoria hits. Pries and Jeffey connected for three singles and Jeffey had a triple and a single.
Spokane .... 000 310 020—6 11 3
Victoria ..... 000 001 001—2 8 2
Bishop and Sheets; Hedgecock and Cardinale.
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Province, Sept. 1]—Capilano’s bats blasted Salem ace Sal DeGeorge so soundly Friday night that the managers of both clubs were still remarking about the onslaught hours after Vancouver’s 11-0 win.
Right from K. Chorlton’s first-inning homer—he was the first batter to face the Salem righthander who went into the game with one of organized baseball’s lowest earned run averages, about 2.00—until the Brownies had almost batted around off him in the seventh, DeGeorge proved nothing but a cousin to the hit-hungry Brownies.
In the Capilano Stadium press room after, Salem manager Hugh Luby said: “I’ve never seen DeGeorge hit so hard.”
“I don’t think I’ve seem them hit anybody so hard this season,” said Vancouver manager Bill Schuster.
SPOKES WIN TOO
The victory kept the Caps apace with Spokane, who beat Victoria, 6-2.
The Capilano outburst overshadowed Sandy Robertson’s great pitching chore, his fourth win of the season against four defeats. The big righthander held Salem to three hits. He had a one-hitter game into the eighth inning, Bill Spaeter singling in the fourth. Ritchie Myers singled in the eighth and Glen Tuckett in the ninth.
Robertson struck out five. He was in command all the way, and never in trouble.
The other extra-base blows by Vancouver’s murderers’ row went to Dick Sinovic for his triple our of Dick Faber’s glove hard against the centre field wall in the third inning, and doubles by John Ritchey and Chorlton.
FIVE RUNS IN THE SEVENTH
Charlie Mead’s bat came to life with a sting, his single in the fifth almost decapitating Dick Bartle on first for Salem. Previously, Mead had lined to Bartle in the first inning, and skied to Glen Stetter against the right field wall in the third.
Caps’ big five-run seventh inning came on walks to Chorlton and Sinovic, singles by Ray Tran, Ritchey, Reno Cheso and Jimmy Moore, and Meyer’ error on Mead’s hopper.
The clubs are scheduled to finish their series with a double-header tonight starting at 7 p.m. Spokane opens here Monday with a game in the afternoon at 2:30 and a night game starting at 8 p.m.
The season ends Tuesday night with a single game, starting at 8 p.m. The Capilano management advanced starting time one-half hour owing to the early darkness.
WILfan note: Not one batter reached third base off Robertson.
Salem ......... 000 000 000—0 3 2
Vancouver .. 302 010 50x—11 12 0
DeGeorge, Monroe (7) and McKeegan; Robertson and Ritchey.
KENNEWICK, Aug. 31— The Wenatchee Chiefs and the Tri-City Braves sprayed 15 extra base hits Friday night as the Chiefs edged Tri-City in a Western International league baseball game.
Buddy Hjelmaa's home run in the eighth with the bases empty chased across Wenatchec's final and winning run. Buddy Peterson homered for the Braves.
Wenatchee ... 420 010 010—8 10 0
Tri-City ........ 004 100 002—7 13 0
Treichel and Roberson; Brewer, Stone (3) and Pesut.
YAKIMA, Aug. 31—Bob Schulte of Tacoma and Manager Bill Brenner of Yakima tied it up in a pitching duel Friday night with Brenner the winner as Yakima scored once in the ninth to down Tacoma 1-0.
Tacoma ... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Yakima .... 000 000 001—1 3 2
Schulte and Lundberg; Brenner and Tiesiera.
Brownies Will Play In ‘All-Star’ Contest
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 1, 1951]
To make up for the fact that there will be no Western International League baseball playoffs this year, Salem Senators have arranged a special series between themselves and a rest-of-the-league all-star side next weekend—and there will be four Capilanos in the all-star lineup.
Four Caps named are Pete Hernandez, Bob Snyder, John Ritchey and Dick Sinovic.
First game will be Saturday; two games Sunday.
Snyder to Strike For Pitching Record
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 1, 1951]
The Capilanos are going to give Bob Snyder a busy weekend, and a chance at the Western International League pitching record. Snyder was nominated by manager Bill Schuster to start tonight’s game against Salem, in the hopes of picking up his 26th win of the season.
This would tie him with the record set in 1949 by Bob Kerrigan of Spokane [sic].
Schuster said Snyder will rest Sunday, then start again against Spokane in the last series of the season, in an effort to get the new record.
Meanwhile, the big discussions around Cap Stadium concerned WIL president Robert Abel’s announcement Friday cancelling the proposed post-season playoff among the top four teams, one of which is Vancouver.
“The players are browned off,” said one play spokesman. “They would have received a week’s extra pay, plus the bonus. Now, all they get is the bonus.”
Another player said: “There are two sides to it. The bonus wouldn’t amount to much. The pool would have been about $3300 to be divided among all the players on four teams, which isn’t a great deal.”
It Beats Me
By Jim Tang [Colonist, Sept. 1, 1951]
Spokane .... 91 46 .664 —
Vancouver .. 90 50 .543 2½
Salem ...... 71 66 .518 20
Wenatchee .. 65 72 .474 26
Victoria ... 61 79 .436 31½
Tacoma ..... 60 79 .432 32
Yakima ..... 59 78 .431 32
Tri-City ... 56 83 .405 36
VICTORIA, Aug. 31—The Spokane Indians have mathematically eliminated Victoria from the first-division of the Western International League, thanks to a 6-2 victory over the Athletics on Friday.
Dick Bishop set the A's down on eight hits. The righthander received a three-run lead from his teammates in the fourth and it was all he needed.
Don Pries and Ben Jeffey picked up five of the Victoria hits. Pries and Jeffey connected for three singles and Jeffey had a triple and a single.
Spokane .... 000 310 020—6 11 3
Victoria ..... 000 001 001—2 8 2
Bishop and Sheets; Hedgecock and Cardinale.
VANCOUVER [Don Carlson, Province, Sept. 1]—Capilano’s bats blasted Salem ace Sal DeGeorge so soundly Friday night that the managers of both clubs were still remarking about the onslaught hours after Vancouver’s 11-0 win.
Right from K. Chorlton’s first-inning homer—he was the first batter to face the Salem righthander who went into the game with one of organized baseball’s lowest earned run averages, about 2.00—until the Brownies had almost batted around off him in the seventh, DeGeorge proved nothing but a cousin to the hit-hungry Brownies.
In the Capilano Stadium press room after, Salem manager Hugh Luby said: “I’ve never seen DeGeorge hit so hard.”
“I don’t think I’ve seem them hit anybody so hard this season,” said Vancouver manager Bill Schuster.
SPOKES WIN TOO
The victory kept the Caps apace with Spokane, who beat Victoria, 6-2.
The Capilano outburst overshadowed Sandy Robertson’s great pitching chore, his fourth win of the season against four defeats. The big righthander held Salem to three hits. He had a one-hitter game into the eighth inning, Bill Spaeter singling in the fourth. Ritchie Myers singled in the eighth and Glen Tuckett in the ninth.
Robertson struck out five. He was in command all the way, and never in trouble.
The other extra-base blows by Vancouver’s murderers’ row went to Dick Sinovic for his triple our of Dick Faber’s glove hard against the centre field wall in the third inning, and doubles by John Ritchey and Chorlton.
FIVE RUNS IN THE SEVENTH
Charlie Mead’s bat came to life with a sting, his single in the fifth almost decapitating Dick Bartle on first for Salem. Previously, Mead had lined to Bartle in the first inning, and skied to Glen Stetter against the right field wall in the third.
Caps’ big five-run seventh inning came on walks to Chorlton and Sinovic, singles by Ray Tran, Ritchey, Reno Cheso and Jimmy Moore, and Meyer’ error on Mead’s hopper.
The clubs are scheduled to finish their series with a double-header tonight starting at 7 p.m. Spokane opens here Monday with a game in the afternoon at 2:30 and a night game starting at 8 p.m.
The season ends Tuesday night with a single game, starting at 8 p.m. The Capilano management advanced starting time one-half hour owing to the early darkness.
WILfan note: Not one batter reached third base off Robertson.
Salem ......... 000 000 000—0 3 2
Vancouver .. 302 010 50x—11 12 0
DeGeorge, Monroe (7) and McKeegan; Robertson and Ritchey.
KENNEWICK, Aug. 31— The Wenatchee Chiefs and the Tri-City Braves sprayed 15 extra base hits Friday night as the Chiefs edged Tri-City in a Western International league baseball game.
Buddy Hjelmaa's home run in the eighth with the bases empty chased across Wenatchec's final and winning run. Buddy Peterson homered for the Braves.
Wenatchee ... 420 010 010—8 10 0
Tri-City ........ 004 100 002—7 13 0
Treichel and Roberson; Brewer, Stone (3) and Pesut.
YAKIMA, Aug. 31—Bob Schulte of Tacoma and Manager Bill Brenner of Yakima tied it up in a pitching duel Friday night with Brenner the winner as Yakima scored once in the ninth to down Tacoma 1-0.
Tacoma ... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Yakima .... 000 000 001—1 3 2
Schulte and Lundberg; Brenner and Tiesiera.
Brownies Will Play In ‘All-Star’ Contest
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 1, 1951]
To make up for the fact that there will be no Western International League baseball playoffs this year, Salem Senators have arranged a special series between themselves and a rest-of-the-league all-star side next weekend—and there will be four Capilanos in the all-star lineup.
Four Caps named are Pete Hernandez, Bob Snyder, John Ritchey and Dick Sinovic.
First game will be Saturday; two games Sunday.
Snyder to Strike For Pitching Record
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 1, 1951]
The Capilanos are going to give Bob Snyder a busy weekend, and a chance at the Western International League pitching record. Snyder was nominated by manager Bill Schuster to start tonight’s game against Salem, in the hopes of picking up his 26th win of the season.
This would tie him with the record set in 1949 by Bob Kerrigan of Spokane [sic].
Schuster said Snyder will rest Sunday, then start again against Spokane in the last series of the season, in an effort to get the new record.
Meanwhile, the big discussions around Cap Stadium concerned WIL president Robert Abel’s announcement Friday cancelling the proposed post-season playoff among the top four teams, one of which is Vancouver.
“The players are browned off,” said one play spokesman. “They would have received a week’s extra pay, plus the bonus. Now, all they get is the bonus.”
Another player said: “There are two sides to it. The bonus wouldn’t amount to much. The pool would have been about $3300 to be divided among all the players on four teams, which isn’t a great deal.”
It Beats Me
By Jim Tang [Colonist, Sept. 1, 1951]
Cancelation of the Shaughnessy play-off by the W.I.L. yesterday without any announced good reason and with an injunction from league president Bob Abel to his club owners not to make any statements to the press has left a bad taste. The W.I.L. can justly be accused of misrepresentation and has only itself to blame if there has been—and there is bound to be—any lowering of public confidence in the league.
It has been known for several weeks that a move was underfoot by some clubs to dispense with the post-season playdowns, but it was thought that the W.I.L. would not dare make such a move at this late date. It did and fans are entitled to a good explanation, which they are not likely to get.
Abel announced that the decision was unanimous, but the Victoria club is on record as stating that it voted to retain the play-off. Abel offered as compensation that payment of “suitable and proper” bonuses to teams finishing in the first division has been authorized. But what of compensation to the fans of the four second-division clubs who have been misled into thinking their favorites still had some incentive left for the past two months?
W.I.L. owners have never been in complete accord about post-season play and there has always been considerable opposition. Those opposed argue that the weather is too uncertain and that there is no profit chance for the management. To a degree they are correct. But the weather is not worse than it is in April, and these same owners insist on that silly early start. And making money in the playdowns does not matter. The profit is taken in the last month, or six weeks when, invariably, four to six, and often seven, clubs have nothing left to play for or nothing better to sell their fans than the fact the team still has a play-off chance.
This helped our A’s this season and it must have helped the Tacoma, Yakima and Tri-City clubs as well. Certainly, it didn't hurt. It was evident early in the season that the best Victoria could hope for was a first-division berth. For the past two months, many fans who otherwise might have lost interest have kept coming only because the A’s had a chance of finishing fourth. Then they are informed six games before the season’s end that it was off. If there ever was a breach of faith, this was it. The A’s weren’t going to make it anyway but it won’t sit well with loyal fans to find out the cause they were espousing was never there. It's about time the W.I.L. started thinking more of the paying customer. Maybe there’s a reason why the league is in a shaky financial condition with five teams, probably more, again certain to show a deficit.
Random Harvest
It's all-star time again in the W.I.L. and Victoria Athletics have only one candidate. He’s Don Pries, the hustling third baseman and Ducky has plenty of opposition what with veteran Ken Richardson having a big season for Spokane and Yakima’s Mike Baxes a fine prospect. But he gets this corner’s vote for his team contribution although his .320 batting average is also a good recommendation. Other choices are: John Ritchey, catcher; Vic Buccola, first base; Hugh Luby, second base; Buddy Peterson, shortstop; Dick Sinovic, Ed Murphy and Will Hafey, outfielders; Bob Snyder and Tom Breisinger as orthodox and port-side pitchers, respectively. As manager, it couldn’t be anyone else but Alan Strange off the record.
DON CARLSON
[Vancouver Province, September 1, 1951]
And so, at last, the ball season’s end is 80 hours away. Bill Schuster is on the eve of getting safely through his maiden year as manager. Bob Brown finishes his freshman year as boss of a real cement stadium.
And what about this season? What single feature about the 1951 Caps, or handful of features, do Brown and Schuster hold responsible for the club’s great showing.
Brown puts it down to three items, four ballplayers, four names you have trouble guessing ahead of this typewriter.
“First, you’ve got to lay it to Schuster,” Brown said, “By his great leadership by demonstration, he kept his boys fighting all season. His technique was ‘Here, boys, here’s what I have done. I’ll do it first and you follow.’
“Schuster learned plenty in this freshman season of his. Above everything, he learned what to discount in club management and what to put a premium on.”
His Loss Cost 10 Games
“If we had not lost Schuster out of the regular lineup we could have won 10 or 12 more games.
“Secondly, we had a great offensive-defensive combination in Johnny Ritchie, behind the plate, and Dick Sinovic, in centre field.
“These two were reciprocal. I mean, when one hit a slump, the other hit a spurt. Sinovic also turned out to be a good leader for his team-mates. He, too, lead by demonstration. His spark and inspiration were vital to us.
“Thirdly, there is Bob Snyder, our great veteran. His pitching steadiness kept the club’s head up at all times.”
We asked Schuster for his impression of the season. He said he agreed with Brown on some of the names.
“But don’t forget,” he said, “what Mr. Brown did for this club. I have never seen a man who wanted a pennant more.
Brown Sought the Best
“Do you want proof of that? Look at the ball players he got for us. Men like Chorlton and Kindsfather. Those guys don’t grow on trees.”
Those of us who have grown to know Schuster have found in this man who came here with the reputation of a baseball clown rather a serious student of the game. He has learned the loneliness of high places. “It has been a rare lesson for me,” he said.
A word must be reserved for the rest of the club. It was a tough season, the schedule probably the worst the WIN ever had.
On top of that, you had the record dry spell which cut out postponements. The newspapermen close to the club saw the ballplayers at times dead beat in the dugout before a game.
If the Caps think they weren’t appreciated, there is one feature of the season to remind them: that attendance record. As Brown said back in April: “Give the public a good ball team, and they’ll support you.” They got a good club and they supported it.
It has been known for several weeks that a move was underfoot by some clubs to dispense with the post-season playdowns, but it was thought that the W.I.L. would not dare make such a move at this late date. It did and fans are entitled to a good explanation, which they are not likely to get.
Abel announced that the decision was unanimous, but the Victoria club is on record as stating that it voted to retain the play-off. Abel offered as compensation that payment of “suitable and proper” bonuses to teams finishing in the first division has been authorized. But what of compensation to the fans of the four second-division clubs who have been misled into thinking their favorites still had some incentive left for the past two months?
W.I.L. owners have never been in complete accord about post-season play and there has always been considerable opposition. Those opposed argue that the weather is too uncertain and that there is no profit chance for the management. To a degree they are correct. But the weather is not worse than it is in April, and these same owners insist on that silly early start. And making money in the playdowns does not matter. The profit is taken in the last month, or six weeks when, invariably, four to six, and often seven, clubs have nothing left to play for or nothing better to sell their fans than the fact the team still has a play-off chance.
This helped our A’s this season and it must have helped the Tacoma, Yakima and Tri-City clubs as well. Certainly, it didn't hurt. It was evident early in the season that the best Victoria could hope for was a first-division berth. For the past two months, many fans who otherwise might have lost interest have kept coming only because the A’s had a chance of finishing fourth. Then they are informed six games before the season’s end that it was off. If there ever was a breach of faith, this was it. The A’s weren’t going to make it anyway but it won’t sit well with loyal fans to find out the cause they were espousing was never there. It's about time the W.I.L. started thinking more of the paying customer. Maybe there’s a reason why the league is in a shaky financial condition with five teams, probably more, again certain to show a deficit.
Random Harvest
It's all-star time again in the W.I.L. and Victoria Athletics have only one candidate. He’s Don Pries, the hustling third baseman and Ducky has plenty of opposition what with veteran Ken Richardson having a big season for Spokane and Yakima’s Mike Baxes a fine prospect. But he gets this corner’s vote for his team contribution although his .320 batting average is also a good recommendation. Other choices are: John Ritchey, catcher; Vic Buccola, first base; Hugh Luby, second base; Buddy Peterson, shortstop; Dick Sinovic, Ed Murphy and Will Hafey, outfielders; Bob Snyder and Tom Breisinger as orthodox and port-side pitchers, respectively. As manager, it couldn’t be anyone else but Alan Strange off the record.
DON CARLSON
[Vancouver Province, September 1, 1951]
And so, at last, the ball season’s end is 80 hours away. Bill Schuster is on the eve of getting safely through his maiden year as manager. Bob Brown finishes his freshman year as boss of a real cement stadium.
And what about this season? What single feature about the 1951 Caps, or handful of features, do Brown and Schuster hold responsible for the club’s great showing.
Brown puts it down to three items, four ballplayers, four names you have trouble guessing ahead of this typewriter.
“First, you’ve got to lay it to Schuster,” Brown said, “By his great leadership by demonstration, he kept his boys fighting all season. His technique was ‘Here, boys, here’s what I have done. I’ll do it first and you follow.’
“Schuster learned plenty in this freshman season of his. Above everything, he learned what to discount in club management and what to put a premium on.”
His Loss Cost 10 Games
“If we had not lost Schuster out of the regular lineup we could have won 10 or 12 more games.
“Secondly, we had a great offensive-defensive combination in Johnny Ritchie, behind the plate, and Dick Sinovic, in centre field.
“These two were reciprocal. I mean, when one hit a slump, the other hit a spurt. Sinovic also turned out to be a good leader for his team-mates. He, too, lead by demonstration. His spark and inspiration were vital to us.
“Thirdly, there is Bob Snyder, our great veteran. His pitching steadiness kept the club’s head up at all times.”
We asked Schuster for his impression of the season. He said he agreed with Brown on some of the names.
“But don’t forget,” he said, “what Mr. Brown did for this club. I have never seen a man who wanted a pennant more.
Brown Sought the Best
“Do you want proof of that? Look at the ball players he got for us. Men like Chorlton and Kindsfather. Those guys don’t grow on trees.”
Those of us who have grown to know Schuster have found in this man who came here with the reputation of a baseball clown rather a serious student of the game. He has learned the loneliness of high places. “It has been a rare lesson for me,” he said.
A word must be reserved for the rest of the club. It was a tough season, the schedule probably the worst the WIN ever had.
On top of that, you had the record dry spell which cut out postponements. The newspapermen close to the club saw the ballplayers at times dead beat in the dugout before a game.
If the Caps think they weren’t appreciated, there is one feature of the season to remind them: that attendance record. As Brown said back in April: “Give the public a good ball team, and they’ll support you.” They got a good club and they supported it.
Thursday, August 30, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 90 46 .683 —
Vancouver ... 89 50 .640 3½
Salem ....... 71 65 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 64 72 .471 28
Victoria .... 61 78 .439 30½
Tacoma ...... 60 78 .435 31
Yakima ...... 58 78 .426 32
Tri-City .... 56 82 .406 35
Abel Calls Off WIL Playoffs
YAKIMA, Aug. 31—There will be no playoffs in the Western International Baseball League this year.
The cancellation was announced today by Robert B. Abel, league president, here today.
Previously the league had planned a Shaughnessy playoff between the first four teams to start about Thursday of next week.
In making the announcement, Abel said “We have made arrangements, however, to pay the players the bonuses the would have received had the playoff been held.”
Abel estimated members of the pennant-winning team would split up a pot “in exceess of $1,000.”
Spokane, Vancouver, Wenatchee and Salem were to have participated.
League director voted unanimously to eliminate the post-season competition.
Uncertain weather conditions constituted one of the factors involved in the decision to cancel the playoffs, Abel announced.
Photo above: Dick Sinovic of the Caps reacts to news of no playoffs by cooly practising post-season golf on the Cap Stadium infield. Manager Bill Schuster is his caddy as pitcher George Nicholas looks on.
SPOKANE, Aug. 30—The Yakima Bears scored once in the ninth to break a 2-2 tie, despite being handcuffed by Spokane ace Jim Holder on five hits, to beat the Indians 3-2 in a Western International League game Thursday night.
Yakima ..... 000 002 001—3 5 2
Spokane ... 000 000 020—2 10 4
Savarese and Tiesiera; Holder and Sheets.
KENNEWICK [Herald, Aug. 31]—Last night, the Tri-City Braves split a twin bill with the Vancouver Capllanos at Sanders Field, winning the opener 4-1 but dropping the nightcap 10-6.
Tonight the Wenatchee Chiefs are scheduled to move in for a four-game series. On tap is a single game Friday, two Saturday and another solo Sunday. Tacoma arrived Monday to play a twin bill and will wind up the WIL season here on Tuesday.
Joe Nicholas handcuffed the Capilanos with a neat four-hitter in the seven inning opener last night and did not permit a single Vancouver runner, to reach third base. Three of them got as far as second but died thers for lack of hitting support as the cagey Nicholas kept the Caps hitting into the dirt. The submarine ace was backed up by excellent fielding support which produced three double plays.
Buddy Peterson and Ken Michelson led the Tri-City attack with four-masters. Peterson's, his 12th of the season came in the fifth, while Michelson's third of the year was produced In the sixth when he came into the game as a pinch hitter for Buzz Berriesford.
Bob Snyder cranked up his 25th league victory of the season in the nightcap, although it was a shaky one, The decision moved the Vancouver right hander within one game of tieing the league record of 26 victories in a single season set by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma in 1950.
The Braves crept up close behind Snyder several times in the game but could never quite clinch it, Clint Cameron and Buddy Peterson paced the hitting attack, Cameron collected three for four including his eighth home run of the year in the eighth inning which produced three Tri-City runs. Peterson laced Snyder's offerings for a double and a single in his four trips. Bob Costello, who started on the Brave mound, was charged with the loss. He was relieved by Augie Zande in the second and Ken Michelson came on in the seventh. Michelson gave up but one hit in his two-inning-plus tour but an error allowed two Vancouver runs.
Manager Charlie Petersen has nominated Jack Brewer as his starter tonight against Wenatchee.
First game
Vancouver .... 000 000 0—0 4 0
Tri-City ........ 010 021 x—4 6 1
Hernandez, Gunnarson (6) and Ritchey; J. Nicholas and Pesut.
Second game
Vancouver .... 220 010 301—10 15
Tri-City ........ 100 020 030—6 8 1
Snyder and Ritchey; Costello, Zande (2), Michelson (7) and Pesut.
First game
Salem .......... 000 303 0—6 5 0
Wenatchee ... 100 000 0—1 5 0
Bevens and McKeegan; Breisinger and Roberson.
Second game
Salem .......... 011 000 000 000 0—2 10 1
Wenatchee ... 000 011 000 000 1—3 11 2
Schmidt and Dana; Breisinger and Roberson.
TACOMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 31]—If Victoria Athletics miss the post-season W.I.L. playdowns, as seems certain, they can blame it on their curious inability to win away from home. Still retaining a fair chance when they left on their last road trip, which concluded with a 5-4 setback at Tacoma last night, the A’s arrive home today all but mathematically eliminated. They lost five or six games played this time, leaving them with a road record of 25-46. At Royal Athletic Park, they are 36-32 for the season and have played .750 baseball there since Bob Sturgeon replaced Dick Barrett as manager.
INDIANS HERE TONIGHT
Tonight’s game with the league-leading Spokane Indians marks the star of the next-to-last series of the season. Two games tomorrow round out this series and Salem Senators move in Monday for a doubleheader and a single game Tuesday which winds up this season’s play.
ORCHIDS AND MARSHALL?
Tonight is “Orchid Night.” The first 1,000 feminine customers will receive an orchid and the management hopes that none are left by game time. In addition, there is a good possibility that John Marshall will face his old teammates in the opener. The Indians, with the pennant in their grasp, will doubtless shoot their best at the A’s in the hopes of a clinch before moving to Vancouver Monday to complete the season.
Last night, John Tierney came up with a pitching gem—for seven innings. He had a two-hitter, a shutout, and ten strikeouts going into the eighth. Then an error by Don Pries, a single by Butch Moran and a walk to Vince DiMaggio loaded the bags with one out. Jose Bache singled in the tying runs and the Tigers went ahead when DiMaggio scored after an outfield fly.
REGAIN LEAD
Scrapping back, the A’s took the lead again in the ninth when Gene Thompson scored Ben Jeffey with a two-out double and scored the go-ahead run on Rocco Cardinale’s single.
But Sol Israel led off the Tacoma ninth with a triple, scored the tying run on an outfield fly. Manager Bob Sturgeon called on Jim Propst but the slim lefthander failed and took the loss. John Kovenz greeted him with a bunt single and was bunted along by Moran. The A’s elected to pitch to DiMaggio and he broke it up with a double.
Victoria ....... 200 000 002—4 7 1
Tacoma ...... 000 000 032—5 7 2
Tierney, Propst (9) and Cardinale; Clark and Armstrong, Lundberg (8).
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 31, 1951]
SPOKES MAY BOYCOTT PLAYOFFS
Spokane ..... 90 46 .683 —
Vancouver ... 89 50 .640 3½
Salem ....... 71 65 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 64 72 .471 28
Victoria .... 61 78 .439 30½
Tacoma ...... 60 78 .435 31
Yakima ...... 58 78 .426 32
Tri-City .... 56 82 .406 35
Abel Calls Off WIL PlayoffsYAKIMA, Aug. 31—There will be no playoffs in the Western International Baseball League this year.
The cancellation was announced today by Robert B. Abel, league president, here today.
Previously the league had planned a Shaughnessy playoff between the first four teams to start about Thursday of next week.
In making the announcement, Abel said “We have made arrangements, however, to pay the players the bonuses the would have received had the playoff been held.”
Abel estimated members of the pennant-winning team would split up a pot “in exceess of $1,000.”
Spokane, Vancouver, Wenatchee and Salem were to have participated.
League director voted unanimously to eliminate the post-season competition.
Uncertain weather conditions constituted one of the factors involved in the decision to cancel the playoffs, Abel announced.
Photo above: Dick Sinovic of the Caps reacts to news of no playoffs by cooly practising post-season golf on the Cap Stadium infield. Manager Bill Schuster is his caddy as pitcher George Nicholas looks on.
SPOKANE, Aug. 30—The Yakima Bears scored once in the ninth to break a 2-2 tie, despite being handcuffed by Spokane ace Jim Holder on five hits, to beat the Indians 3-2 in a Western International League game Thursday night.
Yakima ..... 000 002 001—3 5 2
Spokane ... 000 000 020—2 10 4
Savarese and Tiesiera; Holder and Sheets.
KENNEWICK [Herald, Aug. 31]—Last night, the Tri-City Braves split a twin bill with the Vancouver Capllanos at Sanders Field, winning the opener 4-1 but dropping the nightcap 10-6.
Tonight the Wenatchee Chiefs are scheduled to move in for a four-game series. On tap is a single game Friday, two Saturday and another solo Sunday. Tacoma arrived Monday to play a twin bill and will wind up the WIL season here on Tuesday.
Joe Nicholas handcuffed the Capilanos with a neat four-hitter in the seven inning opener last night and did not permit a single Vancouver runner, to reach third base. Three of them got as far as second but died thers for lack of hitting support as the cagey Nicholas kept the Caps hitting into the dirt. The submarine ace was backed up by excellent fielding support which produced three double plays.
Buddy Peterson and Ken Michelson led the Tri-City attack with four-masters. Peterson's, his 12th of the season came in the fifth, while Michelson's third of the year was produced In the sixth when he came into the game as a pinch hitter for Buzz Berriesford.
Bob Snyder cranked up his 25th league victory of the season in the nightcap, although it was a shaky one, The decision moved the Vancouver right hander within one game of tieing the league record of 26 victories in a single season set by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma in 1950.
The Braves crept up close behind Snyder several times in the game but could never quite clinch it, Clint Cameron and Buddy Peterson paced the hitting attack, Cameron collected three for four including his eighth home run of the year in the eighth inning which produced three Tri-City runs. Peterson laced Snyder's offerings for a double and a single in his four trips. Bob Costello, who started on the Brave mound, was charged with the loss. He was relieved by Augie Zande in the second and Ken Michelson came on in the seventh. Michelson gave up but one hit in his two-inning-plus tour but an error allowed two Vancouver runs.
Manager Charlie Petersen has nominated Jack Brewer as his starter tonight against Wenatchee.
First game
Vancouver .... 000 000 0—0 4 0
Tri-City ........ 010 021 x—4 6 1
Hernandez, Gunnarson (6) and Ritchey; J. Nicholas and Pesut.
Second game
Vancouver .... 220 010 301—10 15
Tri-City ........ 100 020 030—6 8 1
Snyder and Ritchey; Costello, Zande (2), Michelson (7) and Pesut.
First game
Salem .......... 000 303 0—6 5 0
Wenatchee ... 100 000 0—1 5 0
Bevens and McKeegan; Breisinger and Roberson.
Second game
Salem .......... 011 000 000 000 0—2 10 1
Wenatchee ... 000 011 000 000 1—3 11 2
Schmidt and Dana; Breisinger and Roberson.
TACOMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 31]—If Victoria Athletics miss the post-season W.I.L. playdowns, as seems certain, they can blame it on their curious inability to win away from home. Still retaining a fair chance when they left on their last road trip, which concluded with a 5-4 setback at Tacoma last night, the A’s arrive home today all but mathematically eliminated. They lost five or six games played this time, leaving them with a road record of 25-46. At Royal Athletic Park, they are 36-32 for the season and have played .750 baseball there since Bob Sturgeon replaced Dick Barrett as manager.
INDIANS HERE TONIGHT
Tonight’s game with the league-leading Spokane Indians marks the star of the next-to-last series of the season. Two games tomorrow round out this series and Salem Senators move in Monday for a doubleheader and a single game Tuesday which winds up this season’s play.
ORCHIDS AND MARSHALL?
Tonight is “Orchid Night.” The first 1,000 feminine customers will receive an orchid and the management hopes that none are left by game time. In addition, there is a good possibility that John Marshall will face his old teammates in the opener. The Indians, with the pennant in their grasp, will doubtless shoot their best at the A’s in the hopes of a clinch before moving to Vancouver Monday to complete the season.
Last night, John Tierney came up with a pitching gem—for seven innings. He had a two-hitter, a shutout, and ten strikeouts going into the eighth. Then an error by Don Pries, a single by Butch Moran and a walk to Vince DiMaggio loaded the bags with one out. Jose Bache singled in the tying runs and the Tigers went ahead when DiMaggio scored after an outfield fly.
REGAIN LEAD
Scrapping back, the A’s took the lead again in the ninth when Gene Thompson scored Ben Jeffey with a two-out double and scored the go-ahead run on Rocco Cardinale’s single.
But Sol Israel led off the Tacoma ninth with a triple, scored the tying run on an outfield fly. Manager Bob Sturgeon called on Jim Propst but the slim lefthander failed and took the loss. John Kovenz greeted him with a bunt single and was bunted along by Moran. The A’s elected to pitch to DiMaggio and he broke it up with a double.
Victoria ....... 200 000 002—4 7 1
Tacoma ...... 000 000 032—5 7 2
Tierney, Propst (9) and Cardinale; Clark and Armstrong, Lundberg (8).
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 31, 1951]
SPOKES MAY BOYCOTT PLAYOFFS
Latest baseball rumor coursing through the WIL is that Spokane will boycott the playoffs. The dopesters even have it that Bob Abel, president of the league, is now in Spokane huddling with Alan Strange and others trying to straighten out the tangle. The beef, they say, stems from a recent Abel decision which permitted Wenatchee to play in Vancouver a game originally scheduled for the Chief’s diamond.
Spokane contends Vancouver made the maneuver to assure themselves of a better chance at winning the game ... which they did. However, both Vancouver and Wenatchee say the change was made because of the prospect of a bigger gate. That could be true. But it would have to be considerably larger to offset the 60 percent the Chiefs would get at home, plus the profits from their concessions as against the 40 percent take at Vancouver. Abel says he has a perfect right to make the change.
Frankly the whole thing sounds like a tempest in a teapot, Spokane seems to be taking the childish attitude that “I brought the ball so I’m going to be the pitcher.”
JOTS AND DOTS . . . HERE AND THERE
Neil Bryant has been having tooth trouble again. That’s what kept him out of several recent games . . . Buddy Peterson's suspension was lifted in time for the Monday night game, but that same old shoulder injury is bothering him again.
Spokane contends Vancouver made the maneuver to assure themselves of a better chance at winning the game ... which they did. However, both Vancouver and Wenatchee say the change was made because of the prospect of a bigger gate. That could be true. But it would have to be considerably larger to offset the 60 percent the Chiefs would get at home, plus the profits from their concessions as against the 40 percent take at Vancouver. Abel says he has a perfect right to make the change.
Frankly the whole thing sounds like a tempest in a teapot, Spokane seems to be taking the childish attitude that “I brought the ball so I’m going to be the pitcher.”
JOTS AND DOTS . . . HERE AND THERE
Neil Bryant has been having tooth trouble again. That’s what kept him out of several recent games . . . Buddy Peterson's suspension was lifted in time for the Monday night game, but that same old shoulder injury is bothering him again.
Wednesday, August 29, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 90 45 .667 —
Vancouver ... 88 49 .642 3
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19½
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26½
Victoria .... 61 77 .442 30½
Tacoma ...... 59 78 .431 32
Yakima ...... 57 78 .422 33
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35½
TACOMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 30]—Tacoma Tigers erupted for five hits in the eighth inning to take a 6-3 decision from Victoria Athletics at Tacoma last night and virtually kill the A’s last hope of catching a W.I.L. playoff berth.
The defeat dropped the A’s a full four games behind the fourth-place Wenatchee Chiefs—rained out at Salem last night—with six games to pick up on the losing side. The A’s have seven games left—six of them against first.division clubs—while the Chiefs have nine games remaining against the lowly Yakima Bears and Tri-City Braves.
SLIM CHANCE
To gain a play-off berth the A’s would have to win six of their remaining contests if the Chiefs were to lose seven. If the Chiefs only lose six, the A’s must sweep all seven remaining games.
It was bases on balls that led to the A’s defeat last night, walks starting all three Tacoma scoring innings. The Tigers pushed over their first run in the bottom of the second, after Victoria had taken a 2-0 lead, when Vince DiMaggio walked, advanced on a balt and scored on Merv Dubbers’ single. John Kovenz walked to open the sixth, went to third on Butch Moran’s single and scored on DiMaggio’s fly to even the score.
WINNING RALLY
Until the eighth, the hits by Dubbers and Moran were the only ones given up by southpaw Ben Lorino. But in the eighth, Mike Catron walked to again open the inning and Kovenz followed with a 435-foot inside-the-park homer. Singles by Moran and Joe Bache, sandwiching DiMaggio’s double, added two insurance runs.
Bill White started both of Victoria’s run-scoring innings with singles. Rocco Cardinale drew a walk after White’s single in the second and Ben Jeffey advanced the runners with a sacrifice. Bob Sturgeon then singled to drive in both runners.
The A’s scored their final run when White singled, Sturgeon walked and Marv Diercks singled to drive in the former, but Milt Marin fanned in a pinch-hitting role with the tying run at the plate.
Victoria ........ 020 000 001—3 7 0
Tacoma ........ 010 001 04x—6 7 0
Lorino and Cardinale; Kipp and Lunberg, Armstrong (4).
SPOKANE, Aug. 29—The Spokane Indians defeated two opponents tonight—a wet field and the Yakima Bears—to widen their league lead over the Vancouver Capilanos to three games.
Early in the evening, the club used flame throwers of the type used by highway crews for brush burning to dry out an infield soaked by rain the past few days.
Then the Indians took over and edged the Bears 3-2 to give them a three-game lead. Jim Wert's two run single in the first inning got the Indians off to a good start. Spokane tallied the eventual-winning ran in the fifth inning as Ken Richardson singled home Steve Mesner.
Only 864 fans saw the Indians play it cool on the hot infield. Gordie Palm pitched his sixth win with help from reliefer Bob Roberts.
Yakima ........ 010 100 000—2 6 1
Spokane ...... 200 010 00x—3 7 0
Boemler and Tiesiera; Palm, Roberts (8) and Sheets.
Wenatchee at Salem, rained out.
Vancouver at Tri-City, rained out.
Fans to Manage Tacoma Thursday
TACOMA, Aug. 29—It may not be in the cards, but if the Tacoma Tigers lose their Western International league baseball game against Victoria Thursday, the fans will have no one to blame but themselves. They are going to run the club.
The club announced Tuesday the Tigers will operate from the third base dugout and Manager Jim Brillheart will hold up cards asking what plays to use. A show of cards from the fans will decide.
Tacoma officials hope it means a full house.
1951 Crowds Set Record at Salem
SALEM, Aug. 29—Salem's 1951 baseball attendance set a new record of 112,285, assuring the 832 local stockholders some profit.
This was the first year that the team was locally-owned. The attendance was double that of last year, when the Portland Beavers owned the local Western International league club.
The attendance was 10,000 more than the previous record, set in 1946. This year's figures include the 7,700 attendance for two exhibition games against the Beavers and the House of David.
Salem's home season ended Monday night, Tuesday night's final game having been washed out by rain.
Holder Likely To Be Named Best Pitcher
TACOMA, Aug. 29 — All hands have conceded the Western Internationai league pitching championship to Spokane's Jim Holder, and Bob Snyder of Vancouver is certain to be the circuit's big winner.
Interest in the elbowing race is still warm, however, by reason of the bids which the two righthanders will make this week for new W-I records.
Holder, the possessor of an 11-0 season's won-lost record, needs only one more triumph to tie the existing mark for consecutive victories set in 1948 by Frank Nelson of Spokane, tied in 1949 by Sandy Robertson of Vancouver and again equally by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma last year.
Snyder, with a 24-7 record, needs two more wins to equal Kerrigan's mark for total victories, established last season.
Tom Breisinger of Wenatchee is front in strikeouts with 193, ;while John Marshall of Spokane has a commanding lead in total walks with 171.
The leaders, as released Wednesday from the office of Robert B. Abel, W-I president:
IP SO BB W L Pct.
Holder, Spok ...... 118 55 85 11 0 1.000
Beasley, Van ....... 56 19 11 5 0 1.000
Hernandez, Van .... 179 72 92 16 3 .842
Palm, Spok ......... 61 37 34 5 1 .833
Snyder, Van ....... 278 106 87 24 7 .774
Barrett, Vic-Yak .. 160 44 52 9 4 .692
Nicholas, Van ..... 204 63 70 15 7 .682
Rockey, Spok ...... 109 51 58 8 4 .667
Tisnerat, Van ..... 105 34 53 6 3 .667
Breisinger, Wen ... 247 193 142 16 9 .640
DeGeorge, Sal ..... 211 83 95 16 9 .640
Bevens, Sal ....... 249 118 95 19 11 .633
Spokane ..... 90 45 .667 —
Vancouver ... 88 49 .642 3
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19½
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26½
Victoria .... 61 77 .442 30½
Tacoma ...... 59 78 .431 32
Yakima ...... 57 78 .422 33
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35½
TACOMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 30]—Tacoma Tigers erupted for five hits in the eighth inning to take a 6-3 decision from Victoria Athletics at Tacoma last night and virtually kill the A’s last hope of catching a W.I.L. playoff berth.
The defeat dropped the A’s a full four games behind the fourth-place Wenatchee Chiefs—rained out at Salem last night—with six games to pick up on the losing side. The A’s have seven games left—six of them against first.division clubs—while the Chiefs have nine games remaining against the lowly Yakima Bears and Tri-City Braves.
SLIM CHANCE
To gain a play-off berth the A’s would have to win six of their remaining contests if the Chiefs were to lose seven. If the Chiefs only lose six, the A’s must sweep all seven remaining games.
It was bases on balls that led to the A’s defeat last night, walks starting all three Tacoma scoring innings. The Tigers pushed over their first run in the bottom of the second, after Victoria had taken a 2-0 lead, when Vince DiMaggio walked, advanced on a balt and scored on Merv Dubbers’ single. John Kovenz walked to open the sixth, went to third on Butch Moran’s single and scored on DiMaggio’s fly to even the score.
WINNING RALLY
Until the eighth, the hits by Dubbers and Moran were the only ones given up by southpaw Ben Lorino. But in the eighth, Mike Catron walked to again open the inning and Kovenz followed with a 435-foot inside-the-park homer. Singles by Moran and Joe Bache, sandwiching DiMaggio’s double, added two insurance runs.
Bill White started both of Victoria’s run-scoring innings with singles. Rocco Cardinale drew a walk after White’s single in the second and Ben Jeffey advanced the runners with a sacrifice. Bob Sturgeon then singled to drive in both runners.
The A’s scored their final run when White singled, Sturgeon walked and Marv Diercks singled to drive in the former, but Milt Marin fanned in a pinch-hitting role with the tying run at the plate.
Victoria ........ 020 000 001—3 7 0
Tacoma ........ 010 001 04x—6 7 0
Lorino and Cardinale; Kipp and Lunberg, Armstrong (4).
SPOKANE, Aug. 29—The Spokane Indians defeated two opponents tonight—a wet field and the Yakima Bears—to widen their league lead over the Vancouver Capilanos to three games.
Early in the evening, the club used flame throwers of the type used by highway crews for brush burning to dry out an infield soaked by rain the past few days.
Then the Indians took over and edged the Bears 3-2 to give them a three-game lead. Jim Wert's two run single in the first inning got the Indians off to a good start. Spokane tallied the eventual-winning ran in the fifth inning as Ken Richardson singled home Steve Mesner.
Only 864 fans saw the Indians play it cool on the hot infield. Gordie Palm pitched his sixth win with help from reliefer Bob Roberts.
Yakima ........ 010 100 000—2 6 1
Spokane ...... 200 010 00x—3 7 0
Boemler and Tiesiera; Palm, Roberts (8) and Sheets.
Wenatchee at Salem, rained out.
Vancouver at Tri-City, rained out.
Fans to Manage Tacoma Thursday
TACOMA, Aug. 29—It may not be in the cards, but if the Tacoma Tigers lose their Western International league baseball game against Victoria Thursday, the fans will have no one to blame but themselves. They are going to run the club.
The club announced Tuesday the Tigers will operate from the third base dugout and Manager Jim Brillheart will hold up cards asking what plays to use. A show of cards from the fans will decide.
Tacoma officials hope it means a full house.
1951 Crowds Set Record at Salem
SALEM, Aug. 29—Salem's 1951 baseball attendance set a new record of 112,285, assuring the 832 local stockholders some profit.
This was the first year that the team was locally-owned. The attendance was double that of last year, when the Portland Beavers owned the local Western International league club.
The attendance was 10,000 more than the previous record, set in 1946. This year's figures include the 7,700 attendance for two exhibition games against the Beavers and the House of David.
Salem's home season ended Monday night, Tuesday night's final game having been washed out by rain.
Holder Likely To Be Named Best Pitcher
TACOMA, Aug. 29 — All hands have conceded the Western Internationai league pitching championship to Spokane's Jim Holder, and Bob Snyder of Vancouver is certain to be the circuit's big winner.
Interest in the elbowing race is still warm, however, by reason of the bids which the two righthanders will make this week for new W-I records.
Holder, the possessor of an 11-0 season's won-lost record, needs only one more triumph to tie the existing mark for consecutive victories set in 1948 by Frank Nelson of Spokane, tied in 1949 by Sandy Robertson of Vancouver and again equally by Bob Kerrigan of Tacoma last year.
Snyder, with a 24-7 record, needs two more wins to equal Kerrigan's mark for total victories, established last season.
Tom Breisinger of Wenatchee is front in strikeouts with 193, ;while John Marshall of Spokane has a commanding lead in total walks with 171.
The leaders, as released Wednesday from the office of Robert B. Abel, W-I president:
IP SO BB W L Pct.
Holder, Spok ...... 118 55 85 11 0 1.000
Beasley, Van ....... 56 19 11 5 0 1.000
Hernandez, Van .... 179 72 92 16 3 .842
Palm, Spok ......... 61 37 34 5 1 .833
Snyder, Van ....... 278 106 87 24 7 .774
Barrett, Vic-Yak .. 160 44 52 9 4 .692
Nicholas, Van ..... 204 63 70 15 7 .682
Rockey, Spok ...... 109 51 58 8 4 .667
Tisnerat, Van ..... 105 34 53 6 3 .667
Breisinger, Wen ... 247 193 142 16 9 .640
DeGeorge, Sal ..... 211 83 95 16 9 .640
Bevens, Sal ....... 249 118 95 19 11 .633
Tuesday, August 28, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 89 45 .664 —
Vancouver ... 88 49 .642 2½
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26
Victoria .... 61 76 .445 29½
Tacoma ...... 58 78 .426 32
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 32
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35
TACOMA, Wash., [Vancouver Province, Aug. 29]—“If only my pitchers keep coming through, we’ll win that pennant yet,” Manager Bill Schuster of the Capilanos told The Daily Province immediately after the invaders from Vancouver had knocked off Tacoma Tigers twice Tuesday night, 5-0 and 6-5.
With Spokane rained out, the double victory boosted the Caps within two and a half games of first place.
George Nicholas was the hero of the first triumph, pitching a two two-hitter at the Tigers for the shutout [the hits were singles by Mike Catron and Merv Dubbers].
In the afterpiece, Ron Smith’s brilliant relief pitching and some solid slugging by hits mates pulled victory out of the fire in the last three innings.
RITCHEY BANISHED
When Vern Kindsfather retired at the end of the sixth, the Tigers were leading 5-1. But the Caps tied things up in the seventh and went on to win the game in the ninth.
Their winning rally was staged without the aid of catcher John Ritchey, bounced out of the contest for disputing a decision in the sixth.
Two triples featured the Caps’ uprising, Dick Sinovic starting it with a three-bagger, and K. Chorlton batting in the last two runs when Bob McGuire, Jimmy Moore and pinch hitter Chuck Abernathy had singled.
PROTEST NO WORRY
Young Jimmy Moore connected for the all-important single, in the ninth, driving in Cheso with the deciding run.
Schuster, rushing to move along for the Tri-City series opening today, was not at all worried about the Spokane protest of the Wenatchee game transferred to Vancouver. “They can’t win that,” he declared. “Transfer of dates is a matter for the league president.”
At Tri-City tonight, Schuster plans to start Pete Hernandez, with his ace pitcher, Bob Snyder, on deck for Thursday.
- - -
Schuster who has been sidelined with a leg injury for two months, made a brief appearance at third base when Cheso moved from the hot corner to behind the plate to replace the ousted Ritchey.
First Game
Vancouver ...... 021 002 0—5 6 3
Tacoma ......... 000 00 0—0 2 1
Nicholas and Ritchey; Schulte, Knezovich (2) and Lundberg.
Second Game
Vancouver ...... 010 000 401—6 10 1
Tacoma ......... 011 300 000—5 10 0
Kindsfather, Smith (7) and Ritchey, Cheso (7); Dodeward, Clark (9) and Lundberg, Armstrong (8)
Victoria at Spokane, rained out.
Tri-City at Salem, rained out.
Wenatchee at Yakima, rained out.
Spokane ..... 89 45 .664 —
Vancouver ... 88 49 .642 2½
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26
Victoria .... 61 76 .445 29½
Tacoma ...... 58 78 .426 32
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 32
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35
TACOMA, Wash., [Vancouver Province, Aug. 29]—“If only my pitchers keep coming through, we’ll win that pennant yet,” Manager Bill Schuster of the Capilanos told The Daily Province immediately after the invaders from Vancouver had knocked off Tacoma Tigers twice Tuesday night, 5-0 and 6-5.
With Spokane rained out, the double victory boosted the Caps within two and a half games of first place.
George Nicholas was the hero of the first triumph, pitching a two two-hitter at the Tigers for the shutout [the hits were singles by Mike Catron and Merv Dubbers].
In the afterpiece, Ron Smith’s brilliant relief pitching and some solid slugging by hits mates pulled victory out of the fire in the last three innings.
RITCHEY BANISHED
When Vern Kindsfather retired at the end of the sixth, the Tigers were leading 5-1. But the Caps tied things up in the seventh and went on to win the game in the ninth.
Their winning rally was staged without the aid of catcher John Ritchey, bounced out of the contest for disputing a decision in the sixth.
Two triples featured the Caps’ uprising, Dick Sinovic starting it with a three-bagger, and K. Chorlton batting in the last two runs when Bob McGuire, Jimmy Moore and pinch hitter Chuck Abernathy had singled.
PROTEST NO WORRY
Young Jimmy Moore connected for the all-important single, in the ninth, driving in Cheso with the deciding run.
Schuster, rushing to move along for the Tri-City series opening today, was not at all worried about the Spokane protest of the Wenatchee game transferred to Vancouver. “They can’t win that,” he declared. “Transfer of dates is a matter for the league president.”
At Tri-City tonight, Schuster plans to start Pete Hernandez, with his ace pitcher, Bob Snyder, on deck for Thursday.
- - -
Schuster who has been sidelined with a leg injury for two months, made a brief appearance at third base when Cheso moved from the hot corner to behind the plate to replace the ousted Ritchey.
First Game
Vancouver ...... 021 002 0—5 6 3
Tacoma ......... 000 00 0—0 2 1
Nicholas and Ritchey; Schulte, Knezovich (2) and Lundberg.
Second Game
Vancouver ...... 010 000 401—6 10 1
Tacoma ......... 011 300 000—5 10 0
Kindsfather, Smith (7) and Ritchey, Cheso (7); Dodeward, Clark (9) and Lundberg, Armstrong (8)
Victoria at Spokane, rained out.
Tri-City at Salem, rained out.
Wenatchee at Yakima, rained out.
Monday, August 27, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 89 45 .664 —
Vancouver ... 86 49 .637 3½
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26
Victoria .... 61 76 .445 29½
Tacoma ...... 58 76 .433 31
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 32
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35
SPOKANE [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 28]—Not all Victorians were happy with the rain last night.
The downpour, which covered all of the northwest, probably cost the Victoria Athletics a victory and a chance to gain on the Wenatchee Chiefs in the battle for the fourth playoff berth in the W.I.L. They dropped a 6-3 rain-interrupted decision at Spokane.
The A’s had a 3-0 lead over Spokane Indians and John Marshall and slim Jim Propst was riding a no-hitter when rain interrupted the game in the top of the fifth inning.
Propst was not the same after play restarted. He walked Kenny Richardson and Jim Brown, and Bill Sheets singled for the first hit off Propst to drive in the first Spokane run. Again play was halted by rain.
Edo Vanni opened the sixth against Propst with a single but was forced by Steve Mesner and Propst was taken out in favor of Bill Osborn.
Osborn gave up only two hits in the remaining innings but each base blow followed walks and figured in the scoring. Brown walked in the eighth and Sheets hit a base-clearing double to give Osborn his second loss in as many games.
Victoria ........ 100 020 000—3 8 2
Spokane ....... 000 011 13x—6 5 3
Prospt, Osborn (6), Carr (8) and Cardinale; Marshall, Wyatt (8) and Sheets.
SALEM, [Herald, Aug. 27] — Salem's Senators made it seven out of eight over the Tri-City Braves last night in a Western International league baseball game played here. Since the season opened the Braves have been able to win only one contest. That was Dick Stone's 5-0 victory back at the start of the season. Salem has won each of the seven other times the clubs have met.
It was practically the same story last night. The Braves got out in front for four innings, saw the Senators tie it up in the fifth, and clinch the decision in the seventh.
Tonight's game between the two teams marks the final home stand for Salem and also will be the last road game for the Braves. Tri-City returns to Sanders field to close out against Vancouver, Wenatchee and Tacoma in that order while Salem moves first to Wenatchee and then makes a swing through Canada ending their 1951 season at Victoria.
Three consecutive singles by Clint Cameron, Bill Edelstein and Ken Michelson plus an infield out gave the Braves a pair of runs in the second panel. They added another in the third when Al Spaeter walked, moved to third on Vic Buccola's single and scored on another infield putout, after that Ray McNulty kept home plate clear of any other Tri-City efforts.
Richie Meyers and Jim McKeegan broke the Braves' back. Meyers did it with a single in the fifth that drove in two and McKeegan's single in the seventh counted another pair.
Tri-City ....... 021 000 000—3 10 3
Salem ......... 000 030 22x—7 12 2
Zande and Pesut; McNulty and McKeegan
Vancouver at Tacoma, rained out.
Wenatchee at Yakima, rained out.
Caps-Chiefs Change Draw Spokane Beef
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 28—A formal protest by the Spokane club over a switch in the site of a baseball game played Saturday night could have an important bearing on the outcome of the Western International League pennant race.
Alan Strange, manager of the Spokane Indians, announced Monday he is protesting the transfer to Vancouver of a game scheduled to be played in Wenatchee Saturday.
Vancouver, playing at home, won that game, picking up half a game in the league standings while league-leading Spokane split a pair with Salem.
Robert Abel, league president, reported by long distance phone to a Spokane newspaper Monday that he approved the switch because of the larger “gate” that could be drawn at Vancouver.
Strange contends Abel exceeded his authority in approving the switch.
Abel said he believes he was within his rights but is “going to look through all the minutes of league meetings to see if there is anything that prevents me from making the switch of playing sites.”
With eight games left to be played in the league schedule, Spokane leads Vancouver by 3½ games.
New Ownership For Tri-City
KENNEWICK, Aug. 27—Dick Richards, former general manager, announced Monday he and Arnie Sanborn, a radio executive had acquired controlling interest in the Tri-City Braves of the Western International baseball league.
Richards, who resigned as general manager earlier this year but remained with the club in another capacity, said he will again take over the helm. Sanborn, he said, will be president of the new organization succeeding Orin “Babe” Hollingsbery, whose interest has been purchased.
“We plan no changes this season,” Richards said. “However, there will be definite changes in the team for 1952.”
The Braves have a working agreement with the St. Louis Cardinals from which the new help could come.
The club had formerly been owned by seven equal shares distributed among six men and one organization.
On the SUNBEAM
With JACK DE LONG [from Sun, Aug. 28, 1951]
Singin’ In the Rain
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [Aug. 28, 1951]
If you've been visiting around here lately no doubt the various baseball rumors have come to your attention now and then. We mean about the Tri-City Braves. Yesterday's story that Dick Richards and Arnie Sanborn had bought the team finally crystallized the entire affair. It helped to clear the air, momentarily at least, on several points.
First and foremost was the statement by Richards that the new owners were not contemplating moving the franchise. For some reason this has been one of the most persistent stories making the rounds, The announcement that no changes will be made in the team this season was not unexpected. Wallowing in the cellar as the Braves are it would-be foolish to attempt anything now with only 10 games left on the schedule.
Nor was the statement that definite changes would be made by 1952 an unexpected one. It's axiomatic that changes be made in the personnel of a losing club. How far will they extend? Richards said that no definite plans had been worked out yet, although certain deductions can be made on the basis of what has gone before. For instance Charlie Petersen is almost definitely out. In fact we might as well tell you now that he very nearly didn't get the field manager's job this year. The St. Louis Cardinals, who have a working agreement with the Braves, wanted to place one of their own men in as the pilot and it was only at the insistence of "Babe" Hollingbery, president of the Braves then, that Petersen was retained.
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
There will certainly be changes in the team itself too. But just how far or how deep the cut will go can at this point be only a matter of conjecture. This ntuch is certain. Richards has been in the forefront of the fight to get the WIL to return to an "honest" class B league status. That would mean enforcement of the rookie rule with a consequent lowering of the monthly payroll. That would automaticly cut into the present team.
This no attempt to prejudge what might come. But it is intended more as an analysis based, as we said before, on certain known fast facts. It will be up to the new owners to produce the best combination they can within their means. It will be to their benefit primarily to do so. After all baseball is a business and not just entertainment for the public.
HOW ABOUT THIS LINEUP
As we mentioned a few paragraphs ago there are only 10 games left on the schedule so that means it's all-star game time. How's about this for a quick rundown?
Catcher—John Ritchey, Vancouver. First base—Vic Buccola. Tri-City. Second base—Al Jacinto, Yakima. Third base—Ken Richardson, Spokane. Shortstop—Buddy Peterson, Tri-City. Outfielders—Dick Sinovic, Vancouver; Eddie Murphy, Spokane; and Will Hafey, Wenatchee. Pitchers—Jim Holder, Spokane; Bob Snyder, Vancouver; Bill Sevens, Salem and for a southpaw Tommy Breisinger, Wenatchee.
Naturally some good players were left off that list. We picked Ritchey over Nick Pesut strictly on his plate power. Dick Faber of Salem's a top outfielder as is Clint Cameron of the Braves. Second base will get a lot of argument. With Al Spaeter of Tri-City, Hugh Luby of Salem and Bob Sturgeon all set to give Jacinto a big argument. We named Jacinto more for his defensive ability than his hitting power.
Spokane ..... 89 45 .664 —
Vancouver ... 86 49 .637 3½
Salem ....... 70 64 .522 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 26
Victoria .... 61 76 .445 29½
Tacoma ...... 58 76 .433 31
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 32
Tri-City .... 55 81 .404 35
SPOKANE [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 28]—Not all Victorians were happy with the rain last night.
The downpour, which covered all of the northwest, probably cost the Victoria Athletics a victory and a chance to gain on the Wenatchee Chiefs in the battle for the fourth playoff berth in the W.I.L. They dropped a 6-3 rain-interrupted decision at Spokane.
The A’s had a 3-0 lead over Spokane Indians and John Marshall and slim Jim Propst was riding a no-hitter when rain interrupted the game in the top of the fifth inning.
Propst was not the same after play restarted. He walked Kenny Richardson and Jim Brown, and Bill Sheets singled for the first hit off Propst to drive in the first Spokane run. Again play was halted by rain.
Edo Vanni opened the sixth against Propst with a single but was forced by Steve Mesner and Propst was taken out in favor of Bill Osborn.
Osborn gave up only two hits in the remaining innings but each base blow followed walks and figured in the scoring. Brown walked in the eighth and Sheets hit a base-clearing double to give Osborn his second loss in as many games.
Victoria ........ 100 020 000—3 8 2
Spokane ....... 000 011 13x—6 5 3
Prospt, Osborn (6), Carr (8) and Cardinale; Marshall, Wyatt (8) and Sheets.
SALEM, [Herald, Aug. 27] — Salem's Senators made it seven out of eight over the Tri-City Braves last night in a Western International league baseball game played here. Since the season opened the Braves have been able to win only one contest. That was Dick Stone's 5-0 victory back at the start of the season. Salem has won each of the seven other times the clubs have met.
It was practically the same story last night. The Braves got out in front for four innings, saw the Senators tie it up in the fifth, and clinch the decision in the seventh.
Tonight's game between the two teams marks the final home stand for Salem and also will be the last road game for the Braves. Tri-City returns to Sanders field to close out against Vancouver, Wenatchee and Tacoma in that order while Salem moves first to Wenatchee and then makes a swing through Canada ending their 1951 season at Victoria.
Three consecutive singles by Clint Cameron, Bill Edelstein and Ken Michelson plus an infield out gave the Braves a pair of runs in the second panel. They added another in the third when Al Spaeter walked, moved to third on Vic Buccola's single and scored on another infield putout, after that Ray McNulty kept home plate clear of any other Tri-City efforts.
Richie Meyers and Jim McKeegan broke the Braves' back. Meyers did it with a single in the fifth that drove in two and McKeegan's single in the seventh counted another pair.
Tri-City ....... 021 000 000—3 10 3
Salem ......... 000 030 22x—7 12 2
Zande and Pesut; McNulty and McKeegan
Vancouver at Tacoma, rained out.
Wenatchee at Yakima, rained out.
Caps-Chiefs Change Draw Spokane Beef
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 28—A formal protest by the Spokane club over a switch in the site of a baseball game played Saturday night could have an important bearing on the outcome of the Western International League pennant race.
Alan Strange, manager of the Spokane Indians, announced Monday he is protesting the transfer to Vancouver of a game scheduled to be played in Wenatchee Saturday.
Vancouver, playing at home, won that game, picking up half a game in the league standings while league-leading Spokane split a pair with Salem.
Robert Abel, league president, reported by long distance phone to a Spokane newspaper Monday that he approved the switch because of the larger “gate” that could be drawn at Vancouver.
Strange contends Abel exceeded his authority in approving the switch.
Abel said he believes he was within his rights but is “going to look through all the minutes of league meetings to see if there is anything that prevents me from making the switch of playing sites.”
With eight games left to be played in the league schedule, Spokane leads Vancouver by 3½ games.
New Ownership For Tri-City
KENNEWICK, Aug. 27—Dick Richards, former general manager, announced Monday he and Arnie Sanborn, a radio executive had acquired controlling interest in the Tri-City Braves of the Western International baseball league.
Richards, who resigned as general manager earlier this year but remained with the club in another capacity, said he will again take over the helm. Sanborn, he said, will be president of the new organization succeeding Orin “Babe” Hollingsbery, whose interest has been purchased.
“We plan no changes this season,” Richards said. “However, there will be definite changes in the team for 1952.”
The Braves have a working agreement with the St. Louis Cardinals from which the new help could come.
The club had formerly been owned by seven equal shares distributed among six men and one organization.
On the SUNBEAM
With JACK DE LONG [from Sun, Aug. 28, 1951]
Singin’ In the Rain
Because it rained yesterday I found out that this has been the most rainless baseball season in Vancouver’s history.
Bob Brown told me an all-time record was set for schedule-fulfilment in Vancouver during June, July and August. Last rained-out game at Cap Stadium was on June 6.
From the standpoint of the baseball businessman, the present season has been perfect, because the long rainless spell has been in the usually-critical attendance months.
Professional club owners expect rain in the early spring and budget accordingly.
Rain doesn’t hurt too much then because crowd interest hasn’t started to build up. But if there is a large number of washouts in the summer months, a club takes it right in the seat of the cash box.
Three seasons back, Vancouver had 14 rained-out games. It nearly washed the Caps out financially.
Good ball players dislike rained-out days, too.
John Ritchey joined Caps this spring on the understanding he would catch every game. Pitchers Bob Snyder and Pete Hernandez want to work every four days. These players take the game seriously. They want to improve. Rained-out games spoil their prospects,Bob Brown knows we need rain and he’s glad Vancouver got that soaking yesterday. But he’s also glad Caps are on the road.
Bob Brown told me an all-time record was set for schedule-fulfilment in Vancouver during June, July and August. Last rained-out game at Cap Stadium was on June 6.
From the standpoint of the baseball businessman, the present season has been perfect, because the long rainless spell has been in the usually-critical attendance months.
Professional club owners expect rain in the early spring and budget accordingly.
Rain doesn’t hurt too much then because crowd interest hasn’t started to build up. But if there is a large number of washouts in the summer months, a club takes it right in the seat of the cash box.
Three seasons back, Vancouver had 14 rained-out games. It nearly washed the Caps out financially.
Good ball players dislike rained-out days, too.
John Ritchey joined Caps this spring on the understanding he would catch every game. Pitchers Bob Snyder and Pete Hernandez want to work every four days. These players take the game seriously. They want to improve. Rained-out games spoil their prospects,Bob Brown knows we need rain and he’s glad Vancouver got that soaking yesterday. But he’s also glad Caps are on the road.
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [Aug. 28, 1951]
If you've been visiting around here lately no doubt the various baseball rumors have come to your attention now and then. We mean about the Tri-City Braves. Yesterday's story that Dick Richards and Arnie Sanborn had bought the team finally crystallized the entire affair. It helped to clear the air, momentarily at least, on several points.
First and foremost was the statement by Richards that the new owners were not contemplating moving the franchise. For some reason this has been one of the most persistent stories making the rounds, The announcement that no changes will be made in the team this season was not unexpected. Wallowing in the cellar as the Braves are it would-be foolish to attempt anything now with only 10 games left on the schedule.
Nor was the statement that definite changes would be made by 1952 an unexpected one. It's axiomatic that changes be made in the personnel of a losing club. How far will they extend? Richards said that no definite plans had been worked out yet, although certain deductions can be made on the basis of what has gone before. For instance Charlie Petersen is almost definitely out. In fact we might as well tell you now that he very nearly didn't get the field manager's job this year. The St. Louis Cardinals, who have a working agreement with the Braves, wanted to place one of their own men in as the pilot and it was only at the insistence of "Babe" Hollingbery, president of the Braves then, that Petersen was retained.
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
There will certainly be changes in the team itself too. But just how far or how deep the cut will go can at this point be only a matter of conjecture. This ntuch is certain. Richards has been in the forefront of the fight to get the WIL to return to an "honest" class B league status. That would mean enforcement of the rookie rule with a consequent lowering of the monthly payroll. That would automaticly cut into the present team.
This no attempt to prejudge what might come. But it is intended more as an analysis based, as we said before, on certain known fast facts. It will be up to the new owners to produce the best combination they can within their means. It will be to their benefit primarily to do so. After all baseball is a business and not just entertainment for the public.
HOW ABOUT THIS LINEUP
As we mentioned a few paragraphs ago there are only 10 games left on the schedule so that means it's all-star game time. How's about this for a quick rundown?
Catcher—John Ritchey, Vancouver. First base—Vic Buccola. Tri-City. Second base—Al Jacinto, Yakima. Third base—Ken Richardson, Spokane. Shortstop—Buddy Peterson, Tri-City. Outfielders—Dick Sinovic, Vancouver; Eddie Murphy, Spokane; and Will Hafey, Wenatchee. Pitchers—Jim Holder, Spokane; Bob Snyder, Vancouver; Bill Sevens, Salem and for a southpaw Tommy Breisinger, Wenatchee.
Naturally some good players were left off that list. We picked Ritchey over Nick Pesut strictly on his plate power. Dick Faber of Salem's a top outfielder as is Clint Cameron of the Braves. Second base will get a lot of argument. With Al Spaeter of Tri-City, Hugh Luby of Salem and Bob Sturgeon all set to give Jacinto a big argument. We named Jacinto more for his defensive ability than his hitting power.
Sunday, Aug. 26, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 88 45 .662 —
Vancouver ... 86 49 .637 3
Salem ....... 69 64 .509 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 25½
Victoria .... 61 75 .449 28½
Tacoma ...... 58 76 .433 30½
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 31½
Tri-City .... 55 80 .407 34
SPOKANE, Aug. 26—The Salem Senators topped the Spokane Indians 8 to 7 in the final of a three-gane series of Western International league baseball here Sunday night.
Salem pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth to hand Indians reliefer, Bob Roberts, the loss. Curt Schmidt, who replaced Sal DeGeorge for Salem, was the winner.
Eddie Murphy marked up his 88th stolen base for the Indians.
Salem ........ 100 001 033—8 15 5
Spokane .... 000 100 051—7 13 1
DeGeorge, Schmidt (7) and McKeegan; Conant, Roberts (9) and Sheets.
WENATCHEE, Aug. 26—Al Treichel shut down the Vancouver Capilanos on three hits in the seven-inning opener, but the Wenatchee Chiefs lost the second contest here, 8-5.
Bob Snyder won the nightcap, picking up his 24th win of the year.
K Chorlton led Vancouver's hit parade, with a double and three singles. Dick Sinovic batted in three Caps, Charlie Mead brought in two, while Jim Marshall hit a two-run triple for the Chiefs.
In the first game, Will Hafey poled his 23rd home run of the season off Carl Gunnarson in the fourth inning, and singled in the Chiefs' other run in the sixth. Meanwhile, Ray Tran had the only extra-base hit for Vancouver, a double, while Chorlton and Mead singled off Treichel, who walked five and struck out three.
The game breezed along at a mere one hour and 12 minutes.
First game
Vancouver ...... 000 000 0—0 3 0
Wenatchee ..... 000 101 x—2 6 1
Gunnarson and Ritchey; Treichel and Roberson
Second game
Vancouver ...... 003 100 202—8 13 3
Wenatchee ..... 000 000 230—5 9 2
Snyder and Ritchey; Raimondi and Roberson.
TACOMA, Aug. 26—Garry Clark of Tacoma pitched both games of a Western International League doubleheader Sunday and came within a whisker of tossing two shutouts as Tacoma and Tri-City split.
First game
Tri-City ...... 000 000 000—0 5 1
Tacoma ...... 023 020 00x—7 10 0
Brewer and Pesut; Clark and Lundberg.
Second game
Tri-City ....... 010 000 0—1 8 0
Tacoma ....... 000 000 0—0 5 0
McCollum and Pesut; Clark and Lundberg.
YAKIMA, Aug. 26—The Yakima Bears and the Victoria Athletics split a doubleheader Sunday night. Victoria edged the Bears 3-2 in the opener while Yakima won the second game 8-5.
First game
Victoria ..... 100 002 0—3 6 1
Yakima ...... 001 000 1—2 6 2
Hedgecock and Martin; Wright and Tiesiera.
Second game
Victoria ...... 003 001 010—5 9 2
Yakima ....... 611 000 00x—8 13 1
Osborn, Jackson (1) and Cardinale; Anderson, Powell (3) and Tiesiera.
Bears Sold
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27.—The fate of the unwanted San Francisco Seals may be determined when the Pacific Coast League directors meet here Wednesday.
Owner Paul I. Fagan announced Saturday he doesn't want the club anymore. He'll turn it over to anyone "for a reasonable consideration."
Damon Miller, secretary of the Seals, said the club would not be represented at Wednesday's meeting. Fagan is in Hawaii. Miller went to Yakima, Wash., to sell the Seals' three-quarters interest in the Yakima club to residents of that city.
The Yakima deal has been pending for some time and is not connected with Fagan's move to get rid of the Seals.
Spokane ..... 88 45 .662 —
Vancouver ... 86 49 .637 3
Salem ....... 69 64 .509 19
Wenatchee ... 63 71 .470 25½
Victoria .... 61 75 .449 28½
Tacoma ...... 58 76 .433 30½
Yakima ...... 57 77 .425 31½
Tri-City .... 55 80 .407 34
SPOKANE, Aug. 26—The Salem Senators topped the Spokane Indians 8 to 7 in the final of a three-gane series of Western International league baseball here Sunday night.
Salem pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth to hand Indians reliefer, Bob Roberts, the loss. Curt Schmidt, who replaced Sal DeGeorge for Salem, was the winner.
Eddie Murphy marked up his 88th stolen base for the Indians.
Salem ........ 100 001 033—8 15 5
Spokane .... 000 100 051—7 13 1
DeGeorge, Schmidt (7) and McKeegan; Conant, Roberts (9) and Sheets.
WENATCHEE, Aug. 26—Al Treichel shut down the Vancouver Capilanos on three hits in the seven-inning opener, but the Wenatchee Chiefs lost the second contest here, 8-5.
Bob Snyder won the nightcap, picking up his 24th win of the year.
K Chorlton led Vancouver's hit parade, with a double and three singles. Dick Sinovic batted in three Caps, Charlie Mead brought in two, while Jim Marshall hit a two-run triple for the Chiefs.
In the first game, Will Hafey poled his 23rd home run of the season off Carl Gunnarson in the fourth inning, and singled in the Chiefs' other run in the sixth. Meanwhile, Ray Tran had the only extra-base hit for Vancouver, a double, while Chorlton and Mead singled off Treichel, who walked five and struck out three.
The game breezed along at a mere one hour and 12 minutes.
First game
Vancouver ...... 000 000 0—0 3 0
Wenatchee ..... 000 101 x—2 6 1
Gunnarson and Ritchey; Treichel and Roberson
Second game
Vancouver ...... 003 100 202—8 13 3
Wenatchee ..... 000 000 230—5 9 2
Snyder and Ritchey; Raimondi and Roberson.
TACOMA, Aug. 26—Garry Clark of Tacoma pitched both games of a Western International League doubleheader Sunday and came within a whisker of tossing two shutouts as Tacoma and Tri-City split.
First game
Tri-City ...... 000 000 000—0 5 1
Tacoma ...... 023 020 00x—7 10 0
Brewer and Pesut; Clark and Lundberg.
Second game
Tri-City ....... 010 000 0—1 8 0
Tacoma ....... 000 000 0—0 5 0
McCollum and Pesut; Clark and Lundberg.
YAKIMA, Aug. 26—The Yakima Bears and the Victoria Athletics split a doubleheader Sunday night. Victoria edged the Bears 3-2 in the opener while Yakima won the second game 8-5.
First game
Victoria ..... 100 002 0—3 6 1
Yakima ...... 001 000 1—2 6 2
Hedgecock and Martin; Wright and Tiesiera.
Second game
Victoria ...... 003 001 010—5 9 2
Yakima ....... 611 000 00x—8 13 1
Osborn, Jackson (1) and Cardinale; Anderson, Powell (3) and Tiesiera.
Bears Sold
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27.—The fate of the unwanted San Francisco Seals may be determined when the Pacific Coast League directors meet here Wednesday.
Owner Paul I. Fagan announced Saturday he doesn't want the club anymore. He'll turn it over to anyone "for a reasonable consideration."
Damon Miller, secretary of the Seals, said the club would not be represented at Wednesday's meeting. Fagan is in Hawaii. Miller went to Yakima, Wash., to sell the Seals' three-quarters interest in the Yakima club to residents of that city.
The Yakima deal has been pending for some time and is not connected with Fagan's move to get rid of the Seals.
Saturday, August 25, 1951
W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 88 44 .639 —
Vancouver ... 85 48 .630 3½
Salem ....... 68 64 .515 20
Wenatchee ... 62 70 .470 26
Victoria .... 60 74 .448 29
Tacoma ...... 57 75 .432 31
Yakima ...... 56 76 .424 32
Tri-City .... 54 76 .406 34½
SPOKANE, Aug. 25 — Some daring base running by centerfielder Eddie Murphy sent the Spokane Indians ahead in the third inning of their Western International league baseball game with Salem tonight and the Indians breezed to a 7 to 3 win.
Aldon Wilkie gave the Indians ten hits in the finale but was tight in the pinches as the Senators took a 5-3 decision.
In the seven inning opener of a double header both teams scored once in the first inning.
Spokane took the lead in the third when Murphy singled and stole second, When Edo Vanni, Spokane right fielder, laid down a sacrifice Murphy scored all the way home from second. Mel Wasley then doubled Vanni home.
Jim Holder went all the way for the Indians to register his eleventh win of the season against no defeats.
Murphy stole two bases in the game boosting his season total to 87.
First game
Salem ........ 100 011 0—3 5 3
Spokane .... 102 031 x—7 8 1
Monroe and Dana; Holder and Sheets.
Second Game
Salem ........ 200 020 010—5 12 0
Spokane .... 010 200 000—3 10 0
Wilkie and McKeegan, Bishop and Sheets.
VANCOUVER, Aug. 25—Taking an early lead, Vancouver Capilanos, sparked by pitcher Pete Hernandez, tonight defeated Wenatchee Chiefs 5-3 in the Western International league.
The third was the big inning, the Caps scoring three runs and the Chiefs 2.
For Wenatchee Foster Roberson, safe on Ray Tran's error, scored when Charlie Gassaway
doubled to the left centerfield wall. Gassaway then tallied on Walt Pocekay's single to rightfield.
John Ritchey scored for the Caps in the first and third, and in the big inning Dick Sinovic and Charlie Mead put in one each for Vancouver. The Caps scored again in the fifth when Bob McGuire made it safe on Jim Moore's double to left field.
The scoring ended in the eighth when the Chiefs' Jim Marshall doubled off the rightfield wall, advanced on an infield out and scored on Buddy Hjelmaa's scratch single to right field.
It was Hernandez 16th victory of the season against three losses. He set the Chiefs down with six hits as Vancouver took an early lead and held on before the new stadium's smallest weekend crowd.
Hernandez bested Gassaway, to whom Vancouver got for 12 safeties, two of them successive doubles by Dick Sinovic, a possible sign the big centre fielder is finally breaking out of a recent slump.
Wenatchee .... 022 000 010—3 6 2
Vancouver ..... 103 010 00x—5 12 2
Gassaway and Roberson; Hernandez and Moore.
YAKIMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 26]—Kewpie Dick Barrett, fired earlier in the season as manager of the Victoria Athletics, gained a little more personal revenge last night as he put another crimp in Victoria’s playoff hopes.
Barrett, honored in pre-game ceremonies by presentation of a scroll commemorating his enrolment in the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame, tossed a neat three-hitter to defeat the A’s, 4-1.
RETAIN MARGIN
The defeat cost the A’s a chance to gain on the Wenatchee Chiefs in the battle for the fourth playoff berth. The Chiefs bowed to the Vancouver Capilanos 5-3, but retained a three-game margin over the A’s.
Never in serious trouble all night, Barrett had the A’s on his hip. He spotted Victoria a run in the second when he walked Hal Jackson and Rocco Cardinale followed with a 360-foot double to centre. Then he held the A’s hitless until Jimmy Clark singled with two out in the eighth. The only other hit was Ben Jeffey’s double in the ninth.
KEPT IN TROUBLE
Opposing Barrett was John Tierney, who gave up only six hits including two of the scratch variety, but walks kept him in trouble.
He escaped in the second inning when the Bears loaded the bases with only one out as he forced Barrett and Bill Andering to fly out. He was not so lucky in the third.
Al Jacinto walked to open the third, stole second and went to third as Cardinale’s throw to second went into the outfield. Mike Baxes grounded to Bill Dunn and was safe at first as Jacinto beat Dunn’s throw to the plate to catch Jacinto, who came in with the tying run. Baxes stole second and held the bag as Will Tiesiera grounded out to Don Pries but later scored the second run when Dick Briskey singled through short.
ADD INSURANCE
The Bears added an insurance ran in the fourth when Bill Andering walked, advanced on an infield out and scored on Jerry Zuvela’s single. They scored the final run in the eighth when Bill Steinberg singled, stole second and came home on Barrett’s Texas League single.
The cubs meet in a double-header today with Bill Osborn and Jim Hedgecock the likely mound choices for the A’s. Athletics move on to Spokane and Tacoma before returning home Friday.
Victoria .... 010 000 000—1 3 1
Yakima ..... 002 100 01x—4 6 2
Tierney and Cardinale; Barrett and Tiesiera.
TACOMA, Aug. 25 — With the help of five unearned runs, the Tacoma Tigers tonight downed the Tri-City Braves 7-2 in a Western International league baseball game.
Tacoma broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth when singles by Merv Dubbers, Sol Israel, John Catron, Butch Moran and and Jose Bache combined with two Tri-City errors gave Tacoma five unearned runs.
Tri-City was never able to spark a rally as Tom Kipp scattered seven hits to notch his 9th victory of the campaign.
Tri-City ...... 100 001 000—2 7 3
Tacoma ...... 100 050 10x—7 11 2
Stone and Pesut; Kipp and Lundberg.
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 26, 1951]
ANOTHER LONG TALK
Spokane ..... 88 44 .639 —
Vancouver ... 85 48 .630 3½
Salem ....... 68 64 .515 20
Wenatchee ... 62 70 .470 26
Victoria .... 60 74 .448 29
Tacoma ...... 57 75 .432 31
Yakima ...... 56 76 .424 32
Tri-City .... 54 76 .406 34½
SPOKANE, Aug. 25 — Some daring base running by centerfielder Eddie Murphy sent the Spokane Indians ahead in the third inning of their Western International league baseball game with Salem tonight and the Indians breezed to a 7 to 3 win.
Aldon Wilkie gave the Indians ten hits in the finale but was tight in the pinches as the Senators took a 5-3 decision.
In the seven inning opener of a double header both teams scored once in the first inning.
Spokane took the lead in the third when Murphy singled and stole second, When Edo Vanni, Spokane right fielder, laid down a sacrifice Murphy scored all the way home from second. Mel Wasley then doubled Vanni home.
Jim Holder went all the way for the Indians to register his eleventh win of the season against no defeats.
Murphy stole two bases in the game boosting his season total to 87.
First game
Salem ........ 100 011 0—3 5 3
Spokane .... 102 031 x—7 8 1
Monroe and Dana; Holder and Sheets.
Second Game
Salem ........ 200 020 010—5 12 0
Spokane .... 010 200 000—3 10 0
Wilkie and McKeegan, Bishop and Sheets.
VANCOUVER, Aug. 25—Taking an early lead, Vancouver Capilanos, sparked by pitcher Pete Hernandez, tonight defeated Wenatchee Chiefs 5-3 in the Western International league.
The third was the big inning, the Caps scoring three runs and the Chiefs 2.
For Wenatchee Foster Roberson, safe on Ray Tran's error, scored when Charlie Gassaway
doubled to the left centerfield wall. Gassaway then tallied on Walt Pocekay's single to rightfield.
John Ritchey scored for the Caps in the first and third, and in the big inning Dick Sinovic and Charlie Mead put in one each for Vancouver. The Caps scored again in the fifth when Bob McGuire made it safe on Jim Moore's double to left field.
The scoring ended in the eighth when the Chiefs' Jim Marshall doubled off the rightfield wall, advanced on an infield out and scored on Buddy Hjelmaa's scratch single to right field.
It was Hernandez 16th victory of the season against three losses. He set the Chiefs down with six hits as Vancouver took an early lead and held on before the new stadium's smallest weekend crowd.
Hernandez bested Gassaway, to whom Vancouver got for 12 safeties, two of them successive doubles by Dick Sinovic, a possible sign the big centre fielder is finally breaking out of a recent slump.
Wenatchee .... 022 000 010—3 6 2
Vancouver ..... 103 010 00x—5 12 2
Gassaway and Roberson; Hernandez and Moore.
YAKIMA [Victoria Colonist, Aug. 26]—Kewpie Dick Barrett, fired earlier in the season as manager of the Victoria Athletics, gained a little more personal revenge last night as he put another crimp in Victoria’s playoff hopes.
Barrett, honored in pre-game ceremonies by presentation of a scroll commemorating his enrolment in the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame, tossed a neat three-hitter to defeat the A’s, 4-1.
RETAIN MARGIN
The defeat cost the A’s a chance to gain on the Wenatchee Chiefs in the battle for the fourth playoff berth. The Chiefs bowed to the Vancouver Capilanos 5-3, but retained a three-game margin over the A’s.
Never in serious trouble all night, Barrett had the A’s on his hip. He spotted Victoria a run in the second when he walked Hal Jackson and Rocco Cardinale followed with a 360-foot double to centre. Then he held the A’s hitless until Jimmy Clark singled with two out in the eighth. The only other hit was Ben Jeffey’s double in the ninth.
KEPT IN TROUBLE
Opposing Barrett was John Tierney, who gave up only six hits including two of the scratch variety, but walks kept him in trouble.
He escaped in the second inning when the Bears loaded the bases with only one out as he forced Barrett and Bill Andering to fly out. He was not so lucky in the third.
Al Jacinto walked to open the third, stole second and went to third as Cardinale’s throw to second went into the outfield. Mike Baxes grounded to Bill Dunn and was safe at first as Jacinto beat Dunn’s throw to the plate to catch Jacinto, who came in with the tying run. Baxes stole second and held the bag as Will Tiesiera grounded out to Don Pries but later scored the second run when Dick Briskey singled through short.
ADD INSURANCE
The Bears added an insurance ran in the fourth when Bill Andering walked, advanced on an infield out and scored on Jerry Zuvela’s single. They scored the final run in the eighth when Bill Steinberg singled, stole second and came home on Barrett’s Texas League single.
The cubs meet in a double-header today with Bill Osborn and Jim Hedgecock the likely mound choices for the A’s. Athletics move on to Spokane and Tacoma before returning home Friday.
Victoria .... 010 000 000—1 3 1
Yakima ..... 002 100 01x—4 6 2
Tierney and Cardinale; Barrett and Tiesiera.
TACOMA, Aug. 25 — With the help of five unearned runs, the Tacoma Tigers tonight downed the Tri-City Braves 7-2 in a Western International league baseball game.
Tacoma broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth when singles by Merv Dubbers, Sol Israel, John Catron, Butch Moran and and Jose Bache combined with two Tri-City errors gave Tacoma five unearned runs.
Tri-City was never able to spark a rally as Tom Kipp scattered seven hits to notch his 9th victory of the campaign.
Tri-City ...... 100 001 000—2 7 3
Tacoma ...... 100 050 10x—7 11 2
Stone and Pesut; Kipp and Lundberg.
ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [from Aug. 26, 1951]
ANOTHER LONG TALK
No doubt Manager Charlie Petersen has had a long talk with Bob Abel, the WIL's president, by this time over the new suspension of shortstop Buddy Peterson. The last time Charlie was successful in getting his shortstop back into the lineup very quickly. This could be another tempest in a teapot. If Buddy is back by tonight, such will no doubt have been the case. On the other hand it also may ho that Abel will make this one stick for a bit longer. This weekend should pretty well decide that point.
While the loss of the league's best shortstop to the Braves could have been a serious blow at one time, today it will affect their standing but little. Well, just another 10 days and this season will be a matter of history. Then we can, with a slate wiped clean, start looking forward with new hope to a better year to come. . .it may be small consolation but at this moment it's the best we can think of.
JOTS AND DOTS. . .HERE AND THERE
The other day we itemed here that Charlie Petersen didn't have too much to say about the makeup of the Braves although he is the field manager. . .Both Vern Johnson and Dick Richards say we're wrong on that point. . .that Charlie passed on and agreed to every player on the roster, but one. At this point it doesn't seem to make much difference anyhow.
While the loss of the league's best shortstop to the Braves could have been a serious blow at one time, today it will affect their standing but little. Well, just another 10 days and this season will be a matter of history. Then we can, with a slate wiped clean, start looking forward with new hope to a better year to come. . .it may be small consolation but at this moment it's the best we can think of.
JOTS AND DOTS. . .HERE AND THERE
The other day we itemed here that Charlie Petersen didn't have too much to say about the makeup of the Braves although he is the field manager. . .Both Vern Johnson and Dick Richards say we're wrong on that point. . .that Charlie passed on and agreed to every player on the roster, but one. At this point it doesn't seem to make much difference anyhow.
Friday, Aug. 24, 1951
W L Pct. GB
Spokane ..... 87 43 .669 —
Vancouver ... 84 48 .636 4
Salem ....... 67 63 .515 20
Wenatchee ... 62 69 .473 25½
Victoria .... 60 73 .454 28½
Tacoma ...... 56 75 .427 31½
Yakima ...... 55 76 .420 32½
Tri-City .... 54 78 .409 34
SALEM, Ore., Aug. 24—Spokane broke a 2-2 by scoring five runs in the eleventh inning to win a Western International league ball game 7-3 here Saturday night.
Spokane ..... 000 001 100 05—7 17 2
Salem ........ 001 010 000 01—3 8 2
Aubertin, Palm (6) and Sheets; Bevens, Lew (11) and McKeegan.
VANCOUVER [Erwin Swangard, Sun, Aug. 25]—Vancouver’s Sandy Robertson, on the ailing list for the greater part of the season, has his sneaky curve ball working to perfection at Little Mountain Stadium Friday night.
As a result, the Caps squeezed out an extra-innings victory over the Tacoma Tigers but unfortunately for their cause Spokane Indians stopped the Senators 7-3 at Salem about the same time.
That means, of course, Indians maintained their four-game Western International Baseball League lead over the Capilanos, but a lot could happen one way or the other over a busy weekend.
CHIEFS IN TOWN
Capilanos entertain Wenatchee Chiefs in a single game tonight with Pete Hernandez scheduled to pitch. Then Sunday Caps move to Wenatchee for a double-header with Carl Gunnarson and Bob Snyder the pitchers.
Meanwhile, Indians play third-place Salem in a three-game weekend series at home.
Robertson really had to be good to get the best in a brilliant pitching duel with Tacoma’s Harold Dodeward, a 19-year-old righthander with lots of speed and a fine assortment of pitches.
Caps’ tighter defence eventually decided the issue.
SANDY JUST MISSES
In the ninth inning Sandy was just one pitch away from a 2-1 victory. However, first baseman Butch Moran doubled off shortstop Ray Tran’s leg. Vince DiMaggio singled him to third and Jose Bache singled him home for the tying run.
The same Bache was the goat of the Caps’ victory. With the bases loaded and one away in the 10th, Dick Sinovic shot a fast ground ball to Bache at short. Bache threw the ball before he got it and the error allowed K. Chorlton to romp in with the winner.
Tacoma ....... 010 000 000 0—2 7 3
Vancouver ... 000 011 000 1—3 7 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Robertson and Ritchey.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 25]—Bob Sturgeon received almost everything but a coveted victory over Wenatchee Chiefs last night at Royal Athletic Park.
Honored at a special “night,” the manager of the A’s was presented with gifts from fans, city business firms, the club management and players in a pre-game ceremony topped by the signing of a pact to return as manager next season if the Victoria W.I.L. franchise is still operated by the Victoria Baseball and Athletic Co. Ltd.
In addition, Sturgeon received the assurance he will have capable shortstop protection for next season. Business manager Reg Patterson announced before the game that popular Jim Clark is now the property of the club and will be back to start next season at the position he has filled so well since joining the club July 18.
2,500 HOPEFULS
Then, the Chiefs refused to co-operate. With 2,500 hopeful fans on hand, the club the A’s hope to beat out of the last post-season playoff berth, uncovered its latent power to blast out a 11-2 triumph.
The victory gave the Chiefs an even split in the two-game series and restored their lead to three games. Victoria won the season’s series, 11-9.
The A’s leave this morning for a seven-game road trip with stops at Yakima, Spokane and Tacoma, in that order. The Bears, with ex-manager Dick Barrett lying in wait as a cinch to start one game, will be faced tonight in a single game and tomorrow in two. It’s Spokane Monday and Tuesday, Tacoma Wednesday and Thursday, and back home Friday to wind up the season with three games against Spokane and Salem.
Percentages didn’t pay off last night. With the Chiefs having most of their power swinging from the first-base side, the A’s have been throwing their southpaws against them with good success. This time it didn’t work.
Ben Lorino got the starting assignment and he was hit harder than he ever has been in the W.I.L. Led by Will Hafey, Walt Pockay, Lyle Palmer, Jim Marshall and even pitcher Tom Breisinger, their left-handed hitting contingent, the Chiefs had Lorino in the showers before the sixth inning was over.
Lorino gave up 12 hits and eight runs in his tenure and the Chiefs kept his outfielders busy with booming line drives. Still going along with the southpaw-versus-lefthander theory, Sturgeon sent Jim Hedgecock in as relief. He failed to get a man out, walking one and giving up two singles and a home run.
Between them, the two Victoria southpaws gave up 11 runs and 15 hits. Eleven of those hits were made by lefthanders in the Wenatchee batting order and the quintet batted in eighth of the runs. Included among the hits was a tremendous 380-foot home run by hafey, who batted in five runs with three hits.
SET DOWN EASILY
Righthanded Bill Prior came on for Hedgecock in the sixth to face Marshall and Breisinger and set them down easily to complete the percentage rout. Prior went on to hold the winners scoreless in a fine relief stint but the A’s could do nothing with Breisinger, who lost his shutout only because Bill White’s fly ball was lost in the lights in the first inning and fell in for a triple.
Wenatchee .... 110 045 000—11 17 1
Victoria ......... 200 000 000—2 7 1
Breisinger and Roberson; Lorino, Hedgecock (6), Prior (6) and Cardinale.
YAKIMA, Aug. 24 — The Tri-City Braves turned on the Yakima Bears with a 15-hit attack and a 8-4 Western International league victory tonight.
The victory moved the last place Braves to within one game of the seventh-place Bears.
Clint Cameron with three singles and Bill Eddelstein [sic], Ken Michelson and Vic Buccola with two hits each led the Tri-City attack on hurlers Bill Boemler and Tom Del Sarto. Boemler was charged with his 12th loss. He has 13 victories.
Joe Nicholas went the route for Tri-City to gain his sixth win against seven defeats.
WILfan note: Again, the standing as mentioned in this U.P. story is incorrect. The standings at the top of this post are correct and were from another newspaper.
Tri-City ..... 010 022 003—8 15 1
Yakima ...... 111 001 000—4 11 0
Nicholas and Pesut; Boemler, Del Sarto (7) and Tiesiera.
Spokane ..... 87 43 .669 —
Vancouver ... 84 48 .636 4
Salem ....... 67 63 .515 20
Wenatchee ... 62 69 .473 25½
Victoria .... 60 73 .454 28½
Tacoma ...... 56 75 .427 31½
Yakima ...... 55 76 .420 32½
Tri-City .... 54 78 .409 34
SALEM, Ore., Aug. 24—Spokane broke a 2-2 by scoring five runs in the eleventh inning to win a Western International league ball game 7-3 here Saturday night.
Spokane ..... 000 001 100 05—7 17 2
Salem ........ 001 010 000 01—3 8 2
Aubertin, Palm (6) and Sheets; Bevens, Lew (11) and McKeegan.
VANCOUVER [Erwin Swangard, Sun, Aug. 25]—Vancouver’s Sandy Robertson, on the ailing list for the greater part of the season, has his sneaky curve ball working to perfection at Little Mountain Stadium Friday night.
As a result, the Caps squeezed out an extra-innings victory over the Tacoma Tigers but unfortunately for their cause Spokane Indians stopped the Senators 7-3 at Salem about the same time.
That means, of course, Indians maintained their four-game Western International Baseball League lead over the Capilanos, but a lot could happen one way or the other over a busy weekend.
CHIEFS IN TOWN
Capilanos entertain Wenatchee Chiefs in a single game tonight with Pete Hernandez scheduled to pitch. Then Sunday Caps move to Wenatchee for a double-header with Carl Gunnarson and Bob Snyder the pitchers.
Meanwhile, Indians play third-place Salem in a three-game weekend series at home.
Robertson really had to be good to get the best in a brilliant pitching duel with Tacoma’s Harold Dodeward, a 19-year-old righthander with lots of speed and a fine assortment of pitches.
Caps’ tighter defence eventually decided the issue.
SANDY JUST MISSES
In the ninth inning Sandy was just one pitch away from a 2-1 victory. However, first baseman Butch Moran doubled off shortstop Ray Tran’s leg. Vince DiMaggio singled him to third and Jose Bache singled him home for the tying run.
The same Bache was the goat of the Caps’ victory. With the bases loaded and one away in the 10th, Dick Sinovic shot a fast ground ball to Bache at short. Bache threw the ball before he got it and the error allowed K. Chorlton to romp in with the winner.
Tacoma ....... 010 000 000 0—2 7 3
Vancouver ... 000 011 000 1—3 7 0
Dodeward and Lundberg; Robertson and Ritchey.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 25]—Bob Sturgeon received almost everything but a coveted victory over Wenatchee Chiefs last night at Royal Athletic Park.
Honored at a special “night,” the manager of the A’s was presented with gifts from fans, city business firms, the club management and players in a pre-game ceremony topped by the signing of a pact to return as manager next season if the Victoria W.I.L. franchise is still operated by the Victoria Baseball and Athletic Co. Ltd.
In addition, Sturgeon received the assurance he will have capable shortstop protection for next season. Business manager Reg Patterson announced before the game that popular Jim Clark is now the property of the club and will be back to start next season at the position he has filled so well since joining the club July 18.
2,500 HOPEFULS
Then, the Chiefs refused to co-operate. With 2,500 hopeful fans on hand, the club the A’s hope to beat out of the last post-season playoff berth, uncovered its latent power to blast out a 11-2 triumph.
The victory gave the Chiefs an even split in the two-game series and restored their lead to three games. Victoria won the season’s series, 11-9.
The A’s leave this morning for a seven-game road trip with stops at Yakima, Spokane and Tacoma, in that order. The Bears, with ex-manager Dick Barrett lying in wait as a cinch to start one game, will be faced tonight in a single game and tomorrow in two. It’s Spokane Monday and Tuesday, Tacoma Wednesday and Thursday, and back home Friday to wind up the season with three games against Spokane and Salem.
Percentages didn’t pay off last night. With the Chiefs having most of their power swinging from the first-base side, the A’s have been throwing their southpaws against them with good success. This time it didn’t work.
Ben Lorino got the starting assignment and he was hit harder than he ever has been in the W.I.L. Led by Will Hafey, Walt Pockay, Lyle Palmer, Jim Marshall and even pitcher Tom Breisinger, their left-handed hitting contingent, the Chiefs had Lorino in the showers before the sixth inning was over.
Lorino gave up 12 hits and eight runs in his tenure and the Chiefs kept his outfielders busy with booming line drives. Still going along with the southpaw-versus-lefthander theory, Sturgeon sent Jim Hedgecock in as relief. He failed to get a man out, walking one and giving up two singles and a home run.
Between them, the two Victoria southpaws gave up 11 runs and 15 hits. Eleven of those hits were made by lefthanders in the Wenatchee batting order and the quintet batted in eighth of the runs. Included among the hits was a tremendous 380-foot home run by hafey, who batted in five runs with three hits.
SET DOWN EASILY
Righthanded Bill Prior came on for Hedgecock in the sixth to face Marshall and Breisinger and set them down easily to complete the percentage rout. Prior went on to hold the winners scoreless in a fine relief stint but the A’s could do nothing with Breisinger, who lost his shutout only because Bill White’s fly ball was lost in the lights in the first inning and fell in for a triple.
Wenatchee .... 110 045 000—11 17 1
Victoria ......... 200 000 000—2 7 1
Breisinger and Roberson; Lorino, Hedgecock (6), Prior (6) and Cardinale.
YAKIMA, Aug. 24 — The Tri-City Braves turned on the Yakima Bears with a 15-hit attack and a 8-4 Western International league victory tonight.
The victory moved the last place Braves to within one game of the seventh-place Bears.
Clint Cameron with three singles and Bill Eddelstein [sic], Ken Michelson and Vic Buccola with two hits each led the Tri-City attack on hurlers Bill Boemler and Tom Del Sarto. Boemler was charged with his 12th loss. He has 13 victories.
Joe Nicholas went the route for Tri-City to gain his sixth win against seven defeats.
WILfan note: Again, the standing as mentioned in this U.P. story is incorrect. The standings at the top of this post are correct and were from another newspaper.
Tri-City ..... 010 022 003—8 15 1
Yakima ...... 111 001 000—4 11 0
Nicholas and Pesut; Boemler, Del Sarto (7) and Tiesiera.
Thursday, August 23, 1951
W L Pct GB
Spokane ..... 86 43 .667 —
Vancouver ... 83 48 .634 4
Salem ....... 67 62 .510 10
Wenatchee ... 61 69 .469 25½
Victoria .... 60 72 .455 27½
Tacoma ...... 56 74 .431 30½
Yakima ...... 55 75 .418 31½
Tri-City .... 53 78 .405 34
SALEM, Aug. 23—The Spokane Indians were edged out 4-3 tonight as they failed to overcome the lead the Salem Senators established at the expense of John Marshall.
Salem chased pitcher John Marshall out of the box in the second inning after they had
collected four runs in the two frames. It was enough as Curt Schmidt held Spokane to five hits and three runs over the route.
Bob Roberts pitched seven-plus hitless innings as Marshall's relief.
Spokane .... 000 201 000—3 5 1
Salem ....... 130 000 00x—4 5 3
Marshall, Roberts (2) and Sheets; Schmidt and McKeegan.
VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News Herald, Aug. 23]—They say all Vernon Kindsfather ever needed this year was steady employment and he’d become a full-grown, potential major leaguer. This was only Vernon’s second victory of the entire year. Both have been with the Capilanos and have come at a time when Mr. William Schuster is most thankful for them.
Vern, after a spring training season in which he beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, had an 0-5 card with Seattle. The Rainiers shipped him off to Memphis, where the Chicago White Sox wanted a closer look at the youngster Paul Richards valued so highly.
Vern didn’t get a look-in down there. He was 0-0, never started a game, and was terribly unhappy about it.
The youngster is doing the things he likes now, pitching in turn and blowing his fast balls and curves in varying speeds.
Tacoma only got five hits off the boy last night and only one of the three runs was earned.
The Caps, meanwhile, utilized Bob Schulte’s wildness, coupled it with Dick Sinovic’s hitting and came away an easy winner.
Sinovic finally picked up his 100th RBI, then added one to it to bring his total to 1001 for the season. The smallest crowd ever to sit in at the new park, incidentally, watched this one. A mere 1400.
Tonight the same clubs meet again at 8:30 and Sandy Robertson (2-4) will do the serving for the Caps.
Tacoma ....... 000 210 000—3 5 0
Vancouver ... 301 101 01x—7 10 1
Schulte and Lundberg; Kindsfather and Cheso.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 24]—Victoria’s ambitious Athletics, hustling to make the post-season playdowns, closed the gap separating them from the fourth-place Wenatchee Chiefs to two games at Royal Athletic Park last night.
Finding their batting eyes against Al Treichel, the veteran righthander who is usually tough for them, the A’s came from behind to win from the Chiefs in the 14-3 romp.
They get a chance to get closer in the last game of the short series tonight. It will be “Bob Sturgeon Night” and the A’s will have a double incentive.
NEW CONTRACT
Among other gifts, the popular manager is expected to receive a contract for next season and his players will be trying to give him a second victory as their contribution. Ben Lorino gets the mound assignment and he will be facing Tom Breisinger in an all-southpaw battle.
Settling down after a shaky start in which he gave up single runs in each of the first three innings, Jim Propst was never threatened again as he marked his 12th win in 20 decisions and made it eight our of nine since Sturgeon took over.
Propst not only held the Chiefs at bay in the last six innings but he contributed something at the plate by singling in the tying runs in a four-run fourth inning which gave the A’s a 5-3 lead.
Sharing the spotlight with Propst was Bill Dunn, who has suddenly become a terror with a bat. The veteran infielder, who is keeping Sturgeon on the bench, had a perfect night with a triple, two singles and a walk and drove in three runs. His triple was a tremendous clout to left field which travelled an estimated 360 feet. Dunn has 16 hits in his last 27 trips and 23 hits in 52 trips since he started a plate surge that has lifted his average 36 points from .188 since Aug. 1.
HOMER BY PRIES
Don Pries, climbing steadily since a mid-season slump, chipped in with three hits including his fourth home run and Rocco Cardinale made his first hit at Royal Athletic Park a two-run homer in the eighth.
Wenatchee ... 111 000 000—3 7 4
Victoria ....... 001 402 34x—14 14 0
Treichel and Roberson; Propst and Cardinale.
YAKIMA [Herald, Aug. 24]—The Trl-Clty Braves crawled a little deeper into the Western International league cellar here last night and they managed to lose to the Yakima Bears 14-1.
Losing pitcher for Tri-City was Bob Costello who gave up 16 hits for hla 12th loss of the year. He has won 8. Ted Savarese held Tri-City to six hits as he notched his 10th win against 10 defeats.
The Braves only run was scored in the top of the first inning by shortstop Buddy Peterson. He singled, stole second and scored on a one-baser by Clint Cameron.
In the bottom half of the same inning, Peterson went out of ths game on his ear after a dispute over a close play at second base. Yaklma's Bill Andring was called safe. Disagreeing, Peterson charged at Umpire Charley Rose but was restrained and finally led off the field by his teammates.
Earl Richmond led Yakima hitters with four singles in five trips. The game left the hapless Tri-City Braves two full games behind their “cellar mates,” Yakima.
WILfan note: Actually, "two" isn't correct. Somehow, the AP missed a game in its win column for Yakima in mid-August and didn't fix it until the day after this story came out
Tri-City .... 100 000 000—1 6 6
Yakima ..... 203 003 51x—14 16 0
Costello and Pesut; Savarese and Tiesiera.
Spokane ..... 86 43 .667 —
Vancouver ... 83 48 .634 4
Salem ....... 67 62 .510 10
Wenatchee ... 61 69 .469 25½
Victoria .... 60 72 .455 27½
Tacoma ...... 56 74 .431 30½
Yakima ...... 55 75 .418 31½
Tri-City .... 53 78 .405 34
SALEM, Aug. 23—The Spokane Indians were edged out 4-3 tonight as they failed to overcome the lead the Salem Senators established at the expense of John Marshall.
Salem chased pitcher John Marshall out of the box in the second inning after they had
collected four runs in the two frames. It was enough as Curt Schmidt held Spokane to five hits and three runs over the route.
Bob Roberts pitched seven-plus hitless innings as Marshall's relief.
Spokane .... 000 201 000—3 5 1
Salem ....... 130 000 00x—4 5 3
Marshall, Roberts (2) and Sheets; Schmidt and McKeegan.
VANCOUVER [Keith Matthews, News Herald, Aug. 23]—They say all Vernon Kindsfather ever needed this year was steady employment and he’d become a full-grown, potential major leaguer. This was only Vernon’s second victory of the entire year. Both have been with the Capilanos and have come at a time when Mr. William Schuster is most thankful for them.
Vern, after a spring training season in which he beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, had an 0-5 card with Seattle. The Rainiers shipped him off to Memphis, where the Chicago White Sox wanted a closer look at the youngster Paul Richards valued so highly.
Vern didn’t get a look-in down there. He was 0-0, never started a game, and was terribly unhappy about it.
The youngster is doing the things he likes now, pitching in turn and blowing his fast balls and curves in varying speeds.
Tacoma only got five hits off the boy last night and only one of the three runs was earned.
The Caps, meanwhile, utilized Bob Schulte’s wildness, coupled it with Dick Sinovic’s hitting and came away an easy winner.
Sinovic finally picked up his 100th RBI, then added one to it to bring his total to 1001 for the season. The smallest crowd ever to sit in at the new park, incidentally, watched this one. A mere 1400.
Tonight the same clubs meet again at 8:30 and Sandy Robertson (2-4) will do the serving for the Caps.
Tacoma ....... 000 210 000—3 5 0
Vancouver ... 301 101 01x—7 10 1
Schulte and Lundberg; Kindsfather and Cheso.
VICTORIA [Colonist, Aug. 24]—Victoria’s ambitious Athletics, hustling to make the post-season playdowns, closed the gap separating them from the fourth-place Wenatchee Chiefs to two games at Royal Athletic Park last night.
Finding their batting eyes against Al Treichel, the veteran righthander who is usually tough for them, the A’s came from behind to win from the Chiefs in the 14-3 romp.
They get a chance to get closer in the last game of the short series tonight. It will be “Bob Sturgeon Night” and the A’s will have a double incentive.
NEW CONTRACT
Among other gifts, the popular manager is expected to receive a contract for next season and his players will be trying to give him a second victory as their contribution. Ben Lorino gets the mound assignment and he will be facing Tom Breisinger in an all-southpaw battle.
Settling down after a shaky start in which he gave up single runs in each of the first three innings, Jim Propst was never threatened again as he marked his 12th win in 20 decisions and made it eight our of nine since Sturgeon took over.
Propst not only held the Chiefs at bay in the last six innings but he contributed something at the plate by singling in the tying runs in a four-run fourth inning which gave the A’s a 5-3 lead.
Sharing the spotlight with Propst was Bill Dunn, who has suddenly become a terror with a bat. The veteran infielder, who is keeping Sturgeon on the bench, had a perfect night with a triple, two singles and a walk and drove in three runs. His triple was a tremendous clout to left field which travelled an estimated 360 feet. Dunn has 16 hits in his last 27 trips and 23 hits in 52 trips since he started a plate surge that has lifted his average 36 points from .188 since Aug. 1.
HOMER BY PRIES
Don Pries, climbing steadily since a mid-season slump, chipped in with three hits including his fourth home run and Rocco Cardinale made his first hit at Royal Athletic Park a two-run homer in the eighth.
Wenatchee ... 111 000 000—3 7 4
Victoria ....... 001 402 34x—14 14 0
Treichel and Roberson; Propst and Cardinale.
YAKIMA [Herald, Aug. 24]—The Trl-Clty Braves crawled a little deeper into the Western International league cellar here last night and they managed to lose to the Yakima Bears 14-1.
Losing pitcher for Tri-City was Bob Costello who gave up 16 hits for hla 12th loss of the year. He has won 8. Ted Savarese held Tri-City to six hits as he notched his 10th win against 10 defeats.
The Braves only run was scored in the top of the first inning by shortstop Buddy Peterson. He singled, stole second and scored on a one-baser by Clint Cameron.
In the bottom half of the same inning, Peterson went out of ths game on his ear after a dispute over a close play at second base. Yaklma's Bill Andring was called safe. Disagreeing, Peterson charged at Umpire Charley Rose but was restrained and finally led off the field by his teammates.
Earl Richmond led Yakima hitters with four singles in five trips. The game left the hapless Tri-City Braves two full games behind their “cellar mates,” Yakima.
WILfan note: Actually, "two" isn't correct. Somehow, the AP missed a game in its win column for Yakima in mid-August and didn't fix it until the day after this story came out
Tri-City .... 100 000 000—1 6 6
Yakima ..... 203 003 51x—14 16 0
Costello and Pesut; Savarese and Tiesiera.
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