Tuesday, April 24, 1951

              W L Pct GB
Vancouver ... 5 0 1.000 —
Yakima ...... 5 0 1.000 —
Salem ....... 4 1 .800 1
Spokane ..... 2 3 .400 3
Victoria .... 2 3 .400 3
Tri-City .... 1 4 .200 4
Tacoma ...... 1 4 .200 4
Wenatchee ... 0 5 .000 5

SALEM, April 24—Big Floyd (Bill) Bevens, the hard-luck pitching hero of the 1947 World Series, almost stole the show in the class B Western International baseball league Tuesday night.
Bevens was the pitcher who tossed a one-hitter for the Yankees in the fourth game of the 1947 series with Brooklyn. The one hit was a ninth inning double which drove in the two runs that beat the Yankees.
A sore arm has bothered Bevens in recent years but it failed to slow him up last night. He gave up only four scattered hits to the Canadians.
Victoria ...... 000 000 000—0 4 1
Salem ........ 000 003 04x— 7 8 0
Paine and Marcucci; Bevens and Beard.

SPOKANE, April 24—A four run spree in the seventh inning gave the Vancouver Capilanos a 7 to 3 win over Spokane Tuesday night and their fifth straight Western International league victory.
The two teams were tied three-all at the end of the sixth. A triple in the seventh by Bill Schuster, plus a double, two walks, two errors and two balks gave the Caps their winning margin.
Schuster's 375-foot poke to left field broke a 3-3 tie and came after the Indians gave an intentional pass to Reno Cheso to get to him.
Bob Snyder went the distance for Vancouver. It was his second win of the young season.
Vancouver ...... 200 100 400—7 7 3
Spokane ......... 011 001 000—3 9 4
Snyder and Ritchey; Eckhart, Roberts (7) and Nulty.

YAKIMA, April 24—Will Tiesiera's single in the bottom of the ninth chased across the winning run Tuesday night as Yakima defeated Wenatchee 7 to 6 for its fifth consecutive victory in the Western International league.
Tiesiera's single tallied Jerry Zuvela who had singled and advanced to second on Charlie Neal's base on balls.
Wenatchee nearly posted its first win with a three-run rally in the top of the ninth. Two walks, a hit batsman and two singles tied to score. Manager Rupert Thompson's single in the top of the ninth started the Chiefs' threat but Ted Savarese came in for the Bears and put out the fire.
Wenatchee ... 000 012 003—6 9 0
Yakima ......... 001 023 001—7 13 1
Breisinger, Treichel (9) and Neal; Thompson, Savarese (9) and Tiesiera.

KENNEWICK, April 25—Last night the Braves held their home inaugural and coming out on the short end of a 6-3 count, continued to skid dangerously near the cellar. That's a spot they haven't been in since they opened here last year. The only happy note about it is that about the only direction left for them to go is up.
Lou McCollum made his second unsuccessful start and all the necessary damage was done at the end of the second inning. By that time Tacoma was out in front 5-0. What happened after that point was just an aftermath.
The 3,457 customers stayed around though, most of them at least, for the finish. And it's a good thing they did, for in the eighth it looked as though the Braves might even up the score. However, when Al Spaeter hit into a double play that erased the last dying gasp. The Tri-City team went down in order in the ninth.
Butch Moran, who has probably taken off and put on more baseball uniforms than a father of new triplets has diapers, was the "bad man" as far as Brave fans were concerned. The ex-Coast leaguer dammed a double Coast leaguer slammed a double in the first inning to score Jose Bache who had singled. From second base he was within coastng distance when Marlon Watson followed with a single. The Tigers led 2-0. Although this same Moran was erased at the keystone sack in the second canto on a force play his single drove in Mike Catron. To cap off his evening Moran crossed the plate for his second run in the eventh Inning on Merv Dubbers two-baser.
PETERSON MAKES IT
Shortstop Buddy Peterson was the first Brave to tap home plate and he did it the hard way in he third frame by sliding across. With Peterson on third Neil Bryant lofted a high fly ball to left field. The Braves shortstop tagged up and raced for the plate after the catch only to be tagged out until Tacoma's Bill Sheets dropped the ball.
A pair of newcomers to the Trl-City outfield, Bill Edelstein and Rube Navarro almost stole he show. Edelstein a left hander all the way and tending the center pasture started it off by racing deep to his left in the fifth inning to gather in over his shoulder what would easily have been a double by Sheets, He followed up this fielding gem by acing a single to score Nick Pesut and Navarro in the eighth. And on that single, hit incidentally into short right field, Navarro scampered all the way in from second sliding in across the plate under the throw.
Lou McCollum did his best to win his own game by singling in the fourth and doubling in the sixth, but both times the potential runs died aborning. Next to McCollum, who had the best night at the plate, (contrary to what they say about pitchers not hitting) was catcher Nick Pesut. The hefty backstop rapped out deep in the hole and beat it out for a basehit In the sixth and then scorched out a single in the eighth to score on Edelstein's single.
As at Salem it was failure to deliver In the clutch that hurt the most. The Braves left 10 base runners stranded over the nine inning route. However, Gary Clark the winning hurler deserves a lot of credit for his victory. He managed to keep the Tri-City team in the hole nearly all the way getting one or two outs before he permitted a man to reach third base.
Nell Bryant at third base for the Braves handled five assists a couple of them very difficult without a bobble and once again Pesut proved to the satisfaction of Tacoma's Marion Watson that it just doesn't pay to try and slide home when the Tri-City catcher has the ball. Watson made the attempt in the seventh and the reverberations were still echoing around the park when the lights were dimmed. Watson was called out without seeing whether the plate was there or not.
Dick Stone, the only Tri-City Brave hurler who hai been able to log a victory so far thla year, will stride to the mound tonight at Sanders Field in an attempt to even the score with the visiting Tigers from Tacoma. Facing him will be Guzman Amador, who already holds two spring training victories over the Braves. It promises to be a pitcher's duel all the way.
The last time Stone faced Tacoma, in the California climate, his deceptive soft pitches set the Tigers down practically in order over a four-inning stint. Only 14 players came to the plate, and that's only two over par for the course. Since then of course he turned back Salem on a 5-0 shutout for the single Tri-City WIL victory.
Tacoma ........ 230 000 100—6 12 1
Tri-City ....... 001 000 020—3 9 1
Clark and Sheets; McCollum, Olsen (9) and Pesut.

Monday, April 23, 1951

No games scheduled

Sunday, April 22, 1951

              W  L  PCT GB
Yakima ...... 4  0 1.000 —
Vancouver ... 4  0 1.000 —
Salem ....... 3  1  .750 1
Spokane ..... 2  2  .500 2
Victoria .... 2  2  .500 2
Tri-City .... 1  3  .250 3
Tacoma ...... 0  4  .000 4
Wenatchee ... 0  4  .000 4

TACOMA, April 22—Barney Serrell's two-run homer in the second game gave Yakima a 7-6 win over Tacoma after the Bears had won the opener 3-1.
Serrell may be swinging the hottest bat so far in the young Western International League season. Saturday, he connected for a triple and three singles in six trips to pace the Bears to an 11-1 nightcap victory. Yakima won the opener 6-1, aided by two timely hits by Serrell, giving the Bears a four-game series sweep in Tacoma.
(1st game)
Yakima ..... 002 030 200—7 8 1
Tacoma ..... 010 011 111—6 12 2
Del Sarto, Thompson (9) and Tiesiera; Bowman, McDaniel (6) Goldizen (7), Amador (9) and Smith.
(2nd game, 9 innings)
Yakima ......... 001 000 002—3 7 0
Tacoma .........000 100 000—1 3 0
Powell and Brenner; Theodosis, Clark (9) and Watson.

WENATCHEE, April 22—Vancouver rolled their baseball bandwagon to the lead of the Western International league pennant parade Sunday with a double-header win and a clean sweep of a four-game series in Wenatchee against the Chiefs.
The Capilanos added 10-1 and 9-0 wins as Pete Hernandez pitched five-hitter in the opener, despite being ill with a skin rash for three days, while Don Tisnerat set the Chiefs down with three safeties in the nightcap.
Dick Sinovic, with two doubles, and Reno Cheso, with a triple, were the power hitters in Vancouver's 15-hit, first game attack. On the second blow, Sinovic injured his ankle sliding into second base.
Charlie Mead was the Caps' big stick in the afterpiece with two doubles and a single.
Former Cap Mike Kanshin started for the Chiefs and in no time found he wasn't among friends. Vancouver prodyced six runs in the first three innings off him. A large part of the damage was rendered by outfielder Gordon Brunswick, who replaced Sinovic. A large fellow who hits the ball harder than is absolutely necessary, Brunswick hit a 380-foot triple with scored two runs.
Assisting in the scoring department were Charlie Mead, with three hits, two of them doubles, and Bill Schuster, whose single brought in a pair of runs.
While this was going on, Tisnerat showed the Chiefs how to pitch successful baseball. Watching him in action, you wonder what keeps him from falling on his face every time he throws the ball.
His balance would never earn him a position with the ballet and his form is something less than fanciful than that of Jane Russell. It might have been that the Chief spent more time watching him than they did observing his pitches. In any event he starved the ravenous Chiefs with three hits.
(1st game, 9 innings)
Vancouver ....... 340 010 020—10 15 0
Wenatchee ...... 000 100 000— 1 5 3
Hernandez and Ritchie; Treichel, Krohonen (2) and Len Neal.
(2nd game, 7 innings)
Vancouver ......... 231 030 0—9 9 0
Wenatchee ........ 000 000 0—0 3 2
Tisnerat and Ritchie; Kanshin and Len Neal.

SALEM (Special) — The revitalized Salem Senators swept both ends of a doubleheader here Sunday from the Tri-City Braves to stay within a half a game of the top of the Western International baseball league.
Fireman Jim Olsen who saved Dick Stone's 5-0 shutout on Saturday was charged with the 6-4 defeat in the first game. The Braves garnered four runs in the first inning to do all their scoring. And again it was third baseman Neil Bryant who drove in three of the counters while Rube Navarro drove in Bryant for the fourth one.
When Cy Greenlaw, who started on the hill for the Braves, got into trouble in the sixth Olsen took over. But a four-run Salem splurge in the eighth called out Bob Costello who finished out the game.
Augie Zande, making his first mound appearance for the Tri-City club gave up but seven hits in losing the nightcap 4-3. After trailing 3-1 the Braves evened the score in the fifth only to see Salem ice the game in the bottom of that same inning.
- - - -
SALEM — Salem's Senators defeated Tri-City twice here Sunday, 6-4 and 4-3, to win their opening Western International league series 3 games to 1.
The Senators, trailing 4-2 in the nine-inning opener, came through with a 4-run rally in the eighth for the triumph.
George McDonald, Salem first sacker, drove in the winning Salem run in the fifth inning of the seven-inning second game. The doubleheader drew a crowd of 2,100.
Yesterday's linescores:
(1st game, 9 innings)
Tri-City ........ 400 000 000—4 7 2
Salem ........... 000 002 04x—6 9 0
Greenlaw, Olsen (6), Costello (9) and M. Michelson; Lew and Beard.
(2nd game)
Tri-City ......... 001 020 0—3 9 0
Salem ............ 030 010 x—4 7 0
Zande, Costello (6) and Pesut; Burak, DeGeorge (5) and McKeegan.

SPOKANE — Spokane's Indians pounded a Victoria pitcher for six hits and eight runs in the first inning, then coasted the rest of the way to win the initial game of a Western International league split doubleheader 14 to 4 Sunday.
(1st game, 9 innings)
Victoria ....... 000 010 003— 4 6 1
Spokane ...... 820 100 300—14 11 2
Waibel, Osborn (1), Chase (6) and Marcucci; Holder and Hinz, Mercenheimer (9)
(2nd game, 9 innings)
Victoria ....... 200 000 005—7 10 1
Spokane ...... 000 000 002—2 6 2
Propst and Martin; Rockey, Weaver (9), Wyatt (9) and Hinz.

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [April 23/51]

When Neil Bryant splashed Luscious Lud Lew's 3-0 pitch in that first game Sunday for a double there was a lot more to it than the three runs the Braves' third baseman drove in. For one thing it's a rarity in baseball when a batter goes after the 3-0 cripple. Normally the situation calls for the batter to “take” the pitch even though it's usually right down Broadway. And that's easy enough to understand. With the odds 36-1 against any batter getting a base hit it's a lot safer to work for a base on balls when the count has run the string.
But when Charlie Petersen made no move to give Bryant the take sign he was apparently counting on several things. Number one would be of course Bryant's ability to hit those scorching line drives that earned him the doubles record in the WIL last year. And also Petersen was counting on catching the Senators defense momentarily let down. And that's exactly how it worked.
Normally baseball strategy doesn't call for a batter to be swinging away on a 3-0 pitch in the top of the first inning even if the bags are loaded, as they were when Bryant socked it. Thus Petersen probably figured that even if Bryant slashed one which in the usual course of events would be handled by an alert infield the fact they were back on their heels would give Bryant that extra jump on the ball. Although the maneuver didn't win the ball game it does show that Peterson is trying to combat his lack of plate plower by using unorthodox, but payoff methods, of baseball.
IT'S OPEN TO DISCUSSION
That matter of when to go for the “cripple” as they call the 3-0 pitch is a disputable one. Normally, as we said before, the thing to do is to watch it come down the middle. Of course should a team be behind late in the scoring position that's another thing. Then you can look for the batter to go for it if it's in there.
But there are some batters who will go for it anytime. They are few and probably the most notable is Ted Williams. We fell to talking about this particular subject in the dugout at Salem Friday night and Charlie regaled the bench with this story of Williams when he was on his way up to the majors.
Williams was at bat and the count went to 3-0. The catcher having heard of Williams' terrific ability with the bat looked up at him and said, “You wouldn't go for the “cripple” would you?” “Throw it in there and find out,” replied the lanky outfielder. The catcher did and the last he saw of it was the ball clearing the right field fence.
MAY BE A BIT ROCKY
Are the Braves off to another bad start? That seems to be a fair question in the light of their losing three out of their first four road games. The complete answer will come of course when they start their 10-game home stand Tuesday night. At first glance it would appear that they are. It takes a .500 percentage on the road to come within shooting distance of the pennant. And with infielders and catchers playing the outfield that is more than can be expected.
There's some argument that the Braves lost the pennant last year on that final disasterous trip into Canada. But as far as this corner is concerned it was lost right at the start of the year when Charlie was forced to use pitchers as outfielders. For those who take the stand that the first games of the season aren't too important we merely point to the current fix that San Francisco of the Coast league is in. The Seals dropped 13 in a row before they recovered but that's a big lead to give such teams as Portland who was picked to finish in the cellar. Say what you will if the Tri-City club had a couple long ball hitters in that first game they couldn't have lost it.

Tacoma - 1951

Tacoma's Tigers Lack Pitching And Power
By ED HONEYWELL
Tacoma News Tribune
Sports Writer
TACOMA, (AP)—If the Western International league is as strong in 1951 as it was last season the Tacoma Tigers can't be considered pennant-contenders at this writing.
The principal reason for the doleful expression on Manager James Benton (Jim) Brillheart's physiognomy is the absence from the roster of Bob (Big Pitch) Kerrigan and Dick (Big Punch) Greco.
Kerrigan set a new W-I league record by winning 26 games last season while being beaten but seven times and thereby won himself a promotion to the parent San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast league.
Greco, runner-up in the league batting race with a .360 average, led the circuit in runs-batted-in with 154; home runs with 36; hits, with 203; and total bases, with 363. But the big outfielder was drafted during the winter by Birmingham of the Southern association.
Tom Kipp, a capable left-hander who had an 8-4 record while compiling the league's best earned run average of 2.76, is a holdout who hasn't shown even mild interest in proffered terms, and Mel Knezovich (14-12), who balked at reporting to Wilkes-Barre, are a pair of 1950 Tacoma flingers who could be back.
So lack of pitching and power constitutes a double-barreled problem for Brillheart.
A token mound contribution from the Padres was forth-coming this week when Gary Clark, a big right-hander who won 18 and lost 11 with Tijuana of the Sunset league last season, was optioned here. Knezovich's contract may also be assigned back to the Bengals.
Beyond that, Brillheart has Guzman Amador (25-7) with Mexicala of the Sunset loop in 1950, Ivan Goldizen (10-8 with Bakersfield) Manuel Fiero (13-15 with Tucson of the Arizona Texas league), and Rookies Harry Theodosis, Keith Bowman and Jim McDaniel, who say limited service last season with Tucson, Tacoma and Bakersfield, respectively, after being signed midway in the campaign.
Bill Sheets is back as the No. 1 catcher — if he can hold off the challenges supplied by Marion Watson, a distance clouter who maced .343 for El Centro of the Sunset loop, and Lee Smith, up from Bakersfield. Sheets, after a big year at the plate in 1949, hit only .263 last season.
INFIELD LOOKS GOOD
The Veteran Cyril (Butch) Moran, who batted a cool .413 in 80-odd games as player-manager at Yuma in the Sunset loop last year and who was signed as a free agent a fortnight back, looks like an adequate replacement for Quinn, and Jose Bache and Mike Catron are back from last year's brilliant inner Cordon. They played short and third respectively, in 1950, but may be moved to second and short this season.
Third-baseman Merv Dubbers moving up from Bakersfield, and second-baseman Willie Moore an acquisition from Spartansburg, are battling for jobs.
Sol Israel (.292) and Orrin Snyder (.233) are holdover outfielders, and the addition of Ernie Falappino, up from Tijuana and John Kovenz, a Bakersfield jrad, complete a garden corps which can gallop and throw. None of them, however, hits like Greco.
At least two more pitchers, a hard-hitting outfielder and perhaps an infielder capable of batting .280 constitute Brillheart's estimate of what he'll need in order to make an important bid for the 1951 flag. He hasn't given up hope, however since most of the key men on last year's club were supplied after the campaign got under way, and the farm chain resources of the Cleveland Indians with whom San Diego is allied may be productive of the necessary help.

Salem - 1951

Salem Nine Appear Strong At At Plate, Weak in Pitching
By FRED ZIMMERMAN
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The success of the Salem Senators, now owned by some 800 individuals of the capital and immediate environs, hinge on the Western International league team's pitching staff. Irked at what they thought was the indifference of the Portland Beavers, owner of the club since 1946, Salem fans have purchased the franchise and the physical plant for $50,000 and former a board of directors with Donald L. Young, attorney as the president.
Hugh Luby, an experienced manager, who intends to mastermind the ball club from his postion at second base, was secured by management and the hunt flor material was on.
With a nucleus of a few members of last year's Salem club on which to build, Luby secured a strong defensive squad—and one that will do its share of hitting. However the principal question mark at this writing is one of pitching.
During spring training at Napa, Calif., which included a number of games with Far West and California State league clubs. the Senator pitching did not show too much strength.
The mound staff includes Bill Bevens, former New York Yankee great who was given his release because of a sore pitching arm. He appears to have cured his ailing flipper but has not conquered the wildness that has dogged him during much of his diamond career.
Other pitchers are Ludwig Lew, big left hander from last season, also handicapped by wildness, John Burak, right hander of the 1950 Senators who appears to have improved considerably; Fred Parker, port siried hurler from Roswell, N.M., Jerry Barta and Jack Hemphill, Portland boys, who wore farmed out last year to Amarillo, Tex., and Pittsburg, Calif., respectively and Sal DeGeorge, former New York Giant hurler. He is a right hander. Hemphill has shown possibilities but inability to find the plate has kept him in the ranks of the doubtful.
Bill Beard, veteran receiver, will carry the bulk of the catching load. His assistant will be Jim McKeegan, secured from the Sacramento Solons.
The infield will include George McDonald at first; manager Luby at second; Ritchie Meyers, short and Johnny Hack at third. McDonald, a bit beyond his prime athletically speaking, has been troubled with crippled legs, but once in shape, will play a good game at first. Luby has been handling the second base spot well while Meyers, former Wenatchee Chief, is considered the best shortstop in the league. Hack was secured from Victoria. All men are good stickers.
In the outfield will be Mel Wasley, regular Senator who slumped badly at the plate last season but who has been hitting well this year; Pete Tedeschi, who had to be coaxed away from his father's business at Calistoga. Calif., to resume baseball, and Dick Faber, purchased from Sacramento. All three men are expected to top the .300 mark at the plate.
Glenn Tuckett, secured from Salt Lake City in the Pioneer league, is expected to be the No. 1 utility man.

Saturday, April 21, 1951

               W L  Pct. GB
Vancouver .... 2 0 1.000 —
Yakima ....... 2 0 1.000 —
Tri-City ..... 1 1  .500 1
Salem ........ 1 1  .500 1
Spokane ...... 1 1  .500 1
Victoria ..... 1 1  .500 1
Wenatachee ... 0 2  .000 2
Tacoma ....... 0 2  .000 2

WENATCHEE, Wash., April 22—The Vancouver Capilanos made it two straight over Wenatchee here tonight, downing the Chiefs 11 to 3 before an estimated 500 chilled fans.
Cold weather kept the crowd small and seemed to freeze the Chiefs run-making. The Canadians didn't suffer from the cold night however, and blasted out 13 hits In their attack. Wenatchee committed four errors to aid the Vancouver nine.
Dick Sinovic accounted for a single, double and triple in his first three times at the plate and batted in four runs for the winners.
Rlghthander George Nicholas went the route for the Capilanos and gave up 10 hits in posting the win. He walked four and struck out three. Lefthander Dave Dahle was charged with the loss, giving up 12 of the hits in eight innings, walking four and striking out two.
The two teams play an afternoon doubleheader Sunday.
Vancouver ....... 012 032 120—11 13 3
Wenatchee ...... 000 020 010— 3 10 4
Nicholas and Cheso; Dahle, Rounds (9) and Len Neal.

SPOKANE, April 21 — Victoria's Bill White smashed two 375-foot home runs Saturday as the Athletics beat Spokane 6 to 2 and spoiled the Indians' Western International league baseball opener.
White, a 6-foot, 5-inch right fielder, belted one over the left center field wall on the second pitch to lead off the fifth inning. His second homer sailed over the
left field wall with Gene Thompson on base in the seventh.
First Game
Victoria ....... 000 010 410—6 10 1
Spokane ...... 000 000 011—2 12 3
Smith and Marcucci; Conant, Weaver (8) and Nulty.
Second Game
Victoria ........ 000 000 030 00—3 7 2
Spokane ....... 010 001 001 01—4 9 0
Hedgecock and Martin; Bishop, Roberts (7) and Hinz. Nulty.

SALEM (Special)—Dick Stone hurled a brilliant four-hit shutout here Saturday night over the Salem Senators to give the Tri-City Braves their first victory in the 1951 Western International league race. Letting the Senators down all the way Stone's 5-0 masterpiece also evened the current series at 1-1. Salem won the opener Friday night 9-6.
Third baseman Nell Bryant sewed up Stone's first victory of the season when he rifled a triple off the wall in the fifth inning with the bases loaded. Catcher Nick Pesut added another run when his smashed through the box scored Bryant from third base. The Tri-City club scored all their runs in that fateful fifth.
Big Jim Olsen got credit for an assist in Stone's shutout. The hefty fireman of last season who saved many a game for the Braves strolled to the mound in the ninth with the sacks loaded and put out the fire that Salem was trying to get going.
Although the weather warmed up somewhat over Friday's opening game the attendance fell off to approximately 1000. But a heavy turnout was expected for Sunday when the double-bill is played.
Rube Navarro made his first appearance in a Brave uniform tonight when he took over left field replacing Mike Michelson, the catcher, who has been patrolling that pasture in the absence of a regular outfielder.
The two teams wind up their four game stand with a doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
Charlie Petersen, manager of the Tri-City Braves, nominated right hander Augie Zande for the seven-inning game with portsider Cy Greenlaw getting the call for the regulation nine-inning affair.
Tri-City ....... 000 000 000—5 9 1
Salem ......... 000 000 000—0 4 0
Stone, Olsen (9) and Pesut; Barta, DeGeorge (5), Hemphill (9) and Beard.

TACOMA, Wash., April 21 (AP/UP)—Barney Serrell, Yakima's colored second baseman, smashed two timely blows to pace the Yakima Bears to a a 6-1 baseball victory that opened the Western International league season here Saturday before 3,300 fans.
The Yakima Bears swept both ends of a day-night double header with the Tacoma Tigers here today, 6 to 1 and 11 to 1.
A crowd of 4,000 watched the season opener here in the first game, and 2,000 turned out for the nightcap.
Ted Savarese went the route in the afternoon tilt and scattered nine hits for the win. In the second game, Dave Anderson, righthander, gave up seven hits in posting the win. Guzman Amador was the loser.
First Game
Yakima ......... 002 100 030—6 9 2
Tacoma ........ 000 000 010—1 9 2
Savarese and Brenner; Clark, Goldizen (8) and Sheets, Watson (8).
Second Game
Yakima ......... 140 010 233—11 18 1
Tacoma ........ 000 100 000— 1 7 1
Andersen and Tiesiera: Amador, Fierro (8) and Watson.

ON THE INSIDE

By DON BECKER, Herald Sports Editor [Apr. 22/51]
SALEM — Again it was a bitter opening for the Tri-City Braves. Not just losing that first one, but the weather also was of the numbing variety. And after all our pleading all the exhortations, what happens? That same old coincidence reared its ugly head. Lou McCollum is thus still looking for his first opening-of-the-season victory.
Next year either Lou is going to have to forego the initial clash or the WIL's president Bob Abel is going to have to take in another game. Last year that was the combination and McCollum lost, and here it turned up again this time.
But there's this much about any ball game, and that Friday night one in particular. You can't win them when you leave a baker's dozen stranded on the basepaths. And that's what the Braves did . . . left 13 idling away their time. In two innings, the sixth and seventh they had two on before any outs but weren't able to move the men around. As of right now, this edition of the Braves does not have the plate power that last year's club did, and won't have until it is strengthened.
To show you how important is this matter of leaving men on base without scoring, the 13 left by the Tri-City nine came within six of equaling the league record . . . But to get back to other details of that game. The weather was cold, and that plus the high moisture content in the air left the players with a numb feeling in their hands and feet. The club house boy beat a steady path between there and the coffee stand most of the night.
IT TAKES ODD TURNS
Salem's new home owned outfit looks like it's going to be a big success. They pulled 4456 fans through the turnstiles Friday night with every indication the rest of the series would be nearly as well patronized. It depends of course on whether the Senators have a first division club. Their major concern at the moment is pitching. As yet they don't have too much there but the rest of the team is well balanced.
Sometimes this baseball business can take an odd turn. Take that Spokane-Salem trade whereby the Indians sent Glenn Stetter and Ray McNulty to Salem for outfielder, Mel Wasley. The only reason Spokane was willing to make the deal was because Stetter and McNulty refused to report. Thus, if you want to look at it one way even if Wasley refuses to report to Spokane they'll only be half as bad off now, just losing one player instead of two.

MONEY TROUBLES TOO
Stetter has a small farm near Salem and that plus a salary dispute was the reason he failed to go to Spokane. Both clubs should profit by the deal. Salem needs pitchering and in addition they have in Stetter a passable outfielder and a terrific hitter. Spokane gets in Wasley a good hitter and an all-around player in that he can handle the infield or outfield.
Regardless of how long they've been at the game most players get “opening night” jitters. Until they've taken that first cut at the plate and handled that first ball in the field they're all a bit tense. . . But if that's the reason Salem's shortstop muffed Al Spaeter's first blow he certainly made it pay off. They were giving away so many prizes for the various “firsts” Friday night to the Senators that Meyers picked up $10.50 for that boot . . . they even had a prize for the first player to strike out and Norm Grabar collected $60 when he posted a four-master over the wall.
SPORTS BAGASHELLS
We managed to clear up one item while in Salem that has been bothering us a lot and that was Jim McKeegan. Sometime ago we had a report the young red-headed catcher had joined the Coast Guard. However, he told us that he had tried but before the papers could be cleared the quota had been filled.
Bill Edelstein sliced out the first base hit of the season for the Braves when the left handed centerfielder poked one between third and the shortstop . . . Pitcher Lou McCollum scored the first run, and got to walk in at that when Buddy Peterson drew a free pass with the bases loaded . . . but it still counts as a run batted in for “ole Pete” as he calls himself.
Arnie Sanborn of KPKW gave us quite a shock while in Salem. After listening to so many of his recreations of games from Waters park we had Just naturally assumed he knew the place well, and mentioned that fact to him. “First time I've ever seen it,” was the reply. Well, he had us well fooled.

Friday, April 20, 1951

              W L  Pct. GB
Vancouver ... 1 0 1.000 —
Salem ....... 1 0 1.000 —
Spokane ..... 0 0 .000 ½
Tacoma ...... 0 0 .000 ½
Victoria .... 0 0 .000 ½
Yakima ...... 0 0 .000 ½
Wenatchee ... 0 1 .000 1
Tri-City .... 0 1 .000 1

WENATCHEE, Wash., [Hal Malone, Sun Staff Writer] April 21.—Proving beyond doubt that he is a man of his word, Bill Schuster led his Vancouver Capilanos to a 9-4 success over the Wenatchee Chiefs here last night, in the opening game of their Western International League baseball season.
Earlier in the day he telephoned birthday greetings to his wife at Altadena, California. In the conversation, he told her that his personal present would be a victory. He wasn’t fooling.
Only 1372 spectators ventured forth to see the inaugural contest, and no wonder. When the game started the temperature was 29 degrees in the shade. It got so brisk thereafter that several patrons with bald heads were forced to put hats on so that frost wouldn’t settle in.
As baseball games go this wasn’t a particularly brilliant one, especially on the part of the Chiefs. They were charged with seven errors.
THREE TO NEAL
Three of these were committed by the Chief’s Negro shortstop, Larry Neal, who ordinarily gathers ground balls he has no license to touch.
The heavy hitting expected of Vancouver materialized more in consistency than it did in power. Although the Caps produced nothing but singles, they manufactured nine of those. On three of four occasions when they did hit, they turned the hits into runs.
Even so they had to wait until the ninth to give Mrs. Schuster her present. A 4-0 lead, gained in the first four innings, melted to a 4-4 score at the end of the eighth as the Chiefs pecked quietly but insistently at Bob Snyder’s deliveries.
Snyder started the Caps off in the ninth, reaching first on Neal’s second error. Left fielder Bob McGuire moved him along with a single and they both took a base on Ray Tran’s infield out. Chuck Abernathy, the Cap first-baseman who is only a few storeys shorter than The Sun Tower, ripped a ground ball through the middle of the infield.
LARRY AGAIN
Snyder and McGuire scored, but that was not all. Dick Sinovic reached base on a fielder’s choice. Seconds later Gordy Brunswick and Reno Cheso were walked, and the bases were loaded.
Manager Schuster hit what looked to be the third out—a medium-fast ground ball to shortstop Neal. The latter followed the ball intently, but when it nearly him, he spread his legs gracefully to let it through. It went all the way to faraway pastures. All the runners scored. Schuster eventually reached third. But not before he tipped his hat to Neal en route.
The victory for Snyder was his third in successive inaugurals. He was shaky in sports. When the weather improves, he likely will, too.
One matter in which the Caps excelled was the way they were thinking all through the game. Thinking of baseball, that is, and not what they were going to have for breakfast.
BAD EVENING
In the second inning, for instance, they engineered a double steal. Then in the seventh, Snyder and Abernathy collaborated to pick Neal (he had a disgusting evening, wot?) off first base.
An inning later, they anticipated an attempted steal of second base by Lyle Palmer. With Schuster directing traffic, the entire infield engulfed Palmer in a literal “hot box” and finally dispensed with him entirely.
If pennants are to be won on the thought process alone, it would seem that the Capilanos, 1951 vintage, have an excellent chance of collecting the pot.
- - - -
WENATCHEE [Eric Whitehead, Prov., April 21]—Right-hander George Nicholas will don woollies and earmuffs here tonight to make it two straight for Vancouver Capilanos over Wenatchee Chiefs.
In what must have been the coldest Western International League debut in history here Friday night, veteran pitcher Bob Snyder won his third WIL opener in as many years as Bill Schuster’s hustling Caps whipped Wenatchee 9-4.
Less than 1000 shivering fans watched the game. Snyder was tagged hard, the Chiefs collecting 11 hits, including two doubles [Palmer and Hjelmaa] and a triple [Len Neal].
With hands numbed by the bitter cold—the temperature was unofficially 29—the Chief infield went to pieces with the ball game tied up 4-4 going into the ninth.
Two bad errors in that frame plus couple of mental boots let five Vancouver runs across on but two huts.
With the game played under a haze of smoke that drifted over thousands of smudge-pots as local fruit-growers wages a desperate fight to save their threatened crops, the Caps jumped away with two runs in the second inning and were never headed.
Vamcouver made it 4-0 in the third.
The Chiefs came to life in the fourth with two runs on a single, then added another in the sixth.
[Buddy] Hjelmaa rapped a long double for his third hit of the game in the eighth and scored the tieing run on Palmer’s single. That was Wenatchee’s Beau Geste. In the Cap half of the ninth, the roof fell in.
Vancouver ......... 020 200 005—9 9 0
Wenatchee ........ 000 201 010—4 11 8
Snyder and Cheso; Breisinger and Neal.

SALEM, April 21—The Salem Senators survived a four-run rally in the ninth inning Friday night to defeat Tri-City 9-6 in the Western International League baseball opener here.
The soft slants of left hander Aldon Wilkie had the Braves puzzled over the eight plus innings he worked. Although he gave up five hits he kept them well distributed with no more than one to a frame.
Meanwhile, Lou McCollum, who went the full route, was having his troubles. Although McCollum gave up nine runs only six of them were earned. One run scored as a result of an error charged to Al Spaeter, second baseman and two more crossed the plate when McCollum missed as he fired to third in an attempted force out with both players scoring on the error.
However the Tri-City club left 13 teammates stranded which did nothing to help the cause either. In four successive innings the Braves were retired with two men waiting on the bags.
Although he failed to connect safely in his four trips to the plate catcher Nick Pesut was credited with two runs batted in, one on an infield roller and the other when he walked with the bases loaded.
The attendance total of 4,456 was within a few hundred of setting a new record for the opening game at Waters Park. The mark is 4,750. Despite the cold damp weather which permeated the air, the park was packed and fans were still streaming in at game time. The unusually large crowd held up the pre-game ceremonies briefly.
The Braves made a strong rally in the ninth inning but it fell three runs short of tying the game. Wilkie, who started and got credit for the initial Salem victory, was relieved in the eighth by John Burak. But the Tri-City bats rang around his ears so fast and furious that Manager Hugh Luby shifted him in a hurry and called in Ludwig Lew. Before he left the scene Burak gave up two runs both earned.
Lew initially had trouble finding the plate but finally levelled down on it long enough to get the Braves to groundout on infield rollers. Al Spaeter's blow down the third base line which was turned into the final out ended the game.
Norm Grabar, Salem right fielder, hit a home run over the right field fence in the third inning.
Tri-City ....... 000 000 204—6 7 3
Salem ......... 111 102 03x—9 11 2
McCollum and Pesut; Wilkie, Burak (9), Lew (9) and Beard.

WILfan note: the box is from the Herald and is missing Burak's pitching line. The Walla Walla paper has the full box but the scan I've got is out of focus and practically unreadable. He got no outs. It appears he gave up two hits and two walks.

SCHUSTER NOT HAPPY WITH PENTICTON
Caps’ Boss No Rook at Horse Trading; Needs a Lefthander
By HAL MALONE [Vancouver Sun]
Wenatchee, Wash., April 21—Trade talk between Wenatchee Chiefs and Vancouver Capilanos overshadowed such mundane topics of conversation as General Douglas MacArthur’s speech to Congress and the weather here. But when tonsils had quietened no players had changed uniforms and the only think that was misplaced was a section of hot air in the lobby of the Cascadian Hotel.
Both Rupert Thompson, Wenatchee manager, and Bill Schuster, Capilano pilot, sought to make deals which would in their considered opinion strengthen their forces.
Thompson suggested he would be willing to swap righ-thanded pitcher Al Trichel [sic] for pitcher George Nicholas and utility man Curt Schmidt. Schuster merely issued a loud bellow which was potent enough to shake the apples from the trees within a 50-mile radius and that deal died a hasty death.
Then it was Schuster’s turn. He proposed to trade “one of the best outfielders” for Wenatchee’s clever left-handed pitcher Tom Breisinger. Thompson’s reaction was a pale pink. When he recovered sufficiently to speak, Thompson a distinct no and fled from the premises.
Two points about Schuster’s proposal might have some significance. Currently he has four outfielder, Bob McGuire, Dick Sinovic, Charley Mead and Gordon Brunswick. When school is out he will have three more, Jimmy Robinson, Jim Keating and Reg Clarkson.
If there is a commodity which Schuster lacks to realize a pennant it is not outfielders.
The attempt to secure Breisinger is an indication that Schuster could use more southpaw pitchers quality in this category Breisinger obviously fits.
Of the three left-handers in the Capilano camp, only Bob McLean is considered a potential starter. Schuster is not certain that Carl Gunnarson and Bill Whyte have the required talents to provide a sufficiency of success.

Eric Whitehead’s FAN FARE
[from Vancouver Province, April 22, 1951]

WENATCHEE—Recipe for baseball prosperity in any town: Appoint the Mayor president of the local ball club.
Mayors can cut a lot of corners.
Take here in Wenatchee. The president of the Wenatchee Chiefs is Mayor Arthur H. Pohlman. Li’l Arthur, a civic-minded baseball bug, has a delightful knack of getting things done in a manner that not only produces the direct desires result but also improves harmony among its citizens.
For instance, just a while back, it was decided the ball park needed a new coast of paint. The Mayor drops a gentle hint in the right quarter, and presto! the park is painted—by the prisoners in the city jail. Thus, the stockholders are happy, and the prisoners themselves were doubtlessly tickled pink to be out and around for a day or two.
Dog-Gone Good Idea, Too
Then it was suggested a city-wide distribution of baseball schedule and pamphlets might help the grand old game along. His Worship makes a modest suggestion, and presto! the literature is distributed—by the city dog catcher. The citizens got their reading material and the bored dog catcher sick to death of catching []ioved a refreshing break in routine.
That’s the way it goes in this bustling valley of apple blossoms and arctic spells. The local ball club is everybody’s business.
On Friday, the day of the WIL opener between the Chiefs and Vancouver, clerks in all downtown stores wore baseball caps at work; swarms of happy young matrons, also sporting baseball caps, swarmed over the downtown area, selling tickets to the big game.
At 4 p.m. sharp up Main street came a colorful cavalcade headed by the 60-piece Wenatchee junior high band, gleaming in white and scarlet. Behind the band snakes a motorcade of shiny convertibles, carrying the Wenatchee players. There was no vulgar overcrowding—one player to a convertible, identified by a huge streamer on the side.
A Whole Year Behind Parade.
They were strictly 1951 convertibles, with the exception of the last car. This one held newly-acquired ex-Vancouver rookie outfielder Stan Buden who looked decidedly miffed at having to ride in an old 1950 Buick.
The Wenatchee club itself is a unique development. Those of you with dangerously spry memories will remember this club was born—or rather, reborn—when the original franchise holders went broke. Then when the franchise was picked up by Tri-City, a group of local citizens manned the pumps and purchased the Bremerton franchise for $18,000.
Seven directors, headed by the mayor, plus 600 shareholders, form the club.
How is the deal working out?
Last year, the team drew 105,000 customers, fourth highest attendance in the league. Vancouver drew less than 100,000.
Wenatchee draws from a populated area of less than 30,000. If Vancouver attendance were equal pro rata with Wenatchee, it would have to total something like 2,000,000.
Which, you might say, makes Wenatchee a pretty fair ball town.
• • •
P.S.—Newly acquired Negro catcher John Ritchey arrived shortly after the game. You get a fair line of the Cap’s [sic] current outfield strength when you notice Charlie Mead, always good for 100 RBI’s per season, languishing on the bench . . . In the Friday opener third baseman and current question mark John Vick looked good enough afield and very potent at bat . . . Schuster, still after another left-handed pitcher, tried to swing a deal for Wenatchee’s Al Treichel . . . Chief Pilot Tommy Thompson said okay; he’s let Treichel go—for George Nicholas and Curt Schmidt.
What did Shuster say to that? . . that’s right, lady, and very rude, too.