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.
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