New 'Northwest' Baseball Loop Formed
Directors Set Rules At Yakima
[Tri-City Herald, Sunday, Oct. 24, 1954]
Directors of baseball teams formerly in the defunct Western International league met in Yakima Saturday and rapidly formed a new league to be known as the Northwest league.
The complete formation of the league merely awaits the return of incorporation papers which are expected to be back when the directors meet again in two weeks.
At that meeting, it will be determined whether the league will consist of six or eight teams and officers will be elected.
The present five teams are Tri-City, Salem, Wenatchee, Yakima and Lewiston. Harold Matheson, president of the Tri-City Athletic association, and Howard Best, treasurer, attended Saturday's meeting.
Matheson outlined the league rules Saturday night after the groups broke up about 8 o'clock.
He said it was decided the new Northwest loop would:
1. Have a 16-player limit including the playing manager.
2. Cut the number of veteran ballplayers (those with more than three years experience) to five.
3. Forbid the paying of bonuses.
4. Put gate receipts on a home-and-home basis as was done last season.
5. Drop the league transportation pool.
6. Put a maximum limit of 11 days on spring training.
7. Forbid proxy voting at league meetings.
The decision on the size of the league basically boils down to which teams the other five want to accept. Representatives from Spokane, Tacoma, Coos Bay, Eugene, and Pendleton attended the meeting as well as Bob Fitsch, who represented the office of commissioner George Trautman, and Dewey Soriano, representing Vancouver.
Matheson said after league plans were outlined, and each of the interested groups spoke. Vancouver and Pendleton dropped out.
“Eugene is ready to go,” Matheson said, “and Tacoma and Coos Bay are ready to go. Spokane must get more information. As I understand it, they would have to play
games in the colusium there and they have to check and see if it is feasible.”
Western Cities Form New League
YAKIMA, Wash., Oct. 24 (UP) — United States teams of the now defunct Western International Baseball League met here and organized a new eight-team loop.
Owners of the Yakima, Wenatchee and Tri-City, Wash., Salem, Ore., and Lewiston, Idaho, teams all were members of the Class A WIL. They were joined by representatives from Spokane, and Tacoma, Wash, both of which were former WIL members, and Eugene and Coos Bay, Ore.
Babe Hollingberry, acting as chairman of the session, said another meeting will be held here Nov. 6 for formal formation of the now Class B league, to be known as the Northwest League.
Salaries will be held to a $4,600 limit, no bonuses, Hollingberry said. Each team will be allowed no more than five veterans, compared with eight or nine in the WIL this year.
Vancouver, B. C., a former WIL member, refused to enter the new league.
Class B Loop Formed In Northwest Pacific
YAKIMA, Wash., Nov. 8—(AP)—Six former members of the old class A Western International Baseball league signed articles Saturday to form the class B Northwest league with three other teams bidding for the two vacancies remaining.
Teams signing the articles of incorporation were Wenatchee, Saem, Yakima, Lewiston, Tri-City and Spokane. The six teams were member of the now defunct WIL this year but Spokane dropped out in mid-season because of financial difficulties
Two other teams will be selected from applications by Missoula, Mont., Eugene and Tacoma. Because of distance, Missoula is the likely loser.
New Northwest Loop Okayed
HOUSTON, Tex., Dec. 1 — (AP) —The Class B Northwest League, replacing the Class A Western International, has the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues and will start operating Jan. 10, President Arthur Pohlman said Wednesday.
President George M. Trautman of the minor leagues, in convention here, put his O. K. on the new circuit and said it could start as a six-club league and add two members later if it desired.
Pohlman said Eugene and Salem, Oregon; Lewiston, Idaho, and Yakima, Kennewick-Pasco-Richland and Spokane, Wash., made up the league and Tacoma and Wenatchee, Wash., had applied for membership.
Monday, 1 September 2008
Top WIL Pitcher Called Up to PCL
Seattle Signs Brenner As Pitcher and Coach
Ex-Cap Manager’s Knuckle Ball Figured To Win in Coast Loop
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 23, 1954]
CLARKSTON, Wash.—Can Bill Brenner win as a pitcher in the Coast League?
Baseball people have been saying for three seasons that he can, and Dewey Soriano thinks he should get a chance to prove it.
The Seattle general manager will announce this weekend that he has signed Brenner, his Vancouver Capilanos counterpart last summer, to pitch for the Rainiers in 1955. Brenner will also likely double as a coach, but Soriano says he’s leaving that up to Freddie Huthcinson, his field manager.
NOT ANY WORSE
Brenner, now 34, has had offers before to try out his tantalizing knuckle ball in Coast League company, but as a general manager in the Western International League, he couldn’t afford to accept the offers.
But with the Vancouver WIL entry folded up and the city’s Coast League prospects just that, Brenner was temporarily “at liberty.” So when Soriano made him an attractive offer, he grabbed it. Brenner, who managed Vancouver to a pennant in the season just passed, will continue to handle the Caps’ affairs until the end of the year.
Soriano is convinced the big righthander, whose brilliant and tricky knuckleball made him one of the WIL’s top pitchers for three years, can win in the Coast League—and as a starting pitcher, too.
“I’ve watched Bill for three years,” Soriano told The Province recently,” and I’m sure he can do better than some of the pitchers currently in the Coast League.”
AND FOUR MORE
Brenner, who turned to pitching seriously at Lewiston in 1952 after a dozen years as a catcher, won 64 games in his thee years on the mound, he had 21 and 22 wins for Lewiston, and won 21 for the Caps this summer.
Four of the players Brenner bossed to the ’54 WIL pennant will probably get a chance to join him on the 1955 Rainiers. Look for Marv Williams, the league’s top hitter, shortstop Jimmy Clark, outfielder K Chorlton and pitcher Pete Hernandez to be at the Rainiers’ training camp next spring.
Ex-Cap Manager’s Knuckle Ball Figured To Win in Coast Loop
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 23, 1954]
CLARKSTON, Wash.—Can Bill Brenner win as a pitcher in the Coast League?
Baseball people have been saying for three seasons that he can, and Dewey Soriano thinks he should get a chance to prove it.
The Seattle general manager will announce this weekend that he has signed Brenner, his Vancouver Capilanos counterpart last summer, to pitch for the Rainiers in 1955. Brenner will also likely double as a coach, but Soriano says he’s leaving that up to Freddie Huthcinson, his field manager.
NOT ANY WORSE
Brenner, now 34, has had offers before to try out his tantalizing knuckle ball in Coast League company, but as a general manager in the Western International League, he couldn’t afford to accept the offers.
But with the Vancouver WIL entry folded up and the city’s Coast League prospects just that, Brenner was temporarily “at liberty.” So when Soriano made him an attractive offer, he grabbed it. Brenner, who managed Vancouver to a pennant in the season just passed, will continue to handle the Caps’ affairs until the end of the year.
Soriano is convinced the big righthander, whose brilliant and tricky knuckleball made him one of the WIL’s top pitchers for three years, can win in the Coast League—and as a starting pitcher, too.
“I’ve watched Bill for three years,” Soriano told The Province recently,” and I’m sure he can do better than some of the pitchers currently in the Coast League.”
AND FOUR MORE
Brenner, who turned to pitching seriously at Lewiston in 1952 after a dozen years as a catcher, won 64 games in his thee years on the mound, he had 21 and 22 wins for Lewiston, and won 21 for the Caps this summer.
Four of the players Brenner bossed to the ’54 WIL pennant will probably get a chance to join him on the 1955 Rainiers. Look for Marv Williams, the league’s top hitter, shortstop Jimmy Clark, outfielder K Chorlton and pitcher Pete Hernandez to be at the Rainiers’ training camp next spring.
Vancouver Looks Ahead to PCL
MEETING SET FOR THURSDAY
Oakland’s Brick Laws Is the ‘Mr. X’ Who Might Bring Coast League Baseball Here
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 12, 1954]
The mysterious Pacific Coast League baseball franchise holder who’s coming to town this week to discuss a possible move to Vancouver was identified today.
Emil Sick, Seattle Rainier owner, said Brick Laws, president of the Oakland Acorns, would accompany him to Vancouver for Thursday’s meeting with Mayor Fred Hume and other civil leaders.
A story in the Seattle P.I. today quoted Sick as saying “Laws and I represent the league in investigating Vancouver a a possible Coast League city.”
But, the story said, “the strongest indications are that Laws himself is interested in moving the Oaks to Vancouver.”
There’s another current league franchise holder who may be interested in Vancouver’s Coast League possibilities, too. An Associated Pres report out of Sacramento said that Eddie Mulligan, president of the Solons, would accompany Sick to Vancouver. Mulligan, however, denied it.
Laws has long been recognized as a top baseball executive. He gambled $40,000 to hire Chuck Dressen as his manager for the past season. Dressen led his club from seventh place in 1953 to third, and the Oaks won the Governor’s Cup in the playoffs.
Coast Ball In Vancouver? We’ll Have To Battle For It
Coast League Not Wooing Us, Say Emil Sick, Laws
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 15, 1954]
Brick Laws threw Vancouver the ball on the Pacific Coast League baseball question Thursday, and Mayor Fred Hume caught it and ran. He didn’t run very far and some of the grandstand quarterbacks thought he ran too cautiously.
But His Worship, although not committing himself or the city fathers to anything, did accept the suggestion of Laws, president of the Oakland team, to this extent: he said, privately, after Thursday’s luncheon in Hotel Vancouver, that he would think about the whole question seriously and organize a committee next week.
The mayor should have quite a dossier of suggested names for the committee next week. He left the meeting with the drums beating loudly for such local sportsmen as Coley Hall and, of course, Bob Brown, both at yesterday’s meeting; Jack Diamond; George Norgan, who’s selling out his Portland Coast League interests; Chuck Charles; and Stan Smith, if he’s recovered from his B.C. Empire Games chairmanship duties.
There were suggestions, too, something like San Francisco’s [word unreadable] “little corporation” might be formed. There, $60,000 worth of stock was sold to the “little people,” who then went out and supported the ball team because they had a financial interest in it.
Civic Enterprise
And, of course, B.C. Lions’ setup was discussed. Their pre-season ticket sale gave them as assured attendance of some 9000 people per game, and also helped create a civic spirit that wouldn’t let rain, hail or the Lions’ record keep them away.
As Bob Brown said, “The day of the one-man operation in baseball is over. A baseball team, in so many places, has now become a civic enterprise.”
Purpose of the committee, as Laws had pointed out earlier Thursday, would be to provide concrete evidence to the Coast League directors that Vancouver is anxious to keep them company.
Laws, who emphasized he was not necessarily prepared to move his own franchise here, reiterated in the meeting what he had earlier told The Province: if Vancouver can sit down with coast directors and show them we have an adequate ball park and parking facilities, can offer a reasonable rental deal, and can guarantee that the club would do $300,000 worth of business for two years, they’d have to give us serious consideration.
Sunday Baseball!
An adequate ball park would have to seat from 10,000 to 12,000 (the capacity now, 6500), would require a roof over the grandstand at least, and the parking lot would have to be blacktopped. Estimated cost? Emil Sick, president of the Seattle Rainiers, who brought Laws up here, said “the whole thing wouldn’t cost more than $200,000.”
Sunday baseball was discussed, too. Mr. Sick said it would be “a big help” for us to have it, but when Coley Hall said he didn’t think it was necessary, no one argued with him too strenuously. Feeling seems to be that the Sunday ball angle is incidental.
Laws, a medium-sized sandy haired man who looks like a younger version of Brown (he’s 52), and who talks like he’d be right at home in the locker room, also repeated what he’d said earlier: that he was very impressed with our city and our people. “This is easily a Coast League town,” he said.
A Quick Return
Both he and sick stressed that we’d “have to battle to get a franchise”—that the Coast League wasn’t after us.
Mayor Hume, showing some fancy footwork, thanks Sick for his help in bringing Laws up here and in organizing Thursday’s meeting and added that “it seems to me, with [a few words unreadable] support—this thing is possible.”
Sick, equally adept at broken field running, replied that he’s certainly help all that he could, but “of course one organization can’t own two franchises in the same league.” His brewery, of course, backed the Seattle Rainiers and the defunct Vancouver Capilanos for some time.
Besides Laws and Sick, visiting basemen men included Torchy Torrance, vice president of the Seattle club; Freddy Hutchinson, currently an unemployed baseball manager, and Dewey Soriano, general manager at Seattle.
City Hall was represented beside Mayor Hume by aldermen Cornett, Orr and Cunningham.
Vancouver Eyes Solons
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 11— Eddie Mulligan, president of the Sacramento Solons, said Thursday night he had received an enticing offer to move the Pacific Coast League club to Vancouver, B.C. and that he would put the proposition before Solon stockholders next week.
Mulligan said he had met in Vancouver businessman and sports enthusiast. Hall has been seeking a baseball team for the Canadian city which lost its Western International League team when the loop went out of business this fall
The Solon president said he told Hall “our first loyalty is to Sacramento” but “I was but one of a group of stockholders and could not speak for the entire Solon family.”
Oakland’s Brick Laws Is the ‘Mr. X’ Who Might Bring Coast League Baseball Here
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 12, 1954]
The mysterious Pacific Coast League baseball franchise holder who’s coming to town this week to discuss a possible move to Vancouver was identified today.
Emil Sick, Seattle Rainier owner, said Brick Laws, president of the Oakland Acorns, would accompany him to Vancouver for Thursday’s meeting with Mayor Fred Hume and other civil leaders.
A story in the Seattle P.I. today quoted Sick as saying “Laws and I represent the league in investigating Vancouver a a possible Coast League city.”
But, the story said, “the strongest indications are that Laws himself is interested in moving the Oaks to Vancouver.”
There’s another current league franchise holder who may be interested in Vancouver’s Coast League possibilities, too. An Associated Pres report out of Sacramento said that Eddie Mulligan, president of the Solons, would accompany Sick to Vancouver. Mulligan, however, denied it.
Laws has long been recognized as a top baseball executive. He gambled $40,000 to hire Chuck Dressen as his manager for the past season. Dressen led his club from seventh place in 1953 to third, and the Oaks won the Governor’s Cup in the playoffs.
Coast Ball In Vancouver? We’ll Have To Battle For It
Coast League Not Wooing Us, Say Emil Sick, Laws
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Oct. 15, 1954]
Brick Laws threw Vancouver the ball on the Pacific Coast League baseball question Thursday, and Mayor Fred Hume caught it and ran. He didn’t run very far and some of the grandstand quarterbacks thought he ran too cautiously.
But His Worship, although not committing himself or the city fathers to anything, did accept the suggestion of Laws, president of the Oakland team, to this extent: he said, privately, after Thursday’s luncheon in Hotel Vancouver, that he would think about the whole question seriously and organize a committee next week.
The mayor should have quite a dossier of suggested names for the committee next week. He left the meeting with the drums beating loudly for such local sportsmen as Coley Hall and, of course, Bob Brown, both at yesterday’s meeting; Jack Diamond; George Norgan, who’s selling out his Portland Coast League interests; Chuck Charles; and Stan Smith, if he’s recovered from his B.C. Empire Games chairmanship duties.
There were suggestions, too, something like San Francisco’s [word unreadable] “little corporation” might be formed. There, $60,000 worth of stock was sold to the “little people,” who then went out and supported the ball team because they had a financial interest in it.
Civic Enterprise
And, of course, B.C. Lions’ setup was discussed. Their pre-season ticket sale gave them as assured attendance of some 9000 people per game, and also helped create a civic spirit that wouldn’t let rain, hail or the Lions’ record keep them away.
As Bob Brown said, “The day of the one-man operation in baseball is over. A baseball team, in so many places, has now become a civic enterprise.”
Purpose of the committee, as Laws had pointed out earlier Thursday, would be to provide concrete evidence to the Coast League directors that Vancouver is anxious to keep them company.
Laws, who emphasized he was not necessarily prepared to move his own franchise here, reiterated in the meeting what he had earlier told The Province: if Vancouver can sit down with coast directors and show them we have an adequate ball park and parking facilities, can offer a reasonable rental deal, and can guarantee that the club would do $300,000 worth of business for two years, they’d have to give us serious consideration.
Sunday Baseball!
An adequate ball park would have to seat from 10,000 to 12,000 (the capacity now, 6500), would require a roof over the grandstand at least, and the parking lot would have to be blacktopped. Estimated cost? Emil Sick, president of the Seattle Rainiers, who brought Laws up here, said “the whole thing wouldn’t cost more than $200,000.”
Sunday baseball was discussed, too. Mr. Sick said it would be “a big help” for us to have it, but when Coley Hall said he didn’t think it was necessary, no one argued with him too strenuously. Feeling seems to be that the Sunday ball angle is incidental.
Laws, a medium-sized sandy haired man who looks like a younger version of Brown (he’s 52), and who talks like he’d be right at home in the locker room, also repeated what he’d said earlier: that he was very impressed with our city and our people. “This is easily a Coast League town,” he said.
A Quick Return
Both he and sick stressed that we’d “have to battle to get a franchise”—that the Coast League wasn’t after us.
Mayor Hume, showing some fancy footwork, thanks Sick for his help in bringing Laws up here and in organizing Thursday’s meeting and added that “it seems to me, with [a few words unreadable] support—this thing is possible.”
Sick, equally adept at broken field running, replied that he’s certainly help all that he could, but “of course one organization can’t own two franchises in the same league.” His brewery, of course, backed the Seattle Rainiers and the defunct Vancouver Capilanos for some time.
Besides Laws and Sick, visiting basemen men included Torchy Torrance, vice president of the Seattle club; Freddy Hutchinson, currently an unemployed baseball manager, and Dewey Soriano, general manager at Seattle.
City Hall was represented beside Mayor Hume by aldermen Cornett, Orr and Cunningham.
Vancouver Eyes Solons
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 11— Eddie Mulligan, president of the Sacramento Solons, said Thursday night he had received an enticing offer to move the Pacific Coast League club to Vancouver, B.C. and that he would put the proposition before Solon stockholders next week.
Mulligan said he had met in Vancouver businessman and sports enthusiast. Hall has been seeking a baseball team for the Canadian city which lost its Western International League team when the loop went out of business this fall
The Solon president said he told Hall “our first loyalty is to Sacramento” but “I was but one of a group of stockholders and could not speak for the entire Solon family.”
WIL Death Fallout
Dewey Wants PCL Berth For Our Leagueless Caps
By ERWIN SWANGARD
(Sun Sports Editor)
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 28, 1954]
NEW YORK—Dewey Soriano, vice president of Vancouver Capilano Baseball Club, expressed hope here Monday a Pacific Coast club will shift its franchise to the British Columbia city.
Soriano, general manager of Seattle Rainiers, parent organization of Caps, was shocked and disappointed when told the Western International League, of which Caps are a member, has decided to call it quits.
Soriano said “at present, I don’t know of any Coast League club which plans to shift a franchise. But with the situation clearing in Vancouver something may develop.
“A Coast League club in Vancouver would mean healthy, keen rivalry between Seattle and Vancouver and the fans would be given the type of baseball they so richly deserve.”
* * *
Soriano arrived here late Monday night from Cleveland where he had discussions with the management of the American League pennant winners.
He was general manager of the Caps in 1953.
“It seems inconceivable to me the WIL clubs didn’t find a way of meeting difficulties in order to continue a league which has meant so much to the Pacific Northwest,” he said.
“I am definitely of the opinion the suggestion to operate a Class C league wouldn’t be the answer, especially not in Vancouver.
“It would be tough to sell such a low brand of baseball to Vancouver where the fans have become used to watching a top-notch grade A calibre and deserve it.
“As soon as I get back from the World Series and have an opportunity to discuss the situation with Capilano president Tom English, we will find out what can be done to salvage top grade professional baseball for Vancouver.
“We all know 1954 was an unusual year. Every club on the coast from the Coast League to minor amateur baseball suffered from adverse weather,
“We have to keep in mind that Vancouver, over the last couple of years, as become a major athletic centre on the North American continent.
“We had the British Empire Games, we have major league football in the Lions, the grade of hockey is second only to the National league, baseball must keep up.
Keith Matthews
SPORTS HERALD
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 28, 1954]
Another Way To Skin The Kitten
Robert Abel, a learned gentleman who leads the Western International baseball league as its president, who one had found political ambitions in the state of Washington. He knows, in other words, that in order to skin a cat, there is more than the one way to arrive at that end.
On the past weekend, Edmonton—the unwashed brother, the unwanted member of the family, so to speak—must have shocked the bejabbers out of WIL directors by threatening to sue if any attempt were made to eliminate the franchise from another season of operation.
That immediately threw the meeting into a state of confusion—a state without which no WIL gathering would feel homey.
We are not suggesting that Abel, or any other, had an ulterior motive in the final decision to dissolve. We are saying, however, that Edmonton’s wish to remain, more or less forced the league to get out from under—at least for the time being.
Now, there is nothing to prevent those within the league who wish to continue, to regroup their forces for 1955 and thereby arrive at the same solution which was originally intended—that of eliminating Edmonton.
What happens to Vancouver in the transition remains to be seen.
Bill’s Booster For Better Ball
The possibility of a Pacific Coast League franchise has been mentioned and there is more in this than just gossip.
It is a fact, for instance, that both Oakland and Sacramento, can be bought for not too rambunctious price. The problem here is how much does Vancouver want that type of baseball, and can we support it?
Against a venture into the Coast League which, of course, would necessitate greater overhead, is the profit and loss statement of past years’ operation in the Class A WIL.
We are told that Vancouver lost $53,000, give or take a dollar or twenty-five, in 1954. It will take an overtime shift or two to cap the bottles which will return the brewery the lost expense. Money, then, is the most powerful agitator against an operation which, from the start, would automatically increase the budget.
For such a move is the growth of Vancouver itself and the magnificent comparative record achieved by the B.C. Lions in the city’s first try at a major league sport.
Bill Brenner, being of sound mind and able body, he sez, believes the time has indeed arrived when Vancouver must think in terms of Coast League baseball. For this reason, Bill is not even remotely interested in a return to the WIL, even if it adopts a new face.
Maybe Price of Beer Will Go Up
Now that we are on the Brenner subject, let the records show that he was a greatly disillusioned young man at the conclusion of this season.
Bill brought a championship to Vancouver in the year ’54. It was his second but unlike 1947 when a fledgling manager named Brenner excited an entire city with his victory, nobody cared about this one.
It has been said before the reason simply must be that our town has outgrown the Wenatchees and the Lewistons and the Yakimas.
Let them, if they will reorganize and play in their cracker-box ball parks.
Let the Capilanos, meanwhile, move into a more fitting habitation, at the risk of seeing the price of the beloved beer raised if it is still the only answer.
Sports Notes
BY GIL GILMORE
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 28, 1954]
By ERWIN SWANGARD
(Sun Sports Editor)
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 28, 1954]
NEW YORK—Dewey Soriano, vice president of Vancouver Capilano Baseball Club, expressed hope here Monday a Pacific Coast club will shift its franchise to the British Columbia city.
Soriano, general manager of Seattle Rainiers, parent organization of Caps, was shocked and disappointed when told the Western International League, of which Caps are a member, has decided to call it quits.
Soriano said “at present, I don’t know of any Coast League club which plans to shift a franchise. But with the situation clearing in Vancouver something may develop.
“A Coast League club in Vancouver would mean healthy, keen rivalry between Seattle and Vancouver and the fans would be given the type of baseball they so richly deserve.”
* * *
Soriano arrived here late Monday night from Cleveland where he had discussions with the management of the American League pennant winners.
He was general manager of the Caps in 1953.
“It seems inconceivable to me the WIL clubs didn’t find a way of meeting difficulties in order to continue a league which has meant so much to the Pacific Northwest,” he said.
“I am definitely of the opinion the suggestion to operate a Class C league wouldn’t be the answer, especially not in Vancouver.
“It would be tough to sell such a low brand of baseball to Vancouver where the fans have become used to watching a top-notch grade A calibre and deserve it.
“As soon as I get back from the World Series and have an opportunity to discuss the situation with Capilano president Tom English, we will find out what can be done to salvage top grade professional baseball for Vancouver.
“We all know 1954 was an unusual year. Every club on the coast from the Coast League to minor amateur baseball suffered from adverse weather,
“We have to keep in mind that Vancouver, over the last couple of years, as become a major athletic centre on the North American continent.
“We had the British Empire Games, we have major league football in the Lions, the grade of hockey is second only to the National league, baseball must keep up.
Keith Matthews
SPORTS HERALD
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 28, 1954]
Another Way To Skin The Kitten
Robert Abel, a learned gentleman who leads the Western International baseball league as its president, who one had found political ambitions in the state of Washington. He knows, in other words, that in order to skin a cat, there is more than the one way to arrive at that end.
On the past weekend, Edmonton—the unwashed brother, the unwanted member of the family, so to speak—must have shocked the bejabbers out of WIL directors by threatening to sue if any attempt were made to eliminate the franchise from another season of operation.
That immediately threw the meeting into a state of confusion—a state without which no WIL gathering would feel homey.
We are not suggesting that Abel, or any other, had an ulterior motive in the final decision to dissolve. We are saying, however, that Edmonton’s wish to remain, more or less forced the league to get out from under—at least for the time being.
Now, there is nothing to prevent those within the league who wish to continue, to regroup their forces for 1955 and thereby arrive at the same solution which was originally intended—that of eliminating Edmonton.
What happens to Vancouver in the transition remains to be seen.
Bill’s Booster For Better Ball
The possibility of a Pacific Coast League franchise has been mentioned and there is more in this than just gossip.
It is a fact, for instance, that both Oakland and Sacramento, can be bought for not too rambunctious price. The problem here is how much does Vancouver want that type of baseball, and can we support it?
Against a venture into the Coast League which, of course, would necessitate greater overhead, is the profit and loss statement of past years’ operation in the Class A WIL.
We are told that Vancouver lost $53,000, give or take a dollar or twenty-five, in 1954. It will take an overtime shift or two to cap the bottles which will return the brewery the lost expense. Money, then, is the most powerful agitator against an operation which, from the start, would automatically increase the budget.
For such a move is the growth of Vancouver itself and the magnificent comparative record achieved by the B.C. Lions in the city’s first try at a major league sport.
Bill Brenner, being of sound mind and able body, he sez, believes the time has indeed arrived when Vancouver must think in terms of Coast League baseball. For this reason, Bill is not even remotely interested in a return to the WIL, even if it adopts a new face.
Maybe Price of Beer Will Go Up
Now that we are on the Brenner subject, let the records show that he was a greatly disillusioned young man at the conclusion of this season.
Bill brought a championship to Vancouver in the year ’54. It was his second but unlike 1947 when a fledgling manager named Brenner excited an entire city with his victory, nobody cared about this one.
It has been said before the reason simply must be that our town has outgrown the Wenatchees and the Lewistons and the Yakimas.
Let them, if they will reorganize and play in their cracker-box ball parks.
Let the Capilanos, meanwhile, move into a more fitting habitation, at the risk of seeing the price of the beloved beer raised if it is still the only answer.
Sports Notes
BY GIL GILMORE
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 28, 1954]
Now that the Western International league has gone through with the expected dissolution and plans have been made by the five U. S. teams, to form a new loop, it is time to talk of who shall head this geographically tighter organization.
Already, some candidates have been mentioned: Babe Hollingberry of Yakima, Arthur Pohlman of Wenatchee, Bob Brown of Vancouver, and Bob Abel of Tacoma. Presumably, Abel’s job with the former Western International league ends with the dissolution of the league.
This is not a “kick him out” move on my part since there is no real objection here to Abel as a personality and administrator, but because of other circumstances, the league should consider a change in leadership.
Abel is presently handicapped in the operation of the league by several things. Under the old set-up, since Tacoma did not have a team in the league, he may have lost some contact with the organization. This itself is not too serious and there is a strong possibility Tacoma will have a team in the new organization.
Most important is, if the league is going to have adequate rules and safeguards and have them enforced, it will call for the services of a full-time man, a man familiar with all aspects of the league, one who is not afraid to crack down on violators, and one who can get around to the various cities entered and do a little tub-thumping.
* * *
A Plug For Luby
Which brings us up to the point of the issue. Personally, I am beating the drums for Hugh Luby, Salem manager last year.
Presumably, if one proposes a candidate, he should have some reason for doing so. Okay, here are some reasons. First off, Hugh has been running the league most of the time anyway. Secondly, He knows all the ins and outs of the league. Third, he is well familiar with all aspects of baseball. Fourth, he has had front office experience in conducting the job of running the Salem front office. Fifth he is the kind of character liked by all those who know him.
* * *
He Would Take It
The question is would he take the job if it were offered. This business of plugging Hugh for league president isn’t any thing new with me so when Salem played its final series of the season here I backed him off in the corner and asked him.
“Sure, I would take it,” Luby said, “if they organize the league so there is some sense to it. And the setup would have to be such that a guy could operate. You couldn’t run things with your hands tied.”
But Hugh also made it clear he wouldn’t operate out of the generosity of his heart or just because he loves the dear old game of baseball and the WIL.
“How much moola,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
I told him he could rassle with the league brass on that issue but at least it’s another point in his favor. A guy on a salary is going to do something to earn it.
I’ll let the case rest.
* * *
Prairie Loop Plan Laid
The move to eliminate Edmonton long has been based on the idea that the Canadian prairie city would be better off in a league of its own made up with towns and team coming from the areas where natural rivalry has been built up through football and hockey.
The idea is not one of the American faction’s. Canadian sportwriters have long been calling for such a league. Recently, the strong prairie semi-pro league made up of five towns in Canada asked five other towns to send entries to a winter meeting.
Included on the invited list were Edmonton and Calgary and it is possible a move may be made to form a professional baseball league from there.
Already, some candidates have been mentioned: Babe Hollingberry of Yakima, Arthur Pohlman of Wenatchee, Bob Brown of Vancouver, and Bob Abel of Tacoma. Presumably, Abel’s job with the former Western International league ends with the dissolution of the league.
This is not a “kick him out” move on my part since there is no real objection here to Abel as a personality and administrator, but because of other circumstances, the league should consider a change in leadership.
Abel is presently handicapped in the operation of the league by several things. Under the old set-up, since Tacoma did not have a team in the league, he may have lost some contact with the organization. This itself is not too serious and there is a strong possibility Tacoma will have a team in the new organization.
Most important is, if the league is going to have adequate rules and safeguards and have them enforced, it will call for the services of a full-time man, a man familiar with all aspects of the league, one who is not afraid to crack down on violators, and one who can get around to the various cities entered and do a little tub-thumping.
* * *
A Plug For Luby
Which brings us up to the point of the issue. Personally, I am beating the drums for Hugh Luby, Salem manager last year.
Presumably, if one proposes a candidate, he should have some reason for doing so. Okay, here are some reasons. First off, Hugh has been running the league most of the time anyway. Secondly, He knows all the ins and outs of the league. Third, he is well familiar with all aspects of baseball. Fourth, he has had front office experience in conducting the job of running the Salem front office. Fifth he is the kind of character liked by all those who know him.
* * *
He Would Take It
The question is would he take the job if it were offered. This business of plugging Hugh for league president isn’t any thing new with me so when Salem played its final series of the season here I backed him off in the corner and asked him.
“Sure, I would take it,” Luby said, “if they organize the league so there is some sense to it. And the setup would have to be such that a guy could operate. You couldn’t run things with your hands tied.”
But Hugh also made it clear he wouldn’t operate out of the generosity of his heart or just because he loves the dear old game of baseball and the WIL.
“How much moola,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.
I told him he could rassle with the league brass on that issue but at least it’s another point in his favor. A guy on a salary is going to do something to earn it.
I’ll let the case rest.
* * *
Prairie Loop Plan Laid
The move to eliminate Edmonton long has been based on the idea that the Canadian prairie city would be better off in a league of its own made up with towns and team coming from the areas where natural rivalry has been built up through football and hockey.
The idea is not one of the American faction’s. Canadian sportwriters have long been calling for such a league. Recently, the strong prairie semi-pro league made up of five towns in Canada asked five other towns to send entries to a winter meeting.
Included on the invited list were Edmonton and Calgary and it is possible a move may be made to form a professional baseball league from there.
WIL is Finished
Western International May Operate With U.S. Clubs
SEATTLE, Sept. 27—(UP)—The Western International Baseball League was formally dissolved yesterday, in what seemed an inevitable end after a season of chronic financial crisis.
However, moments after the meeting ended, owners of the Wenatchee, Yakima and Tri-Cities clubs in Washington, and the Salem, Ore., and Lewiston, Ida., teams, met in informal session, intent on the idea of forming a professional baseball league to operate in 1955, founded on those five teams.
Bob Abel, president of the Class A loop, said formal dissolution was decided upon because, specifically, "of the absolute refusal of the teams in the states to play in the league with Edmonton, the sole franchise holder in Alberta, Canada. “It was just impractical, for the American teams to make the long journey to Edmonton.”
Calgary, Alta., was a former member of the WIL, but dropped out, as did Victoria, B.C., and Spokane, because of financial inability to operate. Vancouver, B. C. was the only other Canadian team still in the league at the end of the past season.
Babe Hollingbery, Yakima, was designated as temporary chairman of the informal group of five teams. They will meet again Oct. 23 in Yakima.
The league board of directors and franchise holders set Dec. 15, 1954 as the formal dissolution date “to protect the present franchise owners on all their player contracts,” Abel said.
Caps Minus A League, As W.I. Loop Bows Out
Move Surprises Local Club; Financial Hurdles Too High
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 27, 1954]
Vancouver’s position in professional baseball is uncertain today. The Western International League voted to put itself out of business Sunday by folding the league.
Though no one cares to admit it, the action was the result of two things—though those two things could be summed up in one word: Money.
This last season has not been a particularly happy one for the WIL. The setup started out with 10 teams, ended up with seven—and none of these seven made anyone millionaires. Spokane, Calgary and Victoria all chucked it in before the season was over.
But probably the direct reason the league directors decided to write “the end” to the Class “A” WIL was of the long travelling distances to Edmonton. Salem, for instance, had to travel 800 miles to get to the Alberta city. The thing that hurt the most, though, was Edmonton was probably the biggest drawing club in the circuit.
Travel Tough
The obvious step, it would seem was to boot Edmonton out of the league.
“Try it,” general manager John Ducey had warned earlier during the season, “and we’ll sue.” Under the WIL constitution, Ducey could sue the WIL if they gave Edmonton the heave-ho—so they disbanded the league, effective Dec, 15 instead.
Apparently four clubs (two of them were Lewiston and Tri-City) made no secret they wanted Edmonton out. After a seven-hour meeting, the vote was 5-0 to terminate the WIL. Vancouver and Edmonton—who had refused a request to withdraw—abstained.
President Bob Abel of Tacoma then issued the statement: “The WIL formally resolved to dissolve the corporate organization as of Dec. 15, 1954.” And then the wheels started turning.
Babe Nominated
There was an immediate move to start another loop in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The move was led by Salem, Wenatchee, Yakima, Lewiston and Tri-City. A temporary committee under chairman Babe Hollingbery, president of the Yakima Bears, was set up to dig into the possibility of a new eight-team league.
One report said “the committee will contact interests in cities reported interested in gaining a franchise. Cities named were Tacoma, Spokane, Eugene, Coos Bay and VANCOUVER.”
Reason for keeping the league officially in operation until Dec. 15 is to protect the interest of the club owners. If the league were officially closed now the players would become free agents and could accept positions where they liked, a major item when the draft system starts in not too many years.
Won Three Flags
Tommy English, president of the Capilanos, told The Province from Seattle:
“Obviously, it’s too early to make any plans yet. We don’t know just where we stand. We didn’t expect this when we came to Seattle.”
The WIL came into existence in1937, with Vancouver a charter member. The club was known as the Maple Leafs then and played in what is now Callister Park, but was then Con Jones. In 1939, Bob Brown took over and the Capilanos moved into Athletic Park. The league folded from 1943 to 1945 because of the war.
In the middle of the 1951 season the Caps moved into their new home at Capilano Stadium. Three times, in 1942 under Don Osborn, and 1947 and again this last season, under Bill Brenner, the local team ahs won the WIL championship.
City May Lose Pro Baseball
WIL Disbands In December
Travel Difficulties Given As Reason For Dissolution
[Vancouver News-Herald, September 27, 1954]
Vancouver may be without professional baseball next summer for the first time since 1946. Directors of the Class A Western International League Sunday voted to dissolve the organization, effective December 15, 1954.
The meeting in Seattle was attended by representatives of each of the seven clubs, along with president Robert Abel.
Five of the delegates voted in favour of dissolution with Vancouver and Edmonton declining to cast a ballot.
Tom English, president of the Vancouver Capilanos Baseball club, attended the meeting and told The News-Herald he was still hopeful of operating next season.
Said English, “There is still a possibility that there will be professional baseball here next summer. I can’t say at this time what class it will be, but I do know it won’t be any lower than Class A.”
At the same time, English clarified Bill Brenner’s position with the club. Brenner will remain on the payroll indefinitely as general manager.
MAY MOVE UP
The News-Herald learned that if there is no professional baseball here next year, Brenner has an excellent chance of becoming manager of the Seattle Rainiers of the Coast League. Jerry Priddy, who handled the club this year, was released recently.
What would happen to Capilano Stadium should there be no baseball is still a deep mystery. The stadium was build three years ago at a cost of half a million dollars and baseball was counted upon to bear the brunt of the cost.
Although the 1954 Vancouver Capilanos went to considerable expense to build a championship team, it attracted only 55,000 fans, an all-time low. Capilanos won the first half schedule and then beat out Lewiston Broncs in straight games to capture the Western International League pennant.
LOWER CALIBRE
Following the dissolution of the league, Salem, Wenatchee, Tri-City, Yakima and Lewiston directors gathered and designated Babe Hollingbery of Yakima as temporary chairman of a committee to form a new professional baseball loop in the U.S. northwest.
Should the circuit become a reality, it would be of lower calibre since any Class A League must boast a total population of a minimum of one million people.
However, several directors are still hopeful of reviving the WIL, thus the season [sic] for the late date of the dissolution.
The league directors issued the following statement through president Abel:
“The WIL formally resolved to dissolve the corporation organization as of Dec. 1, 1954.”
LONG TRIPS
The resolution, Abel said, was the outgrowth of a discussion centering around the impracticality of travel between the U.S. entries and Edmonton.
The trip to Edmonton represented a 550-mile jaunt for the closest team, Lewiston, alone. For the other five members the mileage was even more, with Salem required to make an 800-mile trip to play at Edmonton.
Under the disbanding date on Dec. 15, the owners of the clubs in the WIL would be protected on their player contracts under rules of the National Association of Minor Leagues.
Although Abel denied the financials situation of the teams in the WIL was the reason for the dissolution it was generally believed that red ink was a dominating factor.
Sea of Red Ink Drowns WIL Ball
Caps’ Future Very Cloudy As Loop Folds
Special to The Vancouver Sun
[Monday September 27, 1954]
SEATTLE—After two years of floundering helplessly in a sea of red ink, the Western International Baseball League has decided to abandon ship.
In a Seattle meeting over the week end WIL directors voted to disband December 15, 1954.
Meeting was attended by one member from each of the seven clubs and league president Bob Abel. Five delegates voted for dissolution. Vancouver and Edmonton did not cast ballots.
NEW LEAGUE
Resolution was an outgrowth of a discussion concerning the impracticality of travel between the U.S. entries and Edmonton.
The closest U.S. team, Lewiston, had to travel 550 miles in their Edmonton trips. Rest of the teams travelled further, with Salem having the longest trip, 800 miles.
There was an immediate move by five of the teams, Salem, Wenatchee, Yakima, Lewiston and Tri-City, to start another league in the Pacific Northwest. Brand of ball will be lower than Class “A”.
Babe Hollingbery, president of the Yakima Bears, who was named chairman of a committee to dig into the possibility of getting eight teams together.
CAPS TOO?
Hollingbery said directors of the five teams involved have scheduled a meeting for next month and will make concrete plans to the proposal seems advisable.
Plans are sketchy at this point, although it was determined that any league formed should have eight teams.
Vancouver Caps, 1954 champions of the WIL, have been mentioned as one of the teams which would be included in the tentative league.
What will happen to Cap Stadium if there is no pro baseball next year is still unknown. The three-year-old, half-million dollar ball park was built with the idea of having the ball team pay for it.
ALL-TIME LOW
Caps had an excellent class “A” ball club this year but not even their great work on the diamond could stop the fans from staying away. An all-time low of 55,000 fans clicked stadium turnstiles this year.
Disbanding of the league has been expected for some while, led by the bankruptcy of three clubs. The WIL started in the spring as a 10-team league. It ended the season with seven teams. Spokane, Calgary and Victoria bowed out because of financial embarrassment.
Both Hollingbery and Abel denied financial condition of teams was the reason for the dissolution. But it is generally believed red ink was the dominant factor.
League nearly collapsed early in the season when most clubs—Vancouver excluded—had trouble paying their way.
TICKET MEN
It was reported later in the second half of the season that more U.S. clubs were on the verge of dropping out of the league. One club was said to have relief pitchers taking tickets at the game to save cost of extra help.
“The WIL feels it was handicapped by the weather and adverse publicity it got from the teams not finishing the season,” Hollingbery said.
If Vancouver refuses to join the proposed Pacific Northwest league and if they do not get a chance at Pacific Coast league ball, it will be the first season since 1946 Vancouver has not been represented.
Fate of Vancouver’s popular manager Bill Brenner is undecided but he still is the choice of Cap brass as general manager. If Vancouver doesn’t have professional baseball, big Bill may get a chance at the held of parent Seattle Rainiers.
SEATTLE, Sept. 27—(UP)—The Western International Baseball League was formally dissolved yesterday, in what seemed an inevitable end after a season of chronic financial crisis.
However, moments after the meeting ended, owners of the Wenatchee, Yakima and Tri-Cities clubs in Washington, and the Salem, Ore., and Lewiston, Ida., teams, met in informal session, intent on the idea of forming a professional baseball league to operate in 1955, founded on those five teams.
Bob Abel, president of the Class A loop, said formal dissolution was decided upon because, specifically, "of the absolute refusal of the teams in the states to play in the league with Edmonton, the sole franchise holder in Alberta, Canada. “It was just impractical, for the American teams to make the long journey to Edmonton.”
Calgary, Alta., was a former member of the WIL, but dropped out, as did Victoria, B.C., and Spokane, because of financial inability to operate. Vancouver, B. C. was the only other Canadian team still in the league at the end of the past season.
Babe Hollingbery, Yakima, was designated as temporary chairman of the informal group of five teams. They will meet again Oct. 23 in Yakima.
The league board of directors and franchise holders set Dec. 15, 1954 as the formal dissolution date “to protect the present franchise owners on all their player contracts,” Abel said.
Caps Minus A League, As W.I. Loop Bows Out
Move Surprises Local Club; Financial Hurdles Too High
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 27, 1954]
Vancouver’s position in professional baseball is uncertain today. The Western International League voted to put itself out of business Sunday by folding the league.
Though no one cares to admit it, the action was the result of two things—though those two things could be summed up in one word: Money.
This last season has not been a particularly happy one for the WIL. The setup started out with 10 teams, ended up with seven—and none of these seven made anyone millionaires. Spokane, Calgary and Victoria all chucked it in before the season was over.
But probably the direct reason the league directors decided to write “the end” to the Class “A” WIL was of the long travelling distances to Edmonton. Salem, for instance, had to travel 800 miles to get to the Alberta city. The thing that hurt the most, though, was Edmonton was probably the biggest drawing club in the circuit.
Travel Tough
The obvious step, it would seem was to boot Edmonton out of the league.
“Try it,” general manager John Ducey had warned earlier during the season, “and we’ll sue.” Under the WIL constitution, Ducey could sue the WIL if they gave Edmonton the heave-ho—so they disbanded the league, effective Dec, 15 instead.
Apparently four clubs (two of them were Lewiston and Tri-City) made no secret they wanted Edmonton out. After a seven-hour meeting, the vote was 5-0 to terminate the WIL. Vancouver and Edmonton—who had refused a request to withdraw—abstained.
President Bob Abel of Tacoma then issued the statement: “The WIL formally resolved to dissolve the corporate organization as of Dec. 15, 1954.” And then the wheels started turning.
Babe Nominated
There was an immediate move to start another loop in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The move was led by Salem, Wenatchee, Yakima, Lewiston and Tri-City. A temporary committee under chairman Babe Hollingbery, president of the Yakima Bears, was set up to dig into the possibility of a new eight-team league.
One report said “the committee will contact interests in cities reported interested in gaining a franchise. Cities named were Tacoma, Spokane, Eugene, Coos Bay and VANCOUVER.”
Reason for keeping the league officially in operation until Dec. 15 is to protect the interest of the club owners. If the league were officially closed now the players would become free agents and could accept positions where they liked, a major item when the draft system starts in not too many years.
Won Three Flags
Tommy English, president of the Capilanos, told The Province from Seattle:
“Obviously, it’s too early to make any plans yet. We don’t know just where we stand. We didn’t expect this when we came to Seattle.”
The WIL came into existence in1937, with Vancouver a charter member. The club was known as the Maple Leafs then and played in what is now Callister Park, but was then Con Jones. In 1939, Bob Brown took over and the Capilanos moved into Athletic Park. The league folded from 1943 to 1945 because of the war.
In the middle of the 1951 season the Caps moved into their new home at Capilano Stadium. Three times, in 1942 under Don Osborn, and 1947 and again this last season, under Bill Brenner, the local team ahs won the WIL championship.
City May Lose Pro Baseball
WIL Disbands In December
Travel Difficulties Given As Reason For Dissolution
[Vancouver News-Herald, September 27, 1954]
Vancouver may be without professional baseball next summer for the first time since 1946. Directors of the Class A Western International League Sunday voted to dissolve the organization, effective December 15, 1954.
The meeting in Seattle was attended by representatives of each of the seven clubs, along with president Robert Abel.
Five of the delegates voted in favour of dissolution with Vancouver and Edmonton declining to cast a ballot.
Tom English, president of the Vancouver Capilanos Baseball club, attended the meeting and told The News-Herald he was still hopeful of operating next season.
Said English, “There is still a possibility that there will be professional baseball here next summer. I can’t say at this time what class it will be, but I do know it won’t be any lower than Class A.”
At the same time, English clarified Bill Brenner’s position with the club. Brenner will remain on the payroll indefinitely as general manager.
MAY MOVE UP
The News-Herald learned that if there is no professional baseball here next year, Brenner has an excellent chance of becoming manager of the Seattle Rainiers of the Coast League. Jerry Priddy, who handled the club this year, was released recently.
What would happen to Capilano Stadium should there be no baseball is still a deep mystery. The stadium was build three years ago at a cost of half a million dollars and baseball was counted upon to bear the brunt of the cost.
Although the 1954 Vancouver Capilanos went to considerable expense to build a championship team, it attracted only 55,000 fans, an all-time low. Capilanos won the first half schedule and then beat out Lewiston Broncs in straight games to capture the Western International League pennant.
LOWER CALIBRE
Following the dissolution of the league, Salem, Wenatchee, Tri-City, Yakima and Lewiston directors gathered and designated Babe Hollingbery of Yakima as temporary chairman of a committee to form a new professional baseball loop in the U.S. northwest.
Should the circuit become a reality, it would be of lower calibre since any Class A League must boast a total population of a minimum of one million people.
However, several directors are still hopeful of reviving the WIL, thus the season [sic] for the late date of the dissolution.
The league directors issued the following statement through president Abel:
“The WIL formally resolved to dissolve the corporation organization as of Dec. 1, 1954.”
LONG TRIPS
The resolution, Abel said, was the outgrowth of a discussion centering around the impracticality of travel between the U.S. entries and Edmonton.
The trip to Edmonton represented a 550-mile jaunt for the closest team, Lewiston, alone. For the other five members the mileage was even more, with Salem required to make an 800-mile trip to play at Edmonton.
Under the disbanding date on Dec. 15, the owners of the clubs in the WIL would be protected on their player contracts under rules of the National Association of Minor Leagues.
Although Abel denied the financials situation of the teams in the WIL was the reason for the dissolution it was generally believed that red ink was a dominating factor.
Sea of Red Ink Drowns WIL Ball
Caps’ Future Very Cloudy As Loop Folds
Special to The Vancouver Sun
[Monday September 27, 1954]
SEATTLE—After two years of floundering helplessly in a sea of red ink, the Western International Baseball League has decided to abandon ship.
In a Seattle meeting over the week end WIL directors voted to disband December 15, 1954.
Meeting was attended by one member from each of the seven clubs and league president Bob Abel. Five delegates voted for dissolution. Vancouver and Edmonton did not cast ballots.
NEW LEAGUE
Resolution was an outgrowth of a discussion concerning the impracticality of travel between the U.S. entries and Edmonton.
The closest U.S. team, Lewiston, had to travel 550 miles in their Edmonton trips. Rest of the teams travelled further, with Salem having the longest trip, 800 miles.
There was an immediate move by five of the teams, Salem, Wenatchee, Yakima, Lewiston and Tri-City, to start another league in the Pacific Northwest. Brand of ball will be lower than Class “A”.
Babe Hollingbery, president of the Yakima Bears, who was named chairman of a committee to dig into the possibility of getting eight teams together.
CAPS TOO?
Hollingbery said directors of the five teams involved have scheduled a meeting for next month and will make concrete plans to the proposal seems advisable.
Plans are sketchy at this point, although it was determined that any league formed should have eight teams.
Vancouver Caps, 1954 champions of the WIL, have been mentioned as one of the teams which would be included in the tentative league.
What will happen to Cap Stadium if there is no pro baseball next year is still unknown. The three-year-old, half-million dollar ball park was built with the idea of having the ball team pay for it.
ALL-TIME LOW
Caps had an excellent class “A” ball club this year but not even their great work on the diamond could stop the fans from staying away. An all-time low of 55,000 fans clicked stadium turnstiles this year.
Disbanding of the league has been expected for some while, led by the bankruptcy of three clubs. The WIL started in the spring as a 10-team league. It ended the season with seven teams. Spokane, Calgary and Victoria bowed out because of financial embarrassment.
Both Hollingbery and Abel denied financial condition of teams was the reason for the dissolution. But it is generally believed red ink was the dominant factor.
League nearly collapsed early in the season when most clubs—Vancouver excluded—had trouble paying their way.
TICKET MEN
It was reported later in the second half of the season that more U.S. clubs were on the verge of dropping out of the league. One club was said to have relief pitchers taking tickets at the game to save cost of extra help.
“The WIL feels it was handicapped by the weather and adverse publicity it got from the teams not finishing the season,” Hollingbery said.
If Vancouver refuses to join the proposed Pacific Northwest league and if they do not get a chance at Pacific Coast league ball, it will be the first season since 1946 Vancouver has not been represented.
Fate of Vancouver’s popular manager Bill Brenner is undecided but he still is the choice of Cap brass as general manager. If Vancouver doesn’t have professional baseball, big Bill may get a chance at the held of parent Seattle Rainiers.
Elimate WIL from Vancouver
FOLLOW THE SUN
With ERWIN SWANGARD
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 25, 1954]
It’s Vancouver’s tragedy that this city of ours, possessor of one of the finest minor league baseball plants in North America, should be condemned to membership in the Western International League—without fear of challenge the leading bush league in George Trautman’s vast domain of minor leagues.
This revolting and for Vancouver humiliating situation has never been more evident than today on the eve of the annual WIL meeting in Seattle today.
Just what could come from this meeting is wide open to speculation.
It could be that the confab will mark the last rites for the WIL as we have known it for a number of years.
It could be that some of the little towns with the little men who head clubs will form a new league and play among themselves in Class C competition.
The club owners will cry about the adverse weather which cut their crowds and made them lose money.
They’ll Blame Abel, Too
Some will accuse others of spending to much money on players which as a result produced great pots of red ink.
Others again will blame president Robert Abel, the Tacoma law purveyor.
But one thing is sure not a single club official will look into the hotel mirror and say: “You’re to blame.”
Even if the WIL is a bush league the owners didn’t have to behave like bush leaguers.
The yapping emenating from various WIL centres since the season closed is absolutely disgraceful.
Club officials didn’t even have the common sense of keeping their grievances—if they are such—to themselves and air them in the comparative privacy of Sunday’s conference room.
Lewiston directors popped off and demanded Edmonton and Vancouver be kicked out of the league.
Tri-City followed suit.
Now Wenatchee comes along and wants Abel fired.
Not only do the Chiefs want Abel fired but they have the man to succeed him.
You guessed it—a Wenatchee man.
As I say it’s difficult to predict what will happen on Sunday.
But somehow one comes to the reluctant conclusion that, perhaps, Vancouver would do better off to get out and let the little towns with the little men play a little baseball among themselves.
It has been our contention for several years that Vancouver fans would prefer to watch local semi-pros in action than the hired men from such hamlets as Lewiston, Yakima, Wenatchee, and Tri-City, etc.
A Baseball Tragedy
Of course, it’s ridiculous that we should not be in the Pacific Coast League.
Obviously that will never come about until we can enjoy Sunday baseball.
Therein lies the tale of our baseball tragedy.
WIL Brass In Seattle; Meet May Wax Hot
SEATTLE, Sept. 26—The Western International Baseball League will meet today in Seattle to discuss plans for 1955 and at least two member teams will file for the divorce of Edmonton.
Arguing that the long haul to the Alberta oil capital is too expensive Lewiston and Tri-City said they would seek a more compact loop. Tri-City also wants Vancouver, B.C. included out.
The league has lost three cities— Spokane Calgary and Victoria— this year will be seeking some plan to bolster the remaining teams few of which did more than break even in 1954.
Several sports writers around the league have urged the loop to drop from Class A to a lower classification in order to obtain younger players and lower more easily-met payrolls.
Club officials in most cases have said they would insist upon retaining the A classification.
But there will be a strong move to place a limit on the number of veterans permitted each team and to lop off bonus payments to [unreadable] old players.
The loss of three teams left the WIL seven-club circuit. Those in the States have become community projects funded by public subscriptions. Most of these appear anxious to continue the league even if it means a slight annual loss.
There were indications Friday night that the Sunday meeting may not be one of smiling faces. It shaped up in advance as anything but a harmonious get together.
Red Burnett, secretary of the Wenatchee Chiefs issued this implied warning.
Actions taken on league policies at the Sunday meeting will determine whether Wenatchee will operate in the WIL in 1955.
Burnett’s words apparenty were an offshoot of an announced Wenatchee decision to seek the removal of Bob Abel of Tacoma as president.
The Chiefs directors planning then stand at the meeting here heatedly denied they had mentioned the name of Arthur Pohlman, former president of the Wenatchee club as a possible successor to Abel.
The Chiefs said they had suggested in letters to all members of the loop that the present officials be replaced and that they had a man in mind for the job.
But they said they had not mentioned Pohlman.
With ERWIN SWANGARD
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 25, 1954]
It’s Vancouver’s tragedy that this city of ours, possessor of one of the finest minor league baseball plants in North America, should be condemned to membership in the Western International League—without fear of challenge the leading bush league in George Trautman’s vast domain of minor leagues.
This revolting and for Vancouver humiliating situation has never been more evident than today on the eve of the annual WIL meeting in Seattle today.
Just what could come from this meeting is wide open to speculation.
It could be that the confab will mark the last rites for the WIL as we have known it for a number of years.
It could be that some of the little towns with the little men who head clubs will form a new league and play among themselves in Class C competition.
The club owners will cry about the adverse weather which cut their crowds and made them lose money.
They’ll Blame Abel, Too
Some will accuse others of spending to much money on players which as a result produced great pots of red ink.
Others again will blame president Robert Abel, the Tacoma law purveyor.
But one thing is sure not a single club official will look into the hotel mirror and say: “You’re to blame.”
Even if the WIL is a bush league the owners didn’t have to behave like bush leaguers.
The yapping emenating from various WIL centres since the season closed is absolutely disgraceful.
Club officials didn’t even have the common sense of keeping their grievances—if they are such—to themselves and air them in the comparative privacy of Sunday’s conference room.
Lewiston directors popped off and demanded Edmonton and Vancouver be kicked out of the league.
Tri-City followed suit.
Now Wenatchee comes along and wants Abel fired.
Not only do the Chiefs want Abel fired but they have the man to succeed him.
You guessed it—a Wenatchee man.
As I say it’s difficult to predict what will happen on Sunday.
But somehow one comes to the reluctant conclusion that, perhaps, Vancouver would do better off to get out and let the little towns with the little men play a little baseball among themselves.
It has been our contention for several years that Vancouver fans would prefer to watch local semi-pros in action than the hired men from such hamlets as Lewiston, Yakima, Wenatchee, and Tri-City, etc.
A Baseball Tragedy
Of course, it’s ridiculous that we should not be in the Pacific Coast League.
Obviously that will never come about until we can enjoy Sunday baseball.
Therein lies the tale of our baseball tragedy.
WIL Brass In Seattle; Meet May Wax Hot
SEATTLE, Sept. 26—The Western International Baseball League will meet today in Seattle to discuss plans for 1955 and at least two member teams will file for the divorce of Edmonton.
Arguing that the long haul to the Alberta oil capital is too expensive Lewiston and Tri-City said they would seek a more compact loop. Tri-City also wants Vancouver, B.C. included out.
The league has lost three cities— Spokane Calgary and Victoria— this year will be seeking some plan to bolster the remaining teams few of which did more than break even in 1954.
Several sports writers around the league have urged the loop to drop from Class A to a lower classification in order to obtain younger players and lower more easily-met payrolls.
Club officials in most cases have said they would insist upon retaining the A classification.
But there will be a strong move to place a limit on the number of veterans permitted each team and to lop off bonus payments to [unreadable] old players.
The loss of three teams left the WIL seven-club circuit. Those in the States have become community projects funded by public subscriptions. Most of these appear anxious to continue the league even if it means a slight annual loss.
There were indications Friday night that the Sunday meeting may not be one of smiling faces. It shaped up in advance as anything but a harmonious get together.
Red Burnett, secretary of the Wenatchee Chiefs issued this implied warning.
Actions taken on league policies at the Sunday meeting will determine whether Wenatchee will operate in the WIL in 1955.
Burnett’s words apparenty were an offshoot of an announced Wenatchee decision to seek the removal of Bob Abel of Tacoma as president.
The Chiefs directors planning then stand at the meeting here heatedly denied they had mentioned the name of Arthur Pohlman, former president of the Wenatchee club as a possible successor to Abel.
The Chiefs said they had suggested in letters to all members of the loop that the present officials be replaced and that they had a man in mind for the job.
But they said they had not mentioned Pohlman.
Eliminate Vancouver (and Edmonton) From WIL
Lewiston Asks Removal of Caps, Esks From WIL
LEWISTON, Sept. 17—Directors of the Lewiston Broncs of the Western International League Thursday passed a resolution aimed at cutting Vancouver and Edmonton from the league circuit next season.
They gave no reasons for the proposal, heard as business manager Tom Tabor handed in his resignation and President James B. McMonigle indicated he would quit office as son as matters were cleared up for the season.
At the lengthy meeting, the directors drew up a program of changes which they feel must be made if the financially-sick WIL is to survive. (The league is scheduled to meet in Seattle Sept. 26).
The changes included:
1. Retention of Class A baseball in the league.
2. Limit on player experience with restrictions on the number of “old timers” and return to younger players.
3. Working agreements between Pacific Coast League teams and the WIL.
4. Elimination of “bonus” payments to veterans of PCL and other “old timers.”
5. Return to the 60-40 split of gate receipts between host and visiting clubs, respectively.
6. Operation of the league without Edmonton and possibly Vancouver next season.
During the discussion on club finances, which appeared gloomy for the second-half champions, McMonigle said he thought each of the surviving WIL clubs would lose at least $20,000 for the 1954 season.
In addition, the directors passed a motion opposing play with Edmonton in 1955,
During the discussion on club finances, which appeared gloomy for the second-half champions, McMonigle said he thought each of the surviving WIL clubs would lose at least $20,000 for the 1954 season.
J. Harry Hughes, one of the Lewiston directors, said he feels Edmonton is just too far from other League teams.
“The people up there are wonderful and we love to play there, but there is a big physical and financial strain involved in the long trip,” he said.
“And then there’s no Sunday baseball in Canadian cities and it makes it very difficult to draw up a balanced schedule.
Hughes said “the same thing applies to a lesser degree” in Vancouver.
“Our position there is contingent on just how those folks feel about it,” he said. “I heard they may have their sights set a little higher perhaps with a few to some future changes in the Coast League.”
- - -
EDMONTON, Sept. 17—The resolution passed by Lewiston Broncs aimed at excluding Edmonton and Vancouver from the Western International Baseball League is “thinking of the Lewiston baseball club only,” Edmonton manager John Ducey said Friday.
The resolution “will have no bearing on the future of the WIL, which will be decided at a meeting of the directors in Seattle Sept. 26,” Mr. Ducey said.
Tri-City Not For Caps
KENNEWICK, Sept. 20—The owners of the Tri-City Braves of the Western International League decided Monday night to push at a league meeting in Seattle Sunday for dropping Vancouver and Edmonton from the league next year.
Harold Matheson, president of the board of the Tri-City Athletic Club, owners of the Braves, said the distance factor was the primary consideration in the Braves’ decision to ask for the elimination of the Eskimos.
In Vancouver’s case, he said it was his feeling that the Capilanos would drop out of their own volition. He gave no reasons but there have been indications the Braves feel Vancouver wants to be a member of the Pacific Coast League or nothing.
Matheson also said he will plug for the following things at the Seattle meeting:
Continuance of the WIL as a Class A loop.
A 60-40 gate receipt split instead of the present method whereby the home team takes all.
A 16-player limit for each team with no more than eight veterans to a squad.
Matheson said the association decided to field a team if at all possible next year, depending on action taken by the league.
The Braves, Matheson said, were near the financial break-even point as of Sept. 15.
From Our Tower
By DICK BEDDOES
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 22, 1954]
LEWISTON BRONCS and Tri-City Braves favour booting Vancouver Caps out of the ailing Western International Baseball League. They completely disregard history which records Vancouver as a charter member of the WIL and the league’s strongest centre in years of crisis. The WIL disregarding the Caps in these troubling times is like cutting out your heart because you have ulcers.
LEWISTON, Sept. 17—Directors of the Lewiston Broncs of the Western International League Thursday passed a resolution aimed at cutting Vancouver and Edmonton from the league circuit next season.
They gave no reasons for the proposal, heard as business manager Tom Tabor handed in his resignation and President James B. McMonigle indicated he would quit office as son as matters were cleared up for the season.
At the lengthy meeting, the directors drew up a program of changes which they feel must be made if the financially-sick WIL is to survive. (The league is scheduled to meet in Seattle Sept. 26).
The changes included:
1. Retention of Class A baseball in the league.
2. Limit on player experience with restrictions on the number of “old timers” and return to younger players.
3. Working agreements between Pacific Coast League teams and the WIL.
4. Elimination of “bonus” payments to veterans of PCL and other “old timers.”
5. Return to the 60-40 split of gate receipts between host and visiting clubs, respectively.
6. Operation of the league without Edmonton and possibly Vancouver next season.
During the discussion on club finances, which appeared gloomy for the second-half champions, McMonigle said he thought each of the surviving WIL clubs would lose at least $20,000 for the 1954 season.
In addition, the directors passed a motion opposing play with Edmonton in 1955,
During the discussion on club finances, which appeared gloomy for the second-half champions, McMonigle said he thought each of the surviving WIL clubs would lose at least $20,000 for the 1954 season.
J. Harry Hughes, one of the Lewiston directors, said he feels Edmonton is just too far from other League teams.
“The people up there are wonderful and we love to play there, but there is a big physical and financial strain involved in the long trip,” he said.
“And then there’s no Sunday baseball in Canadian cities and it makes it very difficult to draw up a balanced schedule.
Hughes said “the same thing applies to a lesser degree” in Vancouver.
“Our position there is contingent on just how those folks feel about it,” he said. “I heard they may have their sights set a little higher perhaps with a few to some future changes in the Coast League.”
- - -
EDMONTON, Sept. 17—The resolution passed by Lewiston Broncs aimed at excluding Edmonton and Vancouver from the Western International Baseball League is “thinking of the Lewiston baseball club only,” Edmonton manager John Ducey said Friday.
The resolution “will have no bearing on the future of the WIL, which will be decided at a meeting of the directors in Seattle Sept. 26,” Mr. Ducey said.
Tri-City Not For Caps
KENNEWICK, Sept. 20—The owners of the Tri-City Braves of the Western International League decided Monday night to push at a league meeting in Seattle Sunday for dropping Vancouver and Edmonton from the league next year.
Harold Matheson, president of the board of the Tri-City Athletic Club, owners of the Braves, said the distance factor was the primary consideration in the Braves’ decision to ask for the elimination of the Eskimos.
In Vancouver’s case, he said it was his feeling that the Capilanos would drop out of their own volition. He gave no reasons but there have been indications the Braves feel Vancouver wants to be a member of the Pacific Coast League or nothing.
Matheson also said he will plug for the following things at the Seattle meeting:
Continuance of the WIL as a Class A loop.
A 60-40 gate receipt split instead of the present method whereby the home team takes all.
A 16-player limit for each team with no more than eight veterans to a squad.
Matheson said the association decided to field a team if at all possible next year, depending on action taken by the league.
The Braves, Matheson said, were near the financial break-even point as of Sept. 15.
From Our Tower
By DICK BEDDOES
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 22, 1954]
LEWISTON BRONCS and Tri-City Braves favour booting Vancouver Caps out of the ailing Western International Baseball League. They completely disregard history which records Vancouver as a charter member of the WIL and the league’s strongest centre in years of crisis. The WIL disregarding the Caps in these troubling times is like cutting out your heart because you have ulcers.
Thursday, 14 August 2008
1954 All Stars
Five Caps On All-Stars
LEWISTON, Idaho, Sept. 13—The Vancouver Capilanos, new Western International League champions, dominated the 1954 WIL all-star roster released here by league president Robert Abel.
The season ended here Sunday night as Vancouver, winner of the first half title of the split schedule, defeated Lewiston Broncs in the fourth straight came of the best-of-seven playoffs.
The team:
Pitchers—Al Yaylian, Lewiston; Bill Brenner, Vancouver; and Jon Briggs, Salem.
Catcher—Lon Simmons, Yakima.
First base—Harry Warner, Salem.
Second base—Marv Williams, Vancouver.
Third base—Harvey Storey, Salem-Lewiston.
Shortstop—Jim Clark, Vancouver.
Outfielders—Al Heist, Lewiston; K Chorlton, Vancouver, and Ed Murphy, Vancouver.
Manager—Hugh Luby, Salem.
Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 18, 1954]
THURSDAY—Good news for baseball fans here is that the Capilano brewery, despite rumors to the contrary, has decided to continue to operate the ball club … Missed in the year-end rush was the news that there was one release handed out by Caps’ general manager Bill Brenner … Veteran lefty John Cordell got his pink slip … And if you’re wondering how Eddie Murphy got on the WIL all-star team, well, he hit well on the road and, of course, he can still go get ‘em … The Caps, during their short stay in Lewiston, gave the folks their money’s worth … When a power failure knocked the park lights out for 35 minutes, the Vancouver team quintet came out an entertained the crowd with a few songs … When the lights suddenly came on, they scurried for the dugout.
LEWISTON, Idaho, Sept. 13—The Vancouver Capilanos, new Western International League champions, dominated the 1954 WIL all-star roster released here by league president Robert Abel.
The season ended here Sunday night as Vancouver, winner of the first half title of the split schedule, defeated Lewiston Broncs in the fourth straight came of the best-of-seven playoffs.
The team:
Pitchers—Al Yaylian, Lewiston; Bill Brenner, Vancouver; and Jon Briggs, Salem.
Catcher—Lon Simmons, Yakima.
First base—Harry Warner, Salem.
Second base—Marv Williams, Vancouver.
Third base—Harvey Storey, Salem-Lewiston.
Shortstop—Jim Clark, Vancouver.
Outfielders—Al Heist, Lewiston; K Chorlton, Vancouver, and Ed Murphy, Vancouver.
Manager—Hugh Luby, Salem.
Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 18, 1954]
THURSDAY—Good news for baseball fans here is that the Capilano brewery, despite rumors to the contrary, has decided to continue to operate the ball club … Missed in the year-end rush was the news that there was one release handed out by Caps’ general manager Bill Brenner … Veteran lefty John Cordell got his pink slip … And if you’re wondering how Eddie Murphy got on the WIL all-star team, well, he hit well on the road and, of course, he can still go get ‘em … The Caps, during their short stay in Lewiston, gave the folks their money’s worth … When a power failure knocked the park lights out for 35 minutes, the Vancouver team quintet came out an entertained the crowd with a few songs … When the lights suddenly came on, they scurried for the dugout.
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Fourth Playoff, Sunday, Sept. 12, 1954
FOUR STRAIGHT
Capilanos WIL Champs; Sweep Set With Broncs
LEWISTON, Sept. 12—(AP)—The Vancouver Capilanos won the Western International League Baseball Championship Sunday as they bombed the Lewiston Broncs 12-2 to take the best-of-seven playoff with four straight wins.
It was the first and last game in Lewiston between the Broncs, winner of the second half pennant race and the first half champs, Vancouver.
The Broncs looked like they were out to throw the playoffs into an extra game when Clint Cameron, veteran Lewiston left fielder, slammed out a two-run homer in the first inning.
But the 2700 Lewiston fans soon discovered the Broncs had just finished their scoring for the evening.
The Capilanos drew two walks from starting pitcher Guy Fletcher to open their half of the second inning. A single by Bob Duretto and doubles by pitcher Pete Hernandez and Eddie Murphy produced the Caps’ fourth run of the inning.
The Caps put three more across in the fourth inning and opened up with a five run burst in the sixth to put the game away.
Lewiston trotted out three more pitchers after Fletcher was pounded out in the first, but only John Marshall had any luck with the Caps, hurling hitless, runless ball for the final two and one-third innings.
Vancouver ....... 040 305 000—12 11 0
Lewiston ......... 200 000 000— 2 5 2
Hernandez and Duretto; Fletcher, Orrell (4), Marshall (6), Martin (9) and Garay.
Capilanos WIL Champs; Sweep Set With Broncs
LEWISTON, Sept. 12—(AP)—The Vancouver Capilanos won the Western International League Baseball Championship Sunday as they bombed the Lewiston Broncs 12-2 to take the best-of-seven playoff with four straight wins.It was the first and last game in Lewiston between the Broncs, winner of the second half pennant race and the first half champs, Vancouver.
The Broncs looked like they were out to throw the playoffs into an extra game when Clint Cameron, veteran Lewiston left fielder, slammed out a two-run homer in the first inning.
But the 2700 Lewiston fans soon discovered the Broncs had just finished their scoring for the evening.
The Capilanos drew two walks from starting pitcher Guy Fletcher to open their half of the second inning. A single by Bob Duretto and doubles by pitcher Pete Hernandez and Eddie Murphy produced the Caps’ fourth run of the inning.
The Caps put three more across in the fourth inning and opened up with a five run burst in the sixth to put the game away.
Lewiston trotted out three more pitchers after Fletcher was pounded out in the first, but only John Marshall had any luck with the Caps, hurling hitless, runless ball for the final two and one-third innings.
Vancouver ....... 040 305 000—12 11 0
Lewiston ......... 200 000 000— 2 5 2
Hernandez and Duretto; Fletcher, Orrell (4), Marshall (6), Martin (9) and Garay.
Third Playoff, Friday, Sept. 10, 1954
Weatherman Adds Touch to Cap Finale
Need One More To Clinch Title
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 11, 1954]
If the Capilano ball club had imported a Hollywood writer to prepare the script, he couldn’t have conceived a more appropriate ending for the 1954 baseball season.
It faded out with a thundershower that sent fans scampering and ended the last local game of the season in the top of the seventh inning.
If anything typified this season, it was rain, And the [unreadable], too. They looked like the powerhouse club they were supposed to be, and they had a nice, cosy 11-1 edge when the umpires called it off.
THREE IN A ROW
That made it three in a row for the Caps over the second half champs, Lewiston Broncs, and they could wind up the series in the Idaho city when the best-of-seven championship series resumes. Pete Hernandez, who blanked the Broncs in the first game, will be pitching Sunday.
It was strictly “no contest” from the start Friday, although the 1500-odd fans seemed to enjoy it—until the rains came.
The Caps teed off on Al Yaylian in the first inning for four runs on five hits and a walk, and the slow-working (slow-working? He’s full stop) lefty was racked for four more before John Marshall came in in the fourth. John, who took a beating in the first game, as no better Friday, and the Caps ended up with seven runs in that frame.
THREE HITTER
Showing the way was manager Bill Brenner, who had nothing to say after the game about the fact that he had allowed just three hits, including Larry Barton’s homer. But like all pitchers, he was willing to admit that he was a great hitter—and he had two doubles and a single to prove it.
Early next week he should have a WIL pennant to prove he did his part for Vancouver baseball fans in ’54, too.
Lewiston ........... 000 001— 1 3 0
Vancouver ........ 400 700—11 13 1
Yaylian, Marshall (4) and Cameron; Brenner and Pesut.
Caps Within One Game Of WIL Title After Easy 11-1 Victory
Rain Calls Halt To Game At Stadium After Sixth
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 11, 1954]
Added to his other talents, Capilano manager-pitcher-slugger Bill Brenner may have an eye for the local weatherman’s job after his usual foresight Friday night at Capilano Stadium.
With an eye on the threatening clouds overhead, he sent his Capilanos out early to get a lead on the Lewiston Broncs, and then sat back to wait for the rain.
He wasn’t disappointed. When it finally let loose with a rush like the torrents going over Niagara Falls, Caps had a nice 11-1 lead.
GAME CALLED
The rain struck in the bottom of the sixth and the game was called. But it was long enough for the Caps to move within one game of the Western International League baseball title.
Brenner’s boys could wrap it all up Sunday night when they move into Lewiston for the fourth game of the best of seven series.
Broncs honor was saved in the top of the sixth inning just before the timely rain wrote a finish to the slaughter. Larry Barton wrapped a home run off knuckleballer Brenner.
THREE FOR THREE
Brenner was at his versatile best for the Caps. He pitched the win, giving up a smattering of three hits over six innings and hit a very respectable three for three.
His hits were two doubles and a single. One of the doubles came in the fourth inning when Caps broke loose for seven runs. He bounced one off the outfield fence, scoring two runs.
In all Caps picked up 13 hits and it took two Lewiston pitchers to stem the tide in the abbreviated game.
Al Gaylian started out. He gave up four runs in the first inning and then another four in the fourth before John Marshall came in to relieve
Bossman Bill Moves Caps Near Ball Mug
City Club Now Three Up In Western Ball Series
By SKIP RUSK
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 11, 1954]
The heavens opened their flood-gates on Cap Stadium Friday night, drenching the faithful 1200 with torrents of rain. Which may have been a sign that professional baseball is washed up in Vancouver.
Bill Brenner’s Caps, in making their last appearance of the season here last night, easily destroyed Lewiston Broncs to take a 3-0 lead in their Western International League playoff.
Bill pitched his 22nd victory of the year as only the rain slowed down Caps’ offense at the end of six innings. At this time, they were head 11-1. Vancouver won the first two games of the best of seven series 17-0 and 8-7.
The last four games will be played in Lewiston, beginning Sunday with Pete Hernandez (9-2) pitching for Vancouver. The locals, of course, are strong favorites to continue riding herd on the Broncs and end the nonsense in one more game.
However, local fans may have seen the last of WIL baseball here. What started out as a 10-team league deteriorated to seven before the second-half schedule was completed.
Why?
Calgary, Spokane and Victoria called it quits because of poor attendance, poor weather, poor promotion and poor pocketbook. Here, manager Brenner got together one of the best—if not the best ever—teams to perform in Vancouver. Yet fans stay away in droves.
Fans Jumped on Al
Last night, the fans jumped on Lewiston pitcher Albert Soosen Yaylian, a rather slow-working pitcher who was the victim of bronx cheers in his two other performances here. The Caps didn’t waste any time on Mr. Yaylian. They touched him for four runs in the first inning.
When “Avak” broke into the WIL in 1946, his first pitch was knocked out of the park for a grand-slam home run. Caps didn’t mistreat him that bad, however, as Eddie Murphy, K Chorlton and Marv Williams nicked Al for consecutive singles. Ken Richardson walked, Neil Sheridan singled and Jim Clark followed with a double and four runs were in.
Al gave way to John Marshall, who had the misfortune of starting the first game for Lewiston. Between the two of them, Vancouver got seven hits in the fourth on six hits, including Brenner’s 415-foot double to centre-field.
It started sprinkling then and Brenner, who had given up just two singles in five innings, threw a “screwball” at Bronc manager Larry Barton. The pitch got crossed up on the way to the plate, but Barton straightened it out, sending it 350 feet over the right field wall.
LINE DRIVES—If Caps win Sunday, Vancouver will have its first championship since Brenner masterminded the job back in 1947 … after the season, Marv Williams and Bob Duretto will head down south to play winter ball … Jim Clark will go back to the machine shop … Ken Richardson will work in an aircraft factory and Bob Wellman will be employed in his home-town Cincinnati … Brenner will finally get to paint his house in Lewiston.
Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 11, 1954]
WEDNESDAY—About people: Well, if you insist, here’s the WIL all-star team I picked for league headquarters: catcher, Lonnie Summers, Yakima; first base, Bob Wellman, Vancouver; second base, Marv Williams, Vancouver; third base, Harvey Storey, Lewiston; shortstop, Jim Clark, Vancouver; outfield, K Chorlton, Vancouver; Al Heist, Lewiston; Bob Brown, Edmonton; right-hand pitcher, Bill Brenner, Vancouver; left-hand pitcher, Al Yaylian, Lewiston; manger, Hugh Luby, Salem.
Need One More To Clinch Title
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 11, 1954]
If the Capilano ball club had imported a Hollywood writer to prepare the script, he couldn’t have conceived a more appropriate ending for the 1954 baseball season.It faded out with a thundershower that sent fans scampering and ended the last local game of the season in the top of the seventh inning.
If anything typified this season, it was rain, And the [unreadable], too. They looked like the powerhouse club they were supposed to be, and they had a nice, cosy 11-1 edge when the umpires called it off.
THREE IN A ROW
That made it three in a row for the Caps over the second half champs, Lewiston Broncs, and they could wind up the series in the Idaho city when the best-of-seven championship series resumes. Pete Hernandez, who blanked the Broncs in the first game, will be pitching Sunday.
It was strictly “no contest” from the start Friday, although the 1500-odd fans seemed to enjoy it—until the rains came.
The Caps teed off on Al Yaylian in the first inning for four runs on five hits and a walk, and the slow-working (slow-working? He’s full stop) lefty was racked for four more before John Marshall came in in the fourth. John, who took a beating in the first game, as no better Friday, and the Caps ended up with seven runs in that frame.
THREE HITTER
Showing the way was manager Bill Brenner, who had nothing to say after the game about the fact that he had allowed just three hits, including Larry Barton’s homer. But like all pitchers, he was willing to admit that he was a great hitter—and he had two doubles and a single to prove it.
Early next week he should have a WIL pennant to prove he did his part for Vancouver baseball fans in ’54, too.
Lewiston ........... 000 001— 1 3 0
Vancouver ........ 400 700—11 13 1
Yaylian, Marshall (4) and Cameron; Brenner and Pesut.
Caps Within One Game Of WIL Title After Easy 11-1 Victory
Rain Calls Halt To Game At Stadium After Sixth
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 11, 1954]
Added to his other talents, Capilano manager-pitcher-slugger Bill Brenner may have an eye for the local weatherman’s job after his usual foresight Friday night at Capilano Stadium.
With an eye on the threatening clouds overhead, he sent his Capilanos out early to get a lead on the Lewiston Broncs, and then sat back to wait for the rain.
He wasn’t disappointed. When it finally let loose with a rush like the torrents going over Niagara Falls, Caps had a nice 11-1 lead.
GAME CALLED
The rain struck in the bottom of the sixth and the game was called. But it was long enough for the Caps to move within one game of the Western International League baseball title.
Brenner’s boys could wrap it all up Sunday night when they move into Lewiston for the fourth game of the best of seven series.
Broncs honor was saved in the top of the sixth inning just before the timely rain wrote a finish to the slaughter. Larry Barton wrapped a home run off knuckleballer Brenner.
THREE FOR THREE
Brenner was at his versatile best for the Caps. He pitched the win, giving up a smattering of three hits over six innings and hit a very respectable three for three.
His hits were two doubles and a single. One of the doubles came in the fourth inning when Caps broke loose for seven runs. He bounced one off the outfield fence, scoring two runs.
In all Caps picked up 13 hits and it took two Lewiston pitchers to stem the tide in the abbreviated game.
Al Gaylian started out. He gave up four runs in the first inning and then another four in the fourth before John Marshall came in to relieve
Bossman Bill Moves Caps Near Ball Mug
City Club Now Three Up In Western Ball Series
By SKIP RUSK
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 11, 1954]
The heavens opened their flood-gates on Cap Stadium Friday night, drenching the faithful 1200 with torrents of rain. Which may have been a sign that professional baseball is washed up in Vancouver.
Bill Brenner’s Caps, in making their last appearance of the season here last night, easily destroyed Lewiston Broncs to take a 3-0 lead in their Western International League playoff.
Bill pitched his 22nd victory of the year as only the rain slowed down Caps’ offense at the end of six innings. At this time, they were head 11-1. Vancouver won the first two games of the best of seven series 17-0 and 8-7.
The last four games will be played in Lewiston, beginning Sunday with Pete Hernandez (9-2) pitching for Vancouver. The locals, of course, are strong favorites to continue riding herd on the Broncs and end the nonsense in one more game.
However, local fans may have seen the last of WIL baseball here. What started out as a 10-team league deteriorated to seven before the second-half schedule was completed.
Why?
Calgary, Spokane and Victoria called it quits because of poor attendance, poor weather, poor promotion and poor pocketbook. Here, manager Brenner got together one of the best—if not the best ever—teams to perform in Vancouver. Yet fans stay away in droves.
Fans Jumped on Al
Last night, the fans jumped on Lewiston pitcher Albert Soosen Yaylian, a rather slow-working pitcher who was the victim of bronx cheers in his two other performances here. The Caps didn’t waste any time on Mr. Yaylian. They touched him for four runs in the first inning.
When “Avak” broke into the WIL in 1946, his first pitch was knocked out of the park for a grand-slam home run. Caps didn’t mistreat him that bad, however, as Eddie Murphy, K Chorlton and Marv Williams nicked Al for consecutive singles. Ken Richardson walked, Neil Sheridan singled and Jim Clark followed with a double and four runs were in.
Al gave way to John Marshall, who had the misfortune of starting the first game for Lewiston. Between the two of them, Vancouver got seven hits in the fourth on six hits, including Brenner’s 415-foot double to centre-field.
It started sprinkling then and Brenner, who had given up just two singles in five innings, threw a “screwball” at Bronc manager Larry Barton. The pitch got crossed up on the way to the plate, but Barton straightened it out, sending it 350 feet over the right field wall.
LINE DRIVES—If Caps win Sunday, Vancouver will have its first championship since Brenner masterminded the job back in 1947 … after the season, Marv Williams and Bob Duretto will head down south to play winter ball … Jim Clark will go back to the machine shop … Ken Richardson will work in an aircraft factory and Bob Wellman will be employed in his home-town Cincinnati … Brenner will finally get to paint his house in Lewiston.
Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 11, 1954]
WEDNESDAY—About people: Well, if you insist, here’s the WIL all-star team I picked for league headquarters: catcher, Lonnie Summers, Yakima; first base, Bob Wellman, Vancouver; second base, Marv Williams, Vancouver; third base, Harvey Storey, Lewiston; shortstop, Jim Clark, Vancouver; outfield, K Chorlton, Vancouver; Al Heist, Lewiston; Bob Brown, Edmonton; right-hand pitcher, Bill Brenner, Vancouver; left-hand pitcher, Al Yaylian, Lewiston; manger, Hugh Luby, Salem.
Second Playoff, Thursday, Sept. 9, 1954
TWO GAMES TO GOOD
Cap Gang Say Farewell To City Fans Tonight
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 10, 1954]
They play their last pro ball game for 1954 at Capilano Stadium tonight, and if the game is anything like Thursday’s, the fans will get to see nearly everybody on the Vancouver roster.
The Caps had to use five pitchers, who gave up nine hits and 12 walks, before they scraped through with an 8-7 victory over the Lewiston Broncs.
The Broncs used 13 men before they were through, too, but umpire Don Fisher must get an assist for that. Fisher tossed Lewiston’s Al Heist, and later Manager Larry Barton, out of the game when they disagreed with a call at home plate in the eighth. The ump called Heist out at the dish and it was an important decision for it cut short a rally and cost the visitors what would have been the tying runs.
KEPT TRYING
But the Broncs never did get to tie the game, although they kept nibbling away at an early Vancouver lead. They gave it the old pro try in the ninth, again, but they finished one short when Pete Hernandez, the Caps’ fifth pitcher, came in to get the last two men out with the bases loaded.
Before Pete, George Nicholas, Keith Bowman, John Cordell and Bill Brenner had taken their turn, with varying success. Cordell looked the best of the lot, leaving finally for a pinch hitter, and was credited with the win.
Fortunately, the Caps were hitting again, and running, too. They stole six bases and teed off for 12 hits off Joe Orrell and Guy Fletcher, including a home run by Bob Wellman and two doubles by K Chorlton. The latter had 3-for-5 to make it 7-for-111 so far in the series.
The victory gave the Caps a big edge in the best-of-seven championship series between the winners of the first and second half. It’s now 2-0 for Brenner’s boys, and they’ll try for three straight tonight. Fourth game goes in Lewiston Sunday, and any more games, if they’re needed, will be in the Idaho city, too.
Brenner will do the pitching for the Caps, with Al Yaylian, whom the fans love to hate, in for Lewiston.
Lewiston ........ 002 030 011—7 9 0
Vancouver ....... 204 000 11x—8 12 2
Orrell, Fletcher (8) and Cameron, Garay (8); Nicholas, Bowman (5), Cordell (5), Brenner (9), Hernandez (9) and Duretto.
Caps Have A Walkathon, Still Beat Broncs Despite Wildness
Last Call For Baseball In Third Game Tonight
Bu JIM GILMOUR
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 10, 1954]
Four Vancouver pitchers did their best to revive the walkathon Thursday night, issuing 12 free passes to Lewiston Broncs as the Caps scored a wild 8-7 victory in the second playoff game of the Western International League playoff.
The Broncs, 17-0 losers in the opening game of the best-of-seven series, left 15 runners stranded as Caps poured five pitchers into the pray against the second half champions.
Vancouver will be going for the stranglehold game tonight at Capilano Stadium when the clubs meet for the third time. It will also be the final game of the local season, as the remainder of the series switches to Lewiston starting Sunday.
Manager Bill Brenner, who also saw a spot of action last night will be facing Lewiston’s slow-working southpaw, Al Yaylian, this evening. Brenner has a 21-9 record this season and Yaylian, 15-7.
ALL IN THERE
Pistol Pete Hernandez who waxed the Broncs with a six-hitter Wednesday was the only Capilano hurler not to issue a walk, as he was rushed into the game to quell a ninth-inning uprising by the visitors.
George Nicholas started for Vancouver, and he was relieved, it turn, by Keith Bowman, John Cordell, Brenner, and finally Hernandez.
With the bases loaded in the ninth, Brenner gave up his third walk of the inning to Guy Fletcher, forcing Mel Wasley from third. Bill wheeled two more ball past Clint Cameron before calling for help from Hernandez.
Pete promptly forced Cameron to foul out to catcher Bob Duretto, and then finished up by inducing Harvey Storey to fly deep to Eddie Murphy in centre.
WELLMAN HOMERS
The Caps, again led at the plate by K. Chorlton, went ahead 2-0 in the first frame, and increased the margin to 6-2 off Joe Orrell after three. The Broncs routed Nicholas, and then Bowman in the fifth, as they parlayed Eddie Bockman’s single and five walks into three runs.
Bob Wellman’s home run in the seventh upped the count to 7-5, and Duretto crossed with the winner in the eighth on an error, two wild pitches by Fletcher, and Murphy’s single.
Game Wasn’t Much But Caps Won It
Brenner’s Boys Did Best To Lose But Couldn’t
By ERWIN SWANGARD
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 10, 1954]
Rumors circulated among Cap Stadium clientele Thursday night that Seattle Suds and baseball magnate Emil Sick had sold his Pacific Coast League Seattle Rainiers plus their WIL affiliate Vancouver Caps to a Seattle syndicate.
If Mr. Sick, currently en route to New York, could have watched the Lewiston Broncs and aforementioned Caps in action last night, he probably would have been tempted to sell both clubs plus the three umpires to the Pacific National Exhibition as next year’s circus attraction.
As it turned out the rumor of the Seattle sale was exactly that—a rumor.
Rainier General Manager Dewey Soriano, last year with Caps and now a vice-president of Caps, told The Sun today there was a possibility Mr. Sick would surrender sole ownership to his baseball empire to a syndicate headed by himself and made up of Seattle associates and friends.
LAST GAME HERE
As for Caps and Broncs, they will resume their series for the WIL championship at Cap Stadium tonight in the season’s last pro game in Vancouver.
After tonight the two clubs—and the umpires—will move to Lewiston to finish the series. Caps had won the first half and Lewiston the second to qualify for the final.
Last night’s game, which started off as a brisk affair between two smoothly operating ball clubs, ended in a nightmare for the official scorer, the Lewiston manager, one Larry Barton, who also played first base.
The walk-happy Cap pitching corps fielded no less than five men with Keith Bowman and Bill Brenner, who also doubles as the Cap general manager, seeing a minimum of service.
CORDELL WAS NEXT
Young Bowman, a recent Cap acquisition, entered the game in the fifth inning, ostensibly to relieve George Nicholas. Bowman stayed around just long enough to walk two men with the bases loaded.
He was relieved by left-hander John Cordell, who stuck around capably until lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth. Brenner took over in the ninth. Three walks, one error, one run, two bases on balls and only one out, big Bill yanked himself and sadly turned over the chore to Pete Hernandez.
Pete threw exactly three pitches and Vancouver was ahead 2-0 in the series.
Caps had won 8-7 and in doing so received able assistance from plate umpire Ron Fisher in the eighth inning.
At that stage Broncs were trailing 6-8 [sic] and had Al Heist at third and pinch runner Leland Smith at second with one away. Clint Cameron topped one of Cordell’s soft curves toward first with Heist racing for the plate.
Cap first baseman Bob Wellman hesitated for a moment and finally threw to catcher Bob Duretto. But the throw was obviously too late as Heist slid across the plate before Bob could tag him.
Fisher called Heist out.
That started the first rhubarb. Heist received his marching papers.
In the next inning Barton, who obviously hadn’t cooled off, got his from Fisher, too.
FANS HAD FUN
Apart from the two rhubarbs there were all sorts of idiocyncracies on display not usually associated with good baseball.
In the first inning Lewiston elected to pitch to Ken Richardson, Vancouver’s clean-up hitter, with men on second and third, two away and first base open. Ken, the most feared clutch hitter in the WIL, promptly singled both runs home. The next batter struck out.
In the fifth inning Broncs permitted ancient Joe Orrell, their starting pitcher, to bat for himself with the bases loaded and the score 6-5 for Vancouver. Orrell is a noteably weakhitter. There were two out.
And so it went all night.
But don’t kid yourself, the fans had fun—we won didn’t we?
Cap Gang Say Farewell To City Fans Tonight
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 10, 1954]
They play their last pro ball game for 1954 at Capilano Stadium tonight, and if the game is anything like Thursday’s, the fans will get to see nearly everybody on the Vancouver roster.The Caps had to use five pitchers, who gave up nine hits and 12 walks, before they scraped through with an 8-7 victory over the Lewiston Broncs.
The Broncs used 13 men before they were through, too, but umpire Don Fisher must get an assist for that. Fisher tossed Lewiston’s Al Heist, and later Manager Larry Barton, out of the game when they disagreed with a call at home plate in the eighth. The ump called Heist out at the dish and it was an important decision for it cut short a rally and cost the visitors what would have been the tying runs.
KEPT TRYING
But the Broncs never did get to tie the game, although they kept nibbling away at an early Vancouver lead. They gave it the old pro try in the ninth, again, but they finished one short when Pete Hernandez, the Caps’ fifth pitcher, came in to get the last two men out with the bases loaded.
Before Pete, George Nicholas, Keith Bowman, John Cordell and Bill Brenner had taken their turn, with varying success. Cordell looked the best of the lot, leaving finally for a pinch hitter, and was credited with the win.
Fortunately, the Caps were hitting again, and running, too. They stole six bases and teed off for 12 hits off Joe Orrell and Guy Fletcher, including a home run by Bob Wellman and two doubles by K Chorlton. The latter had 3-for-5 to make it 7-for-111 so far in the series.
The victory gave the Caps a big edge in the best-of-seven championship series between the winners of the first and second half. It’s now 2-0 for Brenner’s boys, and they’ll try for three straight tonight. Fourth game goes in Lewiston Sunday, and any more games, if they’re needed, will be in the Idaho city, too.
Brenner will do the pitching for the Caps, with Al Yaylian, whom the fans love to hate, in for Lewiston.
Lewiston ........ 002 030 011—7 9 0
Vancouver ....... 204 000 11x—8 12 2
Orrell, Fletcher (8) and Cameron, Garay (8); Nicholas, Bowman (5), Cordell (5), Brenner (9), Hernandez (9) and Duretto.
Caps Have A Walkathon, Still Beat Broncs Despite Wildness
Last Call For Baseball In Third Game Tonight
Bu JIM GILMOUR
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 10, 1954]
Four Vancouver pitchers did their best to revive the walkathon Thursday night, issuing 12 free passes to Lewiston Broncs as the Caps scored a wild 8-7 victory in the second playoff game of the Western International League playoff.
The Broncs, 17-0 losers in the opening game of the best-of-seven series, left 15 runners stranded as Caps poured five pitchers into the pray against the second half champions.
Vancouver will be going for the stranglehold game tonight at Capilano Stadium when the clubs meet for the third time. It will also be the final game of the local season, as the remainder of the series switches to Lewiston starting Sunday.
Manager Bill Brenner, who also saw a spot of action last night will be facing Lewiston’s slow-working southpaw, Al Yaylian, this evening. Brenner has a 21-9 record this season and Yaylian, 15-7.
ALL IN THERE
Pistol Pete Hernandez who waxed the Broncs with a six-hitter Wednesday was the only Capilano hurler not to issue a walk, as he was rushed into the game to quell a ninth-inning uprising by the visitors.
George Nicholas started for Vancouver, and he was relieved, it turn, by Keith Bowman, John Cordell, Brenner, and finally Hernandez.
With the bases loaded in the ninth, Brenner gave up his third walk of the inning to Guy Fletcher, forcing Mel Wasley from third. Bill wheeled two more ball past Clint Cameron before calling for help from Hernandez.
Pete promptly forced Cameron to foul out to catcher Bob Duretto, and then finished up by inducing Harvey Storey to fly deep to Eddie Murphy in centre.
WELLMAN HOMERS
The Caps, again led at the plate by K. Chorlton, went ahead 2-0 in the first frame, and increased the margin to 6-2 off Joe Orrell after three. The Broncs routed Nicholas, and then Bowman in the fifth, as they parlayed Eddie Bockman’s single and five walks into three runs.
Bob Wellman’s home run in the seventh upped the count to 7-5, and Duretto crossed with the winner in the eighth on an error, two wild pitches by Fletcher, and Murphy’s single.
Game Wasn’t Much But Caps Won It
Brenner’s Boys Did Best To Lose But Couldn’t
By ERWIN SWANGARD
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 10, 1954]
Rumors circulated among Cap Stadium clientele Thursday night that Seattle Suds and baseball magnate Emil Sick had sold his Pacific Coast League Seattle Rainiers plus their WIL affiliate Vancouver Caps to a Seattle syndicate.
If Mr. Sick, currently en route to New York, could have watched the Lewiston Broncs and aforementioned Caps in action last night, he probably would have been tempted to sell both clubs plus the three umpires to the Pacific National Exhibition as next year’s circus attraction.
As it turned out the rumor of the Seattle sale was exactly that—a rumor.
Rainier General Manager Dewey Soriano, last year with Caps and now a vice-president of Caps, told The Sun today there was a possibility Mr. Sick would surrender sole ownership to his baseball empire to a syndicate headed by himself and made up of Seattle associates and friends.
LAST GAME HERE
As for Caps and Broncs, they will resume their series for the WIL championship at Cap Stadium tonight in the season’s last pro game in Vancouver.
After tonight the two clubs—and the umpires—will move to Lewiston to finish the series. Caps had won the first half and Lewiston the second to qualify for the final.
Last night’s game, which started off as a brisk affair between two smoothly operating ball clubs, ended in a nightmare for the official scorer, the Lewiston manager, one Larry Barton, who also played first base.
The walk-happy Cap pitching corps fielded no less than five men with Keith Bowman and Bill Brenner, who also doubles as the Cap general manager, seeing a minimum of service.
CORDELL WAS NEXT
Young Bowman, a recent Cap acquisition, entered the game in the fifth inning, ostensibly to relieve George Nicholas. Bowman stayed around just long enough to walk two men with the bases loaded.
He was relieved by left-hander John Cordell, who stuck around capably until lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth. Brenner took over in the ninth. Three walks, one error, one run, two bases on balls and only one out, big Bill yanked himself and sadly turned over the chore to Pete Hernandez.
Pete threw exactly three pitches and Vancouver was ahead 2-0 in the series.
Caps had won 8-7 and in doing so received able assistance from plate umpire Ron Fisher in the eighth inning.
At that stage Broncs were trailing 6-8 [sic] and had Al Heist at third and pinch runner Leland Smith at second with one away. Clint Cameron topped one of Cordell’s soft curves toward first with Heist racing for the plate.
Cap first baseman Bob Wellman hesitated for a moment and finally threw to catcher Bob Duretto. But the throw was obviously too late as Heist slid across the plate before Bob could tag him.
Fisher called Heist out.
That started the first rhubarb. Heist received his marching papers.
In the next inning Barton, who obviously hadn’t cooled off, got his from Fisher, too.
FANS HAD FUN
Apart from the two rhubarbs there were all sorts of idiocyncracies on display not usually associated with good baseball.
In the first inning Lewiston elected to pitch to Ken Richardson, Vancouver’s clean-up hitter, with men on second and third, two away and first base open. Ken, the most feared clutch hitter in the WIL, promptly singled both runs home. The next batter struck out.
In the fifth inning Broncs permitted ancient Joe Orrell, their starting pitcher, to bat for himself with the bases loaded and the score 6-5 for Vancouver. Orrell is a noteably weakhitter. There were two out.
And so it went all night.
But don’t kid yourself, the fans had fun—we won didn’t we?
First Playoff, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1954
Poor Harvey Just Can’t Find Winner
Capilanos Out Front With 17-0 Verdict
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 9, 1954]
Bill Brenner and Harvey Storey are pretty good friends, but you can hardly blame Harvey if he thinks the Capilano general manager is stretching their friendship a little.
Storey was manager of the Capilanos in April, 1953, when Brenner brought the Lewiston Broncs to town to open the season. We’ll not dwell on that horrible night, but the Caps were terrible, Lewiston looked great, and Brenner and Co. beat Storey and Co. 10-0.
Wednesday night at Capilano Stadium, it was the Caps [unreadable few words] this time in the opening game of the WIL’s best-of-seven championship series. Caps had won the first half title, Lewiston the second.
Brenner, of course, is now with the Caps, and Storey is playing third base for Lewiston. But once again Harvey picked the wrong horse, or ball club. And the Caps rubbed it in real good as the did nothing wrong and the Broncs did nothing right—they made five errors on the slippery stadium turf—as the locals won by a lopsided 17-0 score.
POOR OL’ JAWN
Dewey Soriano, who was a brand new general manager when the Broncs spoiled last season’s debt, would have loved every minute of it as the Caps teed off on nemesis John Marshall in the first inning. John never did get a man out, giving up eight runs before bowing out in favor of Leland Smith in that first frame. Seven hits, a walk, and three Lewiston errors did the damage.
Smith had better success, but not much, as Vancouver wound up with 19 hits, including four doubles.
Meanwhile, Pete Hernandez was pitching his best game since his first-half pennant clincher last July. Pete gave up just six singles, didn’t walk a man, struck out eight and allowed only one Lewiston players to get as far as second base.
NICHOLAS WORKS
The teams repeat tonight, with George Nicholas down to oppose Joe Orrell. Game time is 8:15.
DIAMOND DUST—K. Chorlton led the Caps` assault as four locals got three hits … Bill Franks has been repurchased from Salem and will help the shorthanded Cap pitching staff in the playoffs … Advance ticket sales in Lewiston are reported as very good, but Vancouver fans, as usual, stayed away in large numbers … There were less than 500 paid.
Lewiston ....... 000 000 000— 0 6 5
Vancouver ..... 002 032 20x—17 19 0
Marshall, Smith (6) and Garay, Cameron (6); Hernandez and Pesut.
Our Caps Break Poor Old Broncs
Hernandez Wins Ball Game As Mates Jump On Lewiston
By SKIP RUSK
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 9, 1954]
Vancouver Capilanos, seemingly in a state of suspended animation during the second half of the Western International Baseball League season, came bouncing back to life Wednesday night at Cap Stadium, greeting Lewiston Broncs with their best Sunday punch.
And when the bell for the first round of this best-of-seven championship ended, Bill Brenner’s boys had scored a unanimous decision. They had, to the delight of 500 or so fans, destroyed Larry Barton’s and his second-half winners, 17-0.
Tonight at 8:15, George Nicholas (16-11) will be trying for Vancouver’s second straight playoff win while Smokey Joe Orell [sic], who has won seven straight for the Broncs, will be trying to get Lewiston back on even terms.
JOHN DISAPPEARS
Last night Lewiston starter big John Marshall, who, besides being a bartender in the off season, is also an amateur magician. John seemed to prefer the latter job last night because he disappeared after facing the first eight Caps.
His successor as a young fellow named Leland Smith, who Lewiston recalled this season from Pocatello of the Pioneer League. After 30 minutes of interesting baseball the first inning was finally over.
Caps had scored eight runs on seven hits, including Nick Pesut’s double, and three glaring Lewiston errors.
Oh well, there were only eight more innings to go and Caps made extremely good use of them. All told, Vancouver scored nine more runs on 12 hits, including doubles by K Chorlton, Ken Richardson and Jim Clark, and the Broncs only made two more miscues.
PETE WAS SHARP
Pete Hernandez was at his very best in pitching his ninth win this season. He allowed but two hits and only one Lewiston batter reached second base. Don Hunter, who singled in the ninth inning, discovered that rather elusive sack for the Broncs when Hernandez threw one into the dirt at the next man up, manager Larry Barton.
LINE DRIVES – Second baseman Marv Williams and manager Bill Brenner were honored last night. Marv was presented with the Most Popular Player Award while Bill received the Most Valuable Player award … for that, Brenner gets a new suit … Al Yaylin [sic], old father time, pitches for the Caps … nicest catch of the night was made by Vancouver’s Neil Sheridan who went up against the wall to haul down Al Heist’s drive in the third inning … Chorlton, Williams, Richardson and Jim Clark picked up 13 of the Caps’ 19 hits.
Caps Trot Out Big Hitters
Broncs Downed In Playoff Opener, 17-0
Bu JIM GILMOUR
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 9, 1954]
Battering veteran John Marshall out of the game with a murderous eight-run first inning, Vancouver Capilanos went on to flatten Lewiston Broncs 17-0 in the first game of a Western International League championship playoff at Capilano Stadium.
The Caps, first half champions, battered Marshall and reliefer Leland Smith for 15 singles and four doubles while Pete Hernandez mesmerized the second half champs with six scattered hits.
Second game of the best-of-seven series goes tonight at Capilano Stadium with George Nicholas (16-11) seeking a 2-0 lead for the Caps, and Larry Barton countering with veteran Joe Orrell, who has won eight straight for Lewiston since joining them in mid-season from Calgary.
13 In First
The Capilanos send 13 batters up in the wild first inning, collecting seven hits, one walk, and capitalizing on three Bronc errors. Smith was rushed into action after Nick Pesut doubled in the sixth and seventh runs. He gave up one more hit before retiring the side.
The Caps exploded periodically thereafter in rolling to their most one-sided win of the year.
Left fielder K. Chorlton sparked the assault with four hits in six trips, while Marv Williams, Kenny Richardson and Jimmy Clark added three hits apiece. Every man in the lineup except Neil Sheridan and Hernandez collected at least two safeties.
Chorlton and Clark drove in three runs each.
Pete Was Good
Meanwhile, Hernandez was hurling a masterpiece. He struck out eight, walked none, and only one Lewiston runner reached second base. That came in the ninth inning, when Don Hunter singled, and scampered to the halfway mark on a wild pitch which bounced off the plate and out of Pesut’s reach.
Manager Bill Brenner’s Caps also left 12 runners stranded, while the Broncs left six.
DIAMOND DUST—Williams was acclaimed the Caps most popular player and Brenner the club’s most valuable perfomer.
Sports Notes
BY GIL GILMORE
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 9, 1954]
On The Sale Of Charouhas
Capilanos Out Front With 17-0 Verdict
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 9, 1954]
Bill Brenner and Harvey Storey are pretty good friends, but you can hardly blame Harvey if he thinks the Capilano general manager is stretching their friendship a little.Storey was manager of the Capilanos in April, 1953, when Brenner brought the Lewiston Broncs to town to open the season. We’ll not dwell on that horrible night, but the Caps were terrible, Lewiston looked great, and Brenner and Co. beat Storey and Co. 10-0.
Wednesday night at Capilano Stadium, it was the Caps [unreadable few words] this time in the opening game of the WIL’s best-of-seven championship series. Caps had won the first half title, Lewiston the second.
Brenner, of course, is now with the Caps, and Storey is playing third base for Lewiston. But once again Harvey picked the wrong horse, or ball club. And the Caps rubbed it in real good as the did nothing wrong and the Broncs did nothing right—they made five errors on the slippery stadium turf—as the locals won by a lopsided 17-0 score.
POOR OL’ JAWN
Dewey Soriano, who was a brand new general manager when the Broncs spoiled last season’s debt, would have loved every minute of it as the Caps teed off on nemesis John Marshall in the first inning. John never did get a man out, giving up eight runs before bowing out in favor of Leland Smith in that first frame. Seven hits, a walk, and three Lewiston errors did the damage.
Smith had better success, but not much, as Vancouver wound up with 19 hits, including four doubles.
Meanwhile, Pete Hernandez was pitching his best game since his first-half pennant clincher last July. Pete gave up just six singles, didn’t walk a man, struck out eight and allowed only one Lewiston players to get as far as second base.
NICHOLAS WORKS
The teams repeat tonight, with George Nicholas down to oppose Joe Orrell. Game time is 8:15.
DIAMOND DUST—K. Chorlton led the Caps` assault as four locals got three hits … Bill Franks has been repurchased from Salem and will help the shorthanded Cap pitching staff in the playoffs … Advance ticket sales in Lewiston are reported as very good, but Vancouver fans, as usual, stayed away in large numbers … There were less than 500 paid.
Lewiston ....... 000 000 000— 0 6 5
Vancouver ..... 002 032 20x—17 19 0
Marshall, Smith (6) and Garay, Cameron (6); Hernandez and Pesut.
Our Caps Break Poor Old Broncs
Hernandez Wins Ball Game As Mates Jump On Lewiston
By SKIP RUSK
[Vancouver Sun, Sept. 9, 1954]
Vancouver Capilanos, seemingly in a state of suspended animation during the second half of the Western International Baseball League season, came bouncing back to life Wednesday night at Cap Stadium, greeting Lewiston Broncs with their best Sunday punch.
And when the bell for the first round of this best-of-seven championship ended, Bill Brenner’s boys had scored a unanimous decision. They had, to the delight of 500 or so fans, destroyed Larry Barton’s and his second-half winners, 17-0.
Tonight at 8:15, George Nicholas (16-11) will be trying for Vancouver’s second straight playoff win while Smokey Joe Orell [sic], who has won seven straight for the Broncs, will be trying to get Lewiston back on even terms.
JOHN DISAPPEARS
Last night Lewiston starter big John Marshall, who, besides being a bartender in the off season, is also an amateur magician. John seemed to prefer the latter job last night because he disappeared after facing the first eight Caps.
His successor as a young fellow named Leland Smith, who Lewiston recalled this season from Pocatello of the Pioneer League. After 30 minutes of interesting baseball the first inning was finally over.
Caps had scored eight runs on seven hits, including Nick Pesut’s double, and three glaring Lewiston errors.
Oh well, there were only eight more innings to go and Caps made extremely good use of them. All told, Vancouver scored nine more runs on 12 hits, including doubles by K Chorlton, Ken Richardson and Jim Clark, and the Broncs only made two more miscues.
PETE WAS SHARP
Pete Hernandez was at his very best in pitching his ninth win this season. He allowed but two hits and only one Lewiston batter reached second base. Don Hunter, who singled in the ninth inning, discovered that rather elusive sack for the Broncs when Hernandez threw one into the dirt at the next man up, manager Larry Barton.
LINE DRIVES – Second baseman Marv Williams and manager Bill Brenner were honored last night. Marv was presented with the Most Popular Player Award while Bill received the Most Valuable Player award … for that, Brenner gets a new suit … Al Yaylin [sic], old father time, pitches for the Caps … nicest catch of the night was made by Vancouver’s Neil Sheridan who went up against the wall to haul down Al Heist’s drive in the third inning … Chorlton, Williams, Richardson and Jim Clark picked up 13 of the Caps’ 19 hits.
Caps Trot Out Big Hitters
Broncs Downed In Playoff Opener, 17-0
Bu JIM GILMOUR
[Vancouver News-Herald, Sept. 9, 1954]
Battering veteran John Marshall out of the game with a murderous eight-run first inning, Vancouver Capilanos went on to flatten Lewiston Broncs 17-0 in the first game of a Western International League championship playoff at Capilano Stadium.
The Caps, first half champions, battered Marshall and reliefer Leland Smith for 15 singles and four doubles while Pete Hernandez mesmerized the second half champs with six scattered hits.
Second game of the best-of-seven series goes tonight at Capilano Stadium with George Nicholas (16-11) seeking a 2-0 lead for the Caps, and Larry Barton countering with veteran Joe Orrell, who has won eight straight for Lewiston since joining them in mid-season from Calgary.
13 In First
The Capilanos send 13 batters up in the wild first inning, collecting seven hits, one walk, and capitalizing on three Bronc errors. Smith was rushed into action after Nick Pesut doubled in the sixth and seventh runs. He gave up one more hit before retiring the side.
The Caps exploded periodically thereafter in rolling to their most one-sided win of the year.
Left fielder K. Chorlton sparked the assault with four hits in six trips, while Marv Williams, Kenny Richardson and Jimmy Clark added three hits apiece. Every man in the lineup except Neil Sheridan and Hernandez collected at least two safeties.
Chorlton and Clark drove in three runs each.
Pete Was Good
Meanwhile, Hernandez was hurling a masterpiece. He struck out eight, walked none, and only one Lewiston runner reached second base. That came in the ninth inning, when Don Hunter singled, and scampered to the halfway mark on a wild pitch which bounced off the plate and out of Pesut’s reach.
Manager Bill Brenner’s Caps also left 12 runners stranded, while the Broncs left six.
DIAMOND DUST—Williams was acclaimed the Caps most popular player and Brenner the club’s most valuable perfomer.
Sports Notes
BY GIL GILMORE
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 9, 1954]
On The Sale Of Charouhas
One of the skeletons in the Tri-City Braves Sanders field closet that has been kicking around, and long in need of an airing, concerns the sale of outfielder Desmond Charouhas to Yakima.
Of all the moves made during the recent season, that was probably the least popular one with Tri-City fans—most of whom considered Des as second only to Lewiston's Al Heist as a defensive centerfielder.
And after the sale, some strange things happened.
First off came the announcement from G. M. Eddie Taylor's office that Charouhas was sold, and had not the sale gone through, be would have been released.
Naturally, one assumed Taylor was the one responsible for the sale. But then shortly thereafter, Harold Matheson, president of the association told a meeting of stockholders that he, Matheson, was responsible for the sale, but in any case Charouhas would not have been released had the sale not gone through.
* * *
Harold First Read Of It
At the time one suspicioned that there was some break in the communications between Matheson, Taylor, and manager Edo Vanni or otherwise why the conflicting statements.
Since it confirmed by Matheson, that despite his acceptance of responsibility in the sale of Charouhas, the first Harold heard about it was when he read the story in the
Tri-City Herald that night.
Harold merely stepped into the breach partly on the theory that the guy on top is responsible for the actions of those below and partly because he felt he was better
able to take the criticism than those below.
This, then would throw the Charouhas sale back to Taylor if, no other reason than he was general manager.
But now that the season is over and there is no reason for avoiding dissension in the ranks, Taylor's version shows somewhat of a rift between himself and Vanni, particulary because of the Charouhas sale. Yet at the same time neither was not going to cross over into the other's domain.
"I sold Charouhas only after Vanni was persistent in tainting to get rid of nim," Taylor said. He re-emphasized the word "persistent" and one "gathers Taylor was reluctant to sell him even then.
So we are now down to Vanni.
* * *
They Didn't Get Along
There isn't much point in going into all of Vanni's reasons for "wanting to get rid of Charouhas." Most of them deal with technical points of playing strategy with neither the player or the manager having much respect for the other's judgment. One or the other had to go and since Vanni was manager and had an "iron clad" contract besides, it was Charouhas.
Of all the moves made during the recent season, that was probably the least popular one with Tri-City fans—most of whom considered Des as second only to Lewiston's Al Heist as a defensive centerfielder.
And after the sale, some strange things happened.
First off came the announcement from G. M. Eddie Taylor's office that Charouhas was sold, and had not the sale gone through, be would have been released.
Naturally, one assumed Taylor was the one responsible for the sale. But then shortly thereafter, Harold Matheson, president of the association told a meeting of stockholders that he, Matheson, was responsible for the sale, but in any case Charouhas would not have been released had the sale not gone through.
* * *
Harold First Read Of It
At the time one suspicioned that there was some break in the communications between Matheson, Taylor, and manager Edo Vanni or otherwise why the conflicting statements.
Since it confirmed by Matheson, that despite his acceptance of responsibility in the sale of Charouhas, the first Harold heard about it was when he read the story in the
Tri-City Herald that night.
Harold merely stepped into the breach partly on the theory that the guy on top is responsible for the actions of those below and partly because he felt he was better
able to take the criticism than those below.
This, then would throw the Charouhas sale back to Taylor if, no other reason than he was general manager.
But now that the season is over and there is no reason for avoiding dissension in the ranks, Taylor's version shows somewhat of a rift between himself and Vanni, particulary because of the Charouhas sale. Yet at the same time neither was not going to cross over into the other's domain.
"I sold Charouhas only after Vanni was persistent in tainting to get rid of nim," Taylor said. He re-emphasized the word "persistent" and one "gathers Taylor was reluctant to sell him even then.
So we are now down to Vanni.
* * *
They Didn't Get Along
There isn't much point in going into all of Vanni's reasons for "wanting to get rid of Charouhas." Most of them deal with technical points of playing strategy with neither the player or the manager having much respect for the other's judgment. One or the other had to go and since Vanni was manager and had an "iron clad" contract besides, it was Charouhas.
Monday, September 6, 1954
FINAL SECOND HALF
W L PCT GB
Lewiston ..... 44 26 .629 —
Yakima ....... 41 25 .621 1
Salem ........ 38 26 .594 3
Vancouver .... 32 25 .561 5½
Edmonton ..... 29 35 .453 12
Wenatchee .... 22 40 .355 18
Tri-City ..... 22 43 .338 19½
EDMONTON, Sept. 6 — Lewiston Broncs clinched the pennant for the second half of the Western International League schedule by taking both ends of a Labor Day double-header from Edmonton Eskimos.
Broncs won the first game 2-1 and the second 4-1 to take the five-game final series 4-1.
Lewiston now meets Vancouver, first half winners, for the league championship.
Harvey Storey's sixth inning homer provided the winning margin for the Broncs in the first game.
Guy Fletcher was credited with the win although he needed help from two other pitchers in the ninth.
Lewiston opened the second game with four runs in the initial inning. Clint Cameron banged out a home run with two on and Don Hunter hit another homer with one on.
Edmonton's only run was scored by Whitey Thomson who connected with a home run in the second.
A crowd of 1,722 saw the twin bill.
First Game
Lewiston ........ 400 000 0—4 8 1
Edmonton ...... 010 000 0—1 8 0
Martin and Cameron; Widner, Manier (1) and Partee.
Second Game
Lewiston ........ 000 101 000—2 7 0
Edmonton ...... 000 001 000—1 9 0
Fletcher, Yaylian, (9), Orrell (9) and Cameron; Kimball, Worth (7) and Prentice.
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, Sept. 7]—The Tri-City Braves closed out the dismal 1954 baseball season Monday splitting a doubleheader with the Salem Senators, 5-4 and 13-3.
The games themselves were of little importance to either team because the Lewiston Broncs clinched the second-half title with two wins over Edmonton, 2-1 and Yakima also won a doubleheader over Wenatchee, 2-1, and 4-2, to close out its season — one game off the pace.
In the Tri-City Salem action, the Senators stayed with it during the first game because they had an outside chance to sneak into the top spot. However, such a possibility, would have taken two losses by Lewiston and one by Yakima while Salem was winning two.
After winning the opener, and learning that Lewiston had the title clinched, Salem manager Hugh Luby left his charges on their own and took off for his home park to get pay checks available for the players when they arrived.
In the second game, the two teams played six innings of baseball. Salem went way out in front in the top of the sixth by scoring five runs off Don Robertson. But Tri-City came back in the bottom half to wax Gene Johnson for six runs.
From then on the Senators just played out the season. Connie Perez, the pouplar Salem outfielder, came on to pitch. Tri-City scored four more runs off Perez and Gene Tanselli, ordinarily an infielder, with considerable co-operation on the part of the Salem defense.
On one play. Vic Buccola hit what ordinarily would have been a double to right field. While the pitchers who were playing outfield played catch with the ball, Buccola came on and scored.
The win went to Robertson, his 17th of the season.
In the first game. Perez' bases loaded double in the third inning was the telling blow. Perez later scored on Dennis Luby's single, which along wilh one run scored earlier that inning gave Salem the necessary five to win.
All of the runs came after Walt Clough got two away.
Tri-City came back for two in the fourth when Bob Moniz homered with one on and picked up single runs in the fiflh and sixth innings.
First Game
Salem ......... 005 000 0—5 6 2
Tri-City ....... 000 210 1—4 7 1
Roenspie, Rayle (6) and Ogden; Clough, Flinn (7) and Johnson.
Second Game
Salem ......... 110 015 000— 8 13 3
Tri-City ....... 000 306 22x—13 15 4
Johnson, Perez (7), Tanselli (8) and Ogden, Roenspie (7); Robertson, Flinn (7) and Warren.
YAKIMA, stories unavailable.
First Game
Yakima .......... 000 200 0—2 3 0
Wenatchee .... 100 000 0—1 4 1
Edmunds and Summers; Romero and Helmuth.
Second Game
Yakima .......... 004 000 000—4 11 4
Wenatchee .... 000 000 011—2 11 2
Carmichael and Summer; Shandor and Helmuth.
WIL STATISTICS
(final, unofficial)
BATTING LEADERS
Percentage, Marv Williams, Van., .360; Runs, Al Heist, Lew., 136; Hits, K Chorlton, Van., 183; Total Bases, Williams, Van., 274; Two Base Hits, Bob Moniz, T.C., 40; Three Base Hits, Herman Lewis, Yak., 16; Home Runs, Bob Wellman, Van., Don Hunter, Lewiston, 21; Sacrifice Hits, Dain Clay, Wen., 27; Stolen Bases, Chorlton, Van., 29; Bases on Balls, Heist, Lew., 115; Runs Batted In, Wellman, Van., 108; Strikeouts, Tom Munoz, Wen., 114.
PITCHING LEADERS
ERA., Jon Briggs, Salem, 2.51; Wins, Bill Brenner, Van., 21; Losses, Billy Joe Waters, Wen., Walt Clough, T.C., 16; Strikeouts, Briggs, Sal., 263, Bases on Balls, Briggs, Wen., 161; Innings Pitched, Brenner, Van., 289; Complete Games, Brenner, Van., 26;
Taylor Terminates Job With Braves
[Tri-City Herald, Sept. 7, 1954]
Eddie Taylor, general manager, and the Tri-City Braves will come to an official parting of the ways Sept. 15, with neither showing any inclination to renew the relationship next season.
Taylor said today he has asked Harold Matheson, president of the Tri-City Athletic association, "to terminate my employment Sept. 15."
"Harold agreed," Taylor said, "and we did not talk about next year. I have always let it be known this would be my only season here and the way I feel now nothing has changed that."
Taylor said, he did not know what course he would take prior to next season.
"I'm just like a baseball player," he said. "When the season is over and you are in the cellar and not making any money, you feel the heck with it. But after you are home a week, you are waiting for spring training.
"You never know, I may not even go into baseball next year hut look around for something else. The way I feel right now, I'm disgusted with it."
The post with Tri-City represented Taylor's first job as general manager of any club. Operating independently, he was able to put together what appeared to be a fair team early in the season but as other league teams began loading rosters, it was apparent early that Taylor's efforts and the money available were not enough.
Among Tri-City fans, perhaps his most popular move was the retention of 19-year-old shortstop Dick Watson; the least popular was his sale of outfielder Des Charouhas to the Yakima Bears.
Taylor did not have a formal contract with the association this season so there is no problem of termination.
Taylor is the third general manager for Tri-City in three years. The first was Dick Richards, part-owner of the club under its original set-up, and the second was Len Monheimer, who is now with Great Falls in the Pioneer league.
Matheson, in confirming Taylor's break here, said he was locking everything up at Sanders Field Sept. 15. The association will not retain a groundkeeper over the winter as was done last year.
Salem Stockholders To Meet
[The Sporting News, Sept. 15, 1954]
Directors of the Salem Senators have called a meeting of the stockholders on October 11 to determine if the club will remain in the league next season. A drop in attendance from 81,305 last year to 58,752 will result in a deficit of about $7,200, the directors reported.
Sunday, September 5, 1954
W L Pct GB
Lewiston ..... 42 26 .618 —
Yakima ....... 39 25 .609 1
Salem ........ 37 25 .597 2
Vancouver .... 32 25 .561 4½
Edmonton ..... 29 33 .468 10
Wenatchee .... 22 38 .367 15½
Tri-City ..... 21 42 .333 18½
EDMONTON, Sept. 5—The celebratory champagne didn't come out Sunday night in the Lewiston Broncs dressing room. The Broncs needed a double-header sweep of Edmonton, and a loss by both Yakima and Salem, to clinch the Western International League's second half title. They got neither. The Broncs ended up splitting their twin bill in Edmonton, while the Bears and Senators both won. So, the championship will come down to the final day of the season on Labour Day.
The Eskimos won the opening game, 6-5, on a run-producing single by Andy Skurski in the ninth inning off Al Yaylian.
The Broncs won the nightcap, 4-3, with Al Heist banging out a triple and a single for the victors. The game was called at the end of six innings because of a curfew.
First Game
Lewiston ......... 000 110 201—5 11 3
Edmonton ....... 102 000 111—6 11 2
Yaylian and Cameron; Conant and Prentice.
Second Game
Lewiston ......... 040 000—4 5 1
Edmonton ....... 030 000—3 6 0
Martin, Marshall (2) and Cameron; Manier and Partee, Prentice (2)
WENATCHEE, Sept. 5—Catcher Lon Summers kept Yakima in the pennant race into the last day of the season after a game-winning double Sunday. He lashed out the two-base hit in the tenth inning to defeat Wenatchee, 5-4.
Yakima ............ 001 210 000 1—5 9 1
Wenatchee ...... 000 300 100 0—4 10 1
Rios, Lovrich (4) and Summers; Waters and Helmuth.
KENNEWICK, Sept. 5—Salem manager Hugh Luby decided to play for the big inning, and it worked three times. The Senators leaped on Jess Dobernic for three runs in the first inning, three more in the fifth then scored four off reliever Dale Thomason in the ninth in a 10-3 victory over the last-place Tri-City Braves Sunday.
Dobernic didn't get an out before the first two runs scored. Mel Krause and Gene Tanselli hit back-to-back triples and Bob Kellogg followed with a hit. Jim Deyo singled him home two outs later.
Harry Warner batted in three runs and Kellogg amd Deyo had two each.
Tom Herrera scattered eight hits for Salem's win.
Salem ........ 300 030 004—10 12 1
Tri-City ...... 000 001 011— 3 8 1
Herrera and Ogden; Dobernic, Thomason (8) and Warren.
NON WIL MINOR LEAGUE NEWS
Artesia Slugger Cracks Homer Mark
ARTESIA, N.M., Sept. 5 — Hitting the home run that broke all records was "just like having a piano lifted off your shoulders," Joe Bauman said.
Bauman, the 32-year-old slugger who bettered the record by smashing his 70th round tripper of the season Sunday, admitted the pressure had been terrific since he tied the record Thursday.
"And hitting that big one was . . . well, that's it," the big guy said.
After breaking the record in the first game of a doubleheader with Artesia, the Roswell first baseman hit two more homers in the nightcap to set the new standard at 72.
Bauman, a 6-foot-4. 240-pounder, repeated his statement that he planned on playing the rest of his baseball for the Class C Roswell Rockets of the Longhorn League.
Bauman cracked a 365-foot blast in a first inning leadoff role against Artesia in the next-to-last game of Roswell's 138 game schedule. That one broke the record of 69 set by Joe Hauser of Minneapolis in 1933 and ied by Bob Crues of Amarillo in 1948.
Saturday, September 4, 1954
W L Pct GB
Lewiston ..... 41 25 .621 —
Yakima ....... 38 25 .603 1½
Salem ........ 36 25 .590 2½
Vancouver .... 32 25 .561 4½
Edmonton ..... 28 32 .467 10
Wenatchee .... 22 37 .373 15½
Tri-City ..... 21 41 .339 18
EDMONTON, Sept. 4—The Edmonton Eskimos can blame the rain for their smallest crowd of the year Saturday, but they will have to blame Lewiston's bats for their 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Broncs.
Only 246 fans turned out to see Edmonton take a 2-0 lead after five innings, then watch the Lewiston league-leaders score once in the sixth, and add four more runs in the eighth off Ray McNulty and Art Worth.
Lewiston ......... 000 001 040—5 11 1
Edmonton ....... 000 110 000—2 6 1
Orrell and Cameron; McNulty, Worth (8) and Partee.
SALEM, Sept. 4—Baseball fans in Salem got a good idea Saturday night why the Tri-City Braves are in last place in the Western International League, as they were embarrassed by the hometown Senators, 17-2.
Two Tri-City pitchers allowed hit after hit—20 in all, the fielders committed five errors which led to four unearned runs, and the batters swung, missed and went back to the dugout 10 times against Jon Briggs, the league's strike-out king.
The Senators batted around in the third, fourth and eighth innings.
Connie Perez batted in four runs, Bob Kellogg had three and Harry Warner, Jim Deyo and Dennis Luby knocked in a pair each. Deyo went four-for-five, while Warner and Luby had three hits. Kellogg only had one hit, but had executive four sacrifices.
Salem scored all they needed with a three-run first inning, but put up six on the board in the third. All the runs were charged to starter Dale Thomason, who allowed seven hits and a walk before Hal Flinn was brought in with one out in the inning.
Dick Watson singled in Jack Warren in the second inning and scored Tri-City's other run in the ninth after walking, moving to third on Rube Johnson's pinch single and scoring on a double play.
Briggs gave up eight walks and leads the league in that category as well.
Tri-City ........ 010 000 001— 2 7 5
Salem .......... 306 300 05x—17 20 0
Thomason, Flinn (3) and Warren; Briggs and D. Luby.
Wenatchee at Vancouver, postponed, rain
Friday, September 3, 1954
W L Pct GB
Lewiston ..... 40 25 .615 —
Yakima ....... 38 25 .603 1
Salem ........ 35 25 .583 2½
Vancouver .... 32 25 .561 4
Edmonton ..... 28 31 .475 9
Wenatchee .... 22 37 .373 15
Tri-City ..... 21 40 .344 17
VANCOUVER [Province, Sept. 4]—It’s all over but the waiting now for the Vancouver Capilanos. This morning’s rain washed out tonight’s last scheduled game of the regular WIL season against Wenatchee Chiefs, so it’s just a question now of the Caps waiting to see how Lewiston, Salem and Yakima do over the holiday weekend.
One of those three will win the second-half championship and meet the Caps, first half winners here next week, in the best-of-seven championship playoff. If Yakima or Salem wins, the series opens here Tuesday. If Lewiston wins, they start here Wednesday.
The Caps managed to split Friday in what turned out to be their last games of the season, winning 5-0 and losing 5-3.
Marv Williams, No. 1 candidate for league batting honors, jammed his knee on the last play of the game but will be ready for the playoffs. Before that, he performed nobly with four-for-four, including a triple and double.
Veteran Ken Richardson did his part, too, with four-for-four as he reached his goal of 100 runs batted in. Ken has never had less than 100 RBIs in four seasons in the league.
Another old-timer, John Cordell, pitched his best game of the year to earn his seven-inning shutout, but Boss Brenner failed in his second try for his 22nd win. Ross McCormack’s three-run home sank Bill’s ship, but he wound up with a pretty creditable 21-9 record for the year.
[WILfan notes: The Cas scored two runs in the first inning of the ppener on doubles by K. Chorlton and Bob Wellman and triple by Marv Williams ... in the night game, Eddie Murphy walked to open the Caps' first and was brought in by Williams' double. Richardson brought in Williams in both the first and seventh innings ... Brenner walked threein the fifth, more than he's given up in a game all season ... Jerry Green's sacrifice fly in the eighth brought in the last regular season at Cap Stadium in 1954.]
First Game
Wenatchee ....... 000 000 0—0 5 0
Vancouver ........ 230 010 x—0 9 0
Oubre and Self; Cordell and Duretto.
Second Game
Wenatchee ....... 000 040 010—5 8 2
Vancouver ........ 200 000 100—3 9 2
Tierney and Helmuth; Brenner and Pesut.
STORIES UNAVAILABLE
First Game
Tri-City ........ 300 002 0—5 9 2
Salem .......... 000 102 3—6 11 1
Flinn, Robertson (7) and Johnson; Franks, Johnson (6), Nicholas (7), Herrera (7) and D. Luby.
Second Game
Tri-City ........ 010 002 020—5 8 1
Salem .......... 000 011 000—2 5 1
Clough and Warren; Rayle, Johnson (7) and D. Luby.
Lewiston at Edmonton (2), postponed, rain.
Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Sept. 4, 1954]
MONDAY—It was probably sheer frustration that prompted Bill Brenner to throw open the gates on a pay-what-you-like basis for the final game of the WIL season … Bill just wants to see what Capilano Stadium looks like with a full house.
This has been a sad season for Bill, who celebrated his return to Vancouver by getting a top-notch, crowd-pleasing bal club and still hasn’t known those well-known flies … Brenner has been a victim of the weather, which washed out his best dates, the league’s unsettled condition, and possibly the new “big league” feeling in this town engendered by the B.E.G. and the B.C. Lions … Local fans, who also have hockey just one step removed from the majors, undoubtedly are ripe for Coast League baseball, and likely won’t show up at the park until IT does … meanwhile, only the fact that the team was a winner and that they have more fund than anybody—the boys had a football game in the outfield the other night before batting practice—has kept Brenner from going into something less nerve-wracking, like pitching in the Coast League.
TUESDAY—Incidentally, the Caps are not entirely green when it comes to throwing the football around … Neil Sheridan [line unreadable] … Arnie Hallgren coud probably catch on with the Lions right now if Milwaukee would let him play; Danny Holden played the game in high school; and Brenner, ‘tis said, could have played the pro grid game but for a knee injury.
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