Saturday 26 July 2008

Marv Williams Joins Vancouver

BRENNER BACK
Caps Acquire New Trio
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Dec. 9, 1953]
Bill Brenner came home Tuesday from the minor league baseball meetings at Atlanta, still shivering slightly from the snow he’d left behind at Chicago, and promptly proved he’d done more in Georgia than admire the peaches.
The Capilanos’ general manager announced that he’s acquired three experienced ball players, will be able to announce the names of four others soon, and has settled on a spring training site.
The three “announced” players are Bill Franks, righthanded pitcher bought from Spokane; Raul Galata, lefthanded pitcher, out of the Mexican League; and Marv Williams, Negro second-baseman who once played for Sacramento of the Coast League, also picked up via the Mexican League.
Coming are a catcher, two more pitchers, and another infielder—“all experienced men.”
The training site is back in the northwest, more or less: Clarkson, Wash. More on that later. About the players:
Franks, regarded as one of the WIL’s stronger performers last year, won 13 and lost 14 with a respectable 3.43 earned run average.
But what Brenner likes is the 215 innings Franks pitched. “He’s one of those rubber-armed guys who can pitch all the time,” says Bill.
Galata, 24, comes recommended for a good fast ball and curve, and with experience at Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico.
Williams, whose baseball age is 27, is an experienced man who’s even had a whirl at managing, at Chihuahua in the Arizona-Texas League in 1952.
Clarkston, just across the river from Lewiston, is where the Broncs trained the last couple of years. The weather is generally good, and of course the Broncs will be able to provide spring opposition. Tri-City will be training at home, too, and they’ll be handy.
CUFF NOTES – Training will start April 4, about a week later than last year … Bill says the ball park there is adequate and there are new dressing rooms there … It’s called Adams Field … Brenner tried to get Al Heist and Russ Butler away from the Baltimore chain in Atlanta … He says he might be able to get Heist but Butler, the other half of the rookie twosome at Lewiston last summer, can’t be had … That perfect no-hitter he pitched last season impressed the home office … Big Dick Greco won’t be with us … Asking price was $5,000 …But he’ll be around with Tri-City … Brenner cuts up old touched with Bill Rigney, new manager of the Giants farm at Minneapolis … They played together on Bellingham in 1939 … Bill also took the National Association’s front office test”, says he got two answers wrong out of 25 … Fellow could win a pennant with an average like that.

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