Spring Training, Wednesday, April 14, 1954

Tyees To Start Training Chores At Athletic Park This Morning
[Victoria Colonist, April 14, 1954]
Victoria Tyees officially open their 1954 spring training season at Royal Athletic Park this morning at 10:30, and manager Don Pries will have at least eight, probably more, players on hand for their first conditioning chores.
No accurate count could be made last night as club officials won’t know how many players are on hand until roll call this morning, but it was known that outfielder Armando Sanchez, catcher Milt Martin, pitcher Mike Kanshin, second-baseman Ron Jackson and outfielders Tom Keough and Jerry Kane had checked in. Pitchers Bill Prior, Berlyn Hodges, Victorians both, will also be out.
DRILLING EXPECTED
Also expected to be here this morning is Bob Drilling, who hurried so fast to make it on time that he was held up—by a speeding rap in Washington. Veteran infielder Steve Mesner started from his San Diego home by car Saturday and outfielder Art Seguso left Minnesota by car Friday. Both may make it in time for the first workout. Eddie Lake, who will be the club’s shortstop this season, is not due until Friday.
Unaccounted for as yet are Primo Santini and Pepper Wesley, a couple of young infielders signed by Pries; Hal Flinn, the pitcher sent by San Francisco, and Ross McFarlane, a right-hander who was with Salt Lake City part of last season. Fred Christiansen, Prince Rupert southpaw who was due for a spring training trial, was unable to get a leave of absence from his job and will not report. Outfielder Duane Helbig has decided to continue his college career until he receives his service call and outfielder Marv Diercks is not expected to report.
PICTURE WILL CHANGE
Although the Tyees are few in number at the moment, the picture will change radically before the season’s opener at Vancouver on April 29. By then the club will have acquired promising help from three sources and Pries should have no trouble selecting a competitive club from the talent he will have.
What may have been a big step in building a contender was taken yesterday when general manager Reg Patterson reached an agreement with Dain Clay which will bring the veteran outfielder here next week to talk terms. It is reasonable certain that he will be signed.
CLAY COULD HELP
Clay, who has two major league and seven Coast League seasons to his credit, could be quite a help and teamed with Lake and Mesner would give the Tyees quite an experienced array of hitters in their batting order.
Cay played as a regular with the Cincinnati Reds in 1945 and 1946, hitting .280 in 1953 games in 1945 and slipping to .228 in 121 games in 1946. In 1947, 1948 and 1949, he was a regular with San Diego, batting .244 in 84 games. He was out of baseball the following year but in 1952 he hit .280 at San Diego for 96 games. He was with the San Diego club again last season but only appeared in a few games.
ADDITIONAL AID
In addition, player help from the Portland Beavers is certain within the week. San Francisco is expected to have a player or two available as soon as the Seals cut their roster, and the Tyees have a couple of other sources of talent. These later additions won’t be hurt by missing spring training here for all have been conditioning with Coast League clubs and will be ready to step into action.
Pries plans to train from 10:30 to 12 and from 12:30 to 3:30 daily until the first of several exhibition games, the first of which is due to be played by the end of the week.
The Tyees play at Wenatchee after their opening two games at Vancouver and then come home for their Victoria opener on May 3 against Tri-City.
PRICES REDUCED
Tickets for the opening game as well as season tickets and books of tickets maybe purchased at the Central Ticket Bureau, 817 Fort Street. Admission prices have been reduced by 10 per cent and Victoria fans will get the best bargain in the WIL this season with a 90-cent general admission charge and bleacher seats at 50 cents.

Schedule Change Sought in the W.I.L.
VANCOUVER, April 15—British Empire Games officials are strengthening their campaign to have Western International League baseball shifted away during the games here July 30-Aug 7.
Legal Chairman Jay Gould was instructed by the executive committee Wednesday to check the lease under which the Capilanos club of the WIL operates in the stadium here to see if the city can prevent the games scheduled here from being played.
Games Chairman Stan Smith said the WIL appeared to be engaging in a “deliberate breach of faith.”
Every other sport had cancelled or re-scheduled events during games week.

WEDNESDAY GAME STORIES

WALLA WALLA, Wash. [Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, April 15, 1954]—The Whitman Missionaries finished their pre-conference baseball schedule in impressive fashion Wednesday, tripping the Tri-City Braves of the Western International League 2-1 at Borleske Field.
A pair of “second line” Missionary pitchers. Bill Osborne and Tin Hanson, almost completely hexed the Braves hitters, giving up a total of just three base hits, one of them of the scratch variety. Tri-City catcher Jack Warren slammed a ground single through the box in the first inning to score the Braves' lone run. Then Osborne and Hanson tossed hitless. runless ball until the ninth frame.
In that inning a solid single to center by Bob Cassidy broke the long string of goose eggs. The Braves went on to load the bases against Hanson with none out. But the sophomore transfer from Pasadena JC retired the next three men in order to preserve the victory.
After Cassidy's safety onened the ninth, Ray Tran got aboard when Tom Deebach fell fielding his bunt. Pitcher Ted Savarese, manager of the La Grande Raiders last summer in the Tri-State semi-pro league, dropped another bunt down the first base line that Dean Lodmell fielded but couldn't find a place to throw, and all hands were safe. Savarese got credit for a base hit.
With the sacks jammed, Hanson fanned Terry Carroll, got Don Estabrook to pop no to Lodmell, and manager Edo Vanni ended the contest with a lazy fly ball to Gil Bellows in right.
Both ball clubs got their first runs in the opening stanza Osborne got off to a shaky start by walking Carroll and hitting Vic Buccola He fanned Vanni, but Warren’s base hit scored Carroll from second. A double play, Earle Walker to Del Klicker to Lodmell ended the inning From that point only three Braves reached base off Osborne, two on walks and the other on a miscue.
Had it not been for some questionable base running, Whitman might well have had several more runs. They got three hits in the first inning, but scored only once as the Braves also came up with a twin killing.
Dick Fain, who got two hits to run his two-day output against the Class A pros to five for nine, beat out a bunt to start the inning. Walker hit a sharp liner past third base, and Klicker doubled to left scoring Fain, Lodmell was hit by Walt Clough, former Sacramento Solons hurler, to load the bases. But Bellows grounded to Clough, who fired home to nail Walker and Warren's toss to Buccola got the second out and virtually snuffed out the rally.
The tilt rocked along knotted at 1-1 until the bottom of the seventh.
Cliff Hostetler pounded one of Savarese's powder puff pitches sharply to left to start the frame, and Bill Ward sacrificed him to second. Tom Deebach’s looper to right center hung in the air, and Hostetler tagged up at second rather than taking off for third.
When the blow fell safely. Hostetler advanced only to third.
He scored the winning run moments later on a wild pitch, but not before more jittery base running cost the Missionaries potential runs. With Hostetler on third and Deebach on second, Hanson laid down a squeeze bunt. Hosteller returned to third instead of trying to score. Hanson was safe at first, but Deebach, found himself sharing the third sack with Hostetler, and after a rundown, was tagged out, and the threat died.
Coach Joe Beldler, looking for another starting pitcher for conference action, now has had outstanding performances from all five of his hurlers, with the efforts turned in by Osborne and Hanson Wednesday equaling those on other occasions of Sid and Noel Aronson and Scott McKean.
Tuesday Vanni used several youngsters as Tri-City topped the Whits 10-2 at Kennewick, but Wednesday the Missionaries edged the Braves' potential first string.

LEWISTON, Idaho, April 14 — The Lewiston Broncs of the Western International league outslugged Pocatello of the Pioneer League, 10-5, in an exhibition baseball game Wednesday.
The Broncs belted 13 hits, eight of them for extra bases.