Vancouver 1954 Preview

Changes Made In Vancouver W.I.L. Entry
(Editor's Note: This is the first in a series on the prospects of teams in the Western International Baseball League, written for The Associated Press by the sportswriters who follow the teams throughout the season).
By CLANCY LORANGER
Sports Writer, The Vancouver Province [April 18, 1954]
VANCOUVER, B C.—There’s another new broom in the front office of the Western International League's baseball Capilanos, and in the best traditions of new brooms, it has swept quite clean.
When last year’s general manager, Dewey Soriano was called to greater things—he's the new G.M. of Seattle's Coast League entry—an old Vancouver favorite, Bill Brenner, was whistled up to take his place.
Brenner at Lewiston
Brenner, who had managed the Caps from 1946 through 1950, had been hibernating at Lewiston for two seasons as manager, after a year as field boss at Yakima. He was happy to return to the Caps—in triplicate, more or less. Besides his job as general manager Brenner will also serve as field boss and figures, on his 22 victories last year, to be the ace of his own pitching staff, too.
At this stage, Brenner’s squad, with a lot of new faces, looks more formidable than the 1953 team, which got by on pitching and the hitting almost exclusively of Manager Harvey Storey, who has since moved on to Salem.
Brenner's pitching should be as Brenner will also serve as field good as last year's. Besides himself, he's added George Nicholas, an excellent righthander making a comeback; Bill Franks, another righthander from Spokane; Lefty Tom Del Sarto, last year with Yakima. They should replace Lonnie Myers and Van Fletcher, currently with Seattle. Pete Hernandez is there, too, but will likely return to the Caps.
Stronger Behind Plate
The Caps are stronger in catching, with big Nick Pesut backed up by Bob Duretto; the infield should have much more punch, with newcomers Ellis Daugherty via Colorado Springs at first, ex-Coast Leaguer Marv Williams at second, veteran Ken Richardson at third, and returnee shortstop Jim Clark.
K. Chorlton is back in center field, and he’ll be flanked by Bob Wellman in left, maybe—he’s still with Seattle and either Danny Holden or Arnie Hallgren, both Vancouver boys, in right field.
Consensus: Pitching, excellent; hitting, much improved; fielding, adequate.