Victoria 1954 Preview

Tyees May be Flag Threat
(Editor's Note: This is the one 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 JIM TANG
Sports Editor, Victoria Colonist [April 19, 1954]
Victoria Tyees, who finished far back with the also-rans last season after winning the Western International League, again loom as a title threat this season.
Although short on pitching as they opened their spring-training season in Victoria on April 14th, the Tyees have what could be the league’s top infield, proven catching, and good outfield prospects. There is good bat power although the club lacks lefthanded hitting, and fair speed in a mixture of youth and experience which will have few holdovers.
New Manager
Don Pries has taken over from Cec Garriott as manager. The young infielder, handling his first club, expects to play first base after seeing action at every position but pitching in his three years as a player with the Tyees. Steve Mesner, Eddie Lake and Dain Clay, three former major leaguers, are expected to provide the club with some solid hitting, the necessary core of experience and steady defensive play.
Lake is to play shortstop and Mesner third base. At second is Ron Jackson, a scrappy speedster who played with Charleston in the Class “A” Sally League last season. In addition, there are promising rookies in Pepper Wesley, Primo Santini and Merlyn Anthony. Wesley, a big Negro boy who plays either third base or the outfield, was a star with the American Legion Junior champions of 1950 and 1951.
Outfield Aid
In the outfield are Clay, Art Seguro, Tom Keough, Jerry Kane and Armando Sanchez for a start, with further help expected from Portland and San Francisco.
Keough played three years of varsity football and baseball at the University of California, was all-conference outfielder in his last two seasons with batting averages of .396 and .400 and made the All-America college nine in his junior year.