Victoria Mum About New Players

Tyees Almost Set for Training; Seven Exhibition Games Planned
[Victoria Colonist, April 1, 1954]
There was plenty of activity in the camp of the Victoria Tyees yesterday with business-manager Reg Patterson and field manager Don Pries on the jump completing spring training plans and trying to add to their player roster.
There was considerable in the way of player news but not much of it was for immediate publication. Portland Beavers gave the Tyees some indication of the help they may expect from the Coast League club but requested that no announcements be made for the time being.
PALM NOT COMING
However, the Tyees did learn that Gordie Palm, the promising young righthander they purchased only recently from the Vancouver Capilanos, had decided to quit professional baseball. He was returned to the Caps, who will furnish the Tyees with a replacement and may even send along another pitcher or two.
Patterson was also in receipt of another telephone call from Dain Clay who appears to be anxious to wear Victoria flannels this season, and chances that the Tyees may sign the veteran have been improved. Clay, who played in the big leagues with Cincinnati and in the Coast League with San Diego, is asking a salary reasonable enough to interest the Victoria club. And, although the Tyees appear to be well-stocked with outfielders, Patterson feels that he may be able to use an outfielder as trade bait for a pitcher if he has a surplus.
EXPECT MARTIN
There was also the news that Milt Martin is likely to return as the Tyees’ first-string catcher and that Jim Livesey, promising ex-University of Oregon player, will be here as his understudy. Martin has looked good in training camp but press reports indicate that Joe Rossi will do most of the Portland catching with Jim Gladd in reserve.
Pries, meanwhile, has outlined a rigorous training program for his players when they swing into the conditioning program at Royal Athletic Park on April 14. The Tyees have the latest opening for any team in either class “A” or “B” baseball and will have only two weeks to get ready for the season’s opener, at Vancouver on April 29. However, the players from Portland will have the benefit of several weeks of training and most of the other Tyees have been playing winter ball.
RUSH TRAINING
Players are due to report to the club headquarters at the Dominion Hotel on April 13. April 14, 15 and 16 will be confined to running, light throwing and some callisthenics. The Tyees will take their first infield and batting drills on April 17 and from then until the opener will play either inter-squad or exhibition games.
At least seven exhibition games have been arranged, four against Farmer’s Construction, two against Duncan and one against Campbell River. Dates are largely tentative at the moment but the first two games against Farmer’s are set for Athletic Park on April 19 and 22. Tyees will play at Duncan on Saturday, April 24, and again on Sunday, April 25. The last game will be in the evening and will follow an earlier game at Campbell River on the same day. A third game against Farmer’s is billed for April 27.
LONG HOURS
Tyee workout will start at 10 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. with an hour off at noon for lunch.
“We’ve got to get a month’s work done in two weeks,” Pries explained. He should have a fit club if it survives training under the indefatigable Pries.