Friday, July 2, 1954

                W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver .... 39 21 .650 —
Yakima ....... 37 30 .552 5½
Edmonton ..... 30 27 .526 7½
Lewiston ..... 31 32 .492 9½
Tri-City ..... 32 36 .471 11
Victoria ..... 29 33 .468 11
Wenatchee .... 30 38 .441 13
Salem ........ 30 38 .441 13

VANCOUVER [Clancy Loranger, July 3]—You have to give major credit to the big bats of the Capilanos for the position of eminence they occupy today, first half champions of the Western International League.
But it was pitching—probably the most brilliant pitching performance of the season, by Pete Hernandez—that clinched the crown for them Friday at Cap Stadium.
Pete, in shutting out the second-place Yakima Bears, 1-0, and thus making it mathematically impossible for the visitors to catch the locals, gave up just three hits, all infield singles. One bounced off his glove, Ken Richardson slipped before fielding another, and the third was hit slowly to shortstop and beaten out.
But it was when he was in trouble—courtesy of three Vancouver errors—that Hernandez earned his accolades. In the seventh, consecutive errors by Jim Clark and Marv Wiliams put Yakima runners on third and first with nobody out. Pete, throwing what catcher Nick Pesut described as “the best stuff I’ve seen all year,” struck out the next man, walked one, then fanned the next two.
Pete, started the rally that scored the game’s lone run, too. His single, a beat-out bunt by Danny Holden, a passed ball, and an intentional walk filled the bases. Bob Wellman’s long fly scored the big one.
The Caps came mighty close to winning it all in the first game, another well-pitched thriller that saw gutty Ted Edmunds edge George Nicholas, 2-1. Home runs accounted for all the runs, but Yakima’s Herman Lewis hit his with one on. Bob Wellman’s 12th of the year came with none aboard.
Best crowd of the season, 2621 paid, saw the excellent double header, and most of them left without knowing the Caps had won the title.
Vancouver has six games left, including tonight’s pair against Yakima at 7 o’clock, and the Bears have just four, with single games at home Sunday and Monday. Even if the locals lost all six, including doubleheaders July 4 and 5 at Salem, and Yakima won their four, Vancouver would still wind up a half game ahead.
Sandy Robertson and Bill Brenner will pitch tonight for the new champs, and off last night’s efforts, they should pack ‘em in. (If it doesn’t rain.)
[Des Charouhas and Len Noren had the other Yakima hits in the first game, Charouhas scoring on Lewis’ homer. Danny Holden and Jimmy Clark had Vancouver’s other two hits. In the finale, Charouhas, John Albini and Charlie Mead were credited with Yakimas hits, while Holden, Arnie Hallgren and Clark singled for Vancouver.]
First Game
Yakima ......... 200 000 0—2 3 0
Vancouver .... 010 000 0—1 3 0
Edmunds and Summers; Nicholas and Duretto.
Second Game
Yakima ......... 000 000 000—0 3 0
Vancouver .... 000 001 00x—1 3 3
Carmichael, Edmunds (7) and Summers; Hernandez and Pesut.

VICTORIA [Colonist, July 3]—Victoria Tyees, with only a possible first-division berth at stake in the first half of the WIL schedule but pointing towards better things in the second half, made it two in a row over Wenatchee Chiefs at Royal Athletic Park last night.
Bob Drilling, going nine innings for the fourth straight time and notching his fourth successive triumph to boost his season’s record to 9-5, turned in a workmanlike pitching chore to emerge a 5-2 winner.
TYEES LOOK SHARP
Whether or not it was the return to dull-time duty of manager Don Pries, who stationed himself at third base, the Tyees looked their sharpest of the season in the two games against the Chiefs. They hit at the right rime, and for distance, and backed up good pitching with steady defensive play and hustle.
Last night, Tom Perez gave the Tyees a 2-0 lead in the second inning when he hit his 11th home run with Neil Sheridan, who had waked, on the bags. Three runs in the fourth, two of them on a two-out, bases-loaded single by Pries, gave Drilling his margin.
Drilling, working smoothly and showing take-charge ability when he got into trouble, spaced 10 hits over seven innings. Nine of the Wenatchee hits were singles and the 10th a double as the Tyees again escaped the long ball which has caused them so much trouble. And Drilling made no trouble for himself by issuing only two bases on balls.
Catcher Don Lundberg hit two out of the park and Perez hit his 10th home run. Second baseman Ron Jackson continued his batting surge, picking up four hits in five trips to boost his average to .341. The scrappy little infielder hit a double his second time up last night, then was tossed out of the game during his third trip when he tossed his bat in the air over a called strike. Steve Mesner returned to action as Jackson’s replacement and protected his teammate’s average by drawing a base on balls.
The current Tyee homestand winds up today with afternoon and evening games and the Tuees then move to Tri-City for doubleheaders tomorrow and Monday, which wind up first-half play.
All clubs get Tuesday off and second-half play starts on Wednesday with the Tyees hosting Vancouver Capilanos Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The clubs move to Vancouver for two games on Saturday and the Tyees return Monday for a full week at home with Yakima Bears providing the opposition.
Wenatchee ....... 000 011 000—2 10 1
Victoria ............ 020 300 00x—5  7 1
Bowman, Oubre (7) and Helmuth; Drilling and Lundberg.

EDMONTON [Tri-City Herald, July 4]—The Tri-Clty Braves close out the first half of the season today [Sunday] and Monday with two injured players and another pitcher added to the roster.
The new pitcher is Jack Hemphill, righthander who won 15 and lost 12 with Salem last season. Hemphill came down with a sore arm this year and was released by Salem.
However, when the Braves' played at Salem last week, he threw batting practice and playing manager Edo Vanni saw possibilities that his arm may come around.
General manager Eddie Taylor said Hemphill agreed to terms Saturday.
If Hemphill is signed, it will present a player limit problem for the Braves which may lead to either Dale Bloom or Bob McGuire being put on the sick list.
Vanni called from Edmonton Friday night and said Bloom's arm was giving him trouble again and McGuire has a charlie horse in his leg.
Taylor said today that he would be reluctant to put either on the sick list if their injuries are not serious because it would mean the Braves would be unable to use them for 10 days.
He said he was especially worried about the extent of the soreness in Bloom's arm. Bloom is considered of value to the club not only because of his pitching ability but partly because of the possibility of a profitable sale.
Meanwhile, the Braves Saturday were making the long haul through Fourth of July traffic to Tri-City from Edmonton. The Braves closed out the five-game series there with a 5-4 win [Friday night].
It gave them two wins against three losses.
Don Robertson won both of the games there. He took his tenth victory of the season when he went in during the sixth inning and stopped an uprising by the Eskimoes.
The home team had scored three runs off Bill Tompkins in that inning and one in the third to lead 4-3. Then Tri-City scored once in the eighth and Artie Wilson homered in the ninth for the winning run.
Wilson was having one of his best days at the plate. He doubled home two runners in the second for Tri-Clty's leadoff runs.
Tri-City's foe for the two double-headers over the holiday weekend will be Victoria.
The Tyees will bring one familar face here in the form of Joe Nicholas, sldearm hurler. Nicholas, once with Tri-Clty, then late with Salem, was sold to Portland this season. He was later optioned to Victoria.
Victoria also has Neal Sheridan, former Coast league slugger who has joined the team since the last time Victoria played here. Sheridan once offered his services to Tri-City at a price which exceeded the Braves' self-established salary limit.
The two teams will play a doubleheader tonight beginning at 7 p.m. Reserve ticket sales indicate a large turnout may be expected.
In between games, the club will have a fireworks display.
Monday, the two teams will play a split doubleheader. The first game will start at 2 p.m. and the second at 7:30 p.m.
Prior to the Sunday night game, the American Legion color guard from Pasco post 34 will raise the colors. Members are Fred Huston, past commander, Ralph York and W. E. Farris. Paul Schlagel will sing the National Anthem accompanied by Mrs. W. H. Willetts on the organ.
Tri-City ......... 021 000 011—5 12 1
Edmonton ...... 001 003 000—4 12 1
Tompkins, Robertson (6) and Warren; Manier and Self.

SALEM, July 2—Salem scored five runs in the seventh inning Friday night to defeat Lewiston 6-3 in a Western International League baseball game.
All Lewiston's runs came in the eighth inning and were unearned.
The inning started with an error, then Eddie Bockman was walked. Don Hunter doubled in one run, another came in on a wild pitch and Ed Garay singled in a runner to end Lewiston's scoring.
Highlight of Salem's five-run inning was Harry Warner's triple with the bases loaded.
Lewiston ...... 000 000 030—3 4 0
Salem .......... 000 100 50x—6 10 3
Yaylian and Garay; Rayle and Ogden.

WIL STATS
(Including games of Monday, June 28, 1954)
TEAM BATTING
Tri-City, .308; Vancouver, .306; Wenatchee .290; Yakima, .278; Victoria, .278; Edmonton, .276; Salem .274; Lewiston .274.
TEAM FIELDING
Yakima .969; Vancouver .968; Edmonton, .968; Lewiston, .962; Salem .961; Victoria .961; Wenatchee, .959; Tri-City .953.
BATTING LEADERS
Percentage, Marv Williams, Van., .394; Hits, Joe Unfried, Wen., 94; Two Base Hits, Bob Moniz, TC, 22; Three Base Hits, Herman Lewis, Yak., 6; Home Runs, Charlie Ruddock, Spo., 14; Stolen Bases, K. Chorlton, Van., 17; Bases on Balls, Eddie Lake, Vic., 58; Runs Batted In, Joe Unfried, Wen., 63; Runs, Williams, Van., 62; Total Bases, Joe Unfried, Wen., 152; Sacrifice Hits, Vic Buccola, TC, 13; Strikeouts, Charlie Ruddock, Spo., 52.
PITCHING LEADERS
ERA., Bill Brenner, Van., 1.72; Wins, Ted Edmunds, Yak., 11, Losses, Bill Prior, Vic., 8; Strikeouts, Jon Briggs, Sal., 111; Bases on Balls, Jon Briggs, Sal., 84; Complete Games, Bill Brenner, Van., 12; Innings Pitched, Bill Brenner, Van., 140; Home Runs Allowed, John Marshall, Lew., 14.

Week’s Work
By Clancy Loranger
[Vancouver Province, July 3, 1954]
MONDAY—Now that the Capilanos have made it official, and won the WIL’s first-half championship, I just happen to have a handful of bouquets here that have been standing in water since late May, just waiting to be handed out…
First three to a trio of pitchers who handled most of the victories, with the odd hand from a fellow named John, or Tom, or Rod … Biggest one is Bill Brenner, who combined the job of general managing and field managing with his pitching, and still managed to compile the league’s best earned run average … George Nicholas and Bob Roberts carried most of the load … They’ve got some help for the second half, with Pete Hernandez, Bud Beasley and Sandy Robertson on hand now … And there’s a mysterious left fielder lurking in the wings, too, who should be along soon … The league batting averages show that the other eight spots on the club were well filled, with special accolades to Marv Williams and K Chorlton for all around perfection, to Bob Wellman, playing out of position at first base—and Ken Richardson, having one of his best years at the admitted age of 38 … Cacthers Nick Pesut and Bob Duretto, steady Jim Clark, rookie Arnie Hallgren, handyman Danny Holden all contributed, too … And so did the departed Dick Greco, the Caps “big man” in their early surge … That covers everybody except trainer Harold Younker and we’re saying [unreadable] road…
WEDNESDAY—Bob Brown will be 77 Sunday.
FRIDAY—Baseball has a lot of good golfers, and that list will have to include Salem’s Hugh Luby, who showed me something in touring Marine Drive in 75 strokes this week … “Best greens I ever saw,” said Luby, who was also greatly surprised when I told him the little fellow he met was indeed B[unreadable] who hit the ball THAT far … Incidentally, they have quite an idea in Salem … Play a split double-header, with a picnic on the outfield grass, everybody invited, between games … Have to bring your own ants, though.