Friday, June 25, 1954

                W  L  Pct GB
Vancouver .... 37 19 .661 —
Yakima ....... 32 27 .542 6½
Edmonton ..... 26 23 .531 7½
Lewiston ..... 28 31 .475 10½
Wenatchee .... 28 32 .467 11
Salem ........ 28 33 .459 11½
Victoria ..... 25 30 .455 11½
Tri-City ..... 27 33 .450 12

VANCOUVER [Province, June 26]—Vancouver Capilanos may be the first half champions of the Western International League—but they won’t know for sure until sometime today.
At the request of the Salem team, league president Bob Abel is conducting a telegraphic vote among the clubs on whether to continue the first half schedule to July 5 or cut it short at June 30.
With the Capilanos now a handy six and one-half games ahead of their nearest rivals, Yakima Bears, courtesy of a thrill-packed doubleheader victory over Lewiston here last night, and a Yakima loss, it seems likely the club will vote to cut the first half short.
If they do the Bears wouldn’t even have a mathematical chance of catching the locals, who have four games up to June 30. Even if Yakima won six, and the Caps lost all four, Vancouver would still be a game and one-half in front.
LOOKED PART
Bill Brenner’s crew certainly looked like champs last night. Bob Wellman’s 10th home run pace the Caps to an easy 6-2 victory in the opener, as George Nicholas got winner number 10, and the locals came up with a big finish to take the nightcap 4-3 in 10 innings and send the some 3000 people home mighty happy.
A tremendous double by Ken Richardson, after Marv Williams had singled and Wellman walked, sent the winner across the plate in the first extra frame and beat Lewiston’s Al Yaylian, who pitched a great game and deserved a better fate. Bill Franks, the third Caps pitcher, got the victory, his fourth.
Pete Hernandez, just down from Seattle, started in this one, but the seven innings he pitched were the most he’d gone, consecutively, since last season, and he finally tired. John Cordell got the Broncs out in order for two innings before being retired for a pinch hitter.
LOTS OF FUN
The series winds up with a single game tonight, and it promises to be a lot of fun. The locals’ number 1 clown, Bud Beasley, will be pitching against John Marshall, quite a cut-up himself.
PROVINCE STARS—Marv Williams, whose hitting, running and fielding were tremendous … Ken Richardson, for his big game-winning blow … And the Broncs’ Al Yaylian, who not only pitched well but took a lot of ribbing from the crowd.
- - -
VANCOUVER, June 25—Vancouver Capilanos tightened their hold on first place in the Western International Baseball League here Friday night by sweeping a doubleheader against Lewiston Broncs 6-2 and 4-3.
George Nicholas hurled a four-hitter in the opener as Caps won going with a brace of runs on two singles and as many walks in the second and adding another four in the fifth when K. Chorlton singled, Marv Williams doubled and Bob Wellman belted a two-run homer.
Lewiston got two back in the sixth on singles by Bob Williams, Russ Rosbury and a double by Eddie Bockman.
The Caps won the elongated nightcap when Ken Richardson sent a long double to the left field wall to score Williams who had reached first on a single.
The game was sent in to extra innings when Lewiston’s Bockman poled out a four-master in the top half of the seventh with a mate on base to tie the score ay 3-3.
First Game
Lewiston ....... 000 002 0—2 4 0
Vancouver ..... 020 040 x—6 7 1
Martin and Cameron; Nicholas and Pesut.
Second Game
Lewiston ....... 000 001 200 0—3 9 1
Vancouver ..... 002 001 000 1—4 9 2
Yaylian and Garay; Hernandez, Cordell (8), Franks (10) and Pesut.

YAKLMA, June 25— Edmonton pulled a four-run uprising in the ninth inning to win a Western International League baseball series opener with Yakiina. 5-4, Friday night.
Yakima moved ahead early in the game with single runs in the second and fourth innings. Edmonton slimmed the gap with a seventh-inning run off a double by Don Gigli and a single by pitcher Ken Kimball.
The Bears added another in the eighth for a 3-1 lead only to have the Eskimmos stage its game-winner after Whitey Thomson got aboard on an error by Dick Briskey.
Tom Self followed with a single and so did Bob Prentice, pinch-hitting for Kimball, for one run. Vern Campbell doubled in two more and Augie Amorena singled him home to win. Yakima started a rally in its half good for one run but could not keep it going.
Kimball was the winner, Dick Young the loser.
Edmonton .... 000 000 104—5 10 2
Yakima ........ 010 100 011—4  7 5
Kimball, Manier (9) and Self, Prentice (9); Young, Schaening (9) and Summers.

WENATCHEE [Victoria Colonist, June 26]—Victoria Tyees opened their four-game Western International Baseball League series on the right foot at Wenatchee last night, pounding out a 9-3 victory on the strength of a seven-run eighth inning.
Bill Prior went all the way for his third victory against eight defeats although he was in constant trouble. Tagged for 12 hits, Prior gave up single runs in the first, fifth and eighth innings and until the Tyees broke loose at the plate, it appeared that the slim righthander would take his ninth loss.
FIVE IN EIGHTH
Ted Shandor held the Tyees to four hits in the first seven innings. But the winners picked up five hits in an eighth inning featured by Neil Sheridan’s double and a triple by Don Lundberg. Sheridan accounted for two more Victoria runs in the ninth when he smashed a two-run single off reliefer Charlie Oubre [who also gave up a single].
The clubs meet in a single contest today and a double-header Sunday before Victoria returns home Monday to open a week-long homestand.
Victoria ......... 000 000 072—9 13 1
Wenatchee .... 100 010 010—3 12 2
Prior and Lundberg; Shandor, Oubre (8) and Helmuth.

KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, June 27]—Don Robertson, Tri-City righthander, took one look at his pitching record Friday night, concluded all was not well, and went to the mound and beat the Salem Senators, 3-1.
The pre-game won-loss figures didn’t look too bad — seven victories against three setbacks — it was the total-hits-off-Robertson that Robertson didn't like.
A rule of the thumb estimate of a pitcher’s ability is that his total hits should be less than his total innings pitched. Prior to the game, Robertson’s total hits were 122 against 95 innings.
When he finished the game with Salem he had cut the difference to 125 for 103 innings.
All three of the hits by Salem batters were doubles — two of them by Frank Bellotti. He led off with a double in the fourth and sixth innings.
In the fourth, Robertson struck out one batter and got another to pop out but then gave up a double to Connie Perez which brought Bellotti in and ruined his bid for a shutout.
In the sixth, Bellotti died on second base when Robertson got the same two batters out and then got Perez to pop out.
With the exception of an intentional walk to Harry Warner after Perez doubled, and an error in the seventh inning, not more Salem batters reached first base.
Manager Edo Vanni, playing his first full game at home since the Edmonton series last April, was having a hey-day. He squatted and scratched at the plate, drove in two runs, stretched a triple into a double [sic], got a single and stole second, and upped his batting average to .370.
Tri-City scored its three runs when Terry Carroll led off with a double in the first inning, moved to third on Vic Buccola’s single, and scored when Vanni grounded out.
It was double-or-nothin’ night for both teams. Besides the above-mentioned two-baggers, Bob Moniz got his 19th of the season, Jack Warren his 18th, and Dick Watson his 5lh.
Defensively, the Tri-City fly ball chasers got a workout. Fifteen of the 27 putouts were fly balls to the outfield with Moniz catching seven of them.
Altogether, only six Salem batters grounded out and one struck out.
- - -
KENNEWICK, June 25—Don Robertson, one of the most generous pitchers in the Western International League this far this season, turned stingy Friday night as he limited the Salem Senators to three hits and gave Tri-City a 3-1 win.
All the hits off Robertson were doubles, two of them being combined to score the Senators’ lone run in the fourth.
Frank Bellotti, who got two doubles during the game, smashed one out to open the inning. After two were out, Connie Perez got his and drove in Bellotti.
Joe Domenichelli, starter for Salem, was charged with the loss. Robertson’s performance was particularly surprising in that he allowed 19 hits in his last appearance—against Yakima.
Salem ......... 000 100 000—1  3 1
Tri-City ...... 100 000 20x—3 10 2
Domenichelli, Borst (8) and Ogden; Robertson and Warren.

Wenatchee Debates Leaving WIL
WENATCHEE, June 25—Wenatchee is going to take the pulse of its baseball public Monday night to see if it’s strong enough to continue supporting professional baseball.
Directors of the Western International League Chiefs said Friday a special night would be held Monday. No admission will be charged, but spectators will be asked to contribute whatever they wish toward the club’s treasury.
Last Tuesday, Salem directors asked for a similar “confidence” vote , and 4,124 paying customers responded.
MAY DROP
Bob Tyler, Wenatchee president, said, “If we get 3,500 fans out Monday, then we’ll know the people of Wenatchee want professional baseball to continue.”
He added if the financial picture doesn’t improve the Chiefs may call it quits before the start of the second half of the WIL split season, which begins July 7.
Spokane and Calgary have already dropped out of the league because of financial difficulties.
INDIANS ABSORBED
Meanwhile, the disbanding of the defunct Spokane Indians baseball team was completed today with the sale of Ralph Romero to the Wenatchee Chiefs and assignment of manager Don Osborn to a farm club of the Philadelphia Phils.

WIL STATS
(Including games of Monday, June 21, 1954)
TEAM BATTING
Vancouver, .316; Tri-City .307; Wenatchee .292; Calgary .290; Salem, .282; Victoria, .282; Edmonton, .281; Yakima .280; Lewiston .279; Spokane .275.
TEAM FIELDING
Yakima .970; Vancouver .966; Edmonton, .966; Wenatchee .962; Lewiston .961; Salem .960; Victoria .960; Spokane .954; Tri-City .952; Calgary .945.
BATTING LEADERS
Percentage, Marv Williams, Van., .405; Hits, Joe Unfried, Wen., 83; Two Base Hits, Bob Moniz, TC, 18; Three Base Hits, Herman, Yak., 6; Home Runs, Charlie Ruddock, Spo., 14; Stolen Bases, K. Chorlton, Van., Jerry Green, Wen., 13; Bases on Balls, Eddie Lake, Vic., Vic Buccola, TC, 51; Runs Batted In, Joe Unfried, Wen., 61; Runs, Marv Williams, Van., 56; Total Bases, Joe Unfried, Wen., 141; Sacrifice Hits, Vic Buccola, TC, 12; Strikeouts, Charlie Ruddock, Spo., 48.
PITCHING LEADERS
ERA., Bill Brenner, Van., 1.72; Losses, Bill Prior, Vic., 8; Bases on Balls, Jon Briggs, Sal., 78; Complete Games, Bill Brenner, Van., 11; Wins, Four tied with 9; Strikeouts, Jon Briggs, Sal., 100; Innings Pitched, Bill Brenner, Van., 131; Home Runs Allowed, John Marshall, Lew., 14.

Week’s Work
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, June 26, 1954]
WEDNESDAY—About people: Who’s going to play centre field for the Caps when K Chorlton goes up to the Seattle Rainiers? … Bill Brenner has thought all along that Arnie Hallgren really should be in the centre patch, for he can cover a lot of ground and, of course, has one of the best throwing arms in the league … But he has two other candidates looking for work, one of them Eddie Murphy, late of the Spokane Indians.