W L Pct GB
Vancouver .... 15 8 .652 —
Edmonton ..... 10 8 .556 2½
Lewiston ..... 12 10 .545 2½
Victoria ..... 12 10 .545 2½
Spokane ...... 12 10 .545 2½
Yakima ....... 12 11 .522 3
Wenatchee .... 10 12 .455 4½
Salem ........ 10 13 .435 5
Calgary ....... 7 11 .389 5½
Tri-City ...... 8 15 .343 7
VICTORIA [Jim Tang, Colonist, May 21]—Victoria Tyees spotted the Vancouver Capilanos the lead once too often at Royal Athletic Park last night but they made it plenty interesting before they lost it in the 10th inning, 10-9.
BRENNER TONIGHT
It was the first game of an important four-game WIL series, which continues tonight. Manager Bill Brenner has nominated himself to do the pitching for the Capilanos. The Tyees will counter with Bob Drilling, who will be seeking his fourth straight win since the Caps beat him in the league opener on April 29. Brenner’s record is 3-2.
Last night’s defeat dropped the Tyees two and a half games behind the leading Caps and needing the last there games of the series if they are to regain the league lead they held less than two weeks back.
A crowd of 1,000 fans showed up despite a cool breeze and two major counterattractions and they saw an exciting, free-scoring game in which both managers showed a lot of faith in their starting pitchers. Both Vancouver’s George Nicholas and Tyees’ Bill Prior were hit solidly but Prior went the full 10 to get charged with his fourth defeat. Nicholas was derricked after the Caps went ahead in the top of the 10th and Rod McKay [sic] was sent in to protect his fifth win. Helped out by some dubious coaching at first base, McKay just got by.
TAKE BIG LEAD
The Caps started out as if they would make it a rout, scoring three times in the first inning when their first two batters got blooper singles, of which at least one should have been caught, to give them a start. They added three more in the third with big Bob Wellman blasting a two-run homer to climax a rally and the Tyees found themselves trailing by 6-0.
Singles by Don Pries, Prior and Steve Mesner, two bases on balls and an outfield error brought the Tyees four runs in their half of the third. They scored again in the seventh to nullify a sixth-inning run for the Caps and finally went ahead in the eighth when Art Seguso hit a terrific line-drive home run with Joe Joshua on base to tie it up and Pries followed with a double and Milt Martin with a run-scoring single.
But the Caps, who haven’t a weak spot in their batting order, went ahead in the ninth when an error put Dick Greco on base. Wellman was walked after the count reached 3-1 and Arnie Hallgren followed with a long two-run double to the left field wall.
Seguso tied it a second time in the Victoria ninth when he singled in Armando Sanchez, running for Mesner, with two out. But Marv Williams dropped a home run over the centre-field wall in the 10th and the Tyees couldn’t get that one back.
Although they almost pulled it out, the Tyees missed too many chances. In the four-run fourth, they had their runs in and a man on second with no one out for their three, four and five hitters. All three were thrown out at first base by third-baseman Ken Richardson. In the fifth, the Tyees loaded the bags with one out and their four and five hitters due and failed to score.
Their biggest mistake, however, came in the 10th when Martin singled and was sacrificed to second by Prior. Dain Clay hit a ground single and Martin was waved in from third when it was obvious the only chance for a run would be a bad throw from short right field. Martin was out by steps and there was a momentary flurry as he rammed into Bob Duretto and the Vancouver catcher retaliated by ramming the ball hard into Martin’s mid-riff.
Hallgren was the hitting star of the game with two doubles and two singles in five trips while Wellman added two singles to his home run. Every Cap starter got at least one hit with the exception of Greco, who was treated gingerly and drew three bases on balls. Prior got three hits for the Tyees.
Defensive gems were contributed by Pries, who leaped high to snare a sizzling liner from Chorlton’s bat, and Mesner, who made a brilliant out on a ground ball through the middle by Duretto.
- - -
VICTORIA [Province, May 21]—You might as well face it, that Marv Williams is a handy man to have around.
Boss Bill Brenner found that out again Thursday night as his Western International League-leading Capilanos stretched their margin to two and one half games by knocking off Victoria Tyees, 10-9, in the opener of a four-game stand here.
Second baseman Williams, whose hitting has been real cool on the road, did the trick with his short centre-field home run in the 10th inning to give Pitcher George Nicholas his fifth win against one loss.
SEASON’S FOURTH
Mind you, homebrew Rod McKay [sic] had to come in to spell George off in the bottom half of the inning and everybody on the Caps side is mighty happy today they were able to pick off Tyees’ winning run at the plate in that session.
The home run was the fourth of the season for Marvin and the second of the night for the winners. First baseman Bob Wellman, who also had a pair of singles, banged a two-run job in the third for his fifth since joining the Caps from Seattle.
HALLGREN HITS
Don Pries’ Islanders, who finally managed an 8-7 lead in the eighth, saw it go awinging when left fielder Arnie Hallgren, top batter for Vancouver last night, doubled in two runs in the ninth. Previously he had connected for a double and two singles in four tries.
Art Seguso hit a two-run homer for Tyees in the eighth and singled in the tying run in the ninth.
Bill Brenner, going for his fourth win against two losses, opposes Bob Drilling here tonight.
Vancouver ..... 303 001 002 1—10 15 2
Victoria ......... 004 000 131 0— 9 14 1
Nicholas, MacKay (10) and Duretto; Prior and Martin.
EDMONTON, May 20 — A single to right field by manager Bob Sturgeon in the 10th inning scored the winning run as Edmonton Eskimos defeated Wenatchee Chiefs 5-4 a Western International League baseball game here Thursday night before a crowd of 834 fans.
Sturgeon's single scored Dwayne Kling, who was safe at first on an error and was then sacrificed to second.
Sturgeon was the top man at the plate in the contest, hitting three for four.
Wenatchee started with Charlie Oubre on the mound but yanked him for Ted Shandor in the eighth inning when the Eskimos tied the score at 4-4.
Wenatchee opened the scoring with a single run in the fifth and added three more
in the eighth. Edmonton scored two in the fifth, and one in the seventh before tying the game an inning later.
Shandor was tagged with the loss. John Conant went the distance for Edmonton.
Wenatchee ...... 000 010 030 0—4 9 2
Edmonton ........ 000 020 110 1—5 9 2
Oubre, Shandor (8) and Jenney; Conant and Prentice.
SPOKANE, May 20 — Spokane's Ralph Romero won a pitcher's battle with John Marshall Thursday night as the Indians beat Lewiston 1-0 to take a 2-1 victory in their three-game Western International League baseball series.
Both hurlers went the distance and each tossed a three hitter.
Lewiston .... 000 000 000—0 3 1
Spokane ..... 000 000 10x—1 3 1
Marshall and Garay; Romero and Dean.
CALGARY, May 20 — Calgary Stampeders came from behind with three runs in the bottom half of the ninth inning Thursday night to edge the Yakima Bears 9-8 in a Western International League Baseball fixture at Buffalo Stadium.
The Stampeders got to the offerings of reliefer Roy Machado for a home run, a triple, a double and two walks. First baseman Jim Wert singled home the winning run off Don Carter, who came on with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Previously the Bears had come from behind with three runs in the top of the ninth to gain an 8-6 bulge in the see-saw battled.
Dennis Luby homered twice for the Stampeders while Don Hunter, second in the home run derby, banged out his first circuit blow of the year.
Dick Briskey and Lou Stringer homered for Yakima.
Yakima .... 000 201 023—8 10 4
Calgary ... 202 010 013—9 12 1
Edmunds, Machado (9), Carter (9) and Albini; Schulte and Lundberg.
SALEM AND TRI-CITY NOT SCHEDULED
KENNEWICK [Tri-City Herald, May 21]—The Tri-City Braves left for Spokane this morning and a four-game series there with the Indians in what Edo Vanni calls “the best shape we have been in for a road trip In the last two years.”
Vanni said he would start Don Robertson against Spokane tonight.
"We been taken a beating on the road," Vanni said. "This time I'm going to use the best and see if we can't come home with some wins."
The first game tonight starts at 8:10 p.m. The second game Saturday will start at the same time and Sunday the two teams will play a split donbleheader beginning at 2 p.m. and 8:10 p.m.
For the rest of the week, Vanni has not definitely made up his mind about his starters but he said Bud Guldborg, Walt Clough, Dale Bloom, Dale Thomason may start and “I might even start Jess Dobernic.”
Besides the pitching, the club will have additional strength in Charley Davis, shortstop restored to the active list. Davis has been technically idle because of an operation but has been working out since joining the club at the beginning of the season.
Davis said, “I don't know how I'll do. The only thing to do is get out there and play and see how long I last. Maybe I'll go four or five innings — maybe I'll go the complete game.”
Bob McGuire, Tri-City's school-teaching outfielder will also join the Braves at Spokane. McGuire usually misses road trips until the end of the school year.
Club May Sign Neil Sheridan
[Victoria Colonist, May 21, 1954]
Victoria Tyees taking dead aim at a second Western International Baseball League championship, announced last night through general manager Reg Patterson that they hope to have outfielder Neil Sheridan in the lineup for the May 24 double-header against Calgary Stampeders
Sheridan, a veteran who has been a Coast League home run threat for years, has been released by the San Francisco Seals, who acquired him early in the season from Sacramento. A big fellow who swings from the third-base side of the plate, he packs plenty of long-ball authority and, if he comes, should give the Tyee offense quite a boost.
Sheridan is to give his definite answer this morning, but Patterson said last night thedeal was all but closed.
Playing in 170 Coast League games last season, 168 with Sacramento, Sheridan batted a commendable .293 and hit 43 doubles and 13 home runs. He was in the International League part of the 1952 season, with San Francisco in 1951 and 1950, with Seattle in 1949 and 1948 and with San Francisco before tat.
Patterson said that negotiations are in progress for a standout pitcher and that definite news of another acquisition is expected within a matter of days.
If the Tyees pick up Sheridan and a pitcher, manager Don Pries will have to make several decisions before the cut-down time of May 29. At least two, possibly three players will have to be placed elsewhere.
Sports Notes
BY GIL GILMORE
[from Tri-City Herald, May 22, 1954]
Sometime, somewhere about 13 or 14 years ago, a professional baseball player, a shortstop, had to make way for an up-and-coming lad who had "good hands" and an arm so strong the boy once held the collegiate record for distance throwing.
Maybe that veteran shortstop turned to semi-pro or maybe be went down to a lower league or maybe he just quit the game.
That's the way it's done, so when Ray Tran, who was the young lad a few years ago, was released and left here he probably was well aware of the situation. His brother, Len, said Ray has gone to Brandon, Manitoba to play semi-pro. The league there is what is generally called a fast semi-pro league and financially Ray will be better off there than playing pro.
However, leaving pro ball after being in it so long and going semi-pro'isn't always the easiest thing.
Ray left early this week and has since sent a postcard from Sprague, Wash., where he stopped on his way. He thanks all the boys in the press box, "Jerry Colkitt, especially, for going along with me on the broadcasting."
Ray said the Braves have a good club and he hopes we take the pennant.
* * *
Red Eiler To Quit Soon
The inside word is that ump Red Eiler, who officiated the recent games at Sanders field, will quit the league soon because of a money dispute with the league.
Eiler may change his mind, but before leaving here, he said he intended to quit.
To hear the fans at Sanders, one might get the impression that Red is considered the worst in the league but that's probably because he has been in the league longer than most and more fans know him than some of the others.
Actually, the players themselves consider Red the best — despite frequent arguments with the ump.
They concede he doesn't miss many calls and actually admire him for being firm with his decision once it is made.
Red could have moved up to the Coast league this year, just as three other umps did last year, but he would have had to take a cut in pay to do it. So this year he stayed with the WIL until the money issue.
* * *
Edo, The Ump And A Dog
And on the subject of umps, this bit of by-play went on last week:
Umpire to Edo Vanni: "Hey! Get that dog off the field."
Vanni: "What the heck do you think I am? A Dogcatcher?"
Umpire: "Yeah."
Vanni: "Well, I am keeping that one around to lead you to the clubhouse between games."
BY GIL GILMORE
[from Tri-City Herald, May 22, 1954]
Sometime, somewhere about 13 or 14 years ago, a professional baseball player, a shortstop, had to make way for an up-and-coming lad who had "good hands" and an arm so strong the boy once held the collegiate record for distance throwing.
Maybe that veteran shortstop turned to semi-pro or maybe be went down to a lower league or maybe he just quit the game.
That's the way it's done, so when Ray Tran, who was the young lad a few years ago, was released and left here he probably was well aware of the situation. His brother, Len, said Ray has gone to Brandon, Manitoba to play semi-pro. The league there is what is generally called a fast semi-pro league and financially Ray will be better off there than playing pro.
However, leaving pro ball after being in it so long and going semi-pro'isn't always the easiest thing.
Ray left early this week and has since sent a postcard from Sprague, Wash., where he stopped on his way. He thanks all the boys in the press box, "Jerry Colkitt, especially, for going along with me on the broadcasting."
Ray said the Braves have a good club and he hopes we take the pennant.
* * *
Red Eiler To Quit Soon
The inside word is that ump Red Eiler, who officiated the recent games at Sanders field, will quit the league soon because of a money dispute with the league.
Eiler may change his mind, but before leaving here, he said he intended to quit.
To hear the fans at Sanders, one might get the impression that Red is considered the worst in the league but that's probably because he has been in the league longer than most and more fans know him than some of the others.
Actually, the players themselves consider Red the best — despite frequent arguments with the ump.
They concede he doesn't miss many calls and actually admire him for being firm with his decision once it is made.
Red could have moved up to the Coast league this year, just as three other umps did last year, but he would have had to take a cut in pay to do it. So this year he stayed with the WIL until the money issue.
* * *
Edo, The Ump And A Dog
And on the subject of umps, this bit of by-play went on last week:
Umpire to Edo Vanni: "Hey! Get that dog off the field."
Vanni: "What the heck do you think I am? A Dogcatcher?"
Umpire: "Yeah."
Vanni: "Well, I am keeping that one around to lead you to the clubhouse between games."
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