Spring Training, Tuesday, April 13, 1954

THEY CAN USE HIM
Calgary Wants Bob
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, April 13, 1954]
Calgary’s muddled baseball situation should start improving almost immediately.
Bob Brown, honorary president of the Western International League, and of course long-time major domo here, came home Monday from a four-day field trip to the Alberta centre. He will be home just long enough to pack his bag—Calgary wants him to come back and get their house in order.
“They made me a whale of a proposition to come down there for 30 days and get things rolling,” said Bob. Their opening game is May 11 and I figure I can get away after that.”
Brown’s job would be to get their paper work organized, and to line up players. He’s already got some ideas on the latter, and says the club was promised help by the other teams in the league at the recent emergency meeting.
Otherwise, he says, Calgary’s overall picture is much improved over last year.
“They’ve got a lot of good committees organized,” he said. “They’ve named a business manager and a public relations man, and they’re out raising money.”
There’s talk of a new park, too, on the lines of the one just built in Winnipeg. It would house both football and baseball, but not this year, of course.
Player-wise, the Stamps aren’t entirely in the glue. Brown says they have 16 men on their reserve list and eight of those are good capable Class A players. Manager Gene Lillard has the vanguard in action at Porterville, Calif.

Brenner Gets Tough, Caps Start to Hit
[Vancouver Province, April 13, 1954]
Vancouver Capilanos’ hitting, which on the weekend too much resembled that of last year’s punchless crew, improved noticeably Monday, as the Caps took a 13-1 decision over a combined Pocatello-Lewiston team at Pocatello.
One of the reasons could have been that General Manager Bill Brenner suggested it better get better, or else.
* * *
Brenner told The Province that he gave the boys a bit of a tongue-lashing on Sunday, and when he pointed out that there were lots of replacements in camp his message apparently got through. First-baseman Ellis Daugherty and catcher Nick Pesut, each with two doubles, led the attack and made life simple indeed for Brenner, the pitcher.
Ken Richardson’s batting also perked up as Brenner coasted in with a 6-hitter in 70 degree weather.
* * *
DIAMOND DUST – In his general manager’s role, Brenner continued his weeding out process … Pitcher Harold King, unimpressive in his exhibition start, was sent out on option to Pocatello, a Pioneer League team … Caps will just drill at Clarkston, Wash., for a couple of days before playing Pocatello again, Thursday.

Deficit of $40,293 Shown By Tyees for Last Year As Attendance Drops 50,551
BY JIM TANG
[Victoria Colonist, April 13, 1954]
Stockholders of the Victoria Baseball and Athletic Co. Ltd. Learned last night at their annual meeting that professional baseball in Victoria has an accumulated deficit of $119,119.68 since 1946, when the company was granted a franchise in the reorganized Western International Baseball League.
ADDS UP
Biggest loss of all was shown for 1953 operations. The auditor’s report, combined by Gibbs & Jermain and presented to stockholders in the Chamber of Commerce boardroom by Lloyd Jermain, disclosed that the operating loss for last season was $40,293.98. Added to deficits for previous years, this brought the total losses to $119,119.68, leaving the club with a capital deficiency of $30,869.68. A total of $88,250 worth of stock has been sold.
Club assets were listed at $30,129.03 and total liabilities, including moneies advanced by several stockholders, wee listed at $60,998.71, a debit balance of $30,869.68.
Mr. Jermain attributed last season’s whopping deficit to an “alarming decrease in attendance.” His figured showed that the Tyees played to a record low of only 55,399 paying fans last season, a drop of 50,551 from the attendance of 105,950 in 1952.
THE REASON
Breaking down attendance figures into dollars and cents, the auditor’s report showed that the Tyees dropped a total of $28.444.10 in gate receipts from 1952 to 1953. Gate receipts at home last season amounted to $33,073.53, as compared to $56,371.50 for 1952 and for road games, the figures were $19,992.47 and $23,780.60 for 1953 and 1952, respectively. In addition, the Tyees benefited from an exhibition game in 1952 so that the aggregate decrease reached $28,444.10.
Operating expenses last season were $88,157.39. There was an additional amount of $1,339 for players and a loss of $1,446 in uncollectible debts, making the total cost $90,942.64. Net revenue was $50,648.66, leaving the aforementioned loss for the season of $40,293.98.
EXPENSES CUT
Mr. Jermain, however, paid tribute to the club’s effort to cut expenses last season and his figures showed that the 1953 cost of operation was $5,827.30 less than in 1952, despite the fact that players’ salaries showed an increase of more than $4,000. A large part of the saving was effected in traveling and hotel expenses—almost $4,000—and in equipment.
The auditors’ report was passed with a question and almost without a shudder.
Club president Arthur Cox in his report stressed that the near 50 per cent drop in attendance was the big reason for 1953’s “severe financial loss.” He also paid tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hew Fergusson-Pollok, the Cobble Hill fans who came to the rescue to the club last season by investing a total previously reported as $27,000.
“We couldn’t have finished the season but for them,” Cox said.
In outlining plans for the coming season, Cox said the club would be in no trouble this year if it could draw 100,000 fans, and expressed confidence that 1954 would see the 1952 attendance at least equalled.
GOOD START
He also said the club was training at home in an experiment to try and cut down on the training expenses and that it was handling its own concession and advertising sales and that increased revenue was expected here.
Speaking of the 1954 club, Cox said that a promising-looking team had been assembled without the expenditure of any money for playing talent and expressed confidence that Don Pries, the hustling, young and enthusiastic new manager, would give baseball a big boost this season.
Pries received a big welcome when he spoke to the stockholders for a few minutes while tabulations were being made on the voting for 1954 club directors.
A total of 11 shareholders were nominated, but the names of Stuart Keate, Fred Hutchinson and Frank Ireland were withdrawn by request before the vote. Cox, Johnny Johnson, Laurie Wallace, Fergusson-Pollok, Alex Straith, Ray Parfitt and Jim Lackie were elected. Fergusson-Pollok and Lackie are the only new directors, replacing Keate and E.D. LeLacheur.
In a meeting after the shareholders’ meeting, directors elected Cox to continue as president and Wallace to stay on as Secretary-Treasurer and Fergusson-Pollok as the new vice president.

TUESDAY'S GAME STORIES

KENNEWICK, (April 13)—A six-run outburst in the second inning propelled the Tri-City Braves of he Western International League to a 10-2 victory over Whitman Tuesday in the first of a two-game exhibition series. The same teams were scheduled to meet Wednesday in Walla Walla. The Braves jumped on starter Noel Aronson for a single run in the first inning on Terry Carroll's double and Len Tran's single, then produced six more tallies on five hits in the second frame.
Right fielder Ernie Hockaday started the big inning with a double, and collected another safety, a single, later in the inning.
Righthander Sid Aronson took over for Whitman in the third inning, and allowed but one pop fly single until the eighth. Len Tran's home run with Carroll aboard wound up the Tri-City scoring in that frame.
Whitman got its two runs in the eighth on Dick Fain's home run over the right field wall off Jess Dobernic, arid singles by Dick Allen and Dean Lodmell.
Fain picked up three of the six Missionaries' hits, getting a single and double in addition to his home run
Whitman ..... 000 000 020— 2 6 3
Tri-City .... 160 010 02x—10 11 2
N. Aronson, S. Aronson (3) and Hostetler; Hoodenpyl, Dobernic (6) and McCarroll, Johnson (6).

LINDSAY, Calif., April 13—Some timely hitting and brilliant pitching by John Conant and Jim Carveach proved the difference as the Edmonton Eskimos ran over the Fresno State College baseball team, 11-1, in a spring training game here Tuesday night.
Two hits, three walks and an error gave the Eskimos three runs in the first. In the fourth, third sacker Don King climaxed a three-run inning with a bases-clearing double.

FRESNO [Fresno Bee, April 14, 1954]—The Fresno State College Bulldogs will attempt to get back in the win column here tonight against the powerful Fort Ord Warriors after dropping an 11 to 10 slugfest to the Calgary Stampeders of the Western International League last [Tuesday] night in the Fresno State College Park.
It was the second, loss in a row to WI teams. Edmonton bounced the Bulldogs, 11 to 1, in Lindsay Monday night, and the Stampeders; managed by Gene Lillard, came from far back last night to edge the locals again.
Fresno will return to collegiate competition tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon when the Chico State College. Wildcats invade for a single afternoon game at 2 o'clock. Coach Pete Beiden will divide tonight’s pitching duties, between George Millhorn and Bob Doig.
Fresno’s ace lefthander Ted Wills continued to show improved form in the first four frames last night and Calgary made four unearned runs in the fifth. The Stampeders landed on relief ace Rudy Garcia for two runs on two hits in the seventh and then routed the little curve bailer with five runs on six hits in the eighth inning.
Hannah Finishes Up
Hard Hitting outfielder Jack Hannah finished up the mound duty for Fresno.
Lillard used Joe Mishasek, Don Chamber and Pete Papas for three innings each. Fresno made 14 hits but it was eight Calgary errors—four each by second sacker Don Hunter and shortstop Tom Dean—which led to a good share of the Fresno scoring.
Calgary .... 000 040 250—11 16 8
Fresno ..... 230 112 001—10 14 4

Spring Training, Tuesday, April 6, 1954

FIRST EXHIBITION TODAY
Roberts And Moen Open For Caps
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, April 6, 1954]
It came on rainy Monday at Clarkston, Wash., where the prospects for the 1954 Capilanos are gradually coming in. It was the first bad weather since the camp opened Thursday, general manager Bill Brenner reported. He said if had been warm, “around 60” until Monday.
Brenner is looking for a return to sunshine today, when the Caps’ first exhibition game is scheduled at Clarkston against Pocatello of the Class C Pioneer League.
* * *
Righthander Bob Roberts and lefty Bob Moen will pitch for Vancouver. Both were at spring training with Seattle Rainiers, so are ready to go.
All told, there were 23 hopefuls on hand, Brenner said. They don’t include his two Mexican imports, infield Marv Williams and pitcher Raul Galata but “they’re coming.”
Of three other players whose appearance was “doubtful” in Brenner’s mind, one has already arrived in Clarkston, and another says he’ll report this week. The third won’t show up, period.
* * *
Outfielder Gale Taylor, who doesn’t figure to earn a spot in the garden, has turned up to try anyway. K Chorlton, who talked of quitting if he didn’t make Seattle’s roster, says he’ll report.
Not coming is Clarence Marshall, the one-time Yankee pitcher, whose baseball career is probably at an end. Marshall, who was injured in an auto accident last fall, has applied for a job in a California aircraft plant.
* * *
DIAMOND DUST … Brenner has been told that Seattle will likely keep Lonnie Myers, the fireball righthander who’s rated a top prospect … But he hopes to get outfielder Bob Wellman, pitcher Pete Hernandez and outfielder-catcher Lloyd Jenney soon … shortstop Jim Clark, in good shape after his Palm Springs stint with the Rainiers, will be along April 12 … Another latecomer was George Nicholas, who can’t get away from his California labors until about April 18 … Brenner is highly pleased with the showing so far of his big first-baseman, via Colorado Springs, Ellis Daugherty … He’s been hitting the ball with authority … Tri-City Braves have made an outfield catch … Portland Beavers have sold them Bob Moniz, who was with Victoria the last two years … The Braves have also offered a contract to George Chalich, 24-year-old catcher, who’s baseball coach at Gonzaga.

IT BEATS ME
By JIM TANG
[from Victoria Colonist, April 6, 1954]
Bob Brown, ex-president of the WIL and ex-general manager of the Vancouver Capilanos, has been hired to help get Calgary Stampeders straightened out for the season. It’s the smartest move the baseball Stamps have yet made … return of Milt Martin assures the Tyees of the best in catching this season and made manager Don Pries happy. Martin, the club’s most-popular player last year, was Pries’ roomie for three seasons and claims Pries sought the managerial job to get out of a fourth season. Pries confirms it by inference with his remark, “That I won’t have to listen to him moaning all night this season” … Portland Beavers put outfielder Bob Moniz up for sale awhile back and reports have it they sold him to the Tri-City Braves … and cleaning up on baseball items, the Tyees are planning to start their games at 7:30 this season, except on lacrosse nights, when they will start at 6:30 to give fans a chance to take in both events. Their ticket sales will be handled by the Central Ticket Agency.

TUESDAY GAMES

Bannocks Fall 7-0 As Pitchers Shine
LEWISTON (Special, April 6) — It was a pitcher’s day here Tuesday as the Vancouver Capilanos of the class A Western International league downed the Pocatello Bannocks 7-0 in an exhibition game.
The contest was limited to six innings because of a brisk, cold wind. It was Pocatello's first exhibition outing.
The Vancouver nine was able to touch a pair of Bannock pitchers, Willie Neal and Ralph Ramirez, for five hits, two of them infield blows. However, the Capilanos took advantage of several Pocatello mental errors and some bases on balls to push across two runs in the second inning. They got five more on the fourth, on three hits and an error.
In the other four innings, the two teams played on an even basis.
The Bannocks were able to collect but two hits off three Vancouver hurlers, Bob Roberts, Bob Moen and Rod MacKay. Shortstop Dale Odekirk banged out a long single in the first inning and catcher Gerry Mongomery, the only Pocatello batter who has been in camp for more than four days, clubbed out a safety in the third stanza.
Neal started for Pocatello, pitching the first four innings. He gave up all seven runs, five hits, struck out four and walked three. Ramirez set the Vancouver team down in order in the final two frames.
Vancouver .... 020 500—7 5 0
Pocatello ...... 000 000—0 2 2
Roberts, Moen, MacKay and Whitney; Neal, Ramirez and Mongomery, Matteson, Mayberry.

Bob Brown Eyes Retirement

PLUMB TUCKERED OUT
Bob’s Ready To Rest
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Dec. 19, 1953]
Bob Brown returned home Friday from almost a month in Atlanta, New Orleans, Los Angeles and points south with just one thought in min: to get some rest.
The veteran president of the Western International League can’t officially start resting until Dec. 31, when his term as prexy of the Class A League expires.
But then he’ll “just take it easy.”
“After 53 years, I think I’ve earned it,” said a tired Bob, whose main business down south was attending the National Association convention in Atlanta. “I’ve never really had a holiday. You get about four hours sleep at those conventions.”
If “something easy” turns up in the baseball line next spring or summer, he figures he can be talked into returning to baseball. But nothing that requires all-out effort interests him.
“I had a few nibbles from some clubs,” he said, “but I’m not prepared to start building again.”
Brown had his picture taken at the convention with Win Clark, long-time secretary of the players’ organization. The two of them were the oldest baseball men on hand.
He was disappointed at not seeing his old alma mater, Notre Dame, play, but severe illness of a nephew in Chicago intervened.
His advice to southern-bound travelers: “Stick to the fried chicken. That’s all they can cook.”

Bob Brown Back in Spokane?

Canadian Eyes Buying Part in Spokane Club
VICTORIA, Nov. 10 — Speculation that Vancouver’s Bob Brown may be interested in a share of the Spokane Indians followed the close of the Western International Baseball League’s annual meeting here Tuesday.
Roy Hotchkiss of Spokane is reported to have hinted that Brown, former general-manager of the Vancouver Capilanos and president of the league last year, may be interested in a portion of the Spokane franchise.
Hotchkiss, who earlier this year expressed a wish to be relieved of some of his duties, declined to elaborate. His only comment was “Brown may be interested, that's all.”
When asked about the report Brown said “Spokane? That's a good baseball town and that’s where I made my money to buy the Vancouver franchise.”
There is still some doubt as to the number of teams wishing to start next season. Yakima, whose future had been in doubt for some time, will open next season. Fred Mercy, owner of the franchise said that a group of Yakima business men intend to keep the franchise there.
Robert Abel, elected part-time president of the league, said “to all intents and purposes Yakima will be in.”
Wenatchee has been given until Nov. 24 to make a franchise decision. It had no delegation at the Victoria meeting.
Abel suggested that if Wenatchee drops out the possibility of a Tacoma entry would, receive consideration.
“There are sound businessmen behind the Tacoma more,” he said, “and as it is necessary to operate a 10-team league, with Wenatchee out it wouldn’t be feasible not to consider Tacoma.”

Brown Out as WIL President

Abel Replaces Brown At WIL Ball Helm
Part-Time Job Now
By CLANCY LORANGER
[Vancouver Province, Nov. 10, 1953]
VICTORIA—Bob Brown will have more time to devote to his south Granville front lawn, starting Jan. 1, 1954.
Bob, who turned in his “Vancouver’s Mr. Baseball” title just last year for the presidency of the Western International League, was the main item of business during an almost 12-hour session of the class A league that decided very little here Monday.
In a move that was designed for economy (it will save the league around $4000 in salary), the Vancouver veteran was voted out as league president and became “honorary president.”
His successor is a man who’s not in the least bit new to the job: Bob Abel of Tacoma. Abel, president of the setup in 1941-42, and from 1946 through 1952, served as league secretary under Brown last summer. He’ll be a “part-time” president.
BUSY TODAY
The Brown-Abel switch occupied most of the Monday meeting, which also:
1. Reaffirmed the Spalding ball as the league baseball.
2. Set the league’s season opener one week later, April 29, and fixed the windup for Sept. 6.
That was the extent of the delegates’ work. That means they have a busy day ahead of them today, with the split season, the player and salary limit, and innumerable other items to be decided.
Main item, otherwise, at Monday’s meeting was provided by Wenatchee, who didn’t send a representative to the meeting. They’ve been given until Nov. 24 to give the league a decision on next year’s operation.
YAKIMA BACK?
It they decide not to go ahead, it will be somewhat embarrassing, because Yakima, expected to fold, apparently won’t. Fred Mercy, jr., while not anxious to operate the Yakima franchise himself, told the meeting that he figured the city would be back, with one owner or another. This, of course, could leave the league with an unwieldy nine teams.
DIAMOND DUST – Bob Brown will represent the league at the National Association meeting in Atlanta, Nov. 30-Dec. 4. After that, he says he’s “not sure” what he’ll do to keep busy ... But incoming prexy Abel says he “definitely” plans to take advantage of Brown’s experience, and will “count on him” for advice, and more concrete jobs ... Representing the Spalding people was Earl Whitehill, long-time left-handed pitching ace with Detroit and the 1933 pennant-winning Washington Senators ... There were no representatives from Tacoma or Eugene, rumored potential entries ... Victoria’s Reg Patterson ordered 10 TCA reservations out of here for today, and delegates were generally determined to get things cleaned up early.

Coast’s Connie Mack, Bob Brown Bows Out
BY DOUG PEDEN
[Victoria Colonist, November 10, 1953]
Robert P. Brown, the “Connie Mack” of baseball in the Pacific Northwest, will bow out as president of the Western International League at the end of his first one-year term in office.
Although the delegates at the WIL’s annual meeting in the Empress Hotel were expected to take measures to ease the league’s financial burden, their decision to return Bob Abel, on a part-time basis, to the office he held for many years, seemed rather sudden.
For the first time in 53 years, the 77-year-old Brown finds himself facing the prospect of not having an active part in the game he knows so well. The meeting, showing high regard for the veteran’s ability, named him honorary president for the coming season.
Brown is beloved second only to Clark Griffith of the Washington Senators, a man he closely resembles in lengthy of service in organized baseball.
He made his debut as an infielder and catcher in 1900, playing with Joe Tinker at Helena, Montana, in the Montana State League [sic]. Both players were sold to Portland of the Northwestern League at the end of the season, Brown as a centerfielder.
Tinker later moved up to the Chicago Cubs to become the shortstop of the immortal Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance double-play combination. Brown eventually stepped into an executive position as manager of Aberdeen, Washington, through 1905-08.
After sending one year as manager, vice-president and player with Spokane, he bought the Vancouver Beavers in 1910 and remained the big man in Vancouver baseball until given the WIL presidency in 1953.
Brown, who played his first year at right halfback for the Notre Dame football team in 1895, terminated his baseball playing career in 1922 and later promoted a highly successful amateur league in Vancouver until he entered a club in the WIL in 1938.
He sold the club to Emil Sick in 1945 but continued to operate the club until taking over the league reins from Abel.
The Tacoma lawyer, in a statement Monday night, said he “deeply regretted the fact that the league found it necessary to make such a decision in the front office,” and said he “would have preferred to remain in his present capacity with Mr. Brown as president.”
Many other people also will be sorry to see Bob Brown step out of an active position.