Saturday, June 30, 2007

Thursday, May 27, 1948

VANCOUVER, May 27—It you can't outhit them, out-think them.
Bremerton did just that tonight to edge the Vancouver Capilanos 4-3 and move within three games of Tacoma's rained-out Western International league leaders.
Bob Costello walked Ed Samcoff in the eighth inning with one out, and Jay Ragni's single brought him home with the tying run. Dale Markert drove one to Buddy Hjelmaa at short, who made the play at first, but Ragni kept going for third. First baseman Bill Reece fired the ball to third, but umpire Kotzen ruled the runner safe.
This so upset manager Bill Brenner that he roared out toward the mound — without calling time. The alert Ragni then sauntered home for what turned to be the winning run.
The Caps didn't seem to let it bother them as they mounted a late attack, after solving former Oakland pitcher Lloyd Hittle for only two hits in seven innings. They used two hits to score a run in the eighth, then rallied in the ninth.
Joe Kaney and Frank Mullens opened with one-out singles, then Bill Reese laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases. Charlie Mead singled Kaney in, and that brought in John Conant from the bullpen and Brenner to the plate. He grounded shorstop Jimmy Brown, who appeared to make the force-out at second — only to realise he didn't have the ball. Mullens had crossed the plate at that point, but it didn't matter as Brown grabbed the ball, threw to first, and got the slow-footed Brenner to end the game.
Bob Costello's pitching effort was wasted. He pitched to only 17 batters in the first five innings, giving up one hit and allowing one man to reach third — on an overthrow by Brenner. He ended up with four hits and struck out six when he left for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
Vancouver's first run was in the fifth, thanks to a Charlie Mead homer. Bremerton added two in the sixth by combining two bloop hits with two walks.
Bremerton ......... 000 002 020—4 5 1
Vancouver ......... 000 010 011—3 7 2
Hittle, Conant (9) and Volpi; Costello, Higgins (9) and Brenner.

SPOKANE, May 27—Spokane Indians took their second straight Western International League game from Wenatchee tonight, 6-4.
Wenatchee went to work on Indian pitcher John Orphal in the first frame for three runs.
The Spokane crew came back in the same inning to turn three Wenatchee errors, two walks and a single hit into five runs. Everett Stenman went the route on the mound for the Chiefs and allowed Spokane only eight hits.
Wenatchee .......... 301 000 000—4 10 4
Spokane .............. 500 000 10x—6 8 1
Stenman and Dalrymple; Orphal and Sheely.

YAKIMA, May 27—Yakima beat Salem, 9-4, in the opening game of a Western International League double-header here tonight.
Seven hits, including a triple by Gene Thompson, and a crucial Salem error, produced seven runs for Yakima in the sixth. The sudden outburst by the Packers broke up a pitching duel between Salem's Cal McIrvin and Yakina's Garth Ford. Each hurler had given up but four hits until Yakima's big sixth inning frame.
Salem won 4-3 in the second game, stopped after five innings due to rain.
First game
Salem ............ 000 000 4—4 4 1
Yakima .......... 000 207 x—9 11 0
McIrvin and McMillan; Ford, Kittle (7) and Eastwood.
Second game
Salem .......... 200 11—4 10 2
Yakima ........ 030 00—3 10 0
Lazor and Stumpf; Freeman and Constantino.

Tacoma at Victoria, postponed, rain.

Athletics Get Outfielder
VICTORIA, May 27—The New York Yankees today announced they have assigned right-handed-hitting outfielder Roy Gilmore to the Victoria Athletics of the Western International League.
Gilmore has been with Beaumont this season and is expected to join the club within a few days. He was in 122 games for Joplin last year and hit .269 (133 for 495). He scored 87 times and batted in 67 runs. Among his safeties were 12 home runs, 19 triples and 20 doubles, and he stole 15 bases.

THE HOME PLATE
by KEITH MATTHEWS
Little things like this can drive a front office baseball manager crazy. Capilano business manager Bob Brown received a letter from an aspiring student of baseball the other day, and this is what the young fellow said.
It starts out, “I have seen your Capilanos play and can now appreciate the fact that you need a centre fielder.” (Ed.—That’s Frank Mullens he’s talking about, isn’t it?)
“I am 19 years old and six feet one inch in height. I hit .471 for Blaine High School.” (Ed. —My batting average for the press softball team last year was .585.)
“I have played a few games during the spring and am ready to go any time you want to call for me.” (Ed. —All this spring training baseball teams go through is most unnecessary.)
“All I need is a few licks in batting practise and I know I will get enough hits to satisfy you and your fans. I have seen the pitchers in the WIL and they aren’t any harder to hit than those I faced in high school.” (Ed.—I once saw Bob Feller, and I didn’t think he was so tough, either. Mind you, I have never hit against Feller.)
The kid’s name is Bob Robertson, and as you have gathered now, he comes from Blaine, Washington.
If I am wrong in making fun of this youngster, then I will apologise later.
* * *
More on these front office problems. The Sage of False Creek, R.P. (for Paul, not Preston) Brown is either going to have to cut a player loose or do some cute financial juggling soon.
The Caps are carrying 17 players, plus manager Bill Brenner, par for the WIL course. But they far over the $4000 per month salary limit (Brenner’s stipend is excepted in this figure.)
The reason for the increase payroll is the fact that the Brennermen haven’t optioned any players from Seattle this season. Frank Mullens, Bob Snyder, Bob Costello and Jack Warren, all high-priced timber, are Vancouver property and their salaries are paid from this end in full.
Last season a case came up which will clarify the option rule.
When Paul Carpenter was optioned to the Caps he carried a $700 per month tag with him. Of this the Caps paid $300 while Seattle sent the outfielder a cheque for the rest because he came under the option rule.
With the coming of Bob Snyder last week, the Caps went far over the salary limit. Snyder was purchased outright from Seattle and his salary is also paid from this side (and not in beer caps, either).
Even the release of Sammy Samhammer didn’t make up the difference.
For now Brown can get along by putting certain players under temporary suspensions. But this is good for only 10 days, then the player must be returned to the active list or released.
* * *
An angered fan drops a postcard this way and says “When is Bob Brown going to bring his price down to 25 cents, and that is plenty for the so-called baseball?” It is signed “Once a Fan.”No comment.
Fans have also been asking why Bill Brenner pulled himself out of the lineup Monday night after getting three for three, the last of which was a 410-foot double.
We wondered, too, for when Jack Warren went in to relieve, it deprived the Caps of pinch-hitting power.
Brenner, as a matter of fact, swung so hard at the pitch which he doubled to the centre field fence, he pulled a nerve in the back of his neck. That is the reason.
- Sun, May 28, 1948
[Note—The Bob Robertson in the column later went on to be a Hall of Fame radio and TV sportcaster in Washington State and as of this blogging, still calls the Spokane Indians games of the Northwest League.]

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