Game of Monday, April 21, 1947

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Standings on Tues., April 22
. . . . . . . . . W L Pct. GB
Salem ........... 4 0 1.000 --
Victoria ........ 4 1 .800 ½
Bremerton ....... 3 1 .750 1
Spokane ......... 2 1 .667 1
Tacoma .......... 1 2 .333 2½
Wenatchee ....... 1 3 .250 3
Yakima .......... 1 4 .200 3½
Vancouver ....... 0 4 .000 4

VICTORIA, April 21—Victoria Athletics blasted three Yakima moundsmen for 14 big hits Monday night to make a successful hometown debut in the Western International baseball league by winning 8-7.
Leading the way for the winners was Vic Mastro, who had a triple, two doubles, a single and a walk in five trips and batted in three runs. Prominent in every rally was Pat Patterson the speedy centre fielder, who also had a triple and two doubles. Jack Harshman batted in three runs with a single and a single.
Shortstop Leo Righetti, blanked in his first three trips, came through with a game-winning single in the seventh, while Bill Rothrock, the Indiana boy who was shelled off the mound at Wenatchee Sunday, came through with a sterling three-inning relief chore to earn credit for the victory.
Walks to Sam Stassi and Bob Moore in the second inning where followed by Buddy Phillips' triple and John Brysch's double to give the visitors a 3-1 lead. Successive doubles by Patterson and Mastro after two were out had given Victoria an early edge.
Mastro doubled Patterson home again in the third, but Stassi lined a homer over the centre field wall in the fifth following walks to Gene Thompson and Joe Skeber to put the Stars ahead 6-2.
Harshman's single scored Jim Gibson in the fifth before Victoria managed a four-run uprising in the sixth. Mike Hafenecker reached base on Stassi's bad throw, Hooper hit a pinch-single one out later, then after a strike out, Harshman doubled and Patterson cleared the rest of the bases with a triple.
One was out in the seventh when Hafenecker doubled to right and Righetti singled.
Over 5,300 fans jammed Royal Athletic Park to set an attendance record for Victoria baseball.
Yakima ..... 030 031 000 – 7 8 2
Victoria ... 101 014 10x – 8 14 0
Brysch, Ward (6) and Phillips; Gibson, Palmer (6), Rockroth (7) and Mastro.

Only game scheduled.

Caps Shake-Up For Opener
[Vancouver Sun, April 22, 1947]
Over 1,000 persons sat in at the Veterans’ Memorial Centre last night where the 1947 Capilanos were introduced to fans and where Cap manager Bill Brenner promised a “hustling fast-thinking ball club” for this WIL baseball season.
Bill must have thought deeply about what he said, for the first shake-up for tonight’s scheduled home opener at Cap Stadium, 8 o’clock, where the Brownies come up against the Salem Senators, the latter four-time conquerors of the Caps down south.
In this first shake-up, Bill Wright will return to right field, his sore knee having responded to treatment. Lou Estes, the long-ball hitting utility hand, will get a shot at third base, a spot he called home with San Diego in the Coast League five years ago.
This moves forces Lenny Tran to take over shortstop from weak-hitting Bud Hjelmaa.
With these moves, Brenner is putting much more punch in the Caps’ attack, but Tran at shortstop may not be the shining light afield that young Hjelmaa was in Salem. For that reason Buddy will be kept warm, ready for a quick leap into the breach.
Hunk Anderson has been nominated to pitch for the Caps tonight, and he will face one of Salem’s good left-handers, whether it be Kenny Wyatt or Carl Gunnarson.
The Caps will face a lot of southpaw pitching this year in their own bailiwick, for opponents feel that the Cap power lies on the south side of the plate, and that 280-foot right field fence is too inviting a target. The left-handed power comes from Frank Mullens, Bill Wright, Charley Mead and Lee Mohr, the new keystoner with fleet feet.
Opening ceremonies will be brief. The Seaforth Cadets will parade in full regalia, with band and all, and Cap president Chuck Wills, Alderman Price and the players will all be introduced to the fans.
After tonight, Salem and Vancouver will meet in a double header tomorrow and the Caps then tackle Yakima Thursday, Friday and twice on Saturday.
On the return trip from Salem, Herb Pashkowski was dropped off at his home in Olympia so he could return to amateur ranks and Slim Burke drew his release yesterday.

ON THE SUNBEAM
By ALF COTTRELL
[Vancouver Sun, April 22, 1947]
Well, You Can’t Win ‘Em All
According to my eagle-eyed scouts, who never miss a thing, the Fifth Avenue greensward will open for baseball business tonight when the new Vancouver Capilanos on the 1947 model Salem Senators march up to home plate to be introduced.
I understand that the ceremonies will be brief. A few officials will take a bow. Then chief usher Jock Clark will wind up and throw out the first drunk, and the local baseball season will be underway.
Because they lost four out of four at Salem, there is an excusable tendency on the part of the critics to stage that the Caps are not much better than they ought to be. When you can’t win for losing it doesn’t help much to argue that you have only been losing in photo finishes. There is no wicket at the ball park where one can cash place tickets.
My feelings were bruised severely yesterday, however, by a fellow who had been privileged to see the Caps opening series in Salem. Calling on his best Eton English, my pal said, “Them rookies you been writing about stink.”
Fighting back the tears, I recalled filing a story “Night Press Rates, Collect,” from the Capilanos’ training camp at Sunnyside, the gist of which was a flowing the prediction that “the Caps should win more games than they lose, providing they don’t lose too many.”
It all just shows you can’t be too careful. I am reminded of the case of New York Yankees’ manager Joe McCarthy. On the occasion to which I refer Joe gave careful attention to the point blank question fired by a reporter. Then, in a burst of recklessness, he answered, “Yes and no. But don’t quote me.”
Silence on the Hitting Front
I also spoke kindly of the local hitting attack. Here I haven’t fared so well. A great calm seems to have descended over the Capilano bats. Even a low bow in the direction of the Salem mound corps will hardly serve as an excuse for the fact the locals aren’t denting the far barriers as expected.
Getting down to cases, I recollect that during the training camp games against Yakima the boys who were tossing the heaviest shells at the Yak pitchers were first baseman Lavis York and the then-second baseman, Indian Jim Estrada.
“The two guys we got to watch are York and the Indian,” was the way the opposition strategists put it.
Just before the regular season started Estrada succumbed to his old failing, a tendency to get in the way of pitched balls. I always suspected that Jim, in doing this, was toughening himself for something. This time he finished second to a ball on the wrist and is now in California, waiting until the bones knit together.
Estrada’s departure took a lot out of the Cap batting punch. As for York, he has been showing signs of life without delivering in the quantity the way he did at camp. Nor have Charlie Mead and Bill Wright (until he too was injured) come through with much heavy sticking as yet.
Buddy Handling a Tough Chore
My three-star rookie specials from Sunnyside, forwarded minus a written guarantee, were pitcher Jack Meister, first-baseman York and second string catcher Bobby Stumpf. I’ll stick with my prediction of stardom for their parties until I receive definite evidence to the contrary.
Shortstop Buddy Hjelmaa, a kid fresh out of college and sandlot ball, wasn’t slated for a regular spot in the infield if Estrada remained available. They’re asking plenty of Buddy, but he seems to be measuring up pretty well for a supposed banjo hitter.
The Caps may need a re-do later, but it seems a mite early to yell Uncle. I still believe that come what May, June or September the locals will be up there, or thereabouts, when they carve the strawberry shortcake.

Before and After
By Ken McConnell
[Vancouver Province, April 22, 1947]
WELCOME, THE CAPS
What price our Capilanos?
From the back-room comes a low growl: “Starting the same old way; they’ll probably finish that way!”
And yet, in the first four games of the season, all of which the Caps lost, they were never too far off the pace. Tonight we’ll see them in action for the first time in 1947.
Out at the Stadium yesterday the sun beat down, there was tremendous activity in the box-office and Eddie Lamoureux was around and about, no doubt lining up his hot dogs and peanuts for the kill.
It was an ideal spring day and baseball was in the air despite the repeated questions regarding the possibility of Detroit Red Wing all Stars and Montreal Canadians playing here.
They will not play at the Forum.
Somebody took up the lazy conversation and mentioned that the Caps’ stock suffered a bad blow with the temporary loss of Jimmy Estrada, out with a hand fracture.
“If Estrada had been with us,” offered Bob Brown, “We would have won at least two of the four games.”
* * *
Down With Victoria!
Early success of Victoria Athletics is of interest. As you are well aware this club was never out of the cellar last year and yet they drew exceptionally well.
This irks a number of our baseball fans.
It was mentioned that New York Yankees are now sponsoring the Victoria club.
“So what?” demanded Chuck Charles. “Let’s have a winning club here.”
Patiently Bob Brown, as yet unruffled, allowed that he had a good club.”
We listened while stories of great ball players who have played at Capilano Stadium, nee Athletic Park, were reviewed. We wondered about the possibility of attracting more fans this year and the Sporting News points out that of the nine Class B Leagues in the world, the Western International League outdrew the rest last season.
“With a winning ball club we’ll do better this year, too,” observed Brown. “By gum we are just working up to the time when we will be playing in our new stadium.”
Bob sold a few more box-seats and then was guilty of the week’s greatest under-statement: “I think,” though Mr. Baseball right out loud, “that we’ll win the pennant—I’ll be disappointed if we don’t.”
* * *
JUST WINDING UP: By the way Jimmy Estrada will be able to rejoin the Caps in about three weeks time ... Park Concessionaire Eddie Lamoureaux and his staff dished out refreshments last night at the baseball rally and it was all for free ... Hot dogs, peanuts, pop, cushions—never has Eddie had so many willing customers.