1955 Angels Showing More
Hustle Than Last Year's
Club; Could Be Contenders
(This Is the fourth in a .
series on the outlook for Pac
ific Coast league teams for the
1955 season.)
By SCOTT BAILLIE
Fullerton, Calif. U.R) Bill
Sweeney, rubicund manager of
the Lot Angeles Angels, made
his customary pennant predic
tion today, then grinned that he
always takes that attitude until
somebody shows him he's
wrong.
Sweet Wilyum got the word
quite early last season with a
studgy band of Seraphs who
missed the pennant by 27 games
and finished in sixth place, but
Sweeney thinks that won't hap
pen again.
"We only have eight hold
overs from last season and this
1955 club shows a lot more
hustle," Sweeney said. "The
1954 team was slow and didn't
hit when we needed runs. Look
at poor Fred Richards, who hit
24 homers, usually with nobody
on, and batted .277 while driving
in only 56 runs. Ow'"
Richards is long gone with a
host of other former Angels as
the Chicago Cubs toy with their
pawns. But the 1955 Cherubs
hardly can be called a young out
fit although the roster is swamp
ed with new names.
Soma Old Timers
That grizzled old man taking
Richards' job at first base is
none other than Herm Reich,
who became almost as much a
part of Portland as Vaughn
street park. Reich, close to 0,
came to L.A. this year after
dropping from Portland down
into the Class C California
league and bouncing back to Se
attle. "He's doing a good job at first
base," Sweeney said when press
ed about the situation there.
Burdette Thurlby, who also is
an outfielder and batted .285 at
De Moines of the Class A West
ern league, is eyeing the spot,
too.
Over at third is 37-year-old
James (Buzz) Clarkson , who
mashed 42 home runs with Dal
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win the Texas league homer
crown, drive in 133 runs and
batter .327.
Manager Bobby Bragan of
the arch-rival Hollywood Stars,
who watched Clarkson play
winter ball this year, predicts
that the husky Negro will hit
from 25 to 30 roundtrippers in
the PCL.
"He sure gives the ball a
ride," Sweeney agreed.
Veteran shortstop Bud Hardin
and second baseman Gene
Mauch are back to give the club
strength down the middle while
Johnny Pramesa returns to
handle the catching. Bob Riv
ich, up from Stockton of the
Class C California league, may
give Pramesa some help if not
trouble.
Pitching Staff
Charley Bell, Jim Clark and
Bob Howard are rookies looking
for infield jobs and Sweeney
warns that no positions have
been cinched.
Old familiar faces on the
pitching mound belong to Lefty
Joe Hatten. (13-17), Turk Lown,
(5-3). and Cal McLish, (13-15).
"We need pitching help bad"
Sweeney said. "Those three guys
form our nucleus. We'll be glad
to get more help there from the
Chicago Cubs."
The hottest rookie, at least
on paper, is right-hander Dwight
Stoddard who won 16 straight
for Magic Valley of the Class
C Pioneer league. Sweeney says
the boy looks "pretty good."
Tom Brown, now in his 12th
year of organized ball at the
the age of 27, may play the out
field again if Clarkson pans out
at third, Tommy's old spot. Bob
Usher apparently is slated for
right field once more. Bob Coats
and Bill Bohlender, a pair of
.300 hitters from Macon of the
Class A Sally league, are among
rookies battling for other gard
ens. "We would run away with the
pennant if I had my pick of the
Cubs' roster," Sweeney said.
"But we have to take what they
send down. I am sure, however,
we will be solid contenders in a
better balanced league. And we
might win the pennant."
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Pitching Plus Power May
Again Provide Cleveland
With American Loop Flag
(This is the ninth in a series
on the 1955 prospects of the
major league teams.)
By DICK FALES
Tucson, Ariz. (U.R) The
1955 Cleveland Indians should
have the best pitching staff in
baseball and the greatest array
of power hitting, and with those
two commodities alone they fig
ure to win the pennant again.
Pitching and power tell the
Cleveland story. That was the
success pattern a year ago, xand
it paid off. This year will be the
same, only more so.
ivTonncror Al Lotez again will
have his right-handed big three
of Bob Lemon, Early Winn ana
Mike Garcia. In addition, he will
have rookie southpaw Herb
Score, a youngster whom Lopez
gives unqualified praise as a
"can't miss" star.
The nower hitting a year ago
was led by third baseman Al Ro
sen center fielder Larry Doby
and first baseman Vic Wertz.
A new entry for Tribe home run
honors will be Ralph Kiner, pur
chased during the winter from
the Chicago Cubs.
Kiner Could Help
Of defensive and base - run
ning abilities Cleveland will be
short.
The No. 1 worry facing Lopez
will be his veterans. Wynn, for
instance, may tail off from his
23-11 mark of last year because
of advancing age he's 35. Ki
ner, waived out of the National
League, has looked far more im
pressive in camp games, and he
could be the lemon of the year
if he doesn't live up to his $48,
000 a year home run salary.
Of Kiner, Lopez had this to
say: "Ralph hasn't got his tim
ing down yet, but he will. The
left field job is his if he makes
ATION
126 E. Main St.
Medford
it, but on this ball club nothing's
taken for granted. I think Kiner
should start hitting home runs
like he used to, but if he doesn't,
there are others who can take
over left field."
Kiner's performance alio
might affect another position on
the club, first base. Wertz took
over the spot last year when
Cleveland needed additional
power. But a hitting Kiner
might prompt Lopez to bench
Wertz in favor of converted out
fielder Dale Mitchell, an estab
lished .300 hitter who has defen
sive superiority over the slow
moving Wertz.
Hegan Top Catcher
Elsewhere on the club the sit
uation will be unchanged. Bat
ting champion Bobby Avila, who
held out for an extra $14,000
to go along with last year's .341
batting average, will be at sec
ond. Rosen, victim of an ill-fated
move to first a year ago, will re
main at third. Weak - hitting
George Strickland will be at
shortstop, but former Athletics'
Manager Eddie Joost could grab
the position if Strickland's hit
ting gets worse.
With Kiner in left field, Al
Smith will move over to right.
Smith and centerfielder Doby
gave Cleveland a sound defen
sive outfield last year.
Durable Jim Hagan, who play
ed 139 games last year, will
again be the No. 1 catcher.
Cleveland's reserve strength
perhaps accounted for last year's
pennant more than anything else,
and Lopez planned on an equally-strong
bench this year. For
pitchers, he will have Bob Fel
ler and Art Houtteman for occas
ional starting assignments, with
Ray Narleski and left-handers
Hal Newhouser and Don Mossi
heading the relief corps.
Infield protection is provided
by veterans Sam Dente and Hank
Majeski. Dave Philley and Wal
ly Westlake, another pair of ex
perienced players, will give out
fielding depth. And rookie Hank
Foiles, a .332 hitter with Indiana
polis a year ago, will team with
Hal Naragon to provide catch
ing reserve.
Yreka Nine
Tips Tornado
Medford high' baseballers
doubled the Loggers in hit
ting but had trouble on th
basepaths yesterday at they
lost their season opener 6 to 2
at Yreka, Calif.
The Black Tornado got
good number of men on bases
but had them stranded there
as base running was not what
it should hare been.
Larry Gober's double topped
eight Medford hits. Yreka got
only four safeties but drew
eight walks to Medford's four.
The second and fifth were
Yreka's big innings with two
and three, tallies respectively.
LINESCORK
Medford ..0Ol 100 0 2 8 3
Yreka 200 031 x 6 4 4
Side. Bellack (4), Tyler (4 and
McLaughlin; Dilley, Keeys (3) and
Kliever.
World's Record
For 880 Broken
Berkeley, Calif. (U.R) Long
Spurrier, former University of
California track star, broke the
world's-record Saturday for the
880-yard run when he ran a
blistering 1:47.5 to best the offi
cial standard by more than a full
second.
The 22 year-old speedster
from Delano, Calif., now com
peting as a member of the San
Francisco Olympic Club track
team, finished 35-yards in front
of the pack in a triangular meet
between UC, Olympic club and
the Santa Clara Youth Center.
The official record of 1:48.6
is held jointly by Mai Whitfield,
formerly of Ohio State, and Gun
nar Nielsen.
Spurrier, who was runner in
the 800-meter run in the Pan
American games at Mexico City
last week, had a previous best
half-mile mark of 1:49.8.
Antonelli Said Ready
For Season Opener
Mesa, Ariz. U.R) Left
hander Johnny Antonelli, who
closed the World Series out for
the New York Giants last au
tumn, looks like he's ready to
open the National league sea
son for the champions.
Only 5 More Days
Until Stark's Drawing
for the Ntw 1955
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Jacksonville
In Practice
Jacksonville Phoenix was
victor 3 to 2 Friday in a practice
tussle which opened the 1955
baseball season for Coach Fred
Richardson's Jacksonville high
school Redskins.
Freshmen and sophomores fig
ured strongly in the line-up for
tne Kedskins.
Only four lettermen are back
from last years club, and one of
them, catcher-outfielder Harold
Jordan, has been out of school
for the past week because of ill
ness in his family.
Two of the iettermen have
only one year of experience. Both
sophomores, they are First Base
man Gary Hueners and pitcher
infielder Clyde Smith. Outfield
er Dick Sanford, the fourth let
terman, and Jordan both are
seniors.
Leading infield candidates at
present are Hueners, first base;
Bob Guches, a junior, at second;
Jack Daly, sophomore, shortstop;
and Sam Bishop, sophomore,
third base.
Richardson's three top out
fielders at this stage of the sea
son appear to be Sanford, Fresh
man Walter Couch, and Senior
Dick Teal. Couch and Teal will
also double as left handed
pitchers.
Two other pitchers are loom
ing big in Richardson's plans.
They are Senior Dale Baysinger,
a left hander, and Junior J. L.
Beams, a right handed hurler.
Seven other squad members
will be contending for starting
berths this year. They are Soph
omore Gary West, catcher; John
Winningham, a freshman infield
er; Marion Dowell, a freshman
infielder-outfielder; Ken Shock
ley, sophomore infielder; Eddie
Paxton, right handed freshman
pitcher; Tom Bishop, freshman
outfielder; and Bob Gemaehlich,
senior catcher.
Richardson tentatively has
lined up a practice game for
Tuesday against the combined
Medford varsity and junior var
sity, to be .played at Medford.
Meanwhile, Track Coach Mil
lard Webb is drilling his hope
fuls in preparation for what
looks like an improved season
over last year's record.
Lettermen who will be back
are Fred DeVos, a senior, who
is defending district 440 cham
pion; Floyd Driscoll, a sopho
more sprinter, and Bruce Boyd,
a senior who figures in Webb's
half mile and mile plans for this
season.
Other top track prospects in
clude Dick Sanford, senior, in the
half mile and high jump; Harvey
Hueners, senior, in the javelin;
Ronnie Mclntyre. senior, in the
440 and 880; Harold Jordan,
senior, in the snrints and relav:
Eldon Smith, freshman, middle
distances and high jump; Marion
Dowell, freshman, who looks
good in several events: Bob Ge-
Maehlich, senior, in the shot put;
Bob Guches, junior, in the pole
vault; Dale Baysinger, senior
transfer from Grants Pass, hur
dles; Gene Smith, freshman,
mile; Jerry Stewart, senior, pole
vault and hurdles; Sam Bishop,
sophomore, middle distances and
Clyde Smith, sophomore, javelin.
PILOTS TOP GONZAGA
Portland (U.R) Portland
University decisioned Gonzaga
7V to 4'i in a golfing match at
Columbia - Edgewater Friday.
Roger Siliecky of Portland and
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Sixth and Central
Sunday, March 27, 195S
Sports Bulletin
Chicago (U.R) Wes San
tee turned in a biasing finish
Saturday night io win the
Bankers' mile of the Chicago
Daily News relays with the
third fastest time of the sea
son, 4:04.2, before 15,262 fans.
It was the second straight
standout performance by the
former Kansas Univesity star.
Last night, ho won the mile in
Cleveland, in a clocking of
4:04.6. His time tonight set a
new relays record, eclipsing
the old mark of 4:06.4 set by
Gil Dodds of the Boston A.A.
in 1944.
Baker Decisions
Mederos Easily;
Eyes Valdes Bout
New York (U.R) Heavy
weight contender Bob Baker of
Pittsburgh, who licked one Cu
ban Friday night, issued a warn
ing today to another Cuban, Nino
Valdes to "fight me or be by
passed in the race for a Septem
ber shot at the title."
Big Bob, third-ranking con
tender won a lop-sided decision
over unranked Julio Mederos of
Havana in their nationally tele
vised and broadcast 10-rounder at
Madison Square Garden Friday
night.
Valdes is the No. 1 contender.
But he already has been by
passed by second-ranking Don
Cockell of England for a May
title fight with champion Rocky
Marciano.
Baker, who scaled 209 pounds
to Mederos' 190 Friday night,
came out of the fight unmarked
although Cuban Julio landed
several good long rights to the
head during the bout. However,
Mederos was too eager and too
nervous for good marksmanship
in his first Garden fight. He
missed with most of his punches.
Baker shuffled forward per
sistently and gave Mederos a
methodical beating with short
punches to head and body. He
staggered the Cuban several
times but couldn't drop him. Big
Bob boxed so well that he made
Julio look like a one-handed
fighter.
Olympic Chief
Considers Taking
Australia Trip
Chicago (U.R) Avery Brun
dage, international Olympic pres
ident, said yesterday he "may
go to Australia in three or four
days" to check reports that the
1956 games, scheduled for Mel
borne, are endangered by strike
disputes and lack of accommoda
tion. The Australian press has circu
lated reports saying that Brun
gage was "alarmed" by the sit
uation and would fly to Mel
bourne next week to inspect the
situation.
"I haven't definitely decided
to go yet," Brundage said. "But
if I do, it probably will be to
make first-hand report to the In
ternational Olympic Committee
which meets in Paris in June."
Brundage added that "Austral
ian officials have assured me
the unfortunate publicity is un
warranted." He said he hasn't heard a thing
about alleged reports that fresh
demands are being made in Eu
rope to take the games away
from Melbourne even at this
late date.
J. J. Hagen of Gonzaga shared
medal honors with 77's.
Medford's Bargain Corner
Two Americans Aid
Cambridge Crew Win
London (U.R) A pair of
brawny Americans helped pow
er Cambridge's eight-oared shell
to its most one-sided victory
over Oxford since 1900 Saturday
on the choppy waters of the
Thames river.
With Philip Dubois of Ridge
field, Conn., at the No. 2 oar
and Bob Monks of Washington,
D. C, at No. 6, the "light blues"
of Cambridge won by 16 lengths
in the 101st renewal of this
famed rowing rivalry dating
back to 1829. It was the first
time in the history of the race
that two Americans rowed for
the same crew.
Americans Win Doubles
At Canne Tournament
Nice, France (U.R) Budge
Patty of Los Angeles and Tony
Vincent of Miami, Fla ; won the
men's doubles championship in
the Gallia Tennis tournament in
Cannes by defeating Bernard
Destreameau of France and
Vladimir Skonecki, self-exiled
Pole, 6-2. 6-3, 6-2. '
Earlier Patty and Vincent
defeated Robert Bedard and
Donald Fontana of Canda in
the semi-finals, 6-4, 7-9, 6-2.
Shirley Bloom and Patricia
Ward of Englend won the wo
men's doubles finals by defeat
ing Angela Buxton and Joan
Curry of England, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.
NASHUA WINS
Hallandale, Fla. (U.R)
Nashua, the equine "playboy"
from New York, passed an im
portant test in his young . ra
cing career Saturday when he
won the $148,750 Florida derby
over a muddy track at Gulf
stream park.
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Medford, Oregon
MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE NINE
West Virginia
Breaks 100-Point
Scoring Barrier
New York (U.R) West Vir
ginia Tech became the first team
ever to break the 100-points-a-game
barrier and Bob Hopkins of
Grambling swept to a new career
scoring record, according to
small-college season-end statistics
released yes'rday by the NCAA
Service Bureau.
Tech wound up the season
with a 107.5 points per-game
average over a span of 20 games
to rack up a new first in team
scoring averages. Other team
records set were Santa Barbara's
48.6 per cent free throw arrnrarv
mark.
Hopkins, who scored 1n3fi
points in 32 games, lost out to
bui warden of North Central
for the individual scoring lead
ership, but boosted his three
year total to 2894 points, sur
passing all previous career
scorers. And he still has a year
of eligibility remaining.
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