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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (March 31, 1955)
TWELVEMTErORD (OREGON) A's Purchase E. Blackwell From Yanks West Palm Beach, Fla. : !U.R Officials of the Kansas City Ath letics insisted today that the A's purchase of three players from the New York Yankees had "nothing to do" with a reported Tankee offer for pitcher Arnold Portocarrero. The deal announced last night, first made by the A's since their shift to Kansas City, brought to last season's last place team pitchers Ewell (The Whip) Black well and Tom Gorman and firlt baseman Dick Kryhoski. The purchase price was not an , nounced, but was estimated at $30,000. Ray Kennedy, the A's director of player personnel, said that the straight cash transaction did not stem in any way from a report two days ago that the Yankees had offered five players to Kan sas City for pitcher Arnold Por tocarrero, generally regarded as the ace of the Kansas City staff. However, many observers at the training camp here believe this purchase may be the fore runner of still further deals be tween the two teams, possibly involving Portocarrero. Baseball Briefs San Diego, Calif (U.R) Manager Bob Elliott scheduled only a batting practice today aft er his San Diego Padres whip ped the Camp Pendleton Ma rines 10-2 yesterday. Left hander Bob Kerrigan pitched nine innings of ball in the win and gave up only six hits Dick Faber hit a bases loaded homer in the second and drove in a total of five runs. ANGELS DUMP UCLA Fullerton, Calif. (U.R) Cal McLish starts for "the Lcs Ange les. Angels today as they renew their cross-town rivalry with the Hollywood Stars here. The Angels dumped UCLA 11-1 yes terday to avenge an earlier 9-6 defeat at the hands of the Bruins. Pitcher Joe Hatten went seven innings and allowed only four hits. Outfielder Bob Usher slugged a homerun, a triple and a single in driving in two runs. Buzz Clarkson also homered for the Angels. SUDS BEAT STARS Palm Springs, Calif. (U.R) The Seattle Rainiers plsy the Portland Beavers t Glendale, Calif., today after defeating Hol lywood 12-3 yesterday with a 15 hit barrage against four Star pitchers. Moe Savransky, a southpaw obtained from Cincin nati, pitched seven innings yes terday and scattered five hits. PINCH HOMER WINS El Centro, Calif. (U.R) George Metkovich, limping with bad charlie horse, uncorked a two-run, pinch hit home run in the ninth inning last night to five the Oakland Oaks a narrow 6-5 win over Sacramento. The Colons had taken the lead on two homers by catcher Dan Baich and another by first base man Nippy Jones. SO RECORD Augusta. Ga. (U.R) Bob Por- terfield pointed to a 3-0 Grape fruit League record today as evi dence he's ready for the Wash ington Senator's opening day mound assignment. Porter field was credited with his third victory of the spring Wednesday in an 8-4 win over the Cincin nati Redlegs. MORTON TO FARM CLUB Sarasota, Fla. (U.R) Guv- Morton Jr..- son of a former Cleveland Indians' pitcher, was sent by the Boston Red Sox to day to their Montgomery, Ala., farm club. The Red Sox, who .play the Philadelphia Phillies today, were battered Wednesday by the Detroit Tigers, 9-3. GARMON TODENVER Daytona Beach. Fla. (U.R) The Pittsburgh Pirates announc ed today that pitcher Chuck Garmon has been returned to Denver in the Western League. Garmon had a 16-7 record with Denver last season but did not fiitch an inning of exhibition ball his spring. The Pirates bowed to the Baltimore Orioles, 3-1, in the opener of a doubleheader Wednesday but bounced back to win the second game, 2-0. for their seventh triumph in their last eight games. SOLLY DRAKE HURT Mesa. Ariz. (U.R) Solly Drake. 24 - year - old rookie rated a chance to be the Chicago Cubs' regular centerfielder this year, will be side-lined for an estimated two months with a discloated right ankle and bro ken fibula. JUSTICE RETIRES Chapel Hill, N. C. (U.D - Charley (Choo Choo) Justice Washington Redskins halfback and former football All-America at the University of North Caro lina, has announced his retire ment from football. Justice, a native of Asheville, N.C.. who now resides here, said he has accepted a job as a salesman for an oil company and would con tinue to live in thi3 city. MAIL TRIBUNE STENGEL THINKS YANKS SHOULD ABOUT MATCH LAST YEAR'S WIN TOTAL By LEO H. PETERSEN United Press Sports Editor St. Petersburg, Fla. (U.R) The Yankees won 103 games last season and finished second, eight games behind the Indians. Wily Casey Stengel thinks his 1955 team will win about the same number of games, and that it will be enough to win the American league pennant. Most baseball people agree, although they also feel as Stengel does that the Indians will be tough to beat. "But we should do it," Stengel said. "It won't be easy, though." Except for pitching and one infield spot, his 1955 club is all set. The infield spot undecided is shortstop. It looks like Stengel will open the season with the veteran Phil Rizzuto, but no one expects him to hold up very long. And if he does fade, it will be Bill Hunter at that important post. Scooter Poses Problem Hunter was one of the three players the Yankees acquired in their big million-dollar deal with the Orioles, and the others being pitchers Bob Turley and Don Larsen. Hunter has more range than 36-year-old Rizzuto. Last season Rizzuto, who criticized Stengel for not using him more, hit only .193, far below his usual bat ting average. Hunter, who is 26, hit .240 with the Orioles. At first base it will be Bill Skowron, who as a part time performer hit .340 last season. Stengel plans to use him against all types of pitching, instead of platooning him with Joe Collins. Last year, Skowron played only when left- handers pitched against the Yankees. Howard Should Slick Gil McDougald will be at sec ond and Andy Carey at third with an outfield of Irv Noren in left, Mickey Mantle in cen ter and Hank Bauer in right. Gerry Coleman will be around to take over at either second, short or third and Eddie Rob inson, a first baseman, will be kept mostly for pinch hitting chores. Stengel also must carry two infield bonus babies, first baseman Frank Leja and shortstop Tom Carroll. Bob Cerv and the veteran En os Slaughter will be the out field reserves. Collins also can play the outfield and so can rookie Elston Howard, who seems sure to be retained. How ard, however, is not too sure in the outfield and probably Hearn Key to Giants' Flag Hopes With New Attitude, Secret Pitch Tucson, Ariz. (U.R) Jim Hearn. who helped pitch the New York Giants to a pennant in 1951, has been described as the key man in the Giants' ef forts for a repeat National league flag. Manager Leo Durocher him self cited Hearn as his most ex citing improvement this spring training campaign. "Hearn is the most improved man on my staff," said Duroch er. "His attitude has not only changed but he's a far better pitcher than I have even seen him to be." That new attitude is the ob vious change in Hearn, who had an 8-8 won-lost record last year. But there's a "mystery" about him. too a "secret pitch." Hearn developed the pitch un der Coach Frank Shellenback, his private tutor, and catcher Wes Westrum. They will unveil it shortly after the season be gins. OSC DINNER CANCELLED Portland (U.R) The Port land retail trade bureau's sched uled dinner to honor the Oregon State basketball team next Mon day night was cancelled today because of lack of public re sponse. Baseball WEDNESDAY EXHIBITIONS (1st Came) Pittsburgh N 000 1 00 000 1 8 1 Baltimore (Al 010 002 OOx 3 8 0 Wade. Donoso (5) and Shepard. Pa lica. Rogovin (6) and Moss. Winning pitcher Rogovin. Losing p i t c h e r Donoso. ("nd Game, ft Innings) Pittsburgh iNl 000 000 02 2 6 1 Baltimore IAi 000 000 00 0 3 0 Sawyer. Face i7 and Atwell. Cole man. Miller (8) and Batts. Winning pitcher Face. Losing pitcher Miller. Milwaukee (N) 000 100 001 2 9 1 Brooklyn N 000 012 OOx 3 8 0 Burdette, Wilson (6) and Crandall. Parks i7). Wojey.. Darnell " and Walker. Winning pitcher Darnell. Losing pitcher Wilson. Detroit fA) 030 600 000 9 14 1 Boston Al 000 000 0033 5 1 Hoeft. Zuverink 7 and Wilson, Yewcic 7t. Delock. Smith (5). Free man (8 and White. Winning pitcher Hoeft. Losing pitcher Delock. Cincinnati (JT) 000 004 100 5 8 2 Wash. (A).. .200 410 lOx 3 13 2 Minarcin, Collum (5i and Bailev. Porterfield. Shea, (7), Currie 9 and Korcheck. Winning pitcher Porter field. Losing pitcher Minarcin. 'Called end of 12 innings, dark.) NY. (A 100 303 030 000 10 15 3 Phila.tX) 000 150 040 000 10 12 3 Kucks. Wiesler (6), Sturdivant '8) and Howard. Owens. Casagrande (7), Penson (9 and Lopata. Burgess (3). New York (N) 100 230 042 12 16 2 Cleveland! A) 310 031 030 11 10 3 Antonelli. Grissom 6. Jansen (8. I-iddle (8. Giel (9) and Westrum. Katt 8. Garcia. Houtteman 5. Mossi 19) and Hegan. Winning pitcher Laddie. Losing pitcher Mossi. Thursday, March 31, 1933 will wind up as the No. 2 catch er behind Yogi Berra. Three Siarters Ready Ed Ford (16-8), Bob Grim (20 6) and Turley. who won 14 while losing 15 with the Orioles, are three sure starters. The No. 4 starting job is wide open with Larsen, who won only three games with the Orioles last sea son; rookie John Kucks and the veteran Tommy Byrne, who won three games for the Yankees last season after being purchas ed from Seattle, battling for the job. Another possibility is Tom Morgan, (11-5). Two veterans, Johnny Sain (6-6) and Jim Konstanty (3-4) will be the relief specialists. Another veteran, steady Ed die Lopat, will be used as a spot starter on a once-a-week basis. Other pitching possibilities in clude Tom Gorman, who was hurt most of last season when he won only three games while losing two at Kansas City; Art Schallock, back for another shot after winning 12 at Oakland and Lou Sleater, the former Browns left-hander who ron seven with Charleston and Kansas City last season. Eagles Nab 4th in Row Eagle Point Eagle Point high scored its fourth straight baseball win and its second over Prospect by drubbing the Coug ars 15 to 0 at Prospect yester day. The tussle had been set for Monday, was switched to today then was rescheduled for yes terday when the Rogue River Eagle Point track meet plans succumbed to bad weather. Even at that weather threatened the baseball game. There was snow on the ground yesterday at Pros pect. Carl Christian turned in a three-hit pitching performance and got three safeties in five times up for Eagle Point. He faced only 26 batters, walked one and fanned 10. Dick Brown hit three for four for the Eagles. LIN'ESCORE: Eagle Point ....304 230 315 11 3 Prospect 000 000 0 0 3 7 C. Christian and Boren; Babbs, Peterson (4) and Walls. Nats, Pistons To Open Play-Off For NBA Mantle Syracuse, N. Y. (U.R) The Syracuse Nationals and the Fort Wayne Pistons, meet tonight in the first game of the National Basketball Association's champ ionship playoff. . The Pistons, who never have won a game at Syracuse, were 10-point underdogs for the open er of professional basketball's best-of-seven title series. A standing-room-only crowd of about 9,000 was expected to watch the game at the War Memorial Audi torium. Syracuse and Fort Wayne both won regular season pen nants in their respective divi sions. Then the Nationals turned back the Boston Celtics in the Eastern semi-finals, while the Pistons surprised the defending champion Minneapolis Lakers in the Western eliminations. USF Dons Choose Swede Halbrook San Francisco (U.R) Tom Gola of LaSalle headed an all opponent team named yesterday by the University of San Fran cisco Dons, NCAA basketball champions. . Others named to the first team were Ken Sears of Santa Clara, Jim Scott "of West Texas State, Wade (Swede) Halbrook of Ore gon State, and Tom Salvino of Loyola, Los Angeles. The selec tions were made without regard to position. Yankee's First Large Cut in Squad Expected St. Petersburg, Fla. (U.R) The New York Yankees were ex pected to make their first large squad cut today before break ing camp to begin an eight-game trip northward. Particular interest centered on whether Negro c a t c h e r-out-f ielder Elston Howard and rookie pitcher Johnny Kucks would stay with the squad. Both are expected to be retained al though Kucks was hit 'hard' Wednesday in the Yankees' 10 10. 12-inning tie with the Phila delphia Phillies. COX TRANSFERS Minneapolis, Minn. (U.R) University of Washington foot ball star Bobby Cox was admit ted officially to the University of Minnesota as a transfer stu dent Tuesday. v Cox, star quarterback for the Huskies last season, left Wash ington recently saying he was "unhappy" there. He will take radio and television announcing courses here. Cox will not be eligible for football at Minne sota until the 1956 season. He is a sophomore. GETTING READY Harold "Buck" Davidson, above, long a favorite with Medford wrestling fans, is shown working out in preparation for his match with newcomer "Champ" Thomas at Merrick's arena here Saturday night. In other bouts Yoggi Hussane opposes Cyclone Cobb and Gerry Hunter takes on Shirley Winters in a girls' match. Starting time is 8:30 p.m. Medfo; Tornado, Comet Nines Vie Friday, Saturday Rival coaches today indicated probable line-ups for the week end baseball series between Medford and Crater high schools. The teams clash at 3:b0 p.m. Friday and at 1:30 p.m. on Satur day. Both games will be on the Medford high diamond since the city field at Central Point is not yet in playing condition. Med ford's Black Tornado will be making its first appearance of 1955 before a home crowd. The tangles open the season for Crater. Coach Alex McDonald report ed that Ed McCullough and Ken Piland are the likely starting moundsmen for the Tornado. Crater Mentor Clarence Mcllbye said that Kay Kelley and Fred Herrmann probably will get first hill call for the Comets. Neither coach designated which of his choices would start on Friday. Little Ernie Tyler is ex pected to get first bid for relief for Medford. -McCay Leads Off The Medford tutor listed his tentative starting crew in a pos sible batting order with Dale McCay, centerfielder, leading off. Jim Owsley or Larry Per kins will be at second spot and at second base with Ed Reinking batting third and playing first base. Slated for clean - up post is Lorin Jacobs, leftfielder. Paul Eckel will be in right field, Larry Gober at third base, Duane Sides or Gordon Owsley at shortstop, and Dick McLaugh lin at the catching post. The pitcher is listed the usual ninth in McDonald's order. Mc Laughlin was on the sick list yesterday and Terry King or Ray Hilton might handle the catching if he is still on the shelf. Coach Mellbye who has eight lettermen and more tnan 20 freshmen and sophomores on a squad of 40, indicated that one of the letterwearers. Harold Lef ler, will handle the . catching chores. Pitchers Kelley and Herrmann are both lettermen and a third hurler who wears a "C" is Fred Hogue. Tonn at First Harvey Tonn, letterman and performer for the Cheney Studs last summer, is expected to hold down the first sack with the cur rent choice between Ken Bailey and Frank Saxbury, non-letter-men, at second base. Likely shortstop is a veteran, Donn Johnson but a pair of non-letter-men, Morton Gossett and Lyman Stubbs, are vying at third. In the outfield, Vern Parent, who has lettered at second base, is expected to roam the middle area with Mel Harsh or Allen Gosnell to get the call in the ASPHALT Driveways Mill Yards Industrial Fleers Parking Areas ' Roads ROGUE RIVER PAYING COMPANY Phone: Medford 2-4037 or Grants Pass GR. 6-5337 Free Estimates t Work Guaranteed RIBUNE .i ES) left pasture. In right field Gary Smith seems to have the edge over Neil Green, a letterman, who has been groomed too as a first baseman. John Shama and Charles South are among the leading outfield prospects. Lack of a field has hampered the Comets, who won the JDJ League and District 6 A-2 south em division last year. They have been working out as best they can on the school grounds. Mellbye is looking for jayvee opposition for his 10 to 12 fresh men and 10 to 12 sophomores. He is handling the coaching of the large squad alone. Coach Alex McDonald report ed yesterday that he has cut his squad to 27 boys and may drop three or four more. Frank Roe landt is now assisting Mac with the tutoring. CRATER SCHEDULE: ADril 1 and 2 At Medford: April 8 At Eagle Point: April 9 Eagle Point at Central Point; April 12 Klamath Falls at Central Point; April 16 Ash land at Central Point; April 22 Phoe nix at Central Point; April 23 At Phoenix; April 26 At Grants Pass; April 29 Illinois Valley at Cave Junc tion; April 30 Illinois Valley at Cen tral Point. Mav 3 At Klamath Falls: May 10 At Ashland; May 17 Grants Pass at Central Point; May 14 A-2 district play-off; May 21 A-2 and A-l inter district play-off. ' (All Crater game will b in the afternoon.) Pro Net Tourney To Use Ping Pong Scoring Method Cleveland (U.R) The an nual "world" professional ten nis tournament opens tonight at the Cleveland arena with more attention focused on. inaugura tion of the ping pong scoring system, perhaps, than on the players themselves. Richard (Big Pancho) Gonzales heads the field in the three-day event, but the ping pong method of scoring could affect his chance of retaining the title he has won the last two years. Twenty-one points will con stitute a set, and service will be patterned after that in ping pong; only one try pf r point, with the service changing hands every five points. Fishermen Must Turn in Cards Portland (U.R) The State Game commission has reminded fishermen the salmon-steelhead punch cards expire today, March 31, and should be turned into game commission license agenc ies. New cards, which will expire Dec. 31, will be issued by the agencies. PAVING Kid Gavilan Slips to 3th In Ring Rank XMew York (U.R) Former welterweight champion Kid Gav ilan, skidding rapidly since los ing his title to Johnny Saxton last October, faded almost out of the welterweight picture when the monthly ratings of Ring magazine, placed him at eighth in the division. Gavilan, the one-time Cuban Hawk whose rapid hands and all around ring generalship carried him to the title in July 1952, returned to the ring after the loss to Saxton of New York and squeezed out an unimpres sive majority decision over Ern ie Durando of Bayonne, N.J., on Feb. 4. Gavilan then lost in succession to Hector Constance of Trini dad and the elongated Bobby Dykes of Miami. The "Keed," who was ranked fourth last month, is now listed behind Carmen Basilio, Vince Martinez, Tony DeMarco, Ra mon Fuentes, Maurice Harper, Constance, and Del Flanagan. Freddie Dawson and Virgil Ak ins are rated behind him. Despite Mexican Raul Macias' 11th round knockout victory over Chamrern Songkitrat of Thailand, Ring magazine con tinues to list Robert Cohen of France as the world bantam weight king. Macias is ranked as the No. 1 contender, while Song kitrat is rated sixth. Among the heavyweights Nino Valdes of Cuba, by-passed for a title shot at Rocky Marciano in favor of England's Don Cock ell, remains the leading chal lenger, while Tommy Hurricane Jackson of New York, who cur rently is on a winning streak, has been upped from sixth to fifth. Jimmy Slade of New York has dropped out of the top 10 in favor of - Charley Nor kus, Jersey City, N.J., who is ranked 10th. 2500 To Contend In Willamette Relays at Salem Salem iflJ.R) Fortune Gor dien, former Minnesota ace who holds the world's discus record of 194 feet, six inches, has en tered the Willamette relays to be held here Saturday. Salem (U.R) More than 2,500 Oregon college and high school athletes will compete here Saturday at the annual Willam ette relays. Willamette university athletic officials ' said the meet would probably be the largest one-afternoon track event in the world. The Northwest's top prep and collegiate thinclads are entered. The college class invitational 100-yard dash and 120-yard high hurdles will be the feature ev ents. Bob Gary, University of Washington, tops an imposing list of sprinters with a 9.6 best. Ken Mischall, Mather Air Force base in California, tied the re-' lays mark in the hurdle event last year at 15.5. His best is 14 flat. Another showpiece of the meet will be University of Oregon's four-man distance medley tesm, which is sure to be one of the best in the nation this season Included on the team is Bill Dellinger, whose 4:10 NCAA mile victory last season was one of the year's top marks; Jim Bailey, Australian 880 cham pion; Ken Reiser, who will run the three-quarter mile, and Gor don Dahlquist. Eagle Point high plans to have 10 or 12 boys participating in the Willamette relays at Salem on Saturday. CHECK Salmon Fishing Slow On Lower Rogue River Portland (U.R) The weekly report on fishing conditions pre pared by the State Games Com mission: SOUTHWESTs Few bass been reported from Siltcoos and Tah kenitch lakes; if weather clears bay fishing should be good; lower Rogue salmon fishing slow. Gil Cadilli Victor Over Willie Pep San Francisco (U.R) A summer re-match in Madison Square Garden was predicted to day for Gil Cadilli and Willie Pep in the wake of young Gil winning a split and disputed 10 round decision over the former featherweight champion Wednes day night. Cadilli, 23, squeaked out a close verdict over the former titleholder before a lusty crowd of 5,000 Air Force men at Parks Air Force base about 40 miles from here. Sid Flaherty, manager of Cad illi, made the prediction of the Garden re-match. But there's a major stumbling block in the way of that, because Pep is pres ently on the "retired" list in New York state placed there after being kayoed by Lulu Per ez, Feb. 26, 1954. He would have to be approved by the whole medical board of the New York commission before the fight could be held. Referee Jack Downey ' voted Wednesday night's fight to Pep, 58-52, but he was overruled by Judges Tony Bosnich and Eddie James, who each gave it to Cad illi, 56-54. The United Press had Pep winning, 57 Vz to 52 Vi. Hornets Capture First Encounter Pittsburgh (U.R) Coach Gaye Stewart banked on come back play today for his Buffalo Bisons but rival Coach Howie Meeker of the Pittsburgh Hor nets hoped for an "as you were" status when the teams clash here Saturday in the second game of the American Hockey League Calder Cup playoffs. The Hornets took the opener of the best-of-seven series, 5-4, Wednesday night. They got off to a fast 3-1 lead in the opening period. . m Let Us MB a Wheel! 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It had been announced before the session that poor attendance and apparent lack of interest might mean abandonment of formal league contention. However, Vessey reported that more "pre liminary work" will be done and that possibilities at Talent and Central Point will be in vestigated. He set Friday, April 8, as the date for another meeting. It will again be at the YMCA. . Giants Scrounge Out 12-11 Nod Over Tribe San Antonio, Tex. (U.R) The New York Giants and Cleveland Indians put the big fall classic of 1954 on the road today but they 11 have to pardon the fans if they ask: 'This is a World Series?" The Giants, who lead in the series, 6-4, scrounged out a 12-11 triumph Wednesday with the aid of an error by second-baseman' Bobby Avila. Foster Castleman followed the two-out boot with the winning single. Ralph Kiner. Avila, Art Houtteman and George Strick land homered for the Indians while Gail Harris and Hank Thompson homered for the Giants. For Sale LATE MODEL NORTHWEST 80-D (2'i Yd. 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