Tuesday 31 July 2007

I Guess We'll Be the Braves Then

ON THE INSIDE
By DON BECKER
Herald Sports Editor

Although the Tri-Cites' entry in the Western International baseball loop hasn't even played a ball game in their new home, they are already the "Sweetheart of the league."
In past years every team wanted to play at Spokane in the season's opening series. But the scene that took place this year when the schedules were drawn up was quite a bit different. All the other teams, including Spokane, wanted to open in the Tri-Cities Braves stadium. In fact the debate concerning who was going to be the lucky team got so vociferous that Robert Abel, league president, decided that was only one way out. They were to draw slips out of a hat. The team whose name was drawn would get the opening date. Vancouver got it. So it will be the Braves versus the Capilanos on April 18.
As 'Babe' Hollingbery, the president of the Braves said, "It certainly feels good to be the darling of the league."
MAY GO "A" LOOP
Although the W.I. is now a class B league, there is more than a good chance it will go class A for the 1951 season. This will be one of the big items on the agenda when the minor loops hold their meeting in Baltimore. Loop moguls have privately stated they believe the addition of the Tri-Cities will be enough to swing it from a B to an A.
Dick Richards, general manager of the Tri-Cities club, said that April 18 is the official opening date. Previously it had been set as April 10, but the 18 is now correct. Richards also added that the club could not continue to use the nickname of Chiefs. He said the reason was that the city of Wenatchee has the name registered with the National Baseball association. This fact, he continued, was unknown to him or the other club owners until the league's last meeting in Salem a week ago.
BRAVES ARE INDIANS
However, the team will continue to wear the Indian head emblem on their uniforms. This emblem is the property of the club and cannot be used by any other team in the league. Tacoma will follow Vancouver into the Tri-Cities baseball stadium, and then
on April 20 the Braves will move into Yakima for their first road game of the 1950 season. This clash will also open the home season for the Yakima club. Richards praised the cooperation of Yakima in withholding their opening date so as not to conflict with the Braves. He said this would be instrumental in assuring a large crowd for both teams at their first home stands.
TWO DAY CONFAB IN RICHLAND
The next meeting of the league will be held in the Desert Inn at Richland on Jan. 10, the general manager of the club said. At this two-day confab the league directors will approve the final schedule and elect officers. Present elected officials of the W.I. league are Robert Abel, president, and George Emigh, vice-president.
Other matters that will come before the loop directors during the Richland meeting will be legislative items resulting from the meeting of the minor leagues in Baltimore. This is the annual get together of the National Association of Professional Baseball, the governing body of all minor leagues.
-Tri-City Herald, Sunday, November 13, 1949

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