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W.L Baseball Starts Today
By Associated Press
UNDATED, April 19—Victoria and Vancouver, both confident this will be Canada's year in the Western International league, whip the lid off the 1949 baseball season Wednesday night with Yakima and Spokane — they hope — as the first victims.
Spurred by bullish reports from the training camps, fans north of the border are showing lively interest in their teams and opening night attendance is expected to be good.
The fans, in fact, will get the honor of launching the Vancouver season. One will be picked from the first-game crowd to pitch the first ball, another to catch it and a third to take a cut at the toss from the batter's box.
Victoria's opener against Spokane will be highlighted by a welcome-home ceremony, with a city official tossing the first ball.
Because of the Sunday ban on baseball the Canadian clubs start a day earlier than the rest of the circuit. The four remaining teams will open Friday, with Salem at Tacoma and Bremerton at Wenatchee. The late starters will play single games Friday and Saturday and doubleheaders Sunday. In Canada, the double bills are on the Saturday slate.
In spite of its late start and trouble in getting a complete squad signed, Spokane racked up eight training-season victories. Yakima has looked sharp, but confesses a need for more reserve pitching strength.
Managers were keeping mum about their batteries for the opening games.

WI League Makes 1949 Debut Thurs.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
UNDATED, April 20—Western International league baseball makes its 1949 debut tomorrow night with Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. fans getting the initial look see at this year’s competition.
Victoria will host Yakima and Vancouver will entertain Spokane.
The rest of the circuit—Salem at Tacoma and Bremerton at Wenatchee—will open Friday.
Spokane, which has racked up eight pre-season wins added new strength last night. Manager Jirn Brillheart announced he signing of George Valine, second base mainstay last year, and Larry Barton, former Portand first sacker. The Indians also made a last minute deal with Seattle obtaining Pitcher Ken Kimball and Catcher Jack Parks for Catcher Bud Sheely. The latter probably will wind up with Vancouver.
Only one exhibition contest was played last night—Bremerton coming up with timely hitting to dump Boise of the Pioneer league 7-1 at Walla Walla.
Yakima's scheduled tilt with the Mt. Vernon Milkmaids was rained out and rescheduled for Sunday.

WIL Play Gets Under Way Tonight
UNDATED, April 21—It's get-away night for the class B Western International league in two Canadian cities tonight.
The Initial four-game series send Spokane's defending champions against Vancouver, and Yakima against Victoria—both sets to be placed north of the border.
The remaining four teams call “play ball” tomorrow.
Starting pitchers haven't been announced for either Spokane or Vancouver, but Victoria Manager Ted Norbert named Larry Ward, last year with Ventura, to take over the Athletics mound in the opener. Yakima will open with Dick Drilling, Teddy Savarise or part owner-president Dewey Soriano on the chucking chores.
Spokane continued to add player strength with the latest additions being Keith Simon and John Conant, a pair of twirlers who combined to win 40 games for Bremerton last season. Both tried out with Oakland this spring but failed to make the grade.
In yesterday's lone exhibition encounter, Bremerton pushed over one run in the first inning and held tight for a 1-0 victory over Boise at Walla Walla.