Monday 30 July 2007

Tri-City In, Eugene Out

W.I. Heads Okay Transfer Of Franchise
Predict Great Future For New Baseball Team
TACOMA, Oct. 24 (UP)— The Tri-City area of Pasco, Richland and Kennewick was officially welcomed into the ranks of the Western International baseball league today.
Former approval of the present Wenatchee franchise transfer there was given as expected at a league director's meeting here yesterday after it was shown the new club was building a satisfactory ball park.
Representatives of the Tri-City area that appeared before the league directors and outlined the advantages of Western International league baseball there were Les Babcock, Harry Owens and R. F. Philip.
Babcock, president of the Tri-City Athletic association, which is building the stadium, assured the league that the park would be ready for the opening of the season in mid-April of next year.
Owens told the moguls that grass was already coming through the ground and that the fence surrounding the park was nearly complete.
R. F. Philip, president of the Scott Publishing company, outlined the tremendous future of the Tri-City area and said he believed the team located here would be one of the top clubs in the league from the stand-point of attendance.
The new entry as yet has no nickname.
League President Robert Abel said the situation of the defunct Bremerton franchise remained the same. Both Eugene and Wenatchee are after it. He said another league directors meeting would be held Nov. 7 in Salem.
Eugene is believed to have first call if it obtains a ball park.

Wenatchee May Get WIL Team
Failure To Get Eugene Stadium Sparks Hopes
TACOMA, Oct. 25 (UP)—Failure to obtain use of Eugene's civic stadium for a Western International League baseball park means that Wenatchee will probably have a team in the circuit next season, President Robert Abel said today.
Both Eugene and Wenatchee groups were after the defunct Bremerton franchise, but the Eugene school board last night turned down a request to lease its civic stadium. No other suitable facilities are available in Eugene.
Abel said there was nothing official about it as yet but that "obviously Wenatchee is the leading contender." The present Wcnatchee franchise has been transferred to the Tri-City area of Pasco, Richland and Kcnnewick. A group of Wenatchee business men opposed the transfer and are seeking to buy the Bremerton team in order to keep the city represented.
The next league meeting is scheduled for Salem, Ore., November 7.

BOARD SAYS NO
EUGENE, Ore., Oct. 25 (UP)—The Eugene school board last night rejected the request of Frank Burrell, San Jose, Calif., to lease the Eugene civic stadium for use by a Western International League baseball club.
The school board also made it clear that the rejection applied to all professional sports.
Burrell had sought use of the stadium under a WIL franchise he had hoped to bring to Eugene.
Joe Gordon, Cleveland Indian second baseman and Eugene businessman, accompanied Burrell to the board meeting.
Burrell indicated the board's action defintltely eliminated Eugene as a possible site for WIL ball club next year.

Wilfan muses: Ah, but if only this had happened a little earlier, the Eugene Emeralds might have been in the Western International League:

Eugene After Pro Baseball
EUGENE, Ore., Dec. 8—Court approval of plans for a baseball park on a 10-acre tract cleared the way here yesterday for further efforts to bring professional baseball to Eugene.
Court approval was obtained by George Solberg, a real estate dealer. Solberg said he had a buyer for the tract.
Efforts to bring a Western International League franchise here were unsuccessful this fall because the city had no park. It was understood efforts will be made to shift a Far West League club here.

Eugene to Get Ballpark For Play in Far West
EUGENE, Ore., Dec. 16—Entry of Eugene in the Far West Baseball league came a step nearer to realization yesterday when A. A. Hadler of Sacramento, Calif., announced that he would begin construction on a $65,000 lighted baseball park here.
The decision gives Eugene an organized ball club earlier considered improbable after the school board refused to allow use of the civic stadium for organized baseball.
The former owner of the Pittsburg, Calif., club in the Class D Far West league, said Walter Nellis will be business manager of the club, taking over January 1. He has a player under consideration for the new club's hew player-manager. He also said he was negotiating with three major league clubs for working agreements.
Hadler said the Eugene entry will be an independent club if negotiations, with major league clubs fail to turn up top-grade talent.
The proposed park will seat 3,500 fans, and will be in the Bethel suburb about five minutes driving time from downtown Eugene.
Clubs now in the league are Pittsburg, Marysville, Redding and Willows in California and Klamath Falls and Medford in Oregon. Reno, Nev., is also a new entry for 1950, having recently switched from the Sunset League.
Hadler said he was considering having the Eugene club open the season on the road because of wet weather conditions in Oregon in April. He said the club will hold spring training in Arizona or Florida.

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