JackGordon.Org: The Sky-Writer, Pasco NAS, Swabbin' the Deck Column, April 27, 1943

JackGordon.org

PAGE SIX

THE SKY-WRITER, PASCO, WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1943

with Jack Gordon

If that double win the Pasco Flyers took away from Whitman College Friday afternoon in Walla Walla is any criterion as to how gentle the 1943 season will be to the Sailor nine then they need no fears of being unable to better that '42 record of forty-two victories.

Although the Flyers certainly make no claims at being at top shape—their exhibition against the Collegians showed proof that they'll be more than capable of handling the brand of talent that most local teams can muster. But just how they'll figure against some REAL opposition remains to be seen. That they need that kind of opposition is obvious.

HUNK ANDERSON
4 Inning No-hitter

In all fairness to the Whitman Collegians, who displayed some excellant fielding and pitching in their effort the Whit's couldn't expect to stand up against a team composed of all ex-professional ball players. The game did show that unless the Flyers can find some better opposition, the paying customers won't see much more than a batting practice when the Flyers play.

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Notes from the Press Box:

Johnny Bittner had the college nine really going for his hooks in the opener ... the ex-Hollywood hurler looks ready for a big year with the Flyers ... Vince Pesky who took over the chores in the opener seems to have earned a berth on the Sailor roster .. he had excellant control through most of his time ... that momentary streak of wildness can be blamed on the fact that the former Portland University pitcher was trying a little too hard ... the wind had a lot to do with the distance of some of those fly balls that turned out to be base hits ... Edo Vanni's chant "Come on Daddy" seemed to spur Danny Amaral on in the nightcap ... Amaral hit two for three ... Danny Escobar almost got dusted off in that first game ... somebody thought the Flyers took too many chances with tricky base running ... but with that big run lead, why not? ... Levi McCormack came up with two (nothing short of) sensational shoestring catches in the second game ... Hunk Anderson's victory in the finale brought to 22 games his win-record with the Flyers......

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Mike Budnick, who'll be on the mound a lot this year for the Pasco Flyers was in a mood for talking about the current Pacific Coast League baseball setup and even ventured a few predictions as to how the teams would wind up ... based on his best early-session guessing. Mike says: "I think Portland will be one of the leaders this year! Yeah, I know Lefty O'Doul's Seals and the Los Angeles club will be giving most of the boys a rough time, but look, pitchers, hitters, the Beavers didn't lose hardly anybody last year ... and even then they were a mighty potent club. I think the era of cellar-dwelling Beavers is over." A lot of Portland fans hope you're right, Mike.

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SERVICE BASEBALL LEAGUE

A few months back this newspaper, along with many other Navy and Army camp newspapers conducted a poll on "Wartime Professional Baseball" and one of the letters sent in by Vince Bohlin, S1c, from the Public Works Department suggested that a National Service Baseball League be formed. Apparently someone else thought that was a good idea, for now the word's out that soldiers, sailors and coast guardsmen from 12 training centers in the Washington, D. C., and Baltimore, Md., areas have organized two six-team service baseball leagues to play twice weekly in the various camps from May until September. A "world series" and an "all-star game" are also planned. Baltimore area teams that comprise one circuit are Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Curtis Bay Coast Guard, Edgewood Arsenal, Holabird Ordnance Depot, Ft. Meade, and the Army Air Base. Washington teams that make up the other circuit are: Boling Field, Ft. Myer, Ft. Washington, Ft. Belvoir, the Navy Receiving Station, and the Naval Air Station.

Over in Spokane efforts are being made to organize a League similar to the one just described but apparently the attempt hasn't met with much cooperation. Maybe the Inland City boys will take a tip from the Washington, D.C., gang and start the ball a'rolling.

The Service Baseball League idea is going great guns overseas, too. Capt. Stanley Bach, athletic officer of the European theater of operations of the U. S. Army, recently announced plans for the organization of six service baseball leagues in England and one in Northern Ireland. He also announced the formation of the "London International Baseball League" with members composed of four American, three Canadian and one aircraft corporation teams. U. S. Army Headquarters in that theater described the program as "the greatest baseball season any country outside the U. S. has ever known."

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