1940 Vancouver, Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley
1940 BC Interior
1940 Vancouver Island
Two senior calibre circuits were operational in Vancouver during the 1940 season, the Burrard Baseball League and the Twilight Baseball League. The Burrard circuit was a seven-inning loop while the Twilighters carried on for a full nine innings. The Burrard Leaguers played a complete schedule and successfully concluded the season with playoffs. On the other hand, even after a solid beginning, the Twilight League began to lose momentum and eventually fizzled to a standstill.
VANCOUVER BURRARD LEAGUE
(May 6) The Asahis started off where they finished last season, on a winning note, by taming the Patricias 8 to 2 in the opening game of the 1940 Burrard League campaign. Bunching most of their ten hits into two frames, the Nippons came through with four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth when George Shisido tripled with the sacks loaded. Nag Nishimura worked the complete game for the Asahis. His sharp-breaking curve ball and fast one had the Pats breaking their backs. He whiffed ten and the six hits he surrendered were well scattered.
A. Reid (L), Patton and McLellan
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake
(May 7) Once upon a time, the Asahis were called the hitless wonders of Lower Mainland baseball. In their second game of the new season, however, they demonstrated a propensity for knocking the cover off the horsehide when they rang up 13 hits off a pair of chuckers from the Westerns to hammer the Sports Centre gang 9 to 0.
Suga (W) and Kutsukake
Stewart (L), Ambler and Mauro
(May 10) The Westerns broke into the win column of the Burrard Baseball League with a 5 to 2 victory over the Patricias at the Powell Street grounds. Playing smart baseball behind the five-hit pitching of “Lefty” Thompson, the Westerns gathered eight bingles off the slants of losing flinger Al Moser.
Thompson (W) and Mauro
A. Moser (L) and McLellan
(May 11) Those speed demons on the basepaths are at it again. The Asahis won a thrilling 1 to 0 victory over the Patricias in Burrard League action. Smiling Frank Shiraishi of the Nippons plated the game’s lone run when he scored all the way from second base on an infield out.
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake, Mitsui
Patton (L) and van Hatten
(May 15) A misjudged fly ball by Ken Van Hatten gave the Westerns a close 4 to 3 victory over the Patricias. His error allowed “Gummy” Leach to cross the plate with the winning run. Earlier in the game, Van Hatten was the hero doubling in a run while an error, this time by Leach, also accounted for a tally.
(May 18) Taking full advantage of four first-inning miscues by the Westerns, the flying Asahis scored five counters and went on to take the contest 9 to 5. The Sports Centre squad outhit the Nippons 11 to 8 with Fullen pounding three doubles and losing pitcher “Lefty” Thompson connecting for a four-bagger.
Thompson (L) and xxx
Nishihara (W) and xxx
(May 20) “Rosie” Rosedale of the Westerns and the Patricias’ Al Moser hooked up in the Burrard Baseball League’s first pitcher’s battle of the season, the result being a nine-inning scoreless draw. Rosedale struck out 15 Pats and held them to just two hits, both acquired by Rupe Noble. Moser limited the winners to just four safeties.
Rosedale and Mauro
A. Moser and McLellan
(May 22) The league-leading Asahis held on to score a 7 to 6 win over the late-charging Patricias. The Pats got off to a shaky start but got to winning tosser Nag Nishihara for four runs in the sixth panel to make things close. Roy Yamamura gave his Asahi mates a big lift with a three-run homer and a single.
Gibbs (L), Patton and McLellan
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake
(May 23) The Westerns took it on the chin from the Patricias at Powell Street, going down by an 8 to 4 count. Andy Reid surrendered seven hits in capturing the mound triumph over “Rosie” Rosedale who was touched for nine safeties but was hampered by the five errors that his mates made.
Rosedale (L) and xxx
Reid (W) and xxx
(May 28) Sacred Heart’s Burrard League debut was a nightmare as the Catholic contingent was hammered 16 to 1 by the Patricias. Victorious moundsman Al Moser held the newcomers to just three hits. Starter “Lefty” Wollochuk of the Hearts was saddled with the hillock defeat.
A. Moser (W) and Van Hatten
Wollochuk (L), Arts and Babs
(May 29) Kaz Suga, Nippon curveball artist, got his pitching act together in the nick of time to save his Asahis from a defeat at the hands of the Westerns. Three runs were in for the Sports Centre Troupe and they had the bases loaded in their final turn at bat when Suga snapped out of his late lapse to whiff the last two batters to face him, preserving an 8 to 5 win for the Nippons.
Suga (W) and Kutsukake
Steele (L) and Mauro
(June 1) Mike Maruno’s eighth-inning double provided the Asahis with a closely fought 7 to 6 victory over the Patricias in a Burrard League contest. Maruno’s drive plated Yuki Uno with the ultimate winner after the Pats had tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a three-run homer by Mac Cranstoun.
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake
Gates, Patton, Reid (L) and Van Hatten
(June 4) Andy Reid tossed a three-hitter as the Patricias blanked the Westerns 2 to 0. McLellan and McKay each drove in a run for the winners.
Reid (W) and McLellan
Stewart (L) and Mauro
(June 5) The winless Sacred Heart nine was trimmed 8 to 2 by the Westerns. The Sport Centre troupe rattled out 13 hits with Sam Waxstein collecting three of them.
Pausche (W), Ambler and Mauro
Arts (L), Wollochuk and Crutchley
(June 7) Sacred Heart, who have taken it on the chin from every team in the Burrard League since making their debut in the circuit, finally got into the win column by blanking the Patricias 6 to 0. With three newly acquired players in their lineup, the winners showed new-found power at the dish. George Boston limited the Pats to three scattered bingles.
(June 8) Nag Nishihara, ace twirler of the Asahis, used the hickory to good advantage at Powell Street, cracking out two doubles to help himself and the Nippons to a 6 to 4 decision over the Westerns.
Rosedale (L) and Mauro
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake
(June 10) Mike Maruno pitched six-hit ball as the Asahis beat up on the Sacred Heart gang 9 to 3. George Boston was nailed with the loss, surrendering nine bingles, but didn’t get much help from his mates who committed eight fielding miscues.
Boston (L) and xxx
Maruno (W) and xxx
(June 11) The Patricias moved up in the Burrard League standings, scoring an extra-inning 8 to 5 victory over a stubborn Sacred Heart team. A big Catholic rally in the seventh inning overcame a 5 to 1 Pat lead and sent the game into overtime. Pitcher “Slim” Elligot had a homer and a double for the losing nine.
Wallis (W) and Tough
McLellan, Elligot (L) and McNaughton
(June 12) Wildness on the part of Westerns’ pitcher-manager Frank Ambler helped the Asahis win a closely-fought 6 to 3 Burrard Baseball League game over the Sports Centre nine. The victory was the Asahis’ twelfth in thirteen games this season. Tonny Sawayama, making his Burrard pitching debut, won on a six-hitter.
Sawayama (W) and Kutsukake
Ambler, Stewart (6) and Mauro
(June 14) Catching the battery and infield of the Patricias napping, the ever-alert Mike Maruno of the Asahis stole home with the winning run which enabled the nimble Nippons to win a narrow 6 to 5 game over the Hotelmen. Maruno doubled in the bottom of the final frame, moved to third on an infield error and then scooted home when the Pats weren’t looking. The Patricias had a 5 to 0 lead following their initial turn at bat, spearheaded by Jim Smith’s grand-slam home run.
A. Moser, Wallis (L) and Tough
Shiraishi, Suga (W) (1) and Kutsukake
(June 17) Reliever Jack Gibbs of the Patricias walked four consecutive batters, forcing in the winning tally in the bottom of the last canto, which enabled the Westerns to take a narrow 3 to 2 walkoff victory.
Patton, Gibbs (L) and McLellan
Stewart (W) and Mauro
(June 18) The Asahis breezed through the motions, rolling up an easy 24 to 6 Burrard league win over Sacred Hearts. The Nippons slugged three Catholic hurlers hurlers for 17 hits, two of them homers by Kaz Suga and a third one by Yuki Uno.
(June 19) Collecting 12 bingles and several free passes off the debut chucking of Bob Montador, the Patricias bowled over Sacred Heart 12 to 3. Al Moser was the batting star for the victors, poling out three-for-four.
Montador (L) and Sparrow
Reid, Wallis and McLellan
(June 21) Roy Yamamura’s home run in the final inning gave the Asahis a 3 to 2 victory over the Westerns at the Powell Street grounds. With the win, the Nippons tied last season’s Burrard League record of 12 straight wins.
Francis, Rosedale (L) (1) and Mauro
Suga (W) and Kutsukake
(June 22) The Asahis broke their consecutive win record in the Burrard League by blanking Sacred Heart 6 to 0 for their thirteenth consecutive win.
(June 24) Fourteen straight Burrard League triumphs and still going. That’s the record of the 1940 Asahis to date. They turned in their most recent victory by swamping the Sacred Hearts team 13 to 1 at the Powell Street grounds. The Nippons raked loser Ed Sheehan for 13 safeties before he was mercifully sent to the showers after 4 1/3 innings. It didn’t help that his mates committed seven errors in the field. Nag Nishihara cruised to the mound decision with a four-hitter.
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake
Sheehan (L), Boston (5) and Naples, Sparrow
(June 25) Cashing in on errors by replacement shortstop Ken Van Hatten, a catcher by trade, and the sudden weakening of moundsman George Patton, the Westerns broke through for a big 7 to 4 Burrard League victory over the Patricias.
Patton, Reid and McLellan
Stewart (W) and Mauro
(June 26) All good things must come to an end, and so it was with the Asahis’ winning streak in Burrard League baseball. After 14 straight victories, the Nippons were finally stopped by the Patricias 5 to 4. iT took a four-run final inning rally to turn back the Japanese at that. The Pats opened fire on Kaz Suga when Moser and Rupe Noble singled, followed by Ken Van Hatten’s three-run round-tripper, a blast which tied the score. Tommy Faulkner then walked and scored the winning run from second base on McKay’s timely base hit.
(June 28) “Lefty” Thompson, Westerns’ relief chucker, came through in the clutch to give his teammates a 9 to 8 victory over the Sacred Hearts. With a one-run lead and the bases loaded, Thompson was summoned into the game and proceeded to retire the last to hitters, preserving the mound win for starter Pat Francis.
Francis (W), Thompson (6) and Mauro
Naples, Lott and McLaughlin
(July 2) Frank Shiraishi, smiling Nippon ball player who normally patrols the outfield for the Asahis, took over mound duties for his club and hurled his mates to a 13 to 0 victory over Sacred Hearts at the Powell Street grounds. Only two hits were garnered by the losers off the slants of Shiraishi.
(July 8) The improving Patricias baseball team turned back the Sacred Hearts 12 to 1 at the Powell Street diamond. Bill Kendrick took the mound decision and also added fire at the dish.
(July 9) A smartly executed double play in the last inning preserved a 4 to 2 victory for the Asahis over the Westerns in Burrard League play.
Suga (W) and Maruno
Thompson (L) and Ambler
(July 16) Sacred Heart, the weak sister of the Burrard Baseball League, dropped a 14 to 3 decision to the Westerns at Powell Street. “Pip” Steel pitched a four-hitter for the winners, who capitalized on a dozen walks and five Sacred Heart miscues for the lopsided win.
Steel (W) and Roach, Ambler
Risdale (L), Lott and Sparrow
(July 17) The Asahis added another length to their long lead in the Burrard League, drubbing the Patricias 13 to 1 behind Mike Maruno’s five-hit twirling. Frank Shiraishi and Kaz Suga led an 11-hit Nippon assault on a pair of Pat moundsmen. Maruno homered in support of his hurling endeavor.
Patton (L), Kendrick and Van Hatten
Maruno (W) and Kutsukake
(July 19) Committing six errors, the Westerns made things easy for the Asahis who triumphed 8 to 2 in Burrard League action. Mike Maruno, Yuki Uno and George Shishido were the hitting stars for the Nippons.
Thompson (L) and Ambler
Nishihara (W) and Kutsukake, Mitsui
(July 27) Darkness prevented further play causing the Asahis and Patricias to finish their Burrard League game tied 2 – 2. The contest featured a pitcher’s duel between Kaz Suga of the Nippons and Andy Reid of the Pats.
(July 29) Sacred Hearts are no longer in the Burrard Baseball League. They have defaulted their remaining games. The Patricias and Westerns will now fight it out for second place with the Asahis holding the bye.
(July 30) Hopes of the Westerns crashing the Burrard League playoffs dimmed following a 4 to 2 defeat to the Asahis at the Powell Street grounds. Although “Lefty” Thompson limited the Nippons to seven hits, four miscues by his mates led to the Westerns’ downfall. Nag Nishihara, the star Japanese slabman, held the vanquished nine to five hits. Kaz Suga of the Asahis was the hitting star with a perfect three for three performance at the plate.
(July 31) With big Bill Kendrick swinging the hefty hickory, the Patricias tightened their hold on second place in the Burrard League with a 5 to 1 decision over the Westerns. Kendrick’s four-for-four session at the platter included a round-tripper and a double. Winning flinger Reg Wallis held the Western batters down to three hits.
Wallis (W) and Van Hatten
Ambler (L), Thompson (6) and Mauro
(August 1) The Patricias moved a step closer to clinching second-place in the Burrard Baseball League after edging the Asahis 10 to 9 in a loosely-played contest. Jimmy Biggan with four hits, as well as Ken Van Hatten and Tommy Faulkner with three blows each, set a hot hickory pace for the Pats. A belated rally enabled the Nippons to close finish after trailing 10 to 3 in the early innings.
(August 3) Pounding the offerings of four hurlers for 13 hits, the Vancouver Asahis won the first game of their Northwest Nippon baseball series at Athletic Park by drubbing the Seattle Giants 19 to 10 in a free-swinging match. Mike Maruno, Asahis’ star third sacker, led with the bat, smacking three doubles and a single.
Takeekawa (L), Takayoshi, Sakai, Hada and Kataoka
Nishihara, Suga (4) and Kutsusake
Semi-final playoffs
(August 5) “Lefty” Thompson pitched the Westerns out of a hole, allowing them to salvage a 3 – 3 draw with the Patricias in the first game of their semi-final series. With the tying run already in and runners at second and third, Thompson came in from his right field position to replace starter Steele on the hillock. He struckout pinch-hitter Al Moser without delay to end the threat. Thompson had earlier clouted a homer to give his mates a 3 to 2 edge, a lead which disappeared when Ken Van Hatten of the Pats doubled home Jimmy Biggan in the last half of the same frame to tie the count.
Steele, Thompson (7) and Roach
Reid and Van Hatten
(August 8) “Lefty” Thompson of the Westerns not only hurled a 9 to 0 shutout against the Patricias in the third game of their Burrard League semi-finals, but he also contributed three of the winners’ base hits. Both teams have now won a game in the best-of-five series.
Thompson (W) and Roach
A. Moser, Patton and Van Hatten
(August 12) The Patricias scored a narrow 1 to 0 victory over the Westerns in a great pitching showdown between portsiders Reg Wallis and “Lefty” Thompson. Wallis earned the win with a sizzling two-hitter while Thompson was touched for just four safeties. The win for the Pats eliminated the Westerns from the playoffs. Dick Bentley’s bases-loaded blooper over third base drove in the only tally of the game.
Thompson (L) and Roach
Wallis (W) and Van Hatten
Finals
(August 14) The Asahis are one game up on the Patricias for the 1940 Burrard League title. The nimble Nippons stopped the Pats 6 to 4 in a tightly contested battle at the Powell Street diamond.
Reid (L) and Bentley
Suga (W), Nishihara (7) and Kutsusake
(August 16) Bill Kendrick’s bases-empty homer plated the only run of the game as the Patricias evened their series with the Asahis by virtue of a 1 to 0 squeaker at the Powell Street grounds. Winning moundsman Reg Wallis tossed a two-hitter to best “Nag” Nishihara who spun a three-hitter.
Nishihara (L) and Kutsukake
Wallis (W) and Van Hatten
(August 17) Kas Suga, southpaw twirler, hurled a five-hit 3 to 1 win to bolt the Asahis into a two games to one lead over the Patricias in the Burrard League finals. In the fifth frame, doubles by Mike Maruno and Kaz Suga and a single by George Shisido plated two for the win.
Reid (L) and Van Hatten
Suga (W) and Kutsukake
(August 20) Expected to be a runaway for the first-place Asahis, the Burrard Baseball League finals are turning out to be a hard-fought affair. The fourth game of the series ended in a 1 – 1 draw when darkness curtailed further action after five innings had been played. Reg Wallis held the Ashais to two singles while the Patricias managed seven off the deliveries of Nag Nishihara.
Nishihara and xxx
Wallis and xxx
(August 23) The Patricias are still alive after beating the Asahis 8 to 6 in the sixth game of the Burrard League finals. The Nippons, who outhit the Pats 11 to 10, still lead the series three games to two with one game tied. Bill Kendricks pounded three doubles for the winners while Frank Shiraishi bagged a triad of bingles for the losing nine.
Nishihara (L) and Kutsukake
Reid (W), Patton (3) and Van Hatten
(August 27) Another tie game featured the latest battle for Burrard League supremacy. The seventh game ended in a 2 – 2 draw in a game shortened to five innings because of darkness. The Patricias had a 7 to 3 margin in base hits over the Asahis who took the lead with a pair in the second frame. The Pats deadlocked the contest in the third when Jimmy Biggan's long drive to deep centre brought in Dick Cranstoun and Reg Wallis. Bill Kendrick saved the day for the Pats in the fifth when he made a marvelous running catch on Roy Yamamura's bases-loaded long fly.
Wallis and Van Hatten
Suga and Kutsukake
(August 28) The Asahis won the Burrard Baseball League championship when, playing at the Powell Street grounds, they edged past the Patricias 5 to 4. By winning with a four games to two margin to go along with two tie games, the Asahis picked up their eighth lower mainland crown. The Pats virtually handed the title to the Nippons as they outhit the Asahis by a healthy margin, 11 to 4, yet made costly defensive miscues which, combined with the Nippons’ superior baserunning skills, spelled their ultimate doom. Tied 3-3 going into the final frame, Asahis loaded the bases as Roy Yamamura was hit by a pitch, Mike Maruno singled and Kaz Suga drew a free pass. With Andy Reid relieving starter George Patton for the Patricias, Ken Kutsukake connected to drive in a pair for the win. The Patricias roared back in their half of the inning as Jimmy Biggan singled and managed to score on Mosher's drive. Bill Kendrick walked and Rupe Noble reached on an error to load the bases with two out. Reliever Kaz Suga got a pop up to end the game.
Nishihara, K.Suga (W) (5) and xxx
Patton (L), Reid and xxx
JAPANESE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHAMPIONSHIP
(August 3) Vancouver Asahis clobbered the Western Giants of Seattle 22-10 Saturday in the first game of their Northwest Championship series. Errors abounded as the teams tried to deal with the dazzling floodlights. Vancouver made 11 errors, Seattle added eight more. A nine-run first inning for the Asahis put the game on ice early. The Giants did pull to with two runs, at 10-8, with a four-run fourh inning but the Asahis responded with four more in the fifth to pull away. Third sacker Mike Maruno paced the winners with four hits, three of them doubles. He also scored four times and swiped three bases. Ed Nakamura added three safeties. Vancouver had 13 hits and took advantage of 15 free passes, nine by starter Takekawa. Akita was tops for Seattle with three hits.
Takekawa (L), Noda, Sakai, Takayoshi and Kataoka
Nag Nishihara (W), Kaz Suga (4) and Mitseui
(August 25) For the fourth straight year, Vancouver Asahis are the Japanese Pacific Northwest champions. Asahis topped Seattle Western Giants 8-4 in the American city Sunday to win the series in two straight games. Seattle won an exhibition game, 5-4. After falling behind 3-0 in the second frame, Ashais rallied for five runs in the third to take the lead. They added three in the ninth. Asahis pounded out 17 hits, three apiece by Kaz Suga, Frankj Shiraishi and George Shishido. Nag Nishihara relieved starter Suga in the second and allowed just one run the rest of the way.
Suga, Nishihara (W) (2) and Kutsukake
Sakai (L) and Kataoka
In the exhibition match, Tommy Sawayama had a brilliant three-hitter until he tired in the final frame giving up four hits and four runs as Seattle edged the Asahis 5-4.
VANCOUVER TWILIGHT LEAGUE
(May 9) Diethers jumped upon a weakening Jimmy Clark to score twice in the eighth frame, enough to cop a 2 to 1 victory over the Athletics in the opening game of the Vancouver Twilight League. Up until the fateful eighth, Clark had struck out eleven, allowed only two hits and issued no free passes. At that point his pinpoint control deserted him as he walked a pair, delivered a pitch which Bruce Thirsk drilled for a run-scoring single which tied the game and then issued a two-bagger to Sam Waxstein which plated the winning counter. Bill Richardson got the mound decision with a six-hitter.
Clark (L) and McDonald
Richardson (W) and Henry
(May 10) Catholic Youth Organization, making their debut in the Twilight League, dusted off Merritt-Gordon 8 to 1 as veteran Fred Yehle was in mid-season form, setting the Emgees down on three hits. C.Y.O. nicked losing flinger Bishop for ten hits.
Bishop (L) and Jones
Yehle (W) and J. McCarthy
(May 11) The Athletics forced a three-way tie for top spot in the Twilight Baseball League when they took a 6 to 5 decision over C.Y.O. at Athletic Park. With the game deadlocked 5 – 5 in the bottom of the eighth canto, Jimmy Tough of the A’s singled and came home with the winning run when Schultz drove a double to deep left field.
Alexander (L) and J. McCarthy
McIntyre (W), Clark (7) and McDonald
(May 13) Diethers blanked Merritt-Gordon 6 to 0 as “Lefty” Gervais coasted to the mound win with a three-hitter, accumulating ten strikeouts along the way. Playing-manager Reg Wallis toiled on the hill for the Merritts, allowing seven hits and whiffing eight Coalmen.
Wallis (L) and Harkness
Gervais (W) and Henry
(May 20) George Boston hurled a five-hitter as the Athletics dumped Merritt-Gordon 10 to 3 in Twilight League action. The winners ripped ten hits off the heaves of a brace of Emgee chuckers.
P. Condon (L), Bishop and Raynor
Boston (W) and McDonald
(May 21) Diethers suffered their first defeat in the 1940 Twilight League campaign when they were bumped by C.Y.O. 7 to 5. Both teams registered ten base hits. Tommy Kennedy headed C.Y.O. sluggers with a triad of base knocks while Jimmy Biggan, Diether leadoff batter, also registered three safeties.
Richardson (L), Gervais (3) and Henry
Yehle (W) and McLaughlin
(May 22) Diethers lost their second in a row, the most recent being a 13 to 5 shellacking at the hands of the red-hot Athletics. Jimmy Tough and Jimmy McKissock both collected three hits for the A’s while Vancouver Capilano star, Ross Edy, on a rehab assignment with both the A’s and Merritt-Gordon, picked up two well-hit doubles.
McIntyre (W) and McDonald
Nuyens (L), Musgrave (6) and Henry
(May 23) Merritt-Gordon, severely lacking in offensive strength, blew a great chance for a win but had to settle, instead, for a 3 – 3 tie with C.Y.O. Entering the final inning, the Emgees quickly loaded the sacks but strikeouts and poor baserunning closed the door of opportunity.
Wallace and Raynor
McKenzie, R. Holden and McLaughlin
(May 24) An all-star aggregation from the Victoria Senior Baseball League defeated the Athletics of the Vancouver Twilight League 5 to 0 and 4 to 2 in an inter-city exhibition twin-bill played in the Capital City. Close to 2,000 fans witnessed the games.
Clark (L), McIntyre and Van Hatten
Richardson (W) and Bridgewood
Musgrave (L) and Holden, Bentley
Davies (W) and Bridgewood
(May 27) George Boston’s left-handed slants had C.Y.O. eating out of his hand as the cagey portsider hurled the first-place Athletics to a three-hit 5 to 1 Twilight League victory. At the platter, the A’s gave Boston ample support with ten base raps off Fred Yehle’s deliveries.
Yehle (L) and McLaughlin
Boston (W) and Van Hatten
(May 30) Newcomer Jack Smith took to the hill and pitched Diethers to a 7 to 0 whitewashing of C.Y.O. at Athletic Park. Smith limited the Catholics to four scattered hits. Three consecutive doubles in the fourth stanza by Bruce Thirsk, Ellis and Gibbs ignited the Coalmen to a four-run outburst which proved to be more than enough to claim victory.
Smith (W) and Henry
Hoffert (L) and McLaughlin
Standings W L Pct.
Athletics 5 1 .833
Diethers 4 2 .667
C.Y.O. 2 3 .400
Merritt-Gordon 0 5 .000
(June 3) Fred Yehle had the sign on Merritt-Gordon sluggers when he held them to four scattered bingles as C.Y.O. took a convincing 8 to 0 Twilight League win.
Bishop (L), Wallis and Smith
Yehle (W) and McLaughlin
(June 4) The league-leading Athletics were held to a 3 – 3 draw by Diethers at Athletic Park.
(June 5) The Merritt-Gordons have dropped out of the Twilight Baseball League citing an uncompetitive team as being the reason. Some of their current players will be used to bolster the rosters of the remaining three clubs.
(June 5) Breaking a 3 – 3 tie with seventh and eighth inning tallies, the Athletics grabbed a 6 to 3 victory over C.Y.O. Joe Naples of the A’s and Ed Holden of C.Y.O both hit four-baggers.
(June 14) Limiting the opposition to only four hits, Fred Yehle pitched C.Y.O. to a convincing 8 to 0 victory over Diethers in Twilight League action. Losing flinger Jack Smith was nicked for 12 hits.
Yehle (W) and McLaughlin
Smith (L) and Henry
(June 15) The Athletics of the Twilight League knocked off the Asahis of the Burrard League 15 to 12 in an inter-league exhibition game at Athletic Park.
Nishihara, K. Suga and Kutsukake
Boston, Clark (1), Inkster (W) and McDonald
(June 17) Rolling right along following their showdown with the Asahis, the Twilight League’s Athletics trounced Diethers 13 to 3. McIntyre got the hillock triumph with a five-hitter. Ken Lawn led the A’s with the lumber, stroking a triple and a pair of singles.
McIntyre (W) and McDonald, Van Hatten
Ellis, Reid, Henry and Henry, Thirsk
(June 21) The Athletics fattened their lead in the Twilight Baseball League, whipping C.Y.O. 7 to 3 at Athletic Park. The teams were tied 3 – 3 when the A’s turned loose a burst of power in the eighth stanza to walk away with the game. Jimmy Van Hatten stroked a perfect four-for-four for the winners. Jimmy Clark/Clarke went the route for the A’s while Fred Yehle was the losing chucker.
(July 2) C.Y.O. moved up on the leaders in the Twilight League when they turned back Diethers 13 to 2 at Athletic Park. Fred Yehle, on the mound for the winners, allowed only six hits. Eddie Holden cracked out a homer and triple to drive in five of the C.Y.O. tallies. “Lefty” Gervais toiled on the hillock for Diethers.
Yehle (W) and xxx
Gervais (L) and xxx
(July 4) Ed Henry, more at home with a mask on and behind the plate, surprised even himself by pitching four-hit ball for Diethers who blanked the league-leading Athletics 5 to 0 at Athletic Park. Three of the four hits Henry allowed were singles, all hit by Joe Naples.
Henry (W) and Ingram
Clark (L) and J. Tough
(July 8) An all-star team from the Twilight League defeated the touring Piney Woods, Mississippi colored team 13 to 5. Southpaw George Boston of the Vancouverites went the route on the slab for the win. Ralph Stong of the Twilighters blasted a two-run homer.
Thompson (L), Johnson and Williams
Boston (W) and Henry
(July 9) Piney Woods dropped their second exhibition game verdict to the Vancouver Twilight Selects 9 to 8. Roy Holden, the Twilighters’ shortstop, hit a ninth-inning double which drove in the tying and winning markers.
xxx (L) and xxx
Smith (W) and xxx
(July 22) Ralph Stong, who used to cavort in the outer pasture for the Athletics, came back in a C.Y.O. uniform to haunt his former mates, slamming a double which drove in the tying marker in a 5 – 5 game. The A’s held a healthy margin in base hits, 10 to 4, but were unable deliver them at opportune times.
McIntyre and Van Hatten
Sheehan and McLaughlin
(August 7) After a season of postponements and re-shuffling, the Vancouver Twilight Baseball League announced that a best-of-seven playoff series would begin. With the Athletics having no difficulty in capturing first place, league officials decided to break up their powerful outfit with some of their players being assigned to the other two teams.
No evidence was found in print that any playoffs were ever conducted.
VANCOUVER JAPANESE LEAGUE
(June 23) Had he played 20 years later Tommy Sawayama would have been compared to Steve Dalkowski the Oriole's hard throwing wild man who in 1960, a typical season, fanned 262 in just 170 innings. But, he also walked 262. Sawayama, described as "slight", "little" and a "mighty mite" brought cheers and sighs Sunday as he pitched Steveston Fujis to a 15-6 victory over Union Fish. He allowed just five hits, racked up 16 strikeouts and issued 15 free passes ! The game featured one more outrageous number - 13 - the number of errors by the Fish. Fujis rapped a dozxen hits with Sawayama and Ken Mori each with three.
Sawayama (W) and Sogawa
Kamitomo (L), Kutsukake and Maruno
(June 23) Powell Drugs ran up an 8-0 lead after two innings and coasted to a 12-4 triumph over the Giants. Koei Mitsui paced a 14 hit attack with a bases-loaed triple and a bases-loaded double. Doc Yashui added three hits. George Yoshinaka held the Giants to seven hits. Starter Frank Shiraishi took the loss.
Shiraishi (L), Fujioka and Kutsukake
Yoshinaka (W) and Mitsui
(August 04) The Powell Street grounds were buzzing with excitement and a near riot Sunday in sudden-death action in the Vancouver Japanese League. In the afternoon, Harold Shimoda, who had fanned three straight times, crushed a three-run homer in the seventh inning to pace Powell Drug to a 6-4 win over Steveston Fuji. Later, Union Fish overcame a 7-4 deficit with four markers in the sixth and another in the seventh to top the Giants 9-8 and advance to the league final series.
Steveston had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the ninth with two runners aboard and no outs. But playing manager Nag Nishihara bounced into a double play and Doug Oike grounded out to end the game. George Yoshinaka allowed six hits in going the distance for the win, besting Duke Kusano who yielded the game-winning blow to his ex-teammate Shimoda.
Kusano (L) and Sogawa
Yoshinaka (W) and Mitsui
In the second game, Union Fish notched the winner in the seventh inning when Ty Suga walked Chum Inouye with the bases loaded. Giants had taken the lead with three in the top of the first inning. Union Fish scored one in the first and three in the second to take the lead. But the Giants, with a five-run fifth inning again went ahead before the Union Fish tied the game with a four-run outburst in the sixth and the winner in the seventh. Nobby Tanaka and George Suzuki led a 15-hit attack each with three safeties. Nobuo Kamitomo was the winning hurler, holding the Giants to eight hits. The dispute arose when the Giants' Eddie Nakamura slugged one over the centre-field sidewalk. Ordinarily, the hit would have been good enough for a two-bagger, but Baron Wakabayashi, the speedy Union centre fielder vaulted over the embankment and made a sparkling catch off the sidewalk. The argument was over whether or not Nakamura was out. Umpire Roy Yamamura first called him out. But the Giants protested. The league's ground rules stated any ball hit over the sidewalks, touching the trees was considered a two-bagger. But with the ball failing to touch the trees, the Giants had an argument, which lasted half an hour with the ruling going back and forth and back again. Finally, the game resumed, with Nakamura back at the plate, this time to received an intentional pass.
Suga (L) and Kutsukake
Kamitomo (W) and Maruno
(August 11) The 1939 champion Union Fish upset the 1940 favourites, Steveston Fuji 6-4 to win a spot in the league final against Powell Drug. Both teams got on the scoreboard in the first inning. Nobby Tanaka reached on an error for Union Fish and came around to score on a safety by Baron Wakabayashi. Fuji evened the count as Ken Mori banged out a hit and scooted home on Doug Kusano's hot drive. Tanaka again scored in the third as Mike Maruno knocked him home with a two-bagger. Steveston took the lead, 3-2 with a pair in the fifth, but Union added a brace in the sixth and another pair in the eighth. Fuji had a chance in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded but managed just one marker.
Kamitomo, Maruno and Maruno, Fukui
xxx and xxx
(August 18) Powell Drug raced out to a 10-3 lead then held off two late rallies by Union Fish to take the opener of their playoff series 10-9. A sparkling defensive play by centre fielder Doc Yasui in the eighth inning may have saved the day for Powell's. With the bases jammed, George Suzuki of the Fish blasted one to deep centre field. Kaz Suga, playing left field, started running at the crack of the bat and the same instant Yasui charged from the opposite direction. The ball went soaring over Suga's head, but Yasui chased it down to end the threat. Union Fish again loaded the bases in the ninth and Joe Akiyama cleared the sacks with a three-bagger. Baron Wakabayashi followed with a sharp single to centre to plate the fourth run of the inning and leave the Union Fish just a run back. But, again it was Yasui who got the winners out of trouble making a beautiful running catch in short centre field to end the game.
Kutsukake (L), Kamitomo and Fukui
Yoshinaka (W) and Mitsui
(September 1) A three-run fifth inning carired Union Fish to a 4-1 victory over Powell Drug to knot their final series at a game apiece. All three runs were unearned. With Mike Maruno and Baron Wakabayashi aboard, George Suzuki drove one to right field. Kaz Suga made a stab for the ball but he suffered a dislocated finger as the horsehide jammed his finger and fell to the ground as Suzuki completed the circuit. Otto Yanagisawa knocked in the final run for Union Fish in the eighth. The only run for Powell Drug came in the second inning with Koei Misui belting a double and scoring on Harold Shimoda's sac bunt. Jimmy Fukui yielded eight hits in a complete game victory.
Yoshinaka (L), Terada and Mitsui
Fukui (W) and Maruno
(September 8) From the league cellar during the regular season to the Japanese League championship, Union Fish Sunday downed highly favoured Powell Drug 9-6 for their second straight league crown. They won the series in two straight games. A four-base error in the second inning led to a five-run outburst by the Union Fish. An error on Shig Okumura's long fly to left allowed the third sacker to make the circuit. Another run came home as Chum Inouye, Joe Aklyama and Nobuo Kamitomo followed with safeties. Reliever Chuck Terada walked in a run and George Suzuki droubled to drive in two more. In the fifth, Powell Drug rallied to tie on five hits, one a triple by Kaz Suga. But the Union's reclaimed the lead in the seventh scoring three times. Baron Wakabayashi drove in a pair and Suzuki, who had three hits, followed with a run-scoring single.
Kamitomo, Maruno (W) and Maruno, Fukui
Yoshinaka, Terada (L) (2) and Mitsui
VANCOUVER BUSSEI LEAGUE
(August 04) Hompa took the opening game of the best-of-three Bussei final series trouncing Fairview 9-2 before the largest crowd ot the season. A three-run third frame proved to be enough for the triumph. Otto Yanagisawa rapped a triple to knock in two runs and then scored on an error. Kay Kaminishi had a trhee-bagger in the first inning and scored the Hompa's first run on a single by Nobby Tanaka. A homer by Yos Hamakawa in the second tied it for Fairview. After the teams exchanged runs in the sixth, Hompa wrapped up the contest with four runs in the seventh as Chum Inouye, Yanagisawa, Nick Nosuye and Kiyoshi Suga came through with four straight hits. Tomi Nishikawa had Fairview's second four-bagger. Kiyoshi Misumi allowed just six hits in going the distance for the win.
Nishimura (L) and Tanaka
Misumi (W) and Yanagisawa
(August) Hompa, league champions.
(August 18) The Bussei champions, Hompa, demolished the visiting Tacoma nine 18-2. Hompa erupted for four runs in the first inning, one on Nobby Tanaka's home run, and added three in the second to put the game on ice. Kiyoshi Misumi checked Tacoma on four hits, including Horita's two-run homer in the final frame. Chum Inouye had four hits for the winners and Tanaka had three.
Akimoto (L), Horita and Tanabe
Misumi (W) and xxx
WOODFIBRE JAPANESE LEAGUE
(September 15) Joe Koyanagi fired a five-hit shutout Sunday to pace the league-leading Eagles to a 5-0 win over the Cardinals in the sudden-death championship game of the Woodfibre Baseball League. Koyanagi topped Tosh Omoto of the Cards who allowed just seven hits.
Koyanagi (W) and xxx
Omoto (L) and xxx