2007.1.287

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Black and white photograph of members of the Oakland Oaks baseball team, in full uniform, during a Spring Training drill. Photograph is in two parts (A&B) that have been joined together with was once clear (now yellowed) tape. Photo depicts Oakland Oaks Manager Johnny Vergez standing at left with his right arm raised facing nine players who are all down on one knee getting ready to sprint. They are in a field and there are bleachers and a few bystanders in the background. Caption affixed to back of photo reads: "Members of the Oakland Club are off for their first Spring training drill, with Manager Johnny Vergez (left) starting. Left to right: Tony Ferrera, Henry Pippin, Bill Rigney, Bill Reimondi, Wally Westlake, Joe Glenn, Marv Gudat, Italo Chelini and Johnny Yelovic. That isn't a gun Johnny's using--it's a borrowed pipe.--Tribune photo."

Oakland Oaks (PCL)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Oaks_%28PCL%29 (7/13/2007)The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 until 1955. Along with the Los Angeles Angels, Portland Beavers, Sacramento Solons, San Francisco Seals, and Seattle Indians, the Oaks were charter members of the Pacific Coast League which was founded in 1903. The team finished last that year, and finished either last or next to last place four more times before winning its first PCL pennant in 1912. The Oaks (or �Acorns� as they were also called) played their home games at Freeman�s Park at 59th Street and San Pablo Avenue and at Recreation Park in San Francisco.After the 1912 season, the Oaks opened their new stadium, named Oakland Ball Park (or simply Oaks Park) though it was located in the neighboring city of Emeryville at San Pablo and Park Avenues. In their first season at Oaks Park the Acorns finished last, and were mired in the second division for more than a decade.In 1916, a struggling Oaks team made history by breaking the professional baseball color line, as Jimmy Claxton pitched in both ends of a double-header on May 28th, 1916. He was introduced to the team as an American Indian, but once the team discovered that his ancestry was both Native American and African, he was fired.In 1927, the Oaks won their first pennant at Oaks Park, finishing 120-75 (.615), 14_ games over the runner-up Seals.In 1943, a controlling interest in the Oaks was purchased by C. L. �Brick� Laws, who operated the team for its remaining seasons. In 1946, Laws hired Charles �Casey� Stengel, the former manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves of the National League to manage the Oaks. He responded with second and fourth place finishes, before the club won its most celebrated pennant in 1948. It was in Oakland that Stengel developed his talent for �platooning,� i.e., juggling his lineup to maximize each player�s potential in given situations, that served him so famously as manager of the New York Yankees.On October 18, 1967, twelve years after the Oaks played their last game in Emeryville, the American League owners gave Kansas City Athletics president Charles O. Finley permission to move the Athletics to Oakland for the 1968 season. Spring trainingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_training 7/16/2007) Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to audition for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention, drawing crowds who travel to the warmer climates to enjoy the weather and watch their favorite teams play, and spring training usually coincides with spring break for many college students.Spring training typically lasts almost two months, starting in early February and running until just before the season opening day, traditionally the first week of April. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training first because pitchers benefit from a longer training period due to the exhaustive nature of the position. A week or two later, the position players arrive and team practice begins.While Florida and Arizona now host all Major League Baseball teams for spring training, this has not always been the case. The Brooklyn Dodgers trained in Havana, Cuba in 1947 and 1959, and in the Dominican Republic in 1948. [1] During World War II, most teams held an abbreviated spring training within easy reach of their cities. Before big league baseball reached the West Coast, a number of teams trained in California. Wally WestlakeFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Westlake (7/20/2007)Waldon Thomas Westlake (born November 8, 1920 Gridley, California - ) was a utility player who had a 10 year career from 1947 to 1956. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies all of the National League and the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles both of the American League. He played third base and outfield. He was elected to the National League All-Star team in 1951. Joe Glenn (baseball)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Glenn_%28baseball%29 (7/20/2007)Joseph Charles (Joe) Glenn (November 19, 1908 - May 6, 1985) was a backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1932-33, 1935-38), St. Louis Browns (1939) and Boston Red Sox (1940). Glenn batted and threw right handed. He was born in Dickson City, Pennsylvania.In an eight-season career, Glenn posted a .252 batting average with five home runs and 89 RBI in 248 games played. Glenn died in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, at age of 76. Glenn caught Babe Ruth during his last pitching game in 1933, and also catched Ted Williams in a rare relief appearance at Fenway Park (August 24, 1940) Bill RigneyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Rigney (7/20/2007)William Joseph Rigney (January 29, 1918 - February 20, 2001) was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. A native of Alameda, California, he batted and threw right-handed.A 26-season major league veteran, Rigney played for the New York Giants from 1946 through 1953. His most productive season came in 1947, when he collected career-highs in home runs (17), RBI (59), runs (84), hits (142), doubles (24) and games played (130). An All-Star in 1948, he was a .259 career hitter with 41 home runs and 212 RBI in 654 games. Following his playing career, Rigney served as the Giants manager from 1956-60, leading the club in its first season after moving from New York to San Francisco in 1958. He then became the expansion Los Angeles Angels first manager in 1961, moved with them to Anaheim, and remained until the 1969 season, winning the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1962. He later led the Minnesota Twins to the 1970 AL West champioship before being replaced in the 1972 midseason.After serving as a scout for the Padres and Angels (1973-74), Rigney had a second managerial stint with the Giants in 1976. In an 18-season managerial career, Rigney posted a 1239-1321 record (.484) in 2561 games. After that, he served as a front-office consultant and a radio and TV broadcaster for the Oakland Athletics in the 1980s. Rigney died in Walnut Creek, California at age of 83.

Used: Oakland Tribune