The Key West Citizen

The Tape Measure
By Joe Illsley

Bill's Dilemma

Veteran Key West baseball campaigner Bill Cates is in a position far from enviable:

He's been called upon to pick the "Key West All-Stars" for a one-night stand against the International Baseball League's AAA Miami Marlins on the night of Wednesday, April 9, at Wickers Field.

Bill's problems concern (1) players, and (2) practice sessions.

Naturally, he's going to do the very best with personnel now available, but he could field a pretty fair club among those who'll be missing from Key West on April 9.

Pro ball players Tony Hopey, Julio Santana, Roger Bean, George Lastres, "Rock" Portier and David "Joe-Red" Carey will be getting set for the season at various minor league training camps.

Hurler Jose Sanchez is due to be given a tryout by the San Francisco Giants' organization and may not be in town. And Gibby Gates and Biff Salgado, a couple of pretty fair country ball players, will have joined Joe Pineda, another top Key West athlete, for a tour of duty in Uncle Sam's Army.

That's the team Bill won't be able to field.

Let's see who he'll use against the Marlins.

His infielders will be Clayton Sterling, Johnny Steeb, Al Pazo, Josie Diaz, "Skip" Schwoeble, Ike Thompson and Elop Rodriguez. In the outfield we'll have Claude Valdez, "Bimbi" Casas, Don Cruz and Sam Spayd.

Hurlers being counted on are Bill Brado, Bubber Sweeting, Kaki Rodriguez and Armand Henault and Moe Henriquez and Santiano Angelo will do the receiving.

"If Sanchez doesn't make it with the Giants, we'll have him," says Bill. "There's also a possibility that we can get "Viti" Vidal to burn his seuthpaw slants over for a couple of frames," adds the veteran coach.

As concerns practice, that's another problem and Bill wants us to use this means to advise his players to get set for the fray right now.

Strange as it seems, there won't be any practice unless something unusual turns up. Lack of facilities is the reason.

Miami's Marlins arrive here early April 5 and will be working out each morning. Bill, superintendent of Wickers Field, will be getting the diamond ready for the Marlins' exhibition games as soon as the daily drills of the AAA team ceases. The Marlins are our guests and they must be given the very best of treatment. There's always the possibility of luring them here for spring training next season.

So when and where do Bill's All-Stars practice? You tell us.

Of the players we mentioned, Schwoeble, Spayd, Henault, Steeb,

Angelo and Brado were all standouts on Navy teams in the Island City Winter Baseball League.

Will Key West fans see a pretty fair ball game on the night of Wednesday, April 10?

You may bet on it!

"Lose? Not me! The penitentiaries are full of three-time losers! Who wants to lose?" queries Cates.