Tacoma Baseball Club. Mel Knezovich, Gordon Walden, Lefty Bob Kerrigan and Cline Hufford were expected to be the "big four" starting pitchers for the Tigers during their 1950 season. They would be backed up by Gil Loust, Bob Penner, Don Carter and Vince Lazor. (TNT, 4/19/1950, p.20)

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Group portrait of Miller & Donovan Tigers Baseball Team at Tiger Ball Park, also known as Tacoma Baseball Park. The Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma Club of the Western International Baseball League) was sold to the San Diego Club of the Pacific Coast League for $109,000 in October 1947. The sale included the Tacoma Tigers park property in Tacoma, the players, team franchise in the Western International League and all other franchises and privileges of the club. (TNT, 10/2/1947) TPL-6690

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Athletic fields--Tacoma;

Tacoma Baseball Club. The Tacoma Tigers opened their 1950 Western International title bid April 19, 1950, against the Salem Legislators. Catcher Bill Sheets, joining when the team came home to Tacoma, would be the number one catcher with Redwood Fischer as his understudy. The outfield was expected to be better than all right with George Nichols in center, Dick Wenner in left, with Dick Greco in right. (TNT, 4/19/1950, p.20) TPL-4744

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Baseball Club. The Tacoma Tigers opened their exhibition season in Bakersfield, California, in early April 1950. The Tigers opened in Tacoma April 26, 1950. Dave Nadeau served as auditor for the team that year with James Benson Brillheart as manager of the club. Frank Gillihan was the business manager. (TNT, 4/26/1950, p.18) TPL-4746

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Tigers, Tacoma Baseball Club, Enoch Alexson. A group portrait of the 1949 team at Tiger Ball Park.

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950;

One of the Cheney Studs junior league football teams pose in front of the sign for Cheney Field. To the right in the Studs jacket is Ben Cheney, Tacoma lumberman and sports philanthropist, and in front and to his left is his daughter Sandra, in Studs jacket and hat. Ben Cheney donated thousands of dollars for uniforms and equipment to sports teams, enabling youngsters to experience the thrill of sports. He had helped the kids football program get started 6 years prior and had continued to aid the program. By 1956, it had 30 competing teams. The boys wear the familiar "Cheney stud" logo on their uniform shirts; they also wear helmets and pads.

Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Cheney, Sandra; Cheney Field (Tacoma); Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Football--Tacoma--1950-1960; Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Cheney Studs are pictured in front of the Cheney Field sign on August 9, 1958. The Richards Studio has labeled these pictures as the "Seattle" Cheney Studs baseball team. Ben Cheney, local lumberman and noted philanthropist, sponsored many amateur teams in a variety of sports. All groups were called the Cheney Studs regardless of members' ages or sport chosen. Coach Joe Budnick is seated to the far left in this photograph. Others identified are: Earl Hyder, first row 4th from left; Bob Maguinez is in the second row, second from right; Gene Anderson, Cheney Studs Athletic Director is in the second row, extreme right. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co. (Additional identification provided by a reader)

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hyder, Earl; Maguinez, Bob; Anderson, Gene;

Tacoma Baseball Club. Arnold (Red) Fischer was the number one catcher during the initial fortnight of spring drills at the Tacoma Tigers camp in Bakersfield, California. With the return of Bill Sheets, Fisher was probably crowded out as the first-string receiver, but Manager Jim Brillheart hoped to utilize the youngster's power at the plate and develop him into a third baseman. (TNT, 4/13/1950, p.C-8)

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Baseball Club. Manager Jim Brillheart had put together the 1950 Tigers team with returning reinforcements: "Wimpy" Quinn as the number one first baseman, Dick Wenner as outfielder, catcher Bill Sheets and right-hander, Don Carter. The Tigers won the first inning of their home season and went on to defeat Spokane, 5 to 2, before 3,133 welcoming fans at Tiger Field. (TNT, 4/27/1950, p. 26) TPL-4745

Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma); Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Ben Cheney's generosity permitted thousands of Tacoma youth to participate in sports including football, basketball and baseball. The local lumberman and philanthropist sponsored many teams under the name, Cheney Studs, and they were able to play at the facility named after Mr. Cheney, Cheney Field. View of two Cheney Studs Midget football players practicing the art of kicking while two coaches observe on November 1, 1958. These players are dressed in full uniform including the famous Cheney Studs logo on their jerseys. The Midget Studs met Lakewood at Clover Park High School for the league championship later that day. Both teams had a 4-0-1 record; the tie was with each other. Coincidentally, they tied again in the championship game at 6-6. They were scheduled to play again the following week but were declared co-champions with no additional playoffs. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co. (TNT 10-24-58, D-3; TNT 11-7-58, p. 25)

Football--Tacoma--1950-1960; Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The Tacoma Tigers were starting the Western International League series with a double header against the Salem Senators. The Salem Senators won both games against Tacoma, 7 to 3 and 2 to 1. View of opening day baseball game; the Tacoma Tigers against the Salem Senators at Tiger Ball Park (T.N.T., 4/25/49, p. 16).

Baseball players--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Baseball umpires--Tacoma--1940-1950; Sports officiating--Tacoma; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma);

This unidentified Tacoma Tigers "bat person" was all ready for the 1949 season opener scheduled for Friday April 22. Unfortunately, it rained. The first game of the season was not played until Sunday the 24th. On that day the Tigers faced the Salem Senators in a double header. Before a home town crowd of 4,535 fans they lost both games, 7-3 and 2-1. (TNT 04/25/1949, p. 16)

Baseball--Tacoma--1940-1950; Uniforms; Sporting goods; Athletic fields--Tacoma; Tiger Ball Park (Tacoma); Tacoma Tigers (Tacoma);

The formal dedication of Tacoma's baseball park as Cheney Field took place August 18, 1952. For the occasion, Ben Cheney, who purchased the park from the San Diego Padres, flew the Medford Cheney Studs north from Oregon for an exhibition game with the Fort Lewis Brewers, second-half champions of the Tacoma City League. The Brewers were pictured on the edge of the ball field wearing "Olds Pilsner" uniforms. The Brewers handed Cheney's Medford team an 8-1 defeat. (TNT, 8/23/1952, p.24 & 8/30/1952, p.18) Format 7" x 11"

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Athletic fields--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Field (Tacoma);

Ben Cheney sponsored many amateur teams, all sporting the nomenclature, the Cheney Studs. A young baseball player is photographed at dusk on June 19, 1958; he is wearing a pinstriped uniform with the familiar Studs logo. The baseball team was composed of high school and college-level stars in the Puget Sound area. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Baseball players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Baseball--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A group of twenty-six young football players proudly pose for their team portrait at Cheney Field wearing Cheney Studs jerseys and helmets and plenty of pads. Ben Cheney is standing in the rear on the right.

Cheney, Ben B., 1905-1971; Athletic fields--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cheney Field (Tacoma); Football players--Tacoma--1950-1960;