Hillis Layne, former Seattle Rainier, dies at 91

Hillis Layne, the 1947 Pacific Coast League batting champion while playing for the Seattle Rainiers, has died at age 91.

By Seattle Times staff and sports-information reports

Hillis Layne, whose 17-year playing career in professional baseball included a Pacific Coast League batting title with the Seattle Rainiers in 1947, died Jan. 12 in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was 91.

Layne, who was nicknamed Tony, was born Feb. 23, 1918 in Whitwell, Tenn., and lived in Chattanooga most of his life.

Signed by the Washington Senators, Layne played three full seasons in the major leagues from 1941 to 1945, but missed parts of three seasons because of military service.

The left-handed hitter, listed as 6 feet, 170 pounds, played mostly third base. He played 17 seasons in the minor leagues, appearing in nearly 2,000 games and batting .335. He played three years for the Rainiers, leading the PCL in batting in 1947 with a .367 average. He hit .342 the next year. His last full season in Seattle was 1949.

He also led the Northwest League in batting in 1955 by hitting .391 for the Lewiston Broncs, and hit .362 in four NWL seasons.

Layne, who was in pro baseball for 37 years, later was a minor-league manager, a minor-league director and a baseball scout.

UW gets volleyball

transfer from UCLA

Amanda Gil, an All-America middle blocker from UCLA, has transferred to Washington to play volleyball.

Gil, the Pac-10 leader in blocks in 2009, will have two years of eligibility remaining and will be eligible to play for the Huskies starting in 2011.

The 6-foot-6 native of San Jose, Calif., was voted to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America second team after her sophomore season with the Bruins in 2009. Her 180 total blocks and 1.57 blocks per set ranked second in the NCAA.

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