The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-07
SAMMY CREWS BALKs


 To add to the tribulations ofsthe local Manager. Sammy Crews. for whom Grif- with was traded, steadfastly refuses to consider a contract of any sort, saying that he can make more money oversee ing his fathers North Carolina farm than he can playing Class A baseball. Buck Weaver, who was secured from New Orleans in the neusel- Daniels trade, gently requested that he be granted $50 per month more than the Pelicans gave him last season. Further than that, Daniels has not been heard from, although Nicklin authorized Heinemann to give him a good sized boost also.
 This is & situation that might cause any manager to tear his hair right at reporting time, and Nicklin is writing reams on reams of letters. all the while using unprintable language. The un- willingness of the old timers to sign makes the manager look toward his newcomers, and aside from the men who were traded for and not one of whom has yet consented to report. the additions to the Lookouts are entirely on the youngster variety, almost sand lotters. NiclSlin will run the largest kindergarten on record in the league this spring, more than twenty sandlot- ters being on the list. The only two experienced men among the youths are Gerdes. an inlieder, who was secured from Detroit, and York, a southpaw pitcher from Philadelphia
 The manager displayed a character istic daring in his trades of the winter The team of last year was sadly weak at the bat; yet. Nicklin has traded his two most reliable hitters, NeuseI, who swatted above 300, and Griffith, who found his batting eye in July and be- came the team's only pinch hitter. Neu- sel went to New Orleans for Daniels, .231 hitter. and shout of criticism went up from the fans forthwith. The manager answered it, indirectly, by saying that he was willing to stake his Judgment against that of his old side-kick. J. Dobbs, that Daniels was the better ball player of the two. Grif- fifth went for Crews, who was ex- pected to add great strength to the pitching staff.
 ONLY CHANGE I
 It is not hard to guess from this recital that Nicklins only chance to show the fans ball club this year is to develop from now on. Either his must show unexpected class or he will have to call on friends in the majors. He is closely lined up with John and Hugh Jennings and hopes to be able to land some classy youths later on. At present the squad is entirely without hitting strength, but the pitching staff, if all sign up, looks to be one of the best in the league while the infield needs only plugging the hole at third base to be as good as any of them. Ii the Lookouts were to face the barrier tomorrow. this is how they probably would stack up:
 Noel, Vines, Marshall, Crews, Lasater, pitchers.
 Neiderkorn, Dehaney, catchers.
 Anderson, first base.
 Gleason, second base.
 Demoe. shortstop.
 Gerdes, third base
 Bratchi, Burke (of Little Rock last year) and Dallas in the cutfield.
 Of this number, Burke, Gerdes, De- nancy and L.asater are not Class men, so that one of the other ten men named would have to be released on May 15 to men limit. A study of the list shows that fense, and that Nicklin's strengthening efforts probably will be directed toward getting some hitters.
 Pitchers-Marshall, Vines, Noel, 1913 team; Crews, Birmingham; Lasater, with team few weeks last fall; Prince. Sells. amateur; Hussig, Oxford, Ohio; Covey. Brooklyn and army star; N Novak, St. Louis semi-pro; York, Ath- letics: Buck Weaver, from New Orleans in Daniels trade.
 Catchers-N -Neiderkorn, Earp. 1S1s team; Delaney. former Chickasaw.