The New York herald., 1921-01-01
YANKEES GET ROTH
IN TRADE FOR TWO
Washington Gives Outfielder
i'm Exchange for Lewis and
Moeridge.
By DANIEL.

Z n
New Years present. The fast. hard
hitting and much traded outfielder be-
came Yankee yesterday afternoon
when he was acquired from the WASH
yington club IN deal which sent Duffy
Lewis, outfielher and George Mogridge,
left handed pitcher, to the Senators.
The addition of Roth to the Yankee
array marks the successful elimination
of New York effort which extended
over q period of two years. and puts
him on his sixth club in the American
League. The only teams he has missed
are the Tigers and the Browns. Miller
Hugglns always has been an admirer
Of the speed and general style of Roth
and has harbored the impression that
\ he could make the player even more
effective at bat. Huggins tried-to obtain
him from the Cleveland club last year.
but James Dunn. the president of that
outfit. would not talk business with the
owners of the Yankees-perhaps for OBJ
vious reasons.
The New York. Boston and Chicago
clubs were in the thick of their fight
with the loyal five and Ban Johnson,
and Dunn. as one OF the strongest back
ers os the league president. wanted 10
have no hand in adding playing strength
to the Yankees Besides. Cleveland had
made an offer of $4,000 for Dutch"
Leonard. the pitcher who refused to re-
port to the Yankees unless certain sal
AIRY demands We're met-and Leonard
later was sold to Detroit for $4,000.
This only added to the official rancor
between the New York and Cleveland
clubs and made it certain that Roth
would not at that time become a Yankee.
Goes to Athletics.
While the outfielder was not sent to
New York by Cleveland. he did not re-
main with the Indians. In March. 1919,
Roth went to the Athletics in exchange
for Third Baseman Gardner, Pitcher
Myers and Outfeld er Janieson--a trao.
which was supposed to help the lowly
Mackmen, but worked in an opposite
way and no doubt led to Cleveland's
winning the pcnnant in 1920.
Roth did not linger long with the
Athletics. The club was too drab for
Bobby and his work suffered. Again the
Yankees made an effort to land the
player and again their offers were
thrown back at them. Nobody among
the loyaists was in mood for talking
business with the New York club. Mack
traded Roth to the Red Sox in June.
1919. Roth and Maurice Shannon went
for Jack Barry and Amos Strunk. Barry
never played with the Athletics.
Roth finished the 1919 season with the
Red Sox but he was no bowling success.
II was reported that he was too tenn
ornamental for Ed Barrow to handle.
On December 80, 1919. Boston traded
Roth and shannon TO Washington for
t'utfieider Menosky. Third Baseman
Foster and Pitcher Harper.
Roth did pretty well with Washington
last seaso n. but he did not come up to his
own and the general baseball publics
expectations. The Senators were not
very much better than the Athletics had
been the year before, and Roth knew
trat the Yankees wanted him. Again
II was bruited about that Bobby was not
in the good graces OF his manager and
that Clark Griffith had determined to
send him elsewhere just as soon as
suitable trade could be arranged.
Grimth Finally Accepts.
Lewis and Mogridge were offered to
Washington for Roth many months ago.
after Huggins had decided that the two
Yankees had outlived their usefulness
with the club. They did not get on very
well with the Miller last summer
Washington declined the offer twice and
then looked about for another trade. But
as no other club could offer men who
compared with the pair which the Yam
KEGS wanted to give Griffith finally
made the deal.
We already have associated Roth with
five American League clubs. A sixth
must be accounted for. and that is the
Chicago team. Roth broke into the
league with the White Sox in 1914, COM
ing from Kansas City for the sum Of
$4,000. The Chicago club in 1915 gave
Roth. Pitcher Klepfer and s32.500 to
Cleveland for Joe Jackson. the outfielder,
who Ia among those indicted for throw
ing games in the 1919 worlds series.
Roth was born in Chicago on August
2s. 1892. He throws and bats right
handed and weighs about 10 pounds in
playing condition. His first professional
engagement was that with Racine in the
Wisconsin Illinois League in 1911.
From there he went to Kansas City. St
Joseph, and back 10 Kansas City. Then
he wandered out to Springfield, ILL.,. and
Virginia MIMI. back TO Kansas City for
a third time and on to Chicago.
Last season Roth batted for an aver
age Of 290. getting 23 doubles. triples.
9 home runs and as bases on balls. He
famed 81 times and stole "a bases In
rt- ~. IL