Evening star., 1927-05-02

Emory Elmo 1hS HeN. j tl&it
the trade between Nationals
~ and Red SoX consummatct
early today According tC
President Clark Griffith no cash is in
volved in the deal. that takes effect
immediately. Rigney was likely 10
spnear in a National uniform against
the Yankees this afternoon. Myer
probably will report to his new cIup
not later than tomorrow
This deal. the National president de-
elares. is made solely upon Manager
Stanley Harris request. After con-
ference with Bill Carrigan, pilot of the
Red Sox. Yesterday. Harris asked the
preNv that the trade he put through
Criff immediately got in telephonlc
communication with President BOD
Quinn of the Boston club. but not
until this morning did the Red SoX
boss give the deal his Q. X.
In trading Myer for Rigney, the
Nationals are giving up a 23-year.old
plaver for a 30.year-old man. Rigney
was born in Groveton, Tex. on jan
uary :. 1897. Washington gives up
lefthand hitting Shortstop who in his
brief big league career has hit for an
average of .294. for a righthand hit
ting one now in his sixth big league
season who has an alltime major hit
ting average of .2S9.
Myer last wear. really his first major
season. batted for 1903. Rigney in
1924 hit .2S9, in 1926 his mark was
.247, and last year it was .27O.
Rigney Stronger Afield.
Afield, how ever, Rigney appears to
have the advantage of Myer. Last
wear at shortstop for the Red SoX,
Topper took care of his position well
enough to get a fielding average OF
.967. a rating that placed him at the
head of the American League snort
fielders. N1yer finished in thirteenth
place with rating Of 1928. And Rlg-
nev helped to make so double plays,
while Myer took part in only AZ.
A desire to strengthen the clubs
defense more than anything else led
Harris to make the trade, he declared
this morning. The play of the inner
Gordon of the Nationals. has not been
altogether pleasing to the pilot, but
he believes that Rigney will have
stabilizing influence on the infield. In
fact. Harris firmly believes his club
is one of the strongest pennant possl.
biIities in the league this season and
that a bit more strength in the IN
field will bring a squirt in the race.
While Mver appears to be better
batting prospect that Rigney. Harris
evidently sees enough attacking power
in Speaker. Goslin, Rice and Judge 10
be able to give up some hitting Tor
better fielding. He admits this deal
is a gamble as are all deals, put Is
rather confident that his judgment
will prove right in this instance.
Hit Best in 1928.
Rigney has been in professional ball
since 1920. That year he broke in
with the Dallas club Of the Texas
League and batted .253 in 122 games
The next year found him with the
Fort Worth club in the same circuit
and hitting .292 in 154 engagements.
He went up to the Tigers in 1922 as
their regular shortstop. He f1eided
we'll and hit for an even 800 in 100
games. In 1928 he had his best bat
ting season in the majors, banging
the ball at a .315 rate in 129 games
for Detroit.
In 1924. however. he slumped at
bat, dropping to .2S9, and has not
been able to regain his clubbing eye.
For several months in 1925 R1gney
was unable to play with the IlSers
and during most of the time he was
a
culiar ailment that affected his back.
For weeks there was doubt as to-
whether Rigney ever would get back
into the game. He did manage to get
into 60 tussles, but was in most OF
them in pinch roles.
Shortly before the opening Of the
championship campaign last year, rig
new was sold to the Red Sox and was
their regular shortstop throughout
the season. While the Red Sox were
training at New Orleans this year,
though, the shortfield position was
given to Paul Wanninger. a former
Yankee, who came to the Hubmen by
way of st. Paul, and Rigney, left to
battle with Fred Haney, his one-time
clubmate at Detroit, for the third base
Job. Haney won the argument and
Rigney has been idle most Of the time
since the title race began on April II,
Myer Started In 1925.
Myer Joined the Nationals in the
last month Of the 1925 campaign and
got into four games before the race
was over. After Ossie Bluege was
hit in the head by a pitched ball, dur
ing the world series with the Pirates,
Myer was sent to third base, at which
place, he participated in three games.
Last year, after a brief trial at short
stop, he was relieved by the veteran
Roger Peckinpaugh, but when the lat
ter's underpinning gave way, Buddy
again went back to the shortfeld to
remain throughout the season.
Buddy was somewhat sluggish in
training in Florida this year and for a
time IL was not so certain he would be
able to start the season. For a While,
Manager Harris experimental with
the young infielder at third base, but
Myer was not as good there as at
short. so when championship play be-
gan he was assigned to the territory
between second and third bases
Before coming to the Nationals Myer
had a Spring training trip with the
Indians in 1925. They wanted to ship
him 10 the Texas League, but he re-
fused 70 sign and later procured a Job
with the New Orleans club of the