New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-02-01
NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, FEBRUARY !, 1929.
HARRIS PLANS TO
REBUILD tigers
viii Construct Detroit. Team
Around Young Players


apart and intends TO rebuild them
along new lines.
Naturally enough. the youngest
manager in the major leagues viii
construct his first. Detroit team
around young players Onf less
than half of the 81 players on the
Tigers roster are newcomers. -
tentative lineup announced by lIar-
ris includes only three players out
OF sixteen who have passed the 80
year mark.
OF the Tigers is new players. two
are catchers. five pitchers. five in
fielders. five outfielders and Man
.ager Harris himself who plans 10
manage the team, from the bench.
Five OF the Tigers recruits have
been praised SO highly that III ~ are
slated for regular berths. TIVE out
fictdcrs. Roy johnson from San
Francisco and John Stone from the
Evansville club of the Three I
League. vii, be given every chance
to break into the Tigers ovtfield.
johnson, who is only ~ AMI
throws right and bats len-ha hded.
cost the Tigers $4,000 and Is said
to be the best player developed in
the Pacific Coast League last sea-
son. He batte,l .;59 and among his
a42 hits We're So doubles. & triples
and % home runs. He stole 30
bases and Is regarded as one Of tl,.'
best fielJers and most accurate
throwers ever seen or the coast
Graduating from Maryvile. NY.
college in June, 1923. Stone played
in Is games for ENans> lille and was
purchased by the Tigers. He played
in the same number for Detroit and
batted exactly the same for both
clubs, .S5l. Although Stone reeds
experience in the outGeld.s he IL
regarded as natural hitter. He is
only % and weighs IFS.
Dale. Alexander, first ba.eman,
and Johnny Prudhomme. right
handed pitcher. purchased from
Toronto for a sum said to have
been 100000. are counted on. as
Certain 10 make good.
Alexa nder. who led the 1nterna-
tional League In batting last season
with .3S2 will battle with Harry
lehman. the former outfieldrr for
the first base position. Alcxa nder
who weighs 21o and Is only IS. il.
called . right handed hitting Eabe
Ruth.
Prudhomme has been pitching but
two years professionally but was
rated one of the hest hulers i, III.
International League last season He
won - games and lost "a. He is
&c.
The trade which brought the vet
eran Pitcher George Uhle to the
Tigers in exchange for Jack Tavcncr
and Ken Holloway left gan a.,
shortstop in the Detroit infield
lieinie Soluble. the - year lid flash
who finished the 1897 season with
the st. Louis Cardinals. was pur-
chased from Houston 10 lug tie
hole. He PLAYED capably for the
Texas League champions and is "A
smart fielder.
II Soluble should fail, Francis
Sigafoos. formerly with the Ath-
let;cs. who was purchased from
Portland. where he played all infiell
and outfieId positions in 1897 and
1928 expect first base will get tn.
berth.
Manager Harris hopes that one Of
the two young catchcrs. Raymond
Haywortl from Shreveport or FL
Phillips from Toronto, will make
good and strengthen his catching
staff. perhaps the weakest link in
the Tigers lineup. Philips bat,cl
.Sis in 81 games last season.
Among the other newcomers are
Frank Barnes, southpaw pitcher.
who won is games and lost for
Houston: Dudgcy Bra nom. former
Athletics first hascman who drove
in 1e6 runs for Louisville: Phil Page
sonthpaw pitcher who won rs games
and lost 10 for Springfield of the
Eastern League and Charley Ban
gok, outfielder. who batted .3l7
at Evansville. in his first year OF
professional baseball.
Probable lineup Of the Tigers fol-
lows:
Catchers- Shea. Hargra>e, Wood
all.
Pitchc,s-Carroll. Sorrell. White
hill. THE. Prudhomme. Billings,
Barnes. Stoner, Page and Rangok.
1nfield-Alcxandcr or Heilmann
at first, Gehringcr at second, Schu-
BILE at short. McManus at third
Sigafoos and Galloway. reserves.
Outfield-Sionc in left. Harry
Rice in center. johnson in right.
Fothergill RubIc and Wade. re-