The Washington times., 1932-03-10
VET CATCHER
MAY FILL
DEMAND.
BY GARRETT WATERS
Crimes staff COrrespOndent)

BILOXI, Miss, March 10.
Your Uncle Clark Griffith's con-
tract troubles with Heine Ma
nush, the recalcitrant outfielder,
are at an end. Heine, on his
arrival yesterday afternoon,
nodded to his boss that all
hatchets were buried and that
he would put his name down on
the dotted line as soon as Grltt
invited him to his suite Of rooms.
The actual signing will take
place some time today.
Activities around camp can go
on without the slightest hitch
now. even though Griff has one
other important problem before
him before his season for signing
players is ended.
Schacht Holds Out
This latter business involves Al
Schacht, who is always a hold
out until the middle OF each
season. ~
But Griff is not losing and
sleep over this matter, although
Schacht may be.
Griff has several things on his
mind, the most prominent being
his recent acquisition OF Moe
Berg, the former Chicago White
Sox and Cleveland Indian
Catcher.
Griff rendered Berg a contract
last night, calling for his ap-
pearance here Immediately. The
signing of Berg answers the
problem of balancing Manager
Johnson's catching department
for the season. At least Griff
thinks as much.
A Free Agent
Berg, a 30-year-old veteran,
may or may not be the catcher
Griff has been looking for all
winter. He is a free agent, hav-
ing been given his release by the
Indians and player whose fu-
ture is a question because Of his
condition.
The new addition has never
been in best form in two years.
Immediately on becoming an
Indian two years ago, Berg hurt
his knee which kept him inactive
for the greater part of 1929. Last
spring he fell a victim to pneu-
monia which illness he never did
recover from until too late to be
OF any value to Manager Peckin-
paugh's team
Griff Liked Him Fine
However, Berg told Griff that
he is in shape this spring, which
closed the deal as far as Griff
was concerned. The prexy has
always admired Berg's work since
the day he became catcher for
the Chicago White Sox back in
1926.
Berg was a shortstop when he
first came up to the big leagues
But soon after the Sox needed a
catcher badly and Berg went be.
hind the bat to star before being
traded to the Indians in 1929.
The addition of Berg means
that it will be goodbye for either
Cliff Bolton or Howard Maple
the two rockies now in camp
One or the other will be sent
away before the season opens
providing of course Berg is in
the shape he claims to be
Therell be plenty of stepping by
Bolton and Maple from now on
for the right to own the third
berth on the teams catching
staff.
johnson Hurt
Manager Johnson will not do
any more active practicing for
the rest of the week. This, be-
cause the earnest pilot twisted
his neck while pitching t. batters
during yesterdays batting drill
He plans to direct his athletes
from the sidelineS, however, and
that means today as we'll as the
remainder of days before Sun
days opening exhibition game
against the Baltimore Orioles.
AS soon as Berg arrives, every
body supposed to be at this base
will be here for the remainder
of the training period. Heine
Manush is due for his initial
workout today, which means that
there'l be one more batter tc
pitch to in the stick drills where
there has been one less before.