Evening star., 1936-10-11
Griff Mum on Trade Talk.

trading season.
Grih Mum on Trade Talk.
NARK GRIFFITH has been sitting
back and saying little since he
came away from the series an eye
witness to the slaughter, except to
admit he wants Bucky Harris to man.
age again in 1887. Griff has no trade
plans to make public, but there is an
air OF expectancy out at Florida and
Georgia avenues.
For one item, there is reason to
believe that Griff will dicker for a
catcher this year. His disappointment
In Cliff Bolton, the recalcitrant Tar
heel, was unbounded when Cliff packed
up his belongings and beat it for his
North Carolina home while the Ma
tionas were in the thick of the fight
Tor second place. This necesc:tated
the importing of Shanty Hogan, the
one-man crowd, who hit well enough
, and did a good job behind the bat.
But Shanty lacked the speed and
agility and, unless he takes off pounds
of weight, he is not likely to do.
The other catcher, Walter Miles,
finished the year with a surprising
batting average, a figure we'll over
300. but he is believed too small for
regular work and, possibly, too in
experienced.
This department. catching, stands
out among the Washington clubs
ie i,,
virtually every move that Griffith
and Harris have been making. The
Old Fox inquired about Frank owen.
the Columbus catcher who is owned
by the Cardinals, and was amazed
to learn that Owens price has been
set at 100000 by Branch Hickey.
The Cards already have good CATCH
ing and probably will sell Owen If
the price is right. Tom Yawkey may
make the price right, despite his VOW
to quit buying and start developing.
Hemsley Rumor Still Strong.
NOTHING has happened so far to
disturb the rumor that Washing
ton is interested in Rollie Hemsley.
who probably would be the best
catcher in all base ball but for his
extracurriculsr activities. Rogers
Hornsby at st. Louis has a good
looking young catcher in Angelo
Giuliano and between this asset and
the Browns lamentable lack of other
assets, including financial, Hornsby
might be persuaded to let Hemsley 60.
II 80 Bolton probably will be used
as part Of the bait.
The Newsom-to- Boston rumor con-
tinues to exist, although those who
peddle 1t are not so certain now that
Joe Cronin wants the big pitcher
whose potentialities still are almost
immeasurable. The Red Sox are ex-
pected to let Wes Ferrell get away,
but it Is felt he Is headed for Detroit,
II anywhere. Still it might be worth
bearing in mind that Harris was the
gentleman who persuaded Farrell to
come out of retirement and 1t was
Harris who started him On the road
to success as Boston hurler.
The Nationals other problems are
negligible in comparison to the bat
terry worry. Taking Buddy Myers
recovery for granted, the infleld OF
Kuhel, Myer, Travis and Lewis bears
inspection well and there is no grave
task in putting a capable outield in
uniform with Johnny Stone and Ben
Chapman serving as a nucleus.
Minor League Meeting Attracts.
GATHERING in hotel lobbies before
and after series games, bigwigs of
virtually every major league club
helped to make speculation in New
York, and most Of them signified their
intentions of attending not only the
big league Winter meeting in New
York next December. but also the
minor league confab in Montreal,
which directly precedes it. As q rule
the minor league meeting is left pretty
much to the minor leaguers, but this
year the major club owners seem to
regard 1t as extra time to huddle and
plan to make the most Of it.
The Yanks, Lazzeri-to-go rumor tc
the contrary, seem ready to stand pat,
or 1T least that was the impression
given by Joe Mccarthy on the eve
of the victory dinner in New York.
Nor are the Athletics likely to do
much, trading, but all signs point to
the Red Sox, Indians, Browns, Ma.
tionals and even the second-place
Tigers and the third-place White Sox
launching into . busy season. Jimmy
Dykes already has broached trades,
one to Griff involving John Whitehead
and Zeke Bonura. Mickey Cochrane
plans to I'LL the weaker posts in the
Detroit lineup with recruits from the
American Association, but it is felt
he win put Al Simmons on the block
and probably Pete Fox and Jo-Jo
White.