The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-03
CLOSEUP CLUBS STRENGTHEN FOR
 1888 SEASON
Tigers and White SOx Make Important Six
 Player Deal
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff COrrespOndent)
 Milwaukee, Wis, Dec. 3.-(UP).- Supremacy of the New York Yam kees wasn't exactly threatened to- day but activities among other clubs indicated that every effort is being made to plug weak gaps among the also rans and tighten up the Aneri- can League race generally.
 Trades of the past 24 hours at the Minor League convention have re- suited in the following acquisition of players by American League clubs:
 Detroit Tigers-Pitcher Vernon Kennedy, Outfielder Fred (Dixie) Walker, and Utility Infielder Tony Piet from the White SoX.
 Chicago White Sox-Otfielder Gerald Walker, Third Baseman Marvin Owen, and Rookie Catcher Michael Fresh, who was warmed out last season to Portland, from the Tigers.
 Boston Red Sox-Outfielder Joe Vosmik from the Browns.
 St. Louis Outfielder Bus ter Mills, Pitcher Buck Newsom, and Shortstop Ralph Kress, last year with Minneapolis, from the Red Sox.
 Important
 The Tigers White Sox deal may prove an important transaction be- cause those two clubs finished sec- ond and third behind the Tanks and both are likely to benefit from the 6"player swap. Because of the uncertainty surrounding Schoolboy Rowe's arm the Tigers desperately needed mound strength. Kennedy, who won 2l and lost g in 1886 and won 14 and lost l3 last year, is eX- pected to bolster Detroits weakest spot.
 In sacrificing Kennedy the White Sox plugged @ bothersorne gap at third base with Owen, who batted .29l last season, and obtained Q dangerous right -handed hitting -out- fielder in Gerald Walker who bat. ted 1885 last season. Dixie Walker, no relation to Gerald, batted 300. Both walkers are 27.
 Piet's future with the Tigers Is in doubt but the 23.year-old Fresh. Fresh, who batted .27l for Portland, is considered an outstanding young prospect by the White Sox.
 Manager Mickey Cochrane of the Tigers plans to use Mark Christman, rookie from the Beaumont Texas League club, at third base to replace Owen.
 The Red Sox presumably outbid the Yankees In landing Vosmik, who batted .325 last season. The Tanks are believed to have offered Out fielder Jake Powell and others as bait in attempting to get Vosnik Two of the players sent to the Browns, Newsome and Kress, return to the club they broke in with af- ter bouncing around here and there. Newsome, who played with Wash- ington and Boston last season, won l6 games and lost 14. Kress, who hit .334 in 158 games with Minneapolis, made a big comeback last season af. ter drifting out of the majors where he played with the Senators and White Sox besides the Browns. No Action
 Trading activities in the National League continue to be stalemated by Van Mungo, Brooklyns stormy pitcher who is the key man in all important deals among the first di- vision clubs. No progress has been made but action is certain to take place at the major league meeting at Chicago Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Jim Mulvey, Brooklyn yice-president, will join Manager Burleigh Grimes in Chicago and the Mungo deal will get hot again. The Giants continue to be the favored team to land him.
 Three new coaches have been hired for next season. Hank Gowdy follows Manager Bill McKechnie from the Bees to Cincinanti; Oscar Melillo, veteran inflelder released by the Red Sox, has signed with the Browns, and Johnny Bassler, former Detroit catcher and later Pacific Coast League manager, has caght on with Clevelnad. Wally Schang, Bob Feller's custodia, was retained as the other Indians coach.
 The Phillies purchased 1nfielder Emmett Mueller from the Houston Texas League club in the only Na- tional League player acquisition.
 The convention was scheduled to close with e routine meeting today after which all the major leaguerS and a few of the minor league ex- ecutives will head for Chicago where the big league meetings take