Evening star., 1939-02-28
Travis for York
Deal Declared
On Griidd|e
Griff, Eager to Lond
Tebbetts, Refuses to
Confirm Report
. Stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY Stan Correspondent of The Star.
BRADENTON, Fla, Feb. 28.-The
grapevine trunk of baseban's grape
fruit circuit buzzes these days with
contrasting reports and in the
middle stands President Clark Grif-
fifth of the Nationals.
From nearby Lakeland, training
slte OF the Detroit Tigers. comes
word that Griffith is seeking services
OF Rudy York, the Indian behemoth
VINO hits the ball a long way. 1t
isn't clearly explained Just what
Grifhth would do with Rudy if he
landed him. He might put him on
nrst base or he might use him be.
hind the bat.
FROM Orlando. however the re-
port meets a stern denial from ro
less an authority than Mr.. Griffith
himself. Il haven't made a bid fofA
York for long time" insisted the
old gentleman today. Il haven't
mentioned his name to the Tigers
since last fall. Well, since the vim
Ter meeting, anyway. Besides. I
oont ike him so much. Id rather
have their other catcher. Birdie
Tebbetts."
York Is Dodging Outfield.
Until further notice Griftth.s
words must be accepted as fact, al
though the Lakeland sources seem
very positive about the matter,
lhere is, however, an air of ey-<
pectancy in the two centers and the
general impression of the rumor-
mongers is that it will only be q
question of time before Griffith and
1he 11gers begin to spar again.
IL may be that training camp de-
Velopments will determine whether
future trade conference will be
conducted. Manager Del Baker of
tne Tigers was said to have given
YORK dozen new baseballs at the
end OF the 1888 season and to have
asked the big fellow to practice
catching fly balls during the winter
The idea. apparently. was to make
an outf1elder out of York.
Dispatches from the Detroit
stronghold. though. reveal that York
1alled to open the box of baseballs
ana that he objects to the outdeld.
Kicked around from post to post
s'nce he came to the attention of
the majors. York seems to want TO
catch. as long as Hank Greenberg<
bars his path to first base. =
Boston Deal May Have Hurt.
The Tigers have. in Tebbetts. a
hlghly-promising young backstop
who handles pitchers and throws
better than York. In addition. thev
have the customary quota of rookie
sensations
| When Griffith admittedly was
negotiating with the Tigers he
wanted Tebbetts in part payment
for Shorcstop Cecil Travis. who was
In demand by Detroit. The TigersL
Billy Rogell was slowing up and
asking for a crack at third base.
Frank Croucher. rookie, was the
only shortstop of more or less estab-
lished ability on the roster.
So good did Griffith consider his
chances of swinging a deal, accord
ing to onlookers. that he bought
1nfielder Charley Colbert from To-
ledo to serve as shortstop "insur-
ance' in the event Travis was in
cluded in trade. Travis and Catch
er Rick Ferrell were mentioned most,
prominently on the Mats side, with
Tebbetts, York, Croucher and Out
fielder Roy Cullenbine rumored as
desired subjects by Griffith.
Now Griffith says the deal is dead.
This is virtually what he said year
ago about the Joe Kuhel-Zeke Bo-
nura report. A couple of weeks later
he took the offensive and swung the
trade. Lakeland says the deal NAV
be on, depending on developments
IN camp. Manager Bucky Harris
shrugs shoulder.
Il thought there was a chance of
dealing with Detroit once" saws
Bucky. but I think the Tigers trade
with Boston, when they got Pnkv
Higgins to play third base, may have
killed it."
It's worth remembering for a while.
anyway. Griff and Harris would like
to have Tebbetts. but would settle
for York, and Detroit once liked
Travis.
Mats Judge Crater Still Out.
Pitcher Alexander Cassaquel. the
Judge Crater of major league ball.
still was missing today when the
Mats moved toward their fifth week
OF training. The South American
hurler, overdue for a week, seems
to have disappeared completely.
There have been reports that he is
being held by immigration authori-
ties at Tampa. but nobody, includ-
ing his Cuban pals in camp, seem
to be sure.
The Cubans-Bobby Estalella, Ro-
berto Ortiz and Rene Monteagudo-
are strong for Cassaquel, who will
be rechristened Alexander when and
If he arrives. "He's-a big" said Ortiz,
who now has a 12-word vocabulary.
"He's-a guide, too."
To which Estalella and Mon
teagudo nod silently and sagely.
They played against him In the
Cuban League. Scout Joe Cambria,
who discovered Alexander once and
who may have to repeat. already
has unblushingly recommended him
to Griffith as "the best pitcher
you'll have on the club"
If the mystery continues Grif
may order camp broken any day
now, arm his rockies with lassoes,
and send them beating over tho
plateaus in search of a big right
handed pitcher who can't speak
English.