Evening star., 1939-06-09
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

Shortstop Cecil Travis, the gangling
Georgian whom the Mats have had
on the baseball exchange for a pro-
| longed period, now is believed to
| have bidder for his services in the
| Cleveland Indians, who have more
than simmering interest in obtain
ing shortstop.
Developments in the past two days
| indicate the Mats and Indians are
bartering and from these discussions
1t is possible Travis may 60 over the
counter for Outfelder Earl Averill
and Pitcher Johnny Humphreys.
st. Louis and Cleveland were talk
ing trade earlier this week, with the
Browns offering Shortstop Don Heff-
ner and Pitcher Johnny Whitehead
for the Indians Outflelder Bruce
Campbell Shortstop Jimmy Webb
and Humphreys. News of the pro-
posed deal leaked out, however, and
ST Louis officials accused the Cleve-
land front office of attempting to
breed discomfort in the ranks of the
Browns.
Negotiations between these clubs
have cooled and in the meantime
the Mats have had ample opportun-
ity to step in with a convincing
sales talk. Travis has been blasting
balls with authority here and the
Indians need a hard-hitting short
stop more than Chamberlain needs
his umbrella
Six Outfielders With Indians.
The Indians have an abundance
Of what the Nationals would relish
They have six highly regarded out
flelders in Roy Weatherly, Julius
Solters, Zen Chapman, jeff Heath,
Campbell and Averill, while Hum
phreys is visioned by Manager
Harris as pitcher who needs only
astute handling to make him SEN
sation.
Cleveland is interested in elon-
! gated Ken Chase. the Nationals
southpaW pitcher who nearly always
is effective against the Indians.
Travis, though, looms as the most
likely object of the Indians affec-
/ lioilo' 4ol al 4OUI SdIllCS dS dIl4SL
| Cleveland this season, Cecil has
made an impression. Against the
Indians he has sWatted at a 421
| clip and in the past two days has
shellacked their pitching for six hits,
| including brace of doubles and
triple with the bases crammed
| With the dealing deadline only a
! VII vi =
of the Nationals hardly is twiddling
his thumbs and, by the same token
neither are the Indians Both are
in the mood to trade and both are
equipped with what the other
| wants.
Detroit Prefers to Keep York.
Griffith doubtless would prefer
! exchanging Travis for Detroit's S
Rudy York, with the idea of trans
forming the Tigers catcher into a
| first baseman. Detroit however.
has informed the Washington preXy
it isn't interested in a transaction
of that nature
Stymied in his effort to obtain a
major league first baseman, Griffith
! probably will import Jim Vernon
! from the minors to take over first
base from Sammy West an out
fielder who has been playing there
since the Mats gave up on Jimmy
Wasdell and shipped him to Mime
apolis Washington still requires
outfield insurance despite the recent
walloping of Bobby Estalella, who
smashed a pair of lengthy doubles
to drive in three runs yesterday as
the Mats fumbled their way to a rs
defeat by the Indians. The Mats
committed five errors.
Estalella. George Case, Taft
Wright and Johnny Welaj currently
/ comprise Washington outfleld ma
terial and it is possible Welaj soon
may be released to Springfield, Mass
Wright's recent slump-he has hit
only .167 in his last six games
has made the situation more acute
Lewis Two Errors Costly.
Third Baseman Buddy Lewis,
after hitting safely in 18 consecu-
tive games, was stopped yesterday
and to make it more disastrous he
Clipped in with two damaging
errors. He had company in that
respect. with West. Joe Krakauskas
and Travis also contributing mis-