Evening star., 1940-12-11
Baseball
Continued From Page A-16)

gotiations. Cleveland claimed that
Washington tossed a wrench into
the works. Anyway, that was the
situation as. footsore and tired, all
principals climbed into their hunks.
A trade of this sort appeared log
ical from several angles. In the first
place, Washington needs a center
fielder and needs him badly. There
isn't an Al centerfielder on the
club. Boston, which has the promis-
ing Dominic Di Maggie pressing
Cramer. obviously is ready to make
the shift, with Ted Williams and Lou
Finney or Walker, if the guess is cor
rect. to flank the newest and young
est of the Di Mags.
Cramer Is Getting Along.
Griffith is understood to have re-
ceived a couple of offers for George
Case, the speedster whose arm is not
strong enough to make him a good
center fielder. The Old Fox heard
the offers Indignantly. Even if he
were in a mood to trade Buddy
Lewis, the other regular outflelder,
it wouldn't likely be to Boston,
which has a short left-feld fence
and, therefore. represents no para
disc to a left-handed hitter like
Lewis.
Deducing along these lines,
Walker must be the fellow the Red
Sox are eyeing, because Gee is a
right-handed hitter, good left
fielder and. moreover, about the
same age as Cramer.
Cramer is no youngster. He will
be "a next July, but Walker is getting
along, too, which would seem to
clinch his nomination as to bait in
the potential deal. Grifflth, building
for the future, isn't likely to ex-
change youngsters like Case or
Lewis for the veteran Cramer.
Slapnicka Eyes Krakauskas.
For a while last night it appeared
as if Washington was nearing a
trade with Cd st. Louis and CD
Chicago. The deal with the Browns,
which involved. among others,
Center Fielder Chet Laabs, was de-
scribed this morning by Harris as
absolutely cold. The White Sox,
who offered either Clint Brown, 81,
or Jack Knott, IS, for Joe Kra-
kauskas, were told off.
Another bidder for Krakky was
the Cleveland club. General Man
ager Cyril Slapnicka offered Pitcher
Johnny Allen, the terrible-tempered
gent from North Carolina, for the
Lithuanian from Canada. Griffith
said nothing doing.
Il can get $4,000 for Allen" Slap
nicka said.
Swell" Griffith answered. you
sell Allen for $4,000 and give 1t to
me. Then Ill give you Krakauskas. :"
Slapnicka repeatedly colored. Il
can't do that" he is supposed to
have answered, although giving no
real reason. The tip is out that
Allen has been waived upon in the
American League and that the club
willing to pay $4,000 for him is
Brooklyn.
Crosetti, Grimes Possible Mats.
Another tip that was no secret was
that Washington was looking into
the condition of Infielder Oscar
Grimes of the Indians, who was dis
abled last season in the Capital when
struck on the head by line drive
during batting practice. Grimes, who
plays equally well at all positions in
the infield, was said to be bait for
Krakauskas. This deal was a pos
sibility.
For the most part, however, talk
was cheap. The Yankees were an
other club repeatedly ready to deal
with the Mats, who want Shortstop
frankie Crosetti, but negotiations
apparently had fallen of. At base
ball meeting, though anything can
happen in the space Of an hour or so,
it also is possible for nothing to hap
pen over space Of many days.