Evening star., 1940-12-12
Clubs Now Fear
Stars Will Get
ServiiceCa||s
Borter for Chapman
Or Loobs Still Is
Deemed Possible
Bv FRANCIS E. STAN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

Bv FRANCIS E. STAN,
Star Staff Correspondent.
EN- ROUTE FROM CHICAGO,
Dec. 12.-Clark Griffith and Bucky
Harris neared home today and about
the only consolation they had was
that Washington's seventh-piace
ball team, which needs pitchers. a
shortstop- base combination
and a center fielder. wasn't weak
ened by any player trades.
The venerable president OF the
Nationals and his manager apollo
getically pulled out of Chicago last
night without having completed
even a minor deal in what probably
was the dullest. most insensible win
ter baseball meeting in history.
Nothing was accomplished that
couldn't have been done on the back
of a penny post card. Griffth, pro-
Tossing to be bitterly disappointed"
/ declared that selective service was
contributing factor. Some teams.
notably the Yankees. are afraid to
make a move until they hear how
many men will be drafted" he said.
Some of the players are danger
ously close to being called up"
Rizzuto May Be Drafted.
This is not unreasonable. The
Yankees have some highly touted
youngsters moving up from their
farms next year but some. Shortstop
Phil Rizzuto. in particular, are close
to the top of the draft list. If the
Yankees could have been sure that
Rizzuto would be with them all dur
ing 194l, it is possible that club,
alone, could have started the trade
ball rolling.
Griffith's own rule, which prohib-
its the pennant winner from partici-
pating in the deals, may we'll have
been another factor. The law,
which was retained at the confab,
prevented the Detroit Tigers from
trying to unload some of their spav-
ined cogs.
Anyway, about all the meeting
served to do was unearth scores OF
new angles on 1910 football results.
This was the paramount issue for
the better part of the II hours spent
daily pounding the marble floor of
the hotel lobby.
Crosetti's Price Too High.
Griffith claims that he did his
best. Harris mods in agreement.
One thing you've got to say for
Griff." was Bucky's slant. lis that
he tried hard" Both think that
something will come up later as a
result of the groundwork laid at
the meeting.
If nothing else, the convention
served to illustrate where the Mats
chief weakness lies. in the minds
Of Griffith and Harris. The Achilles
heel. apparently, is located in CEN
ter field There and at shortstop.
Il tried to get Frankie Crosetti
from the Yankees GrifIith ad-
mitted. Il quizzed Ed Barrow, but
he wanted too much. He wanted
Dutch Leonard and that's too high
price for a shortstop who doesn't
hit any harder than Crosetti. We
NAV get him yet. but negotiations
probably won't be reopened until
after Barrow receives more infor-
ma ton on the draft"
1t might be added. for the sake
of nastiness. that selective service
possibilities didn't seem to bother
the National Leaguers. One of the
deals COMPLETED in the other major
loop was the transfer of Outfielder
Morrie Arnovich from Cincinnati to
the New York Giants 1t is pos
sible that both Arnovich and Hank
Greenberg of the Tigers will be
drafted next June Both are un-
married and in their 20s. Both drew
low order numbers.
Griffith has irons in the fire for
one of three center fielders. During
the meeting he had agreed to
trade with the Red Sox. he dis
closed In exchange for Outfielder
Gerald Walker he was to get Roger
Cramer. but final completion was
contingent upon the Cleveland club,
which was to get Walker for players.
The wrench in the works was
tossed in bv the Indians" Griffith
said. "and the deal fell through
Griffith insists that he is not
that we need strong throwing
center fielder" he said, "and Walker
can't plav center I think he's
better ballplayer than Cramer. All
around. I mean. But we've got to
get somebody who can throw and
play renter"
Some Deals Still Possible.
comp'ntino three deals. which were:
1. Catcher Rick Ferrell to. st.
Louis in exchange for Center Field
er Chet Laabs. This still may hap
pen.
2. Walker to the Boston Red Sox
for Cramer. Griff thinks the Red
Sox will muff one if they don't
make this deal and keep Walker,
| irc+eod of sending him elsewhere.
3. Johnny Welaj to Cleveland for
Center Fielder Ben Chapman. This
is another deal which still may
happen.
For a while the Mats were inter-
ested in Infielder Oscar Grimes Of
the Indians. but. according to Har-
ris. General Manager Cyril Slap
nicka wouldn't guarantee the eye
sight of Grimes. who was struck on
the cheekbone by line drive dur
ing practice in Washington last
summer. IF Grimes eyesight was
just pretty good" Harris said.
"Slapnicka would have gambled and
guaranteed"
All deals for Pitcher Joe Krakaus-
kas-there were two offers, believe
it or not-fell through. Harris didn't
care for Jack Knott or Clint Brown
of the White Sox in exchange, and