Evening star., 1941-04-05
MATS Box Corps Is Hit
As Anderson Goes 10
Fathers S Bedside
Leonard, Dean Conquer
Tigers os Training in
Orlando Neurs End
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ORLANDO, Fla. April 5.-Clark
Griffith is back in the market for
ball players and the next merchant
with whom he may do business is
General Manager Jack Zeller of the
Detroit Tigers.
At a moment when it appeared
that Pitcher Steve Sundra, formerly
of the Yankees, would be the only
player acquired by waivers or other
wise, Griffith admitted that he was
in telephone contact with Zeller at
nearby Lakeland This was shortly
before the Tigers turned up here
yesterday to absorb their fourth
straight beating from Washington,
7to1
I'D rather not discuss names, "
Griffith said. I'VE talked about
making a couple of deals. If the
price was right I'd take a chance
on Freddy Hutchinson. Id also
take a chance at Dizzy Trout, but I'd
rather have Hutchinson"
Croucher Well Liked.
A name that Griffith did not
mention was that of In1elder Frank
Croucker. From source close to
the Detroit management it is under
STOOD that Croucher may be OBJ
tanned on waivers The 27-year- old
handyman, who seemed destined to
be star until he broke a leg in an
exhibition game against Washington
a few years ago. repeatedly is dis
couraged over his lot. He can't
break into the venerable Tiger in
field and Manager Del Baker ap-
parently is favoring Substitutes Eric
McNair and Murray Franklin over
him.
Neither Manager Bucky Harris
nor Griffith denies an interest in
Croucher When his name was
brought up. both declared they
would take him on waivers.
We've no way of knowing if
we'll be short of infielders," Griffith
said. referring to Buddy Lewis i'm
pending induction into the Army.
Anderson Flies Home.
If the Mats got Croucher, Harris
would be in a position to juggle his
infield in the event Lewis is called.
The Tiger can play second base,
short rtStop or third. The chances are
that Croucher would be sent to
short and Cecil Travis would be
moved back to third base This.
however. depends upon whether
Lewis is called and CrouCher lands
with Washington.
Meanwhile, Harris finds himself
more shorthanded in the pitching
department than he expected. The
critical illness of his father in
James, Iowa, forced Arnold Ander-
son, rookie highlander and one of the
second flight hurlerS, to board an
airliner early yesterday Anderson
was to fly to Omaha. Nebr, and be
transported by car to his stricken
parent.
The big pitcher will be missing for
an indefinite period. He probably
will rejoin the club in Washington
but when he will be ready for action
again is conjectural.
Top Tigers Again.
The Mats today were to close their
season in Orlando, as far as active
play goes. The Phillies were to pro-
vide the competition, with Ken
Chase and Rookie Joe Beck facing
the National Leaguers.
Tomorrow the Mats will visit Lake
land for a fifth game against the
Tigers. They will return to Orlando,
work out Monday morning, and
break camp that evening. boarding
a special train which will take them
to Charlotte for the first of four
exhibitions to be played en- route to
Washington
They won their 18th victory in
IT games yesterday by rallying in
the sixth inning to score half a
dozen runs and overcome 20
Detroit lead. taken against Dutch
Leonard in the second frame. In
his Inning shift, longest for
any Washington pitcher so far,
Leonard was superb. His only lapse
was in that scoring inning, and then
sharper outfield play might have
cut Detroit's scoring in half.
Travis Homers Again.
After being baff1ed by Rookie Bob
Uhle for five innings, the Mats went
wild, with Travis touching off the
rally with a home run over the
right-centerf1eld fence. This opened
an inning which found Jimmy
Bloodworth and George Archie fol-
lowing with walks, Rick Ferrell sim
Cling, George Case walking, Rog
Cramer doubling, Ben Chapman
walking and Buddy Lewis singing.
That ended the day for Uhle and
Trout came into the game in the
seventh to yield the final run, scored
on Bloodworth's triple and Ferrell's
long fly.
Against Leonard and Jim Dean,
who pitched a neat tWo-inning shift
after being greeted with a double
by Dick Bartell, the Tigers made
only six hits, no Detroiter getting
more than one apiece.