Evening star., 1942-08-14
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star staff Correspondent.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 14.-1n-
fielder Bob Repass. hailed by every
body from Prexy Clark Griffith to
the third assistant trainer as a
nonchalant, smooth shortstop who
would aid the Mats, today drlfted
back to the minors, ticketed for the
Baltimore Orioles of the Interna-
tional League.
Repass, it developed, wasn't the
nonchalant, smooth shortstop he
seemed to be when the Mats were
mopping up in the citrus circuit last
spring. The Florida flash suddenly
became a Washington washout and
those who had seen the transforma-
ton couldn't believe it.
There may be complications in the
cash deal for when Repass left here
today he was headed for a confer
ence with Griffith in Washington
He was saying, as most players do
when informed they've sk1dded out
of the majors, that he wouldn't re-
port to Baltimore.
Collapsed Under pressure.
When Washington fans obtained
their first glimpse of Repass they
could understand the praise that
had been heaped on him due to his
stylish, Southern play. The first
ball Repass handled in the Capital
was in an exhibition game with the
Phils. when he travelled far to his
left. wheeled and whipped out the
runner.
A few days later, though, when
the huge opening game crowd was
scanning him with interest, Bob
proved something of a flop. When
the Mats swung into payoff playing,
Repass collapsed. His batting tobog-
gained to 240 and his shortstopping
was shoddy.
Manager Bucky Harris refused to
believe what he was seeing. He
stuck with Repass in the fond hope
he'd recover the form he displayed
in Florida, but Bob never bounced
back. Meanwhile, Washington fans
became increasingly irritated at his
apparent lack of Zest.
Bob was shifted to second base
and Jimmy Pofahl was inserted at
shortstop. He was no sensation at
second, so Bucky moved him to
third, but still he failed to click.
He simply had lost the touch he
revealed in exhibition games.
Repass will rank as one OF the
Griffith's leading disappointments OF
the past few years. Drafted from
the Columbus Red Birds of the
American Association last fall, Re-
pass gained the unqualified approval
of Harris after a few preliminary
peeks in Florida We've come up
with a whale Of ball player,
enthused Bucky, and nobody dis
agreed with him.
Some FOresee Comeback.
Should RepasS fail to report to
Baltimore, he would be establishing
no precedent. Last year Pofahl
ignored instructions to report to the
Chattanooga Lookouts, packed his
bags and went home. Only few
weeks ago Griffith thought he had
purchased Infelder Eric McNair
from the Tigers, but McNair refused
to report.
The Baltimore deal has been
brewing for several weeks. When
tie Orioles expressed interest, Scout
Joe Cambria was dispatched to Bal
timore and gave glowing account
of Repass' talent. He pictured Re
pass as II fellow who would help the
Orioles and he probably was correct,
for Bob was a cog IN the Columbus
outfit that captured the American
Association pennant last season.
There still are those among the
Mats who feel Repass some day will
snap out of it and reveal himself to
be a major Lacquer. Griffith, how
ever, long has complained of Bob's
apparent ho-hum approach to his