Evening star., 1942-03-20
Ga|an Is 10 Dust
Medwick From
Dodger Post
Joe Is to Be Truded
By MocPhuiI; Walker
To PIoy in Right
BY GAYLE TALBOT,


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, March
2O-This probably will come as a
pleasant surprise to Augie Galan,
himself, but Augie is due to start
this coming baseball season as the
regular left fielder of the Brook
lyn Dodgers, supplanting Joe Med
wick, who cost the club S125 900
only two years ago.
Medwick, in fact, will be with the
National League champions on
opening day only in the event that
President Larry MacPhail is not
successful in his present efforts TO
trade Joe and Holdout Pitcher Whit
Wyatt either to the Cincinnati Reds
or the Chicago Cubs. A deal of
some sort might pop any day now.
Great Break for Galan.
1t is a tremendous break for
Galan, to crash the regular lineup
of the club popularly favored to
repeat in the National League A
year ago he was considered a hope
less baseball cripple, washed up
because of an injured knee. The
Chicago Cubs, for whom he had
played since 1884, returned him to
the minors, and Brooklyn got him
for next to nothing.
It purely was hunch on Mac
Phaifs part. And now, through
dramatic series of circumstances,
he turns up with one Of the most
coveted jobs in the game.
Angie, approaching 80, reported
to the Dodgers Havana camp this
spring completely unheralded and
more or less unnoticed. The teams
outfield was spoken for with Med
wick in left. Pete Reiser in center
and Dixie Walker in right
Yes. Manager Leo Durocher says
Walker is his right fielder, even
though Dixie temporarily is playing
on the second, or "B' team. Brook
lyn fans may relax. Walker simply
requires a lot of time to get into
condition and Leo is permitting him
to take his time about it.
Once Sparked Cubs to Flag.
Anyhow, Galan looked about q
40-to-1 shot a few weeks ago. He
didn't know how his game leg would
do. Nobody paid him much mind.
even though he once had spanked
the Cubs to flag in IS with a
stick average of .314 Every one
knew he had been scrapping, take
a-chance outfielder with the Cubs.
That was what got him his in
juries-his willingness to run into a
brick wall or two if there was q
hope of trapping a fly.
But. still, he was only one of eight
outfielders in camp this spring. He
had hit an inconspicuous .259 in II
games with the Dodgers last year.
Galan was only another name on
the flessy Brooklyn roster, to be
noted and possibly marked utility"
Then Galan's knee began to feel
good under the hot Cuban sun and
he began to run and field and hit.
Augie was full of fire, while Walker
only felt luxurious and Medwick still
was plate shy from the terrible
"beaning" he received two seasons
ago.
Medwick's Power Reduced.
Joe still has tendency to pull
away from certain pitches, to lift his
right leg just before he connects
with the ball. 1t has robbed him of
much OF his power. 1t is the reason
why Galan, the outsider, is about to
step into Medwick's left-fleld posi-
tion.
From the Dodgers opening exhi-
bltlon games Galan has been play
ing as well as ever in his life. His
battered legs feel great. He has
only to retain his present form to
win the nomination in left field.
This, it might be added, Is on the
very highest authority.