The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-12
(Reg. U. S. Pat. Oh.) BY JACK GUENTHER

zuzsI 4 (Reg. U. s. Pat. OfP.)
 BY JACK GUENTHER
 United Press Staff CorrespOndent)
 New York, March 12 -(UP)- Along the crossroads and whistle stops of baseball's Citrus circuit the wags are fitting a new set of lyrics to one of the more popular tunes of the day. The number has been dedicated to the New York Giants and 1t goes something like this Branch Hickey Did It Before and Now He Has Done It Again."
 To date, the Giants themselves haven't joined in the chorus. They have been too busy with chiroprac- tors, bone setters and muscle spe- cialists. It seems that a few months ago they paid Hickey $50,o00 for John Mize and now they find that the St. Louis Cardinal curse has lost none of its potency. Big lawn has come down with the miseries.
 The trouble centers in a shoulder tendon and 1t will be several weeks before the wags will know how their new song will fare on the Hit Parade. That is because 1t will take that long to determine whether Mize will be part of the Giants hit parade. Everyone is worried but Hickey. He has the $50000 and a brand new scalp for his trophy room.
 Rickey, a sort of rich mans David Harum, is the man who first came up with the Cardinal curse, to wit When St. Louis sells 'em they are through. Hickey isn't pretty and he has no glamor, but when 1t comes to pulling wool over a sugar daddy's eye he can give tips to the snartest chorus girl who ever wore diamond bracelets and a mink coat.
 The list of the deals he has whipped up in the past two decades would bring blushes of shame to the cheeks of the James boys. Rickey Is honest, of course, and if he weren't you would think his reputation would be enough of a warning. But apparently baseball buyers refuse to learn to beware of a Rickey bearing gifts. As a Lore- lei, he is terrific and deadly.
 GOldbrick
 His greatest coup Is Q legend now. That was his sale of Dizzy Dean to Chicago for $185 000, Clyde Shoun, Curt Davis and Tuck Stain- back. As one-man Cub amplify- ing system, Dean was a whizz. But as a luxury, he was expensive. The IS games he managed to win for Chicago in three years cost Sl2.OOo each, not counting his substantial salary.
 Then there was the sale of Ducky Medwicky Medwick to Brooklyn for $130,000 and three players. The Ducky-Wucky wasn't exactly d lemon, but neither was he a fine, juicy orange. A first year man on his own team. Pete Reiser, out-hit him by 25 points last Season while he dropped 20 points below his own life batting record. Obviously, his hits came high.
 There are many other examples Of the peculiar Hickey genius. He sold John RizZo to Pittsburgh for $4o,- O0O Rizzo had one good year and was tossed to the Phils. Tn 1886 he swapped Rip Collins and Tarzan Parmelee to the Cubs for Lon War neke. The first two gents went 10 the minors but Warneke has aver aged IS triumphs a year for st. Louis.
 Consider this vicious circle. Tn 1850 Hickey gave Fred Farmhouse and Bill Sherdel to Boston for Bur- leigh Grimes. Grimes clinched the 1881 flag for St. Louis and won two world series games. A year later he was exchanged for Hack Wilson. Wilson was sold to Brooklyn for $40,000. On each spin of the wheel, Hickey and the Cardinals prospered.
 A few other elephants I remem- Der Hickey unloading were Tom Winsett, Fiddler Bill McGee, Bob Bowman and Joe Orengo. Of course, the old master has been out-smart- ed at times himself. He let Mickey Owen slip away, he thought Paul DerTinger was washed Up years ago and he guessed very wrong on Bur gess Whitehead, who won a pen- nant for New York.
 Always Alert
 But over Q period of time Rickey and Sam Breadon have done bet ter than all right. They are mas ters at spotting the shadows which coming events cast before. They have a nose for impending declines on the part of their players and they waste no lime tossing them on the market. But they always do 1t subtly, and the customers unfailing- 1y bite.
 Mize began to taper off last year. Hickey knew that. He couldn't have known that the shoulder ten don would pop. That must be at- trlbuted to the St. Louis curse, the catalyzing effect of Bill Terry's per- sonality or just bad luck. Call 1t what you will, if Hickey. ever de- cides to quit baseball, I'll sign him for life. We'll open 6 pawn shop, AsaA fsaek tatR Saa tytOtn