Evening star., 1943-08-18
Pair From Brownies
BoIsters Club for
Stretch Effort
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staff Corresponh.nt

CHICAGO, Aug. 18.-Harlond
Cliff, seasoned third baseman, and
Johnny Niggeling. veteran knuckle-
ball pitcher, have been obtained by
the Washington ball club from the
st. Louis Browns in exchange for
Third Baseman Ellis Clary and
Pitcher John (Ox) Miller, 1t was an
nounced this afternoon by Secretary
Edward B. Eynon of the Senators.
With Cliff, 81 years old last Thurs
day, the key player in the deal, Clark
Grifhth. Washington club president,
tossed in sizable check, 1t Is known.
Before the June Is deadline for reg
ular deals Grifnth offered $40 900 In
cash for Cliff.
Last season the thirdsacker hit
.275 in 143 games but so far this
season he has been unable to click
at the plate, carrying an average
of about 234.
Won Is Games Last Year.
Niggeling won Is games and lost
II last year with a winning team
and this season with disappointing
club has picked up six victories
against seven losses.
Although 80 years old the knuckle-
baller Is believed to have q lot OF
pitching left and he fits we'll into
the plan of President Griffith to
keep his club In second place for
the remainder of the season and
possibly give the New York Yankees
a battle for the pennant toward the
end.
Cliff, a steady fielder, also fits
nicely into the Washington scheme
He is more dependable thirc
baseman than young Clary, who i.
In his second season in the ma ajors
and, like Clary, is a hustler, Grifdtf
has coveted Cliff for years and mad,
several attempts to land him. Hi.
current low batting average is dis.
counted by Washington club officials
who believe change of scenery ane
new incentive will throw him bacl
into gear.
Cliff Holds Several Records.
Cliff joined the Browns in 1894
when he hit .260. The year after h,
boosted 1t to .295. and then followed
pair of seasons in which he cloutee
for 1902 and .306. During the latte
campaign he batted in l18 runs ant
duplicated this figure in 1887, wher
his average was .290. From 193i
through last season he notched sue.
cessive marks of .270, .273, .255 ane
.274.
Among major and American
League records held by Cliff ar.
three established in 1897 for mos
chances accepted by a third base.
man in q season, 603; most assists
405. and most double plays, so. II
addition he drew the most passes
Ill, in 1899, and led third basemer
in fielding in both 1898 and 1910
Another mark, but one he doesn'
boast of, was set the year he broke
in with the Browns, when he lee
all and sundry in the matter O
whif1s with an even 100.
Cliff gets that occasional lonl
ball and is rather prolific in his out
put of doubles while his homers hav,
totaled 20 or more in four seasons
with "a in 1898 as his high-wate,
mark.
Niggeling Steadily Improving.
Niggeling. an 185-pound 6-foote
OF German extraction, has beel
regularly with the Browns sine
1910. following long minor leagu
career and brief trials with the Bos
ton Braves and Cincinnati Reds. II
his first season at ST. Louis, Nigel
ing won and lost IL, won as man,
and dropped 8 the next year, ant
in the last campaign chalked up L
victories against IL defeats. Hi
earned-run average improved pro
gressively also, with marks of 4.44
$50 and 267.
The pair of Nationals sent to thu
Browns both are products of Chat
tanooga (now Montgomery of tn,
Southern Association. The 25-year
old Clary. admired by Capital fan
for his pepper and take-a -chanc'
tactics afield, came to the Nationals
last season. Currently he has a bat
ting mark of .256.
= Miller won games and lost l!
for Chattanooga last season. He ha
appeared IN only three games as {
relief pitcher under Manager Blueg,
since joining the club early thi!
month. giving up runs and 10 hit!
in six innings, in addition to yield
ing quartet of passes.