Evening star., 1943-08-19
New Third Baseman
Also Good Material
For Rebuilding
By Staff Correspondent Of The Star.

Ca1CA1O, Aug. 1S.-ln obtaining
Third Baseman Harlond Cliff from
the Browns. Prexy Clark Grifiith Of
the Mats has climaxed years of in
tensified pursuit. Gifts batting
average is too little and his fielding
comes too late to aid Washington in
any thoughts it still may retain con-
cerning the pennant but by finally
landing him Griffith may have
boosted the Mats chances of slicing
up second place coin.
Now batting. 232. Cliff is about 50
points OF his regular pace but with
any sort Of squirt he figures to help
boost the Mats back into the runner
up spot from which they tumbled
yesterday by splitting . double
header with the White Sox. The
Mats lost the first game, SO, In II
innings before taking the nightcap,
AZ.
In obtaining Cliff, Griffith also Is
peeking at least two or three years
into the future. Should baseball
survive next season, he will have in
Cliff an infielder who still should
have two or three sparkling sea-
sons in his system. At 81, he isn't
calculated to be washed up despite
that anemic batting average.
Niggeling Is Promising.
For years Cliff has been an OBJ
ject of Griff's affections. To obtain
him he parted with Infielder Ellis
Clary, who already has been sum-
moned to report for induction:
Pitcher John Miller, who displayed
only an ability to absorb punishment
in three relief appearances with the
Mats, plus $4,000.
Johnny Niggeling, also acquired
by the Mats in the trade, is no fuzzy
checked rookie. He is SO years old
but he still can pitch, as evidenced
by his five-hit victory over the Red
Sox Tuesday night. He has won
five games and lost eight but includ-
ed among his defeats is 10 two
hitter tossed against Cleveland. The
fact that he virtually past the draft
age also is in his favor.
What the Mats require at the mo-
ment, though. is more suitable short
stopping. Johnny Sullivan tossed
away another game yesterdaysin the
ninth inning of the first game when
he fumbled an easy grounder with
two out, permitting the White Sox
to load the bases.
time and Early Wynn seemingly was
set to annex his fifth victory. With
two out and nobody on, Joe Kuhel
and Vince Castino smashed singles
and Sullivan then inserted his
miserable muff of Pinch-hitter
Tommy Turner's grounder. With
the bases jammed, Wally Moses then
singled, scoring Kuhel and Pinch
runner Dick Cutler to tie the score.
Washington unravelled four sue
cessive double-plays in extra innings,
contributing 10 for the day, but the
14th finally caught up with Wynn as
Thornton Lee, Bill Swift and Gordon
Maltzberger stymied the Mats.
Earlier Defeat STAYED on.
Moses opened the 14th with q
single to right, but was forced at
second on Ralph Hodgin's attempted
sacrifice. Guy Cartwright then
slashed liner to left on hit-and-
run play and Hodgin scored all the
way from first with the aid of a poor
relay by Third Baseman Alex Kam-
pouris.
Kampouris had rescued Wynn
from earlier defeat, however, in the
18th inning. With Skeeter Webb
on third and Kuhel on second with
one out, Alex snatched Turner's
hot grounder. quickly tagged Webb
as he attempted to scramble back to
third, then threw to Mickey Vernon
at first to catch Turner.
Kampouris came up with another
nifty in the 18th. Moses opened
with a double and after Hodgin sac
rificed both Cartwright and Luke
Appling were passed purposely. In
that crisis Alex grabbed julius Sol
ters' smash, threw to Catcher Jake
Early, who stepped on the plate to
force Moses. Jake then whipped
the ball to Vernon, nipping Solters.
With none out in 18th, Kanpouris
figured in another double-piay.
Webb opened with a single to right
and Kuhel walked. Maltzberger at
tempted to sacrifice but Wynn
scooped up his bunt and threw to
Kampouris, forcing Webb. Alex
then fired the ball to Vernon to
retire Maltzberger.
Wynn's Bat Effective.
Wynn was the principal reason
the Mats owned a 20 lead with
two out in the ninth. His double
to right, followed by George Cases
single to left, presented the Mats
a run in the third inning and in
the fifth inning Wynn again eou-
bled, scoring Sullivan, who had
walked, stolen second and continued
to third as webb fumbled Catcher
Casinos throw. q
Entering the ninth of the second
game, the Mats trailed 81, but
then they broke out with a rash
of four doubles to fetch three runs
Pinch-hitter Jake Powell opened
with a double and before the inning
was completed, Case, Vernon and
Gene Moore also had contributed
doubles.
Moore, replacing slump sha ckled
Bob johnson in left field, swatted
three singles and a double in the
nightcap. He now has hit safely
In II straight games and over that
span has batted .443.
Milo Candini, who captured his