The Wilmington morning star., 1945-03-19
Shepard Snatched From
Mats Camp; Works
With N. Y. Team
By DOUGLASS WALLOP
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March 1s-W.R-
Somebody from New York-and
Larry MacPhail~ name was men
tioned-today put the Snatch" on
1t. Bert Shepard, one-legged pitch
er whom Owner Clark Griffith OF
the Washington Senators was
grooming as his top 1e45 drawing
card.
Shepard vanished a few hours
before he was to have pitched IN
an intra-squad game at the Sena-
tors training camp at College
Park, Md He repeatedly left by
Army plane for New York or for
the New York Yankees training
camp at Atlantic City, N. J.
MacPhail, new co-owner and gen.
eral manager of the Yankees, is
a Lieutenant Colonel on inactive
duty.
Griffith said he was told that
MacPhail had i hand in the kid
naping."
81 wouldn't want to say for sure"
he added ''but if he was at the
bottom of it, it wasn't very nice.
It's against the ethics of base
ball to snatch a player from an
other teams training camp"
| Griffith. the "Old Fox of base
ball, may have been outfoxed. Shep-
ard has been training with the
Senators for more than a week
but had not been offered con-
tract or placed under option. He
thus is free agent.
Until about year ago Shepard
was a fighter pilot in Europe. His
plane was shot down in combat and
his right leg had to be amputated
below the knee. He is convalescing
at Walter Reed hospital and navi-
gates so well on his artificial leg
tha' the Army gave him permission
to work out with the Senators.
He has shown major league form
despite his handicap. His fielding
has been flawless and he claims
he can run 100 yards in IA seconds.
The fans have gone overheard for
him and veteran baseball writer's
said he was cinch to land con-
tract with Griffith.
Griffith, who has a weakness for
colorful ball players, said that he
has been waiting to offer him a
contract until his minor league
status is cleared up. He said he
wa1 advised by minor league Off
Gals just yesterday that it was all
right to sign him.
He said the agreement was that
he would train Shepard and let
him round into form before they
talked contract.
ut wasn't very nice after I've
given him a chance to get back on
his feet" he added.
1t was said that Griffith tried to
coax Shepard to wait until tomor-
row because a large crowd was
expected to be at the training camp
to see him pitch. But, it was said,
MacPhail or one of his representa-
tives, had more potent persuader
in the form of cash.
If MacPhail was at the bottom
Of the snatch, he lost no time in
making the American League feel
his presence. He has been in the
junior circuit only since March l.
He may be in for a stiff fight
with Griffith and other American
League owners, even though Shep-
ard is a free agent. It's the prin-
ciple of the thing. Can one owner
snatch a player from under the I'M
suspecting nose of another? The
answer is yes, but, as the "Old
Fox put it, it isn't ethical.
Shepard says he once played with
the California-Arizona and Wiscon-
sin State Leagues. A check of his
status shows that he became a free
agent when he was released for
Army service.
Shepard's apparent direction to
the Yankees became known this
morning when a friend stopped by
to take him to College Park. He
said he wasn't going there but was
going to Atlantic City to join the
/ MacPhail club.