The Wilmington morning star., 1945-05-24
BIG MORT COOPER
SOLD TO BRAVES
Ace Highlander Is Traded
For Cash And Mounds
man Red Barrett

ST. LOUIS, May 70. - w -
Sam Breadon, owner Of the world
champion st. Louis Cardinals, dis
posed OF the Morton Cooper salary
controversy today by selling the
big ace right hand pitcher to the
Boston Braves for an unannounced
amount of cash and another right
hand starting hurler, Charles (Red
Barrett.
Cooper will join the Braves in
Pittsburgh Friday.
Announcement of the transaction
came shortly after Breadon, Mana
ger Bill SouthWorth of the Cards,
Cooper and his attorney, Lee Have
ner, were scheduled to hold con-
ference lin an attempt to iron out
differences the pitcher has had with
the management since before the
season opened.
President Louis R. Perrin of the
Boston Braves and General Mana
ger John J. Quinn appeared unex-
pectedly from the conference room
and announced to reporters that the
deal had been made. Their pres
ence in st. Louis was unknown to
the reporters until they emerged
with the announcement.
Both expressed pleasure with the
transaction. II think he's the best
itcher in the league and naturally
any club is glad to get the best, "
Quinn asserted, adding that Coop
er had signed a one-year contract
with the Braves. He declined to
discuss the contract terms, how
ever.
Cooper, who yesterday deelar-
ed that he did not want to be
traded, said simply: I've been
sold. Everybody's happy"
Southworth, who has had consid-
cradle trouble with sore arms
among his hurlers recently, to-
gether with the temporary loss at
least of Lefthander Max Lanier
for a military physical examina-
ton said that Barrett would be
one of his starting pitchers.
The suspension and $500 line
which Southworth slapped on Coop
err after his latest walkout was
disposed of very agreeably, .
Havener announced, but without
saying how.
Cooper served an ultimatum yes
terday in an interview in Have
per's office that he would not put
on a Cardinal uniform until his
case had been settled satisfactor-
ily His reason for the unanneunc'
ed leave of the club in Boston, ne
said. was because he could not
pitch good ball while the case was
pending and he was determined TO
settle it at once.
At Pittsburgh, Braves manager,
Bob Coleman, was elated over the
purchase, saying "'we're getting
one of the best pitchers in base
ball and he should do our club a
lot Of good" Barrett left there
tonight to join the Cards at 81.
Louis.
The contract difficulties with the
Cardinals began shortly before the
son opened, when Marty Marion,
shortstop and the 1914 most valu-
able player obtained an increase
to $4,000 for the season, supJect
to Wage Sterilization approval
After awarding that contract
Breadon SAID he called Morton
Cooper, and his brother and bat.
terry mate, Walker Cooper, in for
renegotiation of their contracts.
He explained that he had promised
the brothers no player on the club
would receive more pay than they
this year. *
But Walker Cooper, who has
since been indicted into the Navy,
said the new offer was rejected,
explaining that they had signed for
S12, 900 with the understanding that
it was the ceiling salary for the
club under wage sterilization resu.
lations, and that if Breadon could
60 beyond that figure to $4,000 he
also could "tilt it to $4,000"
Since joining the Cardinals near
the close of the 1898 season, Coop
er has won 105 games while losing
60. In the last three years, he has
won more than 20 a season, and IN
1943 led the league with the lowest
earned run average of LIT. He was
adjudged the most valuable play