Evening star., 1946-01-06

|Cronin and Dean
Deals Alone in
Similar Glass
New Owners Hope Ace
Will Be Discharged
From Navy in April
By SID FEEDER.
Associated Press Sports Writer

By SID FEDER,
Associated Press Sports Writer.
NEW YORK, Jan. SIN one of
the three biggest money deals in
all baseball history, Catcher Walker
Cooper was sold today by the st.
Louis Cardinals to the New York
Giants for $175,000 in cash.
Confirming the most publicized
secret" of the winter season, Giant
President Horace Stoneham insist
ed no players were involved in the
deal and that the purchase of Coo
per is not contingent on when the
best catcher in baseball is dis
charged from the Navy. He has been
in the service since last May 2 and
is stationed at Lambert Field,
near st. Louis.
However, we hope that Cooper
will be out of the Navy by April" :"
Stoneham added, as he was told
that new naval ratings have
dropped the minimum discharge
requirements to IS points.
Only Two Bigger Prices.
Available records show that only
twice before has as much as $175,000
in cash been involved in a player
deal. In 1888 the Cards sent Pitcher
Dizzy Dean to the Chicago Cubs
for $185, 900 in cash and three addi-
tional players. After the 1884 cam
paig1, Washington Senators Pres
ident Clark Griffith sent Son-in-law
Joe Cronin to the Boston Red Sox
| for Lyn Larry and sum in cash
variously reported anywhere from
s150,000 to $250.000.
Its certainly the biggest deal
we've ever made" Stoneham point
ed out.
1t is probably the first time in
all baseball history that a single
player past his 30th birthday-he
will be 81 Tuesday-was bought for
cash well up in six figures.
As matter of fact, it was learned
the Giants virtually forced $25, 900
additional-bringing the figure to
SITS, ,000-on the Cardinals to COM
plete the deal. The Cards had asked
$l50, 900 cash and three Giant play
ers valued at $25 900 for their Co.
lumbus (Ohio) and Rochester IN
" farms for the catcher who has
batted .298 IN five-and-a-fraction
seasons in the big time.
Adds Cash for Players.
The deal, rumored in the making
ever since the winter baseball meet
ings in Columbus and Chicago last
month, ran into a snag because of
the values placed on several Giant
players, and Stoneham finally set
tied it by putting up the extra $25.-
900 in cash instead Of ivory.
Two other clubs-one Of them the
Boston Braves-also were interested
in getting Walker, but it was re-
ported their efforts were stymied
over the Cards insistence that the
deal be made without stipulation on
which the lanky 6-foot-3 receiver
might be discharged from the Navy.
Although no other players we're
involved in the Cooper deal, the
Giants tried to negotiate for one or
more of the Cardinals wealth of re-
turning pitching talent, particularly
a southpaw.
But Sam Cardinals President
Sam Breadon) wouldn't give up any
of his p-flight pitchers, Stone
ham explained. However, We'll see
him during the February meetings
here and will keep on trying"
He Fills Big Gap.
With Harry Danning retired,
Ernie lombard nearing his 38th
birthday and young Clyde Kluttz
regarded as still a year away, the
acquisition of Cooper gives the
Giants a receiver not only badly
needed, but topped by no one In
the National League.
AS part of one of baseball's most
famous brother batteries, the fast,
good-hitting, fine-throwing Walker
and highlander Mort were the
chief factors in bringing the Cardi-
mails three straight pennants from
1912 through 1914, and two world
championships in ~ and "A.
Born in Atherton, Mo-, the 1856
pound Walker was the National
Leagues All-Star squad catcher from
1912 through "A. He equaled the
World Series record of hitting safely
in every game of the five-game
1943 set, which the Cards lost to the
New York Yankees, and set a record
of accepting SIS chances in the six
game 1914 series, in which the Ma
tional League champions trounced
their city neighbors, the Browns.
His two errors in the 1943 set, on
the other hand, equalled the series
high" mark.
Brothers in Salary Row.
4 Last April, just as the season was
about to begin, he and his brother
Mort became involved in a salary
dispute with the Cardinals, de-
manding that their pay would have
to be lifted to $4,000 each or they
would not report for the opener
The row was settled in time fol
Walker to see action in four games
before entering the Navy, but since
then it has been reported that he
! would be put on the block. Mort
!, was traded off shortly afterwaro
! to the Braves for some $65 900 In
cash and Pitcher Red Barrett.
:. Product of the Cardinals farm
(See COOPER, Page A-20.)