Evening star., 1947-10-23
All Major Clubs
plan Extensive
HousecIeaniinu
Creoking Arms, Tired
Legs Lead to Hunt
For Fresh Talent
By Jack Hond
Associated Press Sports Writer

Old age has crept up on so manv
major league clubs that baseball is
getting set for its most thorough
housecleaning job in years. Much
OF the overage talent is slated for
the scrap heap before the 16 clubs
start spring training March /.
Many big names of yesteryear
have learned the hard way that
creaking arms no longer retain their
old buggywhip snap. Aching leg
muscles have lost that vital step
that means the difference between
base hit and another out. What
is more important, the owners are
making the same discoveries. They
are doing something about it.
Despite the success of such old
sters as Hugh Casey and Cookie
Lavagetto in the World Series, base
ball is leaning more heavily each
year on younger men. It's prob
able the Dodgers were the youngest
club ever to play in a World Series
and they may be younger in 1913.
The youth movement" definitely
Is IN full swing in Brooklyn, Gin
cinnati and Philadelphia. In fact,
the Chicago White Sox, last of the
stand pat" crowds also are under
going changes that will shake out
most of the deadwood.
White Sox Drop Oldsters.
Since the end of the season, the
White Sox have released Lefty
Thornton Lee, the cunning south
paw who used to be one of the best
IN the American League. He still
can do his stuff, but each year he
needs more rest between starts.
Likewise the Sox have cut loose Red
Ruftlng, who failed to show manv
traces of his old New York Yankee
form in few starts for Chicago.
Rufhng, incidentally, pitched bat
ting practice for the Yanks several
times during the series and is re-
ported headed for scouting or
farm system job in the New York
organization now that Larry Mac
Phail has left the premises. The
Yanks released Rufing a year ago
when they also sliced off Bill
Dickey.
At Wrigley Field. the Chicago
Cubs, with Manager Charley Grimm
set on a flve-year basis, have been
wedding out the oldsters. Third
baseman Stan Hack is gone and
so are veteran Pitchers Claude Pas
seau and Bill Lee. Billy Jurges,
the utility infielder who played
shortstop regularly for a stretch in
September, has been released as a
player, but resigned as a coach.
Pirates, Are Revamping.
With Bill Meyer, a great hand
with young players, taking over at
Pittsburgh, there will be more pink
slips handed out by General Man.
ager Roy Hamey. Jim Bagby, the
former Boston Red Sox and Cleve-
land hurler, already has been sent
to Indianapolis by the Pirates and
Rip Sewell's blooper ball special has
been retired. Rip has been retained
as a pitching coach.
Hank Greenberg, whose 1947
salary has been reported even higher
than Bobby Feller's $87, 900, no longer
is Pirate. Free to shop for a
connection, Hank is considering an
operation for removal of bone chips
from his elbow. The Pirates also
sent Roger Wolff, the knuckle-ball
expert, to Sacramento in payment
for a young catcher.
The New York Giants, who re-
vitalized their roster with the addi-
tions of Jack Lohrke, Bob Thomson
and Larry Jansen last winter, have
cut loose an old familiar hand,
Catcher Ernie Lombardi. The Phil
lies, banking heavily on young talent
from the minors, handed out a re-
lease to Skeeter Newsome, vet Short
stop.
Tigers Strive to Rebuild.
Detroit's Steve O'Neill handed his
son-in-law, Skeeter Webb, pink
slip and General Manager Billy
Evans is shopping for a second base
shortstop combination to restore the
Tigers to the contending class.
Cecil Travis of Washington has
been placed on the voluntary retired
list and old Grandma" Johnny
Murphy has retired as a Boston
Red Sox pitcher to scout new tai
ent. The Red Sox also released Ed
gar Smith, the vet southpaw they
picked up on waivers from Chicago
in late season, and Reliefer Bob
Klinger. Mel Harder is to coach
pitchers for Cleveland and Joe Med
wick, who helped out the st. Louis
Cardinals in tight spot last sum-
mer, once again is free agent
looking for a connection.
When the ban on interleague
waivers is lifted November 20, a new
furry of releases is to be expected.
Until that time, pending the No
vember 10 draft at Cincinnati, ac-
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