Evening star., 1947-01-20
Griffith Won't Give Up
First Sacker Wanted
5oreIy by MacP hail
By Burton Howkins

There isn't enough money in that
bush league town of New York to
buy Mickey Vernon" Owner Clark
Griffith of the Mats stormed today
when reached by telephone at Or
lando, Fla, and informed that the
New York Yankees Larry MacPhail
had said, "We have offered and are
willing to pay $150,000 for a major
league first baseman satisfactory to
Manager Bucky Harris"
| Vernon, the Mats first baseman
who admittedly has been the object
of Harris affections for months, will
play first base for Washington this
season or not at ALL" said Griffith.
Asked if MacPhail had offered him
$150,000 for Vernon, Griffith snorted,
"It wouldn't do him any good If he
did. They can offer million dol
lars and Vernon still will play for
Washington. I'm not going to sell
him and I'm not going to trade him" !"
The American Leagues leading
hitter last season with 1853 aver
age, Vernon has been sought by the
Yankees since late last season when
Manager Ossie Bluege of the Mats
disclosed New York had offered
Outfielder Joe Di Maggie to Wash
ington for Mickey.
Vernon Seeking $4,000 Pay.
BY stunning New York's offer,
Griffith is rejecting a sizeable sum
for the second time in a year. The
Brooklyn Dodgers last year offered
$4,000 for Gil Coan, Washington
outfelder who was tabled as the
most valuable player in the minor
leagues in 1945 when he batted .372
with Chattanooga.
Still unsigned by the Mats, Vernon
reportedly is seeking a $4,000 salary
for 1947-a boost of $11,0 900 over the
$4,000 he received last season.
Reached at his Crum Lynne, Pa,
home today, Vernon admitted he
and Griffith still are "far apart" in
salary discussions.
Vernon disclosed he is asking "a
little more than double" his 1916
salary. I'm going south in about
10 days." continued Vernon, "and I
guess I'll talk to Mr.. Griffith when
I get to Orlando, but so far it hasn't
done us much good to talk"
MacPhail, in explaining why the
Yankees permitted Hank Greenberg
to be waived out of the American
League, is quoted by the Associated
Press as saying, 1--WE are in the
market for first baseman and have
tried repeatedly to acquire Green
berg. We approached Detroit about
Hank last fall, again at the Los
Angeles meetings in December and
again last week. Each time we were
turned down. We also have offered
and are willing to pay $150,000 for a
major league first baseman satisfac-
tory to Manager Bucky Harris.
Couldn't Get Hank, Anyway.
"The Detroit Club had no inten-
ton of letting Greenberg come to
New York except IN a player deal
which would have helped it and
hurt us" continued MacPhail.
when we made up our minds we
couldn't get Greenberg, we decided
not to claim him and block a Ma,
tional League deal. We would rather
have Greenberg at Pittsburgh than
at Detroit.
"The Detroit Club did not slip him
by us or the rest of the American
League disclosed MacPhail. There
was only one player on the Detroit
waiver request and his name was
Greenberg."
Grifith's professed refusal to part
with Vernon at any price is in line
with the Washington owners policy
of clinging to his stars. There has
been one exception-when he dis
patched son-in-law Joe Cronin to
the Boston Red Sox for $250,000 and
ShortstCp Lyn Larry.