Evening star., 1947-01-19
Redskins Obtain
Ruthstronl and
Farmer in Deal
Two Hefty Gridders
Add Needed Weight
To Tribe BockfieId
By Lewis F. Atchison

In straight 2 for / swap, the
Redskins last night traded un-
predictable Steve Bagarus to the
Los Angeles Rams for Fullback
Ralph Ruthstrom and Halfback
Tom Farmer.
Thus ended the brief, hectic
Washington saga of Little Boy
Blew" the colorful, carefree half
back who in two years completely
captured the hearts of District fans
and with the same careless abandon
tossed them away.
But it was not Bagarus' hop-skip-
and-jump activities off field that
caused his departure. Coach Turk
Edwards last night said the deal had
been on the fire some time, but not
until yesterday did he consider the
Rams offer satisfactory. The trade
was eliminated on the West Coast
by President George Marshall of the
Redskins and General Manager Chilli
Walsh, of the Rams.
Began Career in San Diego.
Bagarus' pro football career began
in sunbaked San Diego where
Sportswriter George Herrick first
spotted him playing for the San
Diego Bombers. The kid with twitch-
ing torso and twinkling toes was
station there in the Army after an
abbreviated and none too successful
fling in football at Notre Dame.
Marshall signed him on Herrick' S
recommendation and Bagarus, COM
ing up when the National Football
League ranks were depleted by the
demands of war, was an overnight
success, the toast of the town.
But Steve constantly has voiced
desire to return to the Coast. Last
August, at the first day preseason
practice at the Redskin camp, he
told this reporter the Los Angeles
Dons had offered him $25, 900 to
play with them In the rival ALL
America Conference. That state
ment ultimately was denied by the
Dons, but it was plain Bagarus
didn't want to leave the Coast.
Bagarus' 1916 performance was
not exactly successful. Dogged by
groin injury incurred almost on
the eve of the preseason exhibition
with the Rams at Los Angeles, he
failed to sparkle in regular league
games as he did in 1945. The CAM
paign also was punctuated by re-.
ports of Bagarus' dissatisfaction
with his contract and demands for
a hike in pay. Eventually he was
given an increase.
Had Pick of Several Jobs.
At the close of the season he had
his pick of a number of jobs and
signed for an afternoon record
playing sports broadcast with a
local station. He lasted one day
and was off to California in a sleek
new town-and-country auto. He
signed to play pro basket ball with
the Baltimore Bullets and again
disappeared and was reported
headed West.
In a telephone conversation yes
terday, Marshall said he was sorry
to see Steve leave the Redskins" I"
and that he was proud of his foot
ball achievements. But the club
president followed his policy of
making any deal that will improve
the Redskins"
\ Edwards wished Bagarus well, but
said he was sure the deal was for
the best all around.
"Ruthstrom ran over us and
around us at Los Angeles" he said,
"and was mighty glad when they
finally took him out"
Ruthstrom, a 220-pounder, and
Farmer, 1876 pounds, are expected to
give the Tribe the weight it has so
sadly lacked in the backfield.
Against the Chicago Bears last sea-
son 1t f1elded a backfield averaging
180 pounds. The Redskins also
lacked the speed to run outside and
the absence of a husky, plunging
back nullif1ed the potential threat
of Bagarus, Eddie Saenz and other
lightweights.
Both Are rs Years Old.
Both Ruthstrom and Farmer are
Is years old. The former played
three years at Sam Houston College
in Texas and one at Southern
Methodist. He joined the Rams in
1945 and was considered that clubs
best defensive back.
Edwards missed getting him by "a
hours when the Rams grabbed him.
Farmer, former teammate of
Jimmy Youell at Iowa, served as a
lieutenant in the Marines and was
twice wounded on Guam. He was
discharged from the service too late
to play for the Rams in 1945, but
last year understudied Bob Water
field. He is a good passer and
kicker and should fit in well with
the Redskins T-formation attack.
Army Nips Colgate Five
For Fourth Straight