Evening star., 1947-12-11
kozar Becomes
Key Figure in
Youth Move
Experts Think Griffs
Landed Fine Prospect
In Rookie InfieIder
By Burton Hawkins
Sfor Staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, Dec. 11.-Washington
has plugged its second base gap
with a youngster conceded to be a
minor league sensation by qualified
observers and on that note the Mats
probably will leave their trading
adventures at least temporarily
since President Clark Griffith has
returned to the Capital.
With the acquisition of AL Koza,
from the Boston Red Sox in a dea.
which also takes Outfielder Leor
Culberson to Washington in eX-
change for Stan Spence, Griffith is
gambling that his new second base
man will fulfill the promise he dis
played with New Orleans, where he
batted $40 last season.
Minor league scouts and major
league executives here for the major
league meeting expressed unanimous
opinion that Griffith had landed one
Of the brighter prospects OF the
minor leagues in Kozar Boston
writer's who saw the righthanded
hitting Kozar In spring training
camp are convinced he'll be out
standing in major league company
Colorless, But Good.
"He won't add any color to the
Washington Club" said one Boston
writer. Hes the sort Of youngster
who will say hello when he reports
for spring training and not say any
thing else until he mumbles good
bye in the fall, but he's real second
baseman and a good hitter"
Kozar was the main considera-
ton in the deal from Grifflths
viewpoint. At least five major
league clubs were reported willing
to pay $50, 900 for Kozar, who batted
.316 with Scranton in the Eastern
League in 1916. Fred Digby, vet
eran sports writer of the New Or
leans Item, rates Kozar the best
second baseman ever to play for
the Pelicans. .
Twenty-Five years old, the stocky
Kozar becomes a key figure in
Griffith's youth movement" Cul-
berson, at %, also fits into his
plans better than Spence, who will
be 80 in March, the Mats boss said
before departing for Washington.
Culberson Hit .238.
Culberson, a .238 hitter with the
Rex Sox last season, when he played
in only At games, was unable to
crash into Boston's outfleld, al
though he hit 1913 in 1916.
Spence may alternate in right
field with Sam Mele at Boston, but
there is a possibility he will be con-
verted into a first baseman by MAN.
ager Joe Mccarthy, who doesn't
relish the fielding deficiencies OF
Murrell Jones. A hashy center
fielder with the Mats, Spence also Is
q capable first baseman.
Spence, who came to the Mats In
1s41 with Pitcher Jack Wilson in
deal that dispatched Pitcher Ken
Chase and Outf1elder Johnny Welaj
to Boston, batted .279 last season
He was 1923 hitter with the Mats
in 1912 and won the 1947 All-Star
game for the American League with
single in pinch-htiting role
that scored the winning run.
Groundwork for Future Deals.
Griffith is believed to have laid
the conversational groundwork for
future deals. including one with the
New York Yankees. New York Off
cials are hoping Griffith will recon-
slider bid for the Mats Wynn
The Yankees offered Outfelde1
Hank Bauer of Kansas City, Pitch
ers Bill Starr and Karl DreWs ano
Catcher Sherman Lollar, but Crit
fifth cooled off on that proposition
after the deal apparently was set
Culberson, who tried unsuccess-
fully to fill a third-base role at
Boston, will be the Mats center
fielder, according to Griffith, who
intends to install Gil Coan in left
field.
Manager Joe Kuhel, Vice Presi-
dent Calvin Griffith and Secretary
Eddie Eynon of the Mats remained
here for the joint meeting OF the
major leagues today, but all pre-
dicted the Mats would make no
more trades in the immediate fu-
ture.