Evening star., 1947-11-20
Browns Trade Muncref and Judnich to Indians
Tribe Gives Up
And Stephens
| St. Louis Fans Chilled
By Series Of Deals
Weakening Club
By the Assocjoted Press

By the Associated Press
CLEVELAND, Nov. 20.-President
Bill Veeck of the Clevland indians
today announced the trade o1
Right-handed Pitcher Bryan Ste.
phens and Rookie Outfelder Joe
Frazier to the st. Louis Browns
for Bob Muncrief, veteran hurler
and Walt Judnich, outfielder-f first
baseman. The Indians also gave
the Browns substantial amount
of cash in the deal, Veeck said.
Six players have been disposed
of in four days by the Browns, who
previously had sent Pitchers Jack
Kramer and Ellis Kinder and In
f1elders Vernon Stephens and Billy
Hitchcock to the Boston Red Sox
There is no player we will not
trade" General Manager Bill De
Witt of st. Louis had said. "Ill
guarantee the Browns will make
more player deals before 1913 than
any other club in either major
league. The deals were prompted
by combination of two factors.
We need new blood. We need
cash."
Other Deals May Be Made.
So it may be only matter of days
before Bob Dillinger, Johnny Berar-
dino and jeff Heath depart for new
ball parks.
IF we can make deals for any
Of our players and we feel it may
help us in our complete overhaul
program we will make them,
D Witt said. "Our new manager
Zack Taylor, is in accord with all
our thinking and planning. Players
we keep viii be those we think can
help us climb out of the cellar in
1948."
Most baseball followers, including
st. Louis fans, feel the Browns
have wrecked their club by unload
ing star players. The reaction of
st. Louis fandom definitely was
chilly.
Judnich, 30-year -old left-handed
thrower and batter, was transferred
from his usual center-f1eld post last
season to play first base for the
Browns. He achieved a 1862 batting
average this year.
Muncrief, 31-year-old right-hand-
er. nursed sore arm most of last
season and had his best year with
st. Louis in 1945 when he won l3
and lost 4.
Lost Nine Straight Games.
Stephens lost nine games in sue
cession last season with the fourth
place Indians and finished with a
lowly 5-10 record for one of the
poorest standings on the Cleveland
mound staff.
Frazier joined the Indians for a
few games at the end of the season
after playing with the Oklahoma
City farm in the Texas League. A
left-handed hitter, he hit 800 with
Wilkes-Bare, Pa, in 1916 for his
best season.
The amount of cash involved In
the deal was reported to be $25, 900.
In earlier deals with the Red Sox,
the Browns peddled Vernon Ste
phens, Kramer, Hitchcock and
Kinder for total of 10 Boston
players, plous cash estimated to ag-
gregate $375,00O.
Commenting on today's swap,
Veeck said, I'm sure we did our
selves some good for 194s," and
added, In the long run we may re-
gret the trade.
Perspective Changed.
'But those two Boston-St. Louis
deals announced earlier in the week
have changed the perspective all
through the league" continued
Veeck. I'VE can't concern ourselves
about catching up with the Red Sox
two or three years from now. We
have to give them a battle right
now, or the American League race
will become joke.
II am confident that this is the
first Of three or four deals which
definitely will strengthen our club.
I'm not talking about. second
stringers. I'm talking about the
fellows who will be in there every
day."
Veeck also reported he had con-
ferred with Manager Steve O,Neill
Of the Detroit Tigers yesterday, but
said, IF we do business with De-
troit 1t probably will be on minor
scale"
ALI this is somewhat reminiscent
OF deals Connie Mack and the
Philadelphia Athletics made in the
winter Of 1888. One December day
they disposed of Pitchers Lefty
Grove and George Walberg for two
pitchers and large undisclosed
cash consideration. They sold
Catcher Mickey Cochrane to De-
troit for 100000 and Catcher John
Pasek. They sent Pitcher George
EarnshaN and Pasek to the Chi
cago White Sox for $25,000 and a
catcher.
It also is reminder of criticism
directed at Mack for selling star
players.
IF you sell them you won't be in
baseball" he was told.
"And If I don't sell them know
I won't be in the game" Mack
answered.
In Philadelphia last night Mack
ventured the opinion that the trades
"are not going to help our league
any"
"They will give the Red Sox a
powerful team and certainly make
st. Louis drab spot on our trips"
Mack said. II don't understand it