Evening star., 1949-08-23
Cards. Dodgers Open Big Seres Yan Build Up Power With Mze
Surprising Purchase
From Giants 10 Back
|Di Mag, Heinrich al Bal
Ry ths Associated Press d

DFIoyy uCIIIlIH 81 Ool
BY ths Asseeiatsd Press
NEW YORK. Aug. 23.-Ths
New York Yankees hauled in
another piece of heavy artillery
today for their American League
pennant push-the Giants home.
run specialist. big John Mize.
In a sudden and surprising
move. the Yankees bought the
36-year-old first baseman from
their National League neighbors
for an undisclosed sum and told
him to get in uniform right away.
The deal exploded with such
unexpectedness that Mize had to
rush to catch a midnight train
for Detroit, where the Yankees
open a two-game series today.
They told me to rush out
there. fly if necessary" the vet
eran fence -punisher, who has hit
more home runs than any active
player in the majors, said. Il
didn't know about the deal until
Just before it was announced.
Surprised? You bet I was"
The announcement was made
shortly after dinner time last
night and it was terse and lack
ing in essential detail.
"W've sold Johnny Mize to the
Yankees for an undiSclosed sum-
said Eddie Brannick, secretary Of
the Giants. He was waived out
of the National League. He
joins the club Immediately"
Owners Arrange Deal.
He added that the deal was
cooked up in meeting among
the Yankee co-oWners, Dan Top
ping and Del Webb. and the head
man of the Giants, Horace Stone
ham.
No money was disclosed. The
Giants were supposed to have put
a 100000 price tag on the florid-
faced first sacker when Brooklyn
expressed an interest in him in
the spring.
Another time Detroit made .
lucrative offer for the slugger,
but the Giants couldn't get him
waived out of the National League.
The robust Georgian adds plate
power, if no speed. to the Yankees,
who are defending a slim Ameri-
can League lead from the onrush-
ing Boston Red Sox. now ga
games behind. and the Cleveland
Indians, S games of the pace.
Mize probably will move right
in behind Joe Di Maggie in the
Yankees batting order-the No.
spot. That will permit Tommy
Heinrich, who has been holding
down first, to return to his favor
ite position In right field.
This gives the Bronx Bombers
a tremendous wallop in the base
clearing section Of the lineup.
Leads Majors in Homers.
Although less potent this year.
Mize is a long-ball hitter who, as
a left-handed pull swinger, should
find the short right-field barrier
at Yankee Stadium to his liking.
He has poled out 315 home runs
during his major league career.
which up to now has been spent
entirely In the National League.
He leads all active players in this
speciality. The Yanks' Di Maggie,
out half the season, is second with
3l4.
This year he has hit only 18
home runs and currently is batting
.263, with 81 runs batted in. But
he has warmed the bench fire.
quently.
The Giants motive in the trans
action needs little exploration.
Manager Leo Durocher likes his
teams young and with q lot OF
dash and it's no secret he Is
anxious to make such a trans.
fusion with his Polo Grounders.
Mics place in the Giants line.
up will be taken by Joe Lafata, 28,
and Bert Haas, a utility man who
is 35 but much faster than the
numbering John.
Mize broke into organized base
ball with Greensboro in the Pied
mont League in 1880 and played
with Elmira of the New York
Penn League and Rochester Of the
International before going to the
majors.
Never Been in World Series.
He had q tryout with the Gin.
cinnati Reds and served the st.
Louis Cardinals before he was
traded to the Giants at the end Of
1941 for Catcher Ken ODea,
Pitcher Bill Lohrman, First Base.
man Johnny Mccarthy and $780,
600.
He hit 81 home runs in 1o47.
when the Giants set q major
league record Of 221.
He never has been in q World
Series. .....
"It looks like may be in one at
last" the muscled first baseman
said last night before he left for
Detroit. I'm going to do my
durndest to make it that way"