Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-05
Eddie Robinson Saws
Virus X May Affect
Two Pennant Races
By the Assoeiated Prsss

LAKELAND, ria, Mar. o.-OuC-
fielder Vic Wertz ended his hold
out today, signing a Detroit con-
tract calling for an estimated $25,-
900.
His signing leaves only Out
fielder Hoot Evers and Infielder
Eddie Lake as Tiger holdouts.
Wertz, who hit 1903 and batted
in 1913 runs last season, signed
after a 45-minute huddle with
General Manager Billy Evans.
The big right fielder, who got an
estimated $17.500 last year, turned
down the first two 1851 contracts
offered him.
PASADENA. Calif.-The out
break Of flu in some major league
training camps could affect the
pennant races. according to Eddie
Robinson. White Sox first base
man. He was f1oored by the Virus
bug 10 days while with the Mats
a year ago.
Until I became sick, I was hit
ting 400 in spring games" Eddie
recalled. When I came back, I
couldn't recover my timing or
snap. In So games with the Mats,
I hit only one homer and batted
.240. They finally traded me to
the White Sox at the end of May"
In the final two months of the
season, Robinson hit 1877 for the
Sox to lift his season mark to .295.
Robinson thinks the flu bug
could cost pitcher several vic
tories and a hitter many an i'm
portant bingle. A team could be
retarded so much it would find 1t
hard to regain lost ground.
BRADENTON, Fla. - For the
first time in five days, Manager
Billy Southworth will beback with
his Braves today and he has
scheduled two stiff workouts for
his divided squad. Southworth
was one of the squads Is flu VIC
tins.
Meanwhile, the Braves camp is
buZzing with rumors that a deal
that would send Third Baseman
Bob Elliott to Cincinnati for three
players, including Grady Hatton,
is on the fire.
SARASOTA. Fla. - Southpaw
Chuck Stobbs is so far advanced
that Manager Steve O'Neill has
ordered him to sit out the Red
Sox workouts until Wednesday.
THE players tell me Stobbs has
been throwing curves in batting
practice that he was incapable
of throwing all last season."
O'Neill explained. I'm not going
to permit him to rush himself"
Stobbs got away to a fast train
ing start last year and then came
down with a sore arm that ham
pered him during all of the regular
season.
TUCSON. Ariz.-With the In
dians' regular roster complete,
Manager Al Lopez is trying out a
new batting order which puts
Luke Easter in the No. slot.
From what I've seen so far"
AL said, II believe Easter will be
our greatest home-run threat this
year. A clubs best left-handed
hitter should bat third because he
gets to the plate more often and
is less likely to hit into a double
play and spoil a rally"
Under the plan, Al Rosen and
Larry Dolby will follow Easter in
the fourth and fifth positions.
Dale Mitchell leads off as usual,
followed by Bob Avila, who ar
rived in camp yesterday after
clearing up some difficulties with
immigration officials in Jaurez,
Mexico.
BURBANK, Calif.-It looks like
the BroWns-and baseball-will
have to do without Frank Saucler.
one of the games most promising
rockies. He is a successful oil
man working out of Okmulgee,
Okla. and isn't interested in the
$4,000 offered him by the Browns.
Saucer. batting star of the
Texas League last year, made his
position known yesterday in
(See TRAINING CAMPS, A-18)