Evening star., 1952-03-02
Revival Of Noren Deal
Possible as Ruffinq
Confers With Griffith
BY Burton Howkins
SioF siaft correspondens

Sfut Staff Correspondent
ORLANDO, Fla. March L.
Red Ruf1ng. trouble. shooter for
the Cleveland Indians. made q
belated arrival at the Mats
training base today and offered
Washington O deal which failed
to interest Manager Bueky Harris
Or President Clark driffith.
Ruffihg, an emissary Of Hank
qfeenbefg,, general manager Of
the Indians, offered outheider
Bob Kennedy and Pitcher Bob
chakeles In exchange for OUT
fleldef Sam Mele, The response
was a quick nothing doing"
But Ruflng came supplied with
alternative deals and was SEIZED.
uled to confer with the e2-year-
old Griffith tonight, His first
proposal was broached to Harris
while the Mats were working out,
Mele Sixth In Runs Batted In.
Mele. only righthand hitter
among the Mats experienced out
fielders, batted a modest .274 last
season but he was sixth in the
American League with 81 runs
batted in,
Kennedy, also a righthand hit
ter. hit .246 last year and batted
across only 20 runs. Chakales,
24-year-old Highlander, had a
s-4 record with the Indians last
year.
1t was believed negotiations be-
tween Griffith and Rufing would
get around to trading Center
fielders Irv Noren of the Mats and
Larry Dolby of the Indians. That's
a deal the Mats already have re-
jected. but they may listen If
Cleveland is willing to throw in
another player.
Ruf1ing Delays Visit.
.Rufing was due here last week,
but doubtless delayed his visit
while there was still talk of al
trade between the Mats and
Yankees. New York also was
seeking Noren but that talk died
down when George Weiss, gen.
eral manager of the Yankees, got
perturbed over names of players
involved getting into print.
Calvin Griffith, vice president of
the Mats, has said the club wants
to make a deal, but the trade
proposed by Ruffing was dismissed
quickly by Washington officials.
I'VE can turn those kind OF trades
down just as rapidly as they're
offered" Calvin said.
But the Mats see a possibility
Of the Indians and Yankees, both
pennant contenders, eventually
bidding high to land Nofen.
Greenberg is an admitted adfrirer,
of Noren and the Yankees are con-
tronted with the prospect of OPEN
Ing the season with the coanpara-
lively inexperienced Micky' Mantle
in <centerf1eld as replacement for
the retired Joe DiMaggio. 4 !
Lack Another Suitable Player.
The Indians, willing to part with
Dolby. may have difficulty offering
another suitable player to the
Mats. Washington would like to
pick UP a second baSeman, but
Cleveland's only reserves are Bob
Wilson. who batted .268 with San
Diego last season. and the veteran
George Stirnweiss, a .216 hitter
last year.
Loaded with lefthand batters,
the Mats won't consider any deal
for the righthand- -hitting Mele
unless an established righthand.
hitting outflelder is offered in re-
turn. Kennedy Is the indians only
experienced outfielder who bats
fighthanded, and he's unaeeept.
able TO the Mats.
Oil Cean participated In the
Mats drill today and started of
with two Walleps over the right.
field fence, The Mats leading hit.
ter last season with O .S09 average,
Gil worked out for tho first time
after delaying contract signing
until last night,
Compromise Reported.
Gil was reported to have reached
q compromise with the Mats
bosses, accepting the modest raise
instead of the increase he de-
manded, The signing ended the
last contract problem for the Mats,
The Mats will launch q 30-game
exhibition schedule next Saturday
when the Athletics invade Or
lando for O two-game series.
Starting March 13 the Mats will
have only four idle days until
April Is, when they complete their
exhibition slate against the Pirates
at Washington. .,- Il
Harris hasn't decided on his
pitchers against the AS. I'm 60
ing to use the ones who appear
to be most advanced in training, "I
Bucky said. But it's little early
yet to tell" Sid Hudson and Joe
Haynes are likely to see action
against Philadelphia, since both
were working out here before the
Mats started