Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-11
Mats Renew Efforts
To Acquire Sharman;
Play Pirates Today
By Burton Howkins
Sfor Stoff Correspondent

PITTSBURGH, April 1.-THE
Washington ball clubs persistent
pursuit of Bill Sharman, right
handed hitting outfielder who is
the property of the Dodgers, may
be climaxed successfully in the
next 48 hours if the Mats can
produce an infielder and an
outf1elder acceptable to Fresco
Thompson, Brooklyn's farm club
director.
Sharman, a .294 hitter with ST.
Paul last season, recently was
optioned to Mobile, another
Brooklyn farm team, and if OBJ
tanned will cost the Mats $50, 900
in addition to two players to be
plucked from their Chattanooga
club.
I'm trying to get Joe Engel
Chattanooga president) to give
me the names of some fellows
he can part WITH" Vice Presi-
dent Calvin Griffith of the Mats
said today. Brooklyn needs an
inf1elder and an outfielder for
clubs in it's farm system and
we're having tough time pro-
ducing what they need"
Would Quit Basketball.
Sharman, "a, is 6-foot-2
185-pounder who starred in bas-
ketball with Southern California,
setting a Pacific Coast Confer
ence scoring record. During the
past season, he was one of the
leading scorers in the National
Basketball Association with the
Boston Celtics. However, he said
several weeks ago he would
abandon basketball if he could
make the grade in major league
baseball.
Seeking replacement for in
jured Gil Coan, the Mats are
willing to go high for Sharman,
who said he earned about $15,-
600" last season while playing
basketball with Boston and base
ball with st. Paul.
Sharman has limited base
ball experience, but has dis
played considerable promise. He
launched his career with Pueblo,
Colo, in the Class A Western
League in 1850 and batted .288.
He played with Elmira in the
Class A Eastern League later
that season and batted .289.
Promoted to the double-A Texas
League in 1851, Bill batted .286.
Last year he advanced to the
triple-A American Association
and lifted his average to .294.
Calvin Griffith has had nu-
merous telephone conversations
with Buzzy Bavasi, the Dodgers
vice president, in the last "a
hours and is hoping for action
momentarily. The Mats have
been seeking Sharman ever since
last fall, but SHE'D away at the
$50, 000- plus-players demand I'M
til Coan suffered his injury.
Terminate of TerwiIliger.
Sharman expressed hope some
weeks ago that the Mats efforts
to land him would be successful.
He was a teammate last year of
Wayne Terwilliger, the Mats
second baseman, who reports
that Sharman's speed has slack
ened a trif1e due to his basket
ball activity.
Meanwhile, Ken Wood, han
ding left field in Coan's absence,
is hopeful of keeping the job.
The Mats only full f1edged re-
serve outf1elder at the moment
is FRANK CampOS, although Mel
Hoderlein has seen some outf1eld
duty.
Chuck Stobbs, originally slated
to remain in Washington with
Pitchers Bob Porterfield, Walter
Masterson and Chico Marrero,
made the trip here as the Mats
opened a two-game series with
the Pirates. Stobbs was Sched-
uled to pitch against the Phil
lies yesterday at Washington,
but that game was Cancelled
because of wet grounds.
Spec Shea, idle nearly a month,
also will pitch here today or
tomorrow if the weather is suit
able. Shea has reported to Man
ager Bucky Harris that he's
ready to test his ailing arm, but
Bucky won't permit it unless
the weather is warm.
Pitcher AL Sima gave Harris
a jolt yesterday when he called
in sick, but an examination
displayed nothing more than a.