Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-23
Only ; Pitching Jobs
In Doubt as Harris
Sends Trio 10 Farm
By Burton Howkins
Stor Staff Correspondent

Mats has been sold to Toronto
of the international League, but
refuses to report. He has per-
suaded the Washington club to
attempt deal which would
land him with a Pacific Coast
League club nearer his Portland
(Oreg) residence.
johnson, who failed to win a
game with the Mats last season
had been battered in two ap-
pearances this spring against
the Philadelphia Athletics. He
had pitched only twice in ex-
hibition games but permitted
10 runs and Is hits in seven
innings.
I'm trying to get Toronto to
cancel the DEAL" Vice President
Calvin Griffith said. johnson
says he won't report there, SO
we'll try to get him a job in the
Pacific Coast League"
: Meanwhile the Washington
squad is, set except for pitchers
Manager Bucky Harris says he'll
retain 10 of his present Ia
pitchers. keep three catchers
seven inf1elders and five out
fielders.
freshman EARNED Out.
Harris sliced his squad today
by sending Catcher George
Bradshaw, Outf1elder Buck Var
ner and Pitcher Buck freshman
to Chattanooga. Fleshman, for
mer Hyattsville High star. had
been bothered by a sore arm
while Bradshaw and Warner saw
little service.
Still with the club, but not
for long, is Juan Vistuer, Cuban
Negro outfielder. Harris says
he'll keep Gil Coan, Jim Busby
Jackie Jensen, Frank Campos
and Ken Wood as his outfielders
The status of Campos and Wood
is shaky, however, for the Mats
are searching for stronger re-
serve strength in that depart
ment..
The catchers, barring a deal
will be Mickey GraSso, BOZ
Odds and Les Peden, while in
fielders due to head north with
the club 10 days hence are
Mickey Vernon, Wayne Terwil-
Tiger, Pete Runnels, Eddie Yost
Floyd Baker, Gene Verble and
Mel Hoderlein.
Four Pitchers Going.
Four pitchers will be Topped
off and they'll come from among
Sonny Dixon, Al Sima, jim
Pearce, Lou Sleater, Bunky
Stewart, Dean Stone and Zeke
Zeisz, with the first two regarded
as having an excellent chance
of filling two of the three open
berths.
II tried to get along with two
catchers last season and it's just
too risky" Harris said u
couldn't maneuver. I couldn't
yank a catcher for a pinch hitter
or a runner because I'd strip my
self to one catcher. If he got in
the game and was hurt we were
dead"
Johnson, originally signed by
the Yankees after spectacular
success in schoolboy ranks al
Portland, made his way to New
York via Kansas City and New
ark. He won four games and lost
three under Harris when the
Yankees won the championship
in 1947. but drifted back tc
Newark, Kansas City, Portland
and Sacramento before being
promoted to theA Yankees again
in 1850.
He was traded to the St. Louis
Browns in an eight-player deaI
in June, 1850, and less than a
year later was claimed by the
Mats. He finished the 1851 sea-
son with a TIP record and last
year couldn't win a game. He
lost five.
Meet Yankees Today.
The Mats will get their last
glimpse of the Yankees here to-
day until they square off in the
opening game April IS.
Washington polished off the
Yankees, IA, in a previous ex-
hibition game with Zeisz, Sims
and Dixon on the mound, ano
it was likely that Sima and
Dixon would see action today
along with Stone.
Harris plans to use Chuck
Stobbs against the Yankees il
he is fit, but the left-hander was
a doubtful participant because
Of an ailing shoulder.
Rained out of a game with
the Athletics for the second
straight. time yesterday, the
Mats will shift to Clearwater to-
morrow to battle the Phillies
then invade Sarasota to tangle
with the Red Sox. After that
will come four games at Orlando
and then a tour through Georgia
the Carolinas and Virginia er
route home.