Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 19??-1958, 1955-03-15

bantamWeight champion. GAP Wire
needed to overhaul the Giants but
they are not so confident now con-
cerning the 230-pound Negro, He
no longer is the 1.-the athlete of
four years ago.
Around other camps the Detroit
Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates ap-
pear to have gained some talent
from the Army. Over at Lakeland,
j. w. Porter might supply the need
for a heavy hitting catcher or out
fielder. In 1850 when Porter was
II the White Sox paid him $685.
900 bonus. Traded to the Browns
in 1852, the 6 foot 2 athlete hit $50
in 33 games after a $40 mark for
sc games at Colorado Springs.
However, the Browns traded him
to Detroit. The White Sox since
have tried to buy him back for
100000.
The Tigers also have pitchers
Werner Birrer and Bill Black and
outfielder John Phillips as service
returnees. Birrer had a $40 record
at Buffalo in 1852, while Black
was 1913 at San Antonio in 50.
Over at Fort Myers, the Pirates
have shortstop Dick Groat, "a, a
standout who came from Duke in
1852 to hit .281 for Pittsburgh in
95 games. The lowly Pirates also
have Dick Bartirome, first base
man, and two. right-handed pitch
ers, Ronald Lee Kline and Bill
Bell. Bartirome, %, was in Germ
any with the Berlin Command. A
slick fielder, he hit only .220 in 124
games in 1852. Kline lost all seven
decisions with Pittsburgh in 81
while Bell was 81 that year with
Burlington, N. c. in Class B ball
and 11-3 with Bristol, Va, in Glass
D. AT Bristol, Bell pitched three no.
hitters, two of them in succession.
With the Pirates he dropped his
only decision.
At SaraStoa the Boston Red Sox
expect pitching help from Dick
Brodowski. The 22-year-old right
handler from Bayonne, N. j., di-
vided 10 decisions with Boston in
1852 after a II record at Louis
vile. Faye Throneberry, %, will
be battling for an outfield berth.
In 1852 he hit .258 as a Red Sox
rookie in SO games.
At Tampa the White Sox have
Sam Esposito, %, a shortstop
With Waterloo, Iowa in 1858 he
hit .265 in 96 games. Last summer
he played for the Fort Lewis,
Wash, Army team.
At Clearwater the Phillies have
hopes for Gerald Claycomb, an in
fielder who served in Germany
with the Third Armored Division.
In 1852 as a second baseman he
hit .276 for Terre Haute.
Out west the Cubs have well
coined back Harry Chit, a catcher
who in 80 games hit .274 in 1852.
The Cleveland Indians have Stan
Pawloski, "a, a second baseman,
at Tucson, AriZ., but he hit only
.280 in IS games for Indianapolis
the last part of '54.
nf nn,,Y.-n 1..o
waiting for their little spitfire,
Billy Martin, who is due back in
April. Martin, 155-pound package
of dynamite, led the Yankees ir
their 1853 World Series conquest
of Brooklyn which indirectly LED
to the firing of Dodger pilot Chuck
Dresser.
Possibly there's another Boz
Grim Che won 20 for the Yankees
as a freshman in 1854 coming out
of the service but he hasn't shown
yet.
Besides Newcombe, others who
returned a year ago but failed tc
live up to expectations were Chef
Nichols with Milwaukee, Erv Pal.
ica with Brooklyn, Leo Kiely with
the Red Sox, Jerry Coleman with
the Yankees and Tom Poholsky
with the Cardinals. They could
help their respective teams this
season. Unlike Williams and Mays
each of whom hit .345, they may
have needed an extra year to adj
just themselves.