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Tribe Gives 50,000 Bonus For Prep Hurlers Signature CLEVELAND, Ohio, May 29 UP .—The Cleveland Indians signed Billy Joe Davidson, a 17-year-old schoolboy pitcher, rated "the best prospect since Bob Feller," today for a record bonus estimated at 50,000. Although general manager Hank Green-berg of the Indians refused to disclose the exact figure, he told Cleveland manager Al Lopez by telephone that the club "had to go much higher" than the 00,090 bonus paid Paul Pettit by the Pittsburgh Pirates two years ago. Davidson, a left-handed pitcher from Marion, S. C, was known to be sought by several major league teams. General manager Billy Evans of the well-heeled Detroit Tigers, admitted his team tried to sign Davidson, "but the competitive bidding was -far too high for us." The Carolina youth, who is six-foot-three and weighs 211 pounds, will fly ttf Cleveland immediately for a 10-day tryout under the tutelage of coaches Charley "Red" Ruffing and Mel Harder. Lopez said in Detroit that Davidson could break into the Indians line-up right away, "if he has what it takes." Davidson was graduated yesterday from Oak Ridge Military Academy, near Winston-Salem, N. C. In two years of prep school baseball at the academy, the. big southpaw averaged 18 strikeouts per game. He also pitched for a semi-pro team in Blackstone, Mass., average 15 strikeouts per game and compiled a 13-2 record. E. P. Holt, headmaster at Oak Ridge Academy and a Cleveland scout, was believed to have been an influential factor in Davidsons decision to sign with the Indians.
