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► ■ ; Red Sox and Detroit Tigers Announce Nine-Player Trade I Bosox Give Lenhardt, Pesky, Dropo, Wight, Hatfield for Kell, Evers, Trout and Upon By JACK FROST United Press Sports Writer BOSTON, Mass., June 3.— Baseballs biggest trade of the year was staged today — a nine-player swap with the .Boston Red Sox giving up five men, including heavy hitters Walt Dropo and Don Lenhardt, for a Detroit quartet that included third baseman George Kell and outfielder Walt "Hoot" Evers. The deal, consummated by a telephone call only a few hours after Lenhardt hit a grand slam home run that put the Red Sox at the top of the American League, saw: First baseman Dropo, outfielder Lenhardt, infielder Johnny Pesky and Fred Hatfield and. pitcher Bill Wight traded for Kell, Evers, infielder Johnny Lipon and pitcher Paul "Dizzy" Trout. "1 agreed to the deal, but" it was tough to decide on," said manager Lou Boudreau as the announcement was made at a Red Sox press conference. Details of the trade had been ironed out during the evening by general manager Joe Cronin of Boston and Charlie Gehringer of Detroit. It probably was the biggest Red Sox deal made in 15 years, and certainly one of the most important in baseball since the Boston Braves gave up Eddie Stanky and Alvin Dark to the New York Giants in exchange for four players. Pennant-seeking Boudreau appeared pleased once he had made his decision. But the departing Red Sox were far from delighted as they straggled in to pick up their possessions before flying to join the Tigers at Philadelphia. Hatfield First to Stroll In First of the ex-Red Sox to stroll into the locker room was Fred Hatfield, 26, who has been playing third base regularly for the last week since Pesky was benched with an injured leg. "I just bought 0 worth of groceries," he said glumly. "I get home and my wife tells me to call Cronin and he tells me Im in the trade. They dont remember what you did the day before. I guess thats baseball." Hatfield said the trade was "entirely unexpected" and that he "knew there was some deal going, but I didnt figure I was in it." He has been with the Red Sox organization since graduating from high school in 1942. An hour later Lenhardt sauntered in, his face indicating he was far from pleased. He had started major league baseball with the St. Louis Browns in 1950, was traded to Chicago, and then was bought by the Red Sox and .assumed he had clinched the left field berth left vacant by Ted Williams recajl to the Marines. •Lenhardt let in a tie-breaking run yesterday with a tenth-inning error, then hit his second grand slam homer for the year j to give Boston a win over Chicago. "Got a call from Cronin at noon," he said. "Thats the first I knew of it. Who else is in the trade, he didnt tell me. I guess you haye to be ready for anything in baseball. Good for my wife in her condition, shes expecting our first baby in October." No regrets," sang out Pesky as he and Dropo came in a half hour later. "No re-: grets. Cronins fine. Yawkeys Owner Tom Yawkey fine. Everybodys fine. Baseball has strange ways. When you run out of gas . nobody wants you." I At 31, Pesky has been a member of the Red Sox since 1942 with four years out for war service. Dropo, 29, was the star rookie when he came to the Red Sox from Louisville in 1950, but last year was sent to the Pacific Coast League for seasoning because he failed to hit. He was back before the season ended and is currently hitting .265. "I was surprised," he said. "But anything can happen and I figured with all the talk I might be in some deal." In Philadelphia, Rolfe said the trade was made "to snap us out." The Tigers are in a losing streak which finds them at the bottom of the league. "It looks like I got what we needed — a solid man at third, a fast hard-hitting fielder in Evers, and Lipon, who can fill in anywhere we need a man," said Boudreau. In addition, Boudreau recalled first baseman Dick Gernert from Louisville to play regularly for the Red Sox. Boudreau said his toughest decision was whether to Tart with Hatfield for Kell. Currently Hatfield is being hailed as one of the leagues best fielding third basemen but until his recent insertion in the line-up has been weak at bat.
