The Cincinnati Keds had a
chance to get Mize in the spring
of 1935, when they tried him out
for a few weeks. When Mize failed
to shake off a limp that hampered
him the Reds' management decided
he was not worth the $55,000 asked
by the Cardinals. So Mize was sent
back to the Cardinals’ farm at
Rochester.
Dozen Home Runs
The injury continued to bother
him and he saw service in only 65
games. He did prety well at that, j
for he hit a dozen home runs and
finished the season with an aver
age well over the .300 mark. When
the injury failed to clear up Mize
submitted to the operation. This
apparently did the trick.
If Mize keeps up at his present
pace he is likely to keep the slug
ging Ripper Collins on the bench.
The rookie stepped in when Collins
was suffering from a batting slump!
and moved along at such a fast j
clip that Manager Frankie Frisch i
has refused to break up a winning |
combination.
Bill Terry, the New York Giants'
pilot, tried hard to get Mize last
winter, but the Cardinals turned ■
a deaf ear to his talk of a trade;
or a purchase which would in- j
volve the first baseman. Mize would j
have fitted nicely into the Giants';
picture. Terry is ready to call it a |
day as far as his active playing j
career is concerned, but before he
retires to the dugout he would like j
to find a capable young first base- J
man to take his place. At least;
three other teams in the National
League could make good use of
Mize's slugging talents.
