Virgil (No-Hit) Trucks Traded To Brownies In Big Six-Player Swap

On December 4, 1952 — In the fourth major Detroit-St. Louis deal in a year Detroit Tigers trades P Virgil Trucks, who tossed two no-hitters during the year, along with P Hal White and OF Johnny Groth, to the Browns in exchange for 2B Owen Friend, OF Bob Nieman, and OF/C J.W. Porter.

The swap, involving some $250,000 in player salary, did hot include any cash, according to Rudy Schaffer, Browns genera! manager.
Trucks, a 33-year-old righthander, pitched two no-hitters in 1952— against Washington in May and against New York Yankees in August but wound up with a 5-19 record.

Groth, 26, a Detroit regular since, 1949, hit .294 in. 141 games and White, a 33-year-old relief pitcher, had a 1-8 record in 41 games.

The most important St. Louisj player involved was Nieman, 25, a rookie sensation with a -289 halting, average, 18 home runs, and 74 runs batted in. The right-handed hitter hit two straight homers against- Boston in his major league debut on Sept 14. 1951.
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Porter, used both as a catcher and outfielder, received a $65,000 bonus from the Chicago White Sox as a free agent when he entered pro ball.

Last season the 19-year old prospect hit .250 for the Browns latter spending most of the season at Memphis and Colorado Springs, two White Sox farms teams.

The Tigers will have to wait a week or so for Friend, 25, to be discharged from military service. He was the Browns’ regular second baseman in 1950, hitting .257 in 119 games.

At first glance, it appeared that the Browns had the best of the, latest trade, acquiring a starting pitcher Trucks and a regular centerfielder in Groth for one proven big leaguer- Nieman. How¬ever, the Tigers were reported hot after Porter, who has the promise of becoming a future star.
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