IN THE NEWS: The Pirates buy 1B Hank Greenberg from the Tigers for a reported $25,000 to $35,000 (The Baseball Encyclopedia lists $75,000). The veteran Greenberg led the American League in home runs with 44 in 1946 and the Pirates will pair him with young slugger Ralph Kiner, the National League home run leader.
IN THE NEWS: Five Evangeline League (Class D) players are made ineligible for allegedly betting on 1946 playoff games. The group includes P Bill Thomas (35-7 for Houma, LA, in 47 appearances), who is still the all-time win leader in the minors (with 383), two Houma teammates, and the Houma manager. Thomas protested, pointing out that he was 5-0 in the playoffs. He and Len Pecou will be reinstated in 1949. Thomas will win 26 games in 1950 for teams in the Evangeline and Rio Grande Valley leagues.