ˈæftɚ ɹᵻtˈɜːnɪŋ tə ðə pˈaɪɹəts, hiː wʌzðə stˈɑːɹɾɪŋ ʃˈɔːɹtstɑːp ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛvən bᵻfˌoːɹ bˌiːɪŋ tɹˈeɪdᵻd tə ðə bɹˈʊklɪn dˈɑːdʒɚz ˌɔn dᵻsˈɛmbɚɹ ˈeɪt, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛvən, ɐlˈɔŋ wɪð pɹˈiːtʃɚ ɹˈoʊ ænd dʒˈiːn mˈɔːtʃ, fɔːɹ dˈɪksi wˈɔːkɚ, hˈæl ɡɹˈɛɡ ænd vˈɪk ləmbˈɑːɹdi.
After returning to the Pirates, he was the starting shortstop in 1946 and 1947 before being traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers on December 8, 1947, along with Preacher Roe and Gene Mauch, for Dixie Walker, Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi.