Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-25

be bought for turf investment certlncates.
The ST. Louis Nationals have signed
Smith and Bruce, a battery that halls from
Dubuque. Iowa.
Ex-senator John Farrell, formerly of
Covington, and who plays second base Tor
the st. Louis Nationals, is the father OF
new boy baby.
Harry Kane, who is to be member OF
the Pittsburgs' pitching staff, is beginning
to take on weight. The additional avordu-
pois should help him a great deal. as Harry
was a trife too light for fast company
last year.-St. Louis Republic.
Clarence Wright. one OF Cleveland crack
pitchers, will practice with and coach the
Wooster University basket ball team. He
will remain in Wooster until March IA,
when Cleveland leaves for New Orleans.
Buffalo fans claim that Hooker is the
best twirler in the Eastern League, and
they expect him to clinch the pennant this
year. What about Dunleavy, whom Pat
sy" Donovan has gobbled up!
Jimmy Manning is no longer connected
with the Kansas City Western League club.
and for the present is out of base ball.
He received one big league offer, but will
most likely remain out of the game.
If good coaching makes basket ball
team the Columbia University nine this
season ought to be up in the top notch
The team will be coached by three Of the
New York players, namely, Johnny Nc
Graw, George Smith and Jack Warner.
AS yet Christy Matthewson has not re-
from the ST. Louis Americans last sum-
mer. Secretary Hedges is of the opinion
now that Matthewson has Joined church
he will clear his conscience by sending
back the coin he received for signing a
contract.
Connie Mack, manager Of the Philadel-
phia American League Club sailed yester-
day from New York on the Arapahoe for
Jacksonville, Fla. with nine players, where
spring practice will begin. The men with
him are Powers, catcher; Plank Wilson,
Bender. Everett and Quinn, pitchers; Sey
bold and Hoffman, outfelders, and Murphy,
second basenian. Waddell and. Schrecken-
COST are already in Florida and will meet
the other players upon their arrival.
"A good man to lead off a team Is
Clark Griffith of the New York Americans.
He must have two or three qualifications
not usually found in the average ball
player. First, he must be a good waiter;
that is. he must not be nervous at the
plate and strike at everything sent up by
the pitcher. 1t is the business of the player
leading off to get on first if possible, no
matter how it is accomplished. If the
pitcher Is trifie wild, try working him
for base on balls; but If the batter gets
in the hole-that is, has two strikes called
on him, with only one or two balls-he
must strike at the next unless it is going
to be so wide that there is no danger Of
his being called out on strikes. The in
ability to take advantage of this particu-
lar angle of the game-batting out the ball
or dropping pretty bunt-proves the eff
fectiveness of a player in this most diff
cult of positions. Besides being a good
waiter the man leading off must be a
good bunter and fleet of foot in sprinting
for first base. Then. If he is an intelli-
gent base runner, always on his toes, he
can worry the infield Of the opposing team
not a little. This position is the most
difficult in the batting order"