The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-20
GETTING IN TRIM
GIANTS PUT IN A FULL DAYS
PRACTICE.
ON A PERFECT GROUND
KEPT UP A HOT PACE AND PUT
INTEREST IN THE PLAY.

McGraw Suffering with Soreness in
His Knee from Too Much Work
and Took an on Day-was on the
Ground, However, and Coached
His Men-Sides Were Chosen and
Five Inning Game Played in the
AnernOon-Mertes Davis and Nc
Ginnity showed Up Well in First
Days WORKMAN HaItran and
Bowerman Due To-day Exhibit
ton Game viii BE Played Next
Week.
Aided by the warm southern sun and
an almost perfect field, the New York
Giants put in the hardest days work
yesterday that they have this season.
The sun had pretty thoroughly dried
out the ground and the men were able
to go wherever they pleased dry shod.
The diamond especially was fast, and
the ball bounded over it with light
ming speed.
Manager McGraw. who suffered last
summer with an injured knee, is again
incapacitated for playing, but he was
on the ground both morning and aft
ernoon coaching his men in play. Dur
ing the first three days Mac" cavoted
about the ground like a two-year old
and no doubt strained his knee. and
though nothing serious, the trouble is
sufficient to make him use a cane.
All of the men are showing impro We
ment, and though several of them were
a bit sore from the hard work We'd
nesday, they got about in good form,
and lent an interest to the work that
only men ambitious to be in first class
condition can.
George Davis, the star ShortStop
who had rather play with the Giants
than any team in the country, but
who at present is an object of contro-
versy with the Chicago American
League team, was out in a New York
uniform and did some excellent work,
despite the fact that he has been
without practice fol- some time. He oc-
cupied his old position between the
second and third bags, and was there
with the goods.
Mertes, the big fielder, who arrived
Wednesday night, was in his old pas
ture and "ate up" everything that
came his way from a sky-scraper to
hot liner. Mertes came from Califor-
mia and AS he has been practicing in
the warm climate of the slope, is in
first class condition. Van Haltren, the
veteran center fielder, who has also
been in California during the winter,
is said to be in excellent copdition.
He left Frisco Monday and is due
here to-day.
Joe McGinnity, a pitcher who had
'em all guessing last season, came to
town in the morning and was in time
to get in toys and practice his first
time. He is apparently in good shape
and his work was entirely satisfactory.
Frank Bowerman, catch, is due to-
day, when the roster of the team will
be complete.
The work yesterday morning was
confined mainly to scrub play. All of
the pitchers were used, while the 9TH
ers took turns in batting and running
bases. Bunting was in order, and the
boys showed great proficiency in this
line, which is one of the most difficult
plays in the game to get down 20
science. Two hours or more was
spent in this work, and at the finish
the men were pretty we'll fatigued and
glad for a rest.
In the afternoon sides were chosen
no score was kept. Taylor and Cronin,
pitchers, were used on one side, with
Warner as catcher, while Miller and
Bresnahan did the battery work for
the other side. The game was full of
amusing incidents and the players kept
the spectators interested throughout
McGraw acted as umpire, and his
decisions were questioned by nearly
every player in the game. Warner es-
peeially questioned his decisions. He'd
be playing with the other side If he
didn't have a crippled wing" said
Warner, 80 no wonder we can't win"
Others accused Mac" of being the
rankest of rank umpires, while still
others advised him to go chase himself.
The guying, however, was of the good
natured sort, and Mac" might have
been deaf for all the attention he paid
to the harangue. Taylor, especially,
showed up in good shape. He lined
them over with all of his old time speed
and curves, and many holes were found
in the sticks. A number of long hits
were made to the field, but in most
cases, if the ball was fieldable, it was
pulled down safely. The men took des-
perate chances in base-running, and on
that account the put-outs were more
numerous than they would have been
otherwise. The work of the infield was
exceptionally good, and but very few
errors in the shape of passed balls,
mis-throws and ETC.. were made. All
in all the days work was most salts
factory, and McGraw is wen pleased
with the showing the men are making.
To-day similar work will be INDUCED
in, and if Bowerman and Van Haltran
arrive, as expected, there will be
enough men to make up two strong
teams, and next week exhibition games
will probably be played every after
noon until the 26th. when the team
leaves for it's tour before returning to
New York, April s. Saturday after
noon the Giants tackle the army nine
from Fort Screven at Bolton Street
PARK