The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-09
.MILLERS SHOW UP
WELL IN PRACTICE
WATKINS HIGHLY PLEASED WITH
WORK OF HIS TEAM.
Program Of Work at Champaign Is a
Strenuous Understanding of
Millers Is Their Strong Point
Probable Final Makeup of the
Team-Pitchers Show Up Well.

Special to The Journal.
Champaign, ILL.,, April 9.-The Min
neapolis League baseball team is
showing up in excellent form, and
under the coaching of Manager Wat
kins, the men are gaining rapidly IN
team work and in knowledge of the
fine points Of the game. The players
are recovering from the soreness in
cidental to the first week of training,
and next week all will be fit for the
fastest kind of baseball.
Manager Watkins has required his
men to follow a program Of strenuous
work each day. In the batting prac-
tice in the morning the men are re-
quired to run out all their hits at top
speed. Watkins does not want the
men to get in the habit Of standing
at the plate to watch the direction of
| a hit, and every player who does not
start at the crack of the bat gets a
sharp lecture from the manager. Spe-
cial fielding practice and a workout
| for the battery men follow the bat
| ting. AS a conclusion to the morn
| ing's work the men are required to
! take a brisk run, the distance being
| assigned by Watkins, and varying
| from half mile to three miles, ac-
cording to the condition of each man.
| The morning practice occupies about
two hours. In the afternoon, before
the regular exhibition game with Illi-
nois university begins, the men who
are not expected to take part in the
game are given two hours Of good
hard work. The men are required to
field, about a mile and a half, two
round trips every day. .os.
| Manager Watkins is highly pleased
with the training facilities here, as
we'll as with the way his men have
shown up. He said this morning
THE team fully meets my expecta-
tons, and I am convinced that Min.
neapolis will be as strong this sum.
villes play at third is thoroly salts
, factory. Maloney, Sullivan and Coul
ter think will prove the fastest out
field in the country this year. I an
f satisfied that the team will prove a
= strong as any aggregation that eve
. field is invincible, the infield fast an
;, well, there is not weak spot o.
the team SER. 49, .
: The work of the millers in the prac
: tice games thus far has been full 9
$ ginger, altho during the first half {
the week nearly all the men wer
D., quite sore and stiff. Demontreville
throwing wing was in bad shape, an
! he was compelled to lay off. Th
- fielding has been snappy, and alth
not as clean as Watkins expects to sc
it when the season is we'll under way,
is quite satisfactory for this time I
If the year. The baserunning is the be
- feature Of the work. Watkins h;
I, half a dozen sprinters on his squa
- who promise to give the opposir
= catchers lot Of trouble this summe
Maloney, Sullivan, Demontreville, tFo
Iis Oyler and McNichol, are wonderful
IN fast men, and have been fairly burr
lie ing up the paths. Coulter too h
s. shown good speed on the sacks. TT
Ut batting Of the leaguers has been ligf
but this is largely accounted for by tt
IS, fact that Watkins has seldom allow'
lg his men to hit the ball out, instruc
he ing them in the art of pushing a ru
y. ner around the sacks by placing the
he drives.
re The Minneapolis pitchers fa
shown up we'll, altho in most Of t
so games the youngsters have been use
Thomas is in grand shape, and h
proven invincible every time he h
gone in the box. Owens also is in fl
- from a sore arm, has done some go
work, as has Koukalik. Lockerste
was batted hard in his first gar
against the varsity a week ago, b
Wednesday he showed great for
rst and had both speed and control. T
ng OCAGE IWlIlSIS DIRE IOL III do SOOu slid
six as Thomas and Owens, but are &C
nv ditioning rapidly.
Ludwig is the only one Of t
w, catchers who is in first-class conditi
vi O'Leary is a bit overweight yet, a
ay. Roach has a sore arm. Ludwig, no
in ever, is in fine shape, and has be
Jus catching a good game. Walk
ain thinks he has the making Of fir
class backstop, and is satisfied tt
he will make good. 1t is proba1
however, that the manager will r
upon O'Leary for the bulk Of
an catching this season. O'Leary i
lon been doing good work in spite of
he surplus beef and he is a much bet
the hitter than either Roach or LudV
ost
Watkins has steadfastly refused
give out any definite announcement
regard to the final makeup of
team. From the way the millers h
wi lined up in their practice games t
sed far, however, it is possible to 81
low with reasonable accuracy
eet. makeup of the infield and
Ing field MaIOney, Coulter and