Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
PRACTICE SEASON
NEAR AT HAND
Treasurer Fowler and Hickman
and Stanley Go West
This Week.
Chicago Will Again Be Hard to
Head Off, but New York
Should Be Able to Turn
the Trick.

Everything is shaping up nicely for the
southern practice trip of the Washington
club, and it is foregone conclusion that
the team will be In this city the day be-
fore the opening of the season in first
class condition. Next Tuesday Charley
Hickman starts for his home at Dunkirk.
Pa, and after spending a couple Of days
among his people and gathering together
his collection of seasoned bats, he will go
to Pittsburg Saturday and take a sleeper
for Chicago. He will arrive Sunday aft
ernoon, and report to Manager Cantillon
for the trip to Galveston "Hick' is in
splendid physical condition, being almost
down to playing weight, the result of hard
work at the Y. NJ. C. A. gymnasium in this
city.
Treasurer William Fowler will leave
Washington next Saturday at noon, meet
Hickman in Pittsburg, and the pair will
travel together to Chicago. Mr.. Fowler
has already shipped the Washington uni
forms to Galveston, also a big bunch Of
bats, that the players will want for
nothing in the way Of equipment when
they reach the Texas metropolis. Willie
is youngster in looks, but his experiences
with the Wagners4 and later with the
American League club in this city, has
made him one of the wisest men in the
national sport, not only from the financial
very enthusiastic over the outlook for the
coming season, and is not backward in
predicting good things for the hackers Of
the club as well as the fans.
Joe Stanley, looking better than he has
for the past couple of years, will probably
start for Chicago with Fowler, and the
Washington boy has great hopes of max
ing a place on the regular team. Man
ager Cantillon's promise that the boys
showing up the best in the preliminary
work will be given the preference has
loo1 no
will certainly do his best to catch the eye
of and please the boss.
Off for New York.
President Noyes and Secretary Minor
leave Washington this afternoon for New
York to attend the spring meeting Of the
American League, and will meet Manager
Cantillon there. AS before told in The
Star, there is about only one trade to be
made by the Washington club, and that
is the one that will let out First Baseman
Garland Stahl. The managers who want
Stahl will have to offer something very
nice for him, as Manager Cantillon has
past week or two and it Is no "cinch' bet
that he will not be with US again next sea-
son. Stahl is supersensltive about playing
in Washington, as he thinks the local
crowds will be down on him as a player,
when the direct contrary is the case. Stahl
is conceded to be one OF the best first base
men in the business and all his friends in
Washington are convinced that it was only
the burden of acting as manager that kept
him from playing first-class ball. Manager
Cantillon has been trying to persuade him
to believe that Washington is the best place
for him and had Garland been able to take
a weeks practice here before the season
opened he would have found out that the
base ball fans of this city have a soft
spot in their hearts for him. Whether
Jake plays here or in Boston, st. Louis or
Cleveland it is foregone conclusion that
he will perform fully % per cent above his
work of last season. He is bound to come
back as a batter, and his first base play at
the close of last season bordered on the
marvellous. OF course, if he insists on being
let cut by Washington, Manager Cantillon
can be depended upon to frame up some
sort of trade, but it is the general wish
of the local patrons of the club that Sir
Garland will see his way clear to don the
Nationals uniform the coming season.
Locating the Pennant Winners.
Many of the eastern and western papers
have already taken-up the burden of plac-
ing the teams at the finish of next season.
and the majority favor Cleveland, with
New York and Chicago in the order named
To those on the inside 1t looks as though
the Clevelands viii be doing great work
to finish third or even in the first division
The team looks exceptionally wen on pa