Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
MORSE'S BASE BALL. CHAT,
By J. G. Morse.

spring practice of the major league base
ball clubs is at hand. and a chance will be
afforded to talk about something else than
deals and hold-outs and make comparisons
| of the winter strength of the clubs.
Already the work has begun with some
clubs of conditioning for the long siege
| which is to follow, and some long jumps
will be made before the clubs arrive at their
destinations.
The Pittsburg people seem to have struck
the golden mean in this training business.
They have selected the best possible resort
in the Arkansas Hot Springs; they do not
stay there too long-not long enough to tire
the men or permit them to get stale; then
they play just enough exhibition games to
break the journey home.
Long training trips are not the best thing
in the world for ball tossers, and one-night
stands, with consequent changes of water
and diet. can provoke a lot of harm.
One of the Boston players told me II 1t were
left to him he would remain mere and would
guarantee to report in far better condition
than If he were compelled to take long
trip. So it can be seen that these training
trips are not hailed with the utmost joy by
all the ball tossers.
More and more it has come to be the reg
ular thing to send the pitchers ahead of the
other players. and properly so, as 1T takes
| them longer to get into condition.
Friday of this week the Boston American
league players will leave for their new rem
devious of Little Rock, Ark. and can see
for themselves the land that Manager Mi
chael ]. Finn of the club of that city has
been picturing in such beautiful colors. Ac
cording to Mike 1t has been possible to
play there all winter, and even when there
was a little snow and slush in the outfield
the infield was always in first-class condi-
ton.
If the players have anywhere near as
good weather in Little Rock as they had in
Macon for three seasons past they will have
abundant opportunity to feel satisfied but
the record of one bad day in three seasons
is almost too good to be approached.
1t is not good thing to keep players in
the same place year after year. Changes
are good for a player. He can work to bet
ter advantage amid new scenes and sur
| roundings. 1t is like creating new interest
and inspiration for him to play under new
Skies
1t will be the first time that Manager
Charles Sylvester Stahl will have had
charge of a club in a spring trip, but he has
been so closely associated with the former
manager, Jimmy" Collins, that he will
need no coaching as to the course to be
pursued
Stahl is in finer condition than he has
been for long time, and will take up his
new work with a deal of enthusiasm He
Is extremely anxious to regain the former
prestige Of his team and is very confident
he has the material so to do.
xk
Stahl will cover first base for the Boston
Americans if he plays ball at all this year.
How the change will work remains to be
seen. President Taylor undoubtedly figures
that Stahl will be able to put up a cracking
good game Invested of his managerial re-
sponsibilities. Perhaps Washington would
prefer Unglaub to Grimshaw, and it may
be that the hitch on the trade is on that
point. 1t is well known that Cantillon has
very high. opinion indeed of the playing
of Unglaub as a first baseman, and those
who saw him play first base in the Tri-
State last season were most enthusiastic
over his work and said that few, il any,
players in the country had anything on him
as a first baseman. Another thing about
Unglaub is that he is still coming: He has
not played the position long enough to real
ize all of its possibilities. Doubtless no one
was more disappointed than Unglaub when
the Tri-State League went under the ma
tional agreement. But for that he could
have had his own figure this year. If I'm
glaub comes to Boston he will doubtless
be allotted a utility role, and he is alto
gether too good man for that sort of
thing.
Joe Cantillon will have nothing to lament
If he loses Stahl, for he is sure to get one
of two very good men in his stead, and
either will be sure to fill the gap that is
made. Grimshaw has no more stanch
sponsor than George Stallings, who insists
he ranks with the best in the land.
y
Fred Parent has come out and declared
that President John Irving Taylor of the
Boston Americans must come to him and
not step will he turn to John /. next
week. That being the case, it looks very
much as If Freddy would be allowed to play
in the Maine League next season. He fails
to realize that the times of dictation are
of the past The truth is that Parent has
gone back and Mr.. Taylor is on to the fact.
He has come out with the fine offer. of
50, 500 for years contract, but Parent
shifts at this offer and wants three years
contract at $4,000 per-that and nothing
more or less. If John I. has not changed
much, it will be cold day before he ap-
proaches Parent again. 1t was largely the
failure of Parent for some reason or other
to play his game last season that lost many
game. He Is by no means the player he
once was. He seems to have lost his old
time confidence. his hitting Is very mediocre
and he seldom does such thing as try
to steal a base. 1t really does look as II
the very best thing that could be done with