The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-07
'rhey .,i look like champions in the

l from the spring training camps" oi
 the professional clubs. The custom oi
 having a baseball team assemble at . point far away from its home city generally in the far or middle South,
 for Q period of training. has grown 50
 rapidly in the past few years that even l those who follow the game most ciose-
 ly do not realize the importance of the
 financial transactions involved, directly | and indirectly. k. -ssf --.
 The idea of training trip has spread | until not only the leagues of large caliber, but such organizations as the
 Tri-State League. the Western League and the Central League send their baseball squads to various places which 1 plenty of sunshine and warmth when snowstorms are still likely farther north. IL Is estimated that the two major leagues, the National and Amer lean, will carry South this spring 500 | men. and that the combined cost of the expeditions will be something like | $S00.0o0. The smaller fry may be ex- peoted to spend at least $150,0o0 more. The term training camp" is a mis- homer. especially with the big leagues. Instead of . camp" the major league teams put up at the very best hotel in the town. travel in Pullnans when the journey lasts overnight. eat in the din ing. cars and have the best of every thing. They carry professinal train CT of athletes, one or more experts to rub sore muscles. a manager, a treas urer and often a half dozen newspa- per men: It is not unusual for major team to carry from thirty to forty players on these prolonged jaunts. which gives some idea of the expense and detail involved. The longest training trip this year is that of the Chicago American League club which will condition its men at Los Angeles, Cal. Besides the play CTS, newspaper men and attendants, a delegation of ardent ''rooters" went along on the special train. The next longest trips are those of the New York National League club to Marlin Springs. Texas. and the Washington American League club to Galveston. Texas.
 Southern cities are noted for their local patriotism and the rivalry be- tween them is so Intense that they gladly welcome Northern ball teams which may camp" there for brelimi- nary practicee The local baseball park Is usually placed at their disposal. fre- quently without charge. The local management does all in its power to make the visitors welcome. and the hotels offer the lowest possible rates. The announcement that one is a mem- Der of the strangers household car rtes weight, and the citizens almost without exception exert themselves 10 the utmost to give favorable impress sion of their city. As rule. the cour- tesies of the local theaters are extend ed to the squad. and if any pubic cei- ebration takes place the athletic guests are sure of special attention.
 To the honor of professional ball players be 1t said that they have sell dom abused the kindness with which they are received. Cases of rowdy conduct on theft part are exceedingly rare. The majority of them are from the North and West and are unaccus. toned to the sectional peculiarities and puncttliousness of the South. But they adjust themselves to conditions, and have frequently furnished admirable instances of seif-restraint when taunt- ed by the rowdies which are inevitably found in all cities.
 Some years ago. when the custom of baseball teams going to Dixie was not so firmly established, a member of a squad "camped' there tried to make a mash" on a young woman in Att lanta. He followed the usual per sistent masher methods and was promptly repulsed. The relatives and friends of the young woman took 1t up and he was forced to leave the city. He returned a year or so after ward. and only the quick action of some Atlanta newspaper men who spirited him away, saved him from rough treatment. That Is one of the few cases of the kind on record. and 1t made an impression that has not been forgotten.
 One of the reasons for the cordial welcome given the visiting squads is that the newspaper men who go along frequently write themselves out" on the subject of baseball. and then send out feature stories about the city. Baseball fans" come from every walk in life and they read with avidity. not only the" news of the team itself. but of all that even remotely con- cerns 1t. It thus happens that thou- sands of people in the North and West who did not know Marlin Springs, Texas, was on the map, can now tell all about 1t. Hot Springs, Arkansas Is kept constantly in the public eye during the training season, because the Boston American and Pittsburg National League teams are there. The Washington team Is not the first to visit Galveston, as the Chicago National League club used 1t as a training base when the famous Pop" Anson was manager.
 The training on these trips is by no means easy. In fact, 1t Is an ex- tremely painful operation at first, and becomes exceedingly monotonous to. ward the last. For the first week the arms and legs of most of the men are so sore that they can scarcely move without pain. They are as- siduously massaged by the rubbers. and have to take precautions against catching cold. After the soreness has departed the grind begins. In the morning the manager stands in' the centre of the diamond while the pitch CTS take turns in lobbing the ball over the plate. The batters come up in order. hit the ball and hustle to first, although there are no felders to the fellow on first goes to second as If he were playing the hit and run game In this way he Is batted around the circuit.
 A few days later fielders will oc- cupy the usual positions and the man. ager will coach his men on his own particular system of Inside" work, and explain his system of signals. The 'hit-and-run" game, the 'squeeze play" and other combinations will be worked to the point of weariness, and the young player Is taught that every move by either side means something in which he has a part. Afterward there are games between the men most likely to be on the regular team and the remainder of the squad. These gams are played for blood. All of the tricks are used, and the manager keeps up a running fire of instruc- tions- Still later other clubs are met In practice games, so that real work continues until the league season opens.
 Thara iz a continent .uo-- z...