Evening journal., 1909-03-17
Sports
HARD WORK ON
TRAINING TRIPS
PAGES Through Which Players
are Put in Southern Fields
Before Regular Season

Those who imagine that the major
league baseball player is busy only for
several months of the year and the rest
OF the time goes hunting for recreation
should see the teams at practice long
before the season opens They go to
work IN the morning. like the average
business man, and the way they are
put through their PAGES sends them
home at night footsorc and weary and
ready for bed soon after supper.
Professional baseball to-day means
weeks and weeks Of training. just as
The pugilist prepares for the match and
a PLAYER must have a strong constitu-
tion TO stand the excitement and strain
upon mind and muscle during the hard
fought games.
The spring training of a bali team is
one OF the most important parts Of the
campaign That Is why the owners Of
the different teams spend each spring
from $4,000 10 100000 SO that the men
will be ready 10 jump into the fight
when the bell rings.
4 flying start in baseball battle Is
half the fight. To catch the other fell
lows out of condition means a lead. and
there is nothing so heartbrcaking and
discouraging TO team of ball players
rs stern chase often we hear about
a ball player keeping in condition
throughout tho winter by indulging in
pymnastic work or running a few miles
a day. or he may bowl a game occas-
iOnoily or play handball. But all this
kind a BAH player can condition him
self Is to get out in the hot sun and
toss around the bah and hit 'em out.
When the player reports TO his man
agcr in the South he is full Of ginger
Tie has been idle for five months and
IS Just aching for a chance to swat
the ball a mile.
The moment he gets a ball In his
hands he wants to hurl II across the
diamond But all these stunts OF the
enthusiastic player are fatal He must
take things easy and gradually work
himself into a condition of fitness.
AS soon as bah players muscles
harder he becomes shoulder or muscle
bound FIc can no longer throw the
hall with a free swing or snap il across
the diamond. which is necessary when
1au have 10 throw out a fast runner
after a hunt and don't have chance
20 set yourself And when he gets
his muscles in this condition he be-
comes worthless as a BAN player. al
though he may be vertiahle Hercules.
The muscles of the bail player. and
particularly the pitcher must be as
soft and supple as a babes. Unless this
is the condition Of his arm he caunnt
swing his arm freely. The pitcher
whose bicepts and forearm become
hard has no speed. nor can he curve
the hall properly
The first work of the ball player when
he reaches camp IS a session in tossing
the ball--iust short throws. This is
continued for about two hours in the
morning and another two-hour session
IN the afternoon. always while the sun
As high. because it Is necessary 10 gel
up q good sweat.
The following day ball tossing is var.
led with batting practice. About the
second day out the player Is slow get
tins down to breakfast This display
OF hardness does not indicate iaziness.
But the player is so sore in every
muscle that he can't move fast
But once he dons a uniform and gets
working in the hot sun he limbers up
a bit and forgets the aches. After
about six days of this kind of practice.
with a corps of rubbers who lSnead and
rub the sore spots, the ball player be-
gins 20 become more active and like
himself More speed is put behind
throws and the running around bases is
faster The player is gradually be-
coming hardened TO the work
IL there are some men ON the team
that have taken on weight during the
winter the manager has his men jog "a
and from the grounds. Uusually the
park is about two miles away from the
hotel This takes off weight and ais.
improves tho wind.