Evening star., 1911-01-15
ANXIOUS TO GET
TEAM OFF GOOD
McAIeer to Strive Hard to
Have Nationals Ready When
Season Opens.
BILL HINRICHS WRITES
HE is SLOWLY IMPROVING
Poor Start in Last Race Cost
Local Team Several Posi-
tions in Race.
BY ]. ED GRILLo.

BY j. ED GR1LIO.
The time is not far off when the Ma
tionals like the other big league teams.
will go south to prepare themselves for
the coming campaign.
In just about a month Manager McAleer
will send his advance guard to Hot
Springs. Just how many Of the players
will visit this resort has not yet been
definitely decided. Certain it is. however,
that Schaefer, Gessler. Reisling, Otey and
Walker will be in the party, and there
may be three or four more to make the
trip.
In the case of Otey and Walker it is
believed that a stay at the health resort
will allow them to recuperate from the
illness which hampered them nearly all
of last season. The entire team is eX-
pected to report at Atlanta during the
first week of March and will remain there
uatir day or so before April !, when the
team will make it's initial appearance
here in an exhibition game with the
Georgetown College team. Quite an elab-
crate spring schedule of exhibition games
has been arranged for the local grounds
before the season opens. and 1t is be-
heved that if the weather is favorable
here at that time that the Nationals will
ton.
McAleers experience last spring has
taught him a lesson. The training place
at Norfolk. while apparently ideal wealth
of the right sort. The chilly winds did
not give the players a chance to loosen
up properly, and the result was that the
team got a miserable start in the race.
which probably prevented 1t from finish
ing two positions higher.
McAleer does not want repetition OF
that experience and he Will put forth
1most strenuous efforts to have his team
ready when the bell taps. Atlanta has
been the training place for some great
hall teams, and 1t has been their history
that they always got away we'll in the
Spring, Just exactly what McAleer hopes
10 do. To get a flying start means much
to q ball team like the Nationals. 1t gives
the players confidence and keeps them
interested in their work. The fact that
the team came from behind after a disas-
trous start last spring speaks we'll for
tts gameness, and to get good start
next spring may mean much more than
IS anticipated.
Nearly two weeks before the season
opens the Nationals will be on their own
grounds. which has its advantage IN tnat
1t will give the players chance TO pc
come acclimated. Then. too. they will be
pitted against a lot of National League
teams. which should furnish excellent
practice and have the players on edge
by the time the season opens. There Is
but little practice to be had playing
minor league teams, for the reason that
the average player will loaf through
such contests and derive but little bene-
fit from them. When put against team
from the rival league it Is different. The
players Ike TO win such games and they
will hustle harder, and consequently get
the right kind of practice.
r,ill box To 6n half
as we'll with the Nationals as those who
saw him In action last season predict
10 be of the greatest value to the team.
Bill Frial. manager of the Columbus
particularly loud in his praise Of Hughes.
We could do nothing with Hughes
last season., said Friel. He not only
seemed to have everything in the way
of foolers. speed and good curves, but he
worked with rare Judgment, was always
fit TO go the route. and to my notion dis
played more interest In his work than
ever before. Hughes worked to get back
to fast company and l believe that he
will work even harder TO remain among
the big fellows during the remainder of
his career. We in the association could
not understand why the American
League clubs allowed Hughes to come
to us. He certainly looked better than
for years. l want to predict right now
that Walter Johnson will have to hustle
to lead Hughes in the matter Of winning
games this year. for he Is in my opinion
one of the best pitchers in the country
today"
Last year was the first in Walter john
sons major league experience that he
had more victories than defeats to his
credit. Johnson won twenty-five games
and lost seventeen. a record of which he
can well be proud considering that 1t
was made on team which finished with
q percentage of much less than 800.
Johnson had no more last season in
the way OF speed and curves than the
first day he reported here. but experience
has begun 10 tell. for Johnson now
knows how to pitch and tina, counts
Handicapped by the fact that he did
not have any minor league experience.
Johnsons first few seasons here were of
an educational nature. He showed flashes
at times last season Of having wtsed up
and McAleer is one of those who pre-
diets a most sensational season for the
Idaho wonder this year.
All hope of making some sort Of an
advantageous trade before the season
opens has not been dispeiled SO far as
McAleer is concerned. He believes there
10 still chance to pull Off a deal at the
schedule meeting % the league to be held
in Chicago next month. The impression
that Street was a hopeless cripple has
been corrected and those who turned
him down may be most anxious now to
secure his services. But II is not
McAleers intention to give Street away
Some club will have TO give up material
which will strengthen the Nationals in
other positions before ii can secure the
star catcher. McAieer Is by no means
anxious to part with Street. but IL he
can strengthen his outfield he is willing
to take a chance. II is OF course no easy
matter 10 get good outfielder at any
price these days. for the reason that
they are about as scarce as good
catchers.
Everybody remembers Bill Hinrichs.
The tall, awkward-looking young Cali
fornian who according to Walter John
sons recommendation was his equal as
Q pitcher. But, then, let's not go into the
ability end OF 1t. Suffice 1t to say that
every one felt sorry for Bill when hard
luck hit him and he went down with
infantile paralysis. which probably ended
his career as a ball player.
The writer had letter from Hinrichs
CONTINUED on Third Page.)