Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
NATIONALS OFF FOR
THE SUNNY SOUTH
McAIeer and Main Squal
Leave for Atlanta to Start
Training Work.
TEAM HAS CHANCE
TO IMPROVE POSITION
Manager Sanguine That
Teams Followers Will Not
Be Disappointed.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

The Washington base ball situation hal
been shifted to Atlanta With the get
away of the main squad from here yes
terday afternoon in charge OF Managei
McAleer interest will center in the do.
ings of the players at the southern ME-
tropolis for the next month or so.
Aside from Manager McAleer, Trainer
Quirk and Business Manager Bill lie
man, the following players were In the
party: Street. Ralston, Corbin, Sherry
Gessler Henry, Meyer. Cunningham
Bunting, Elberfeld and Scout kahoe. who
goes to take hand in developing the
young pitchers.
Arriving at Atlanta before noon today
there will be nothing for the players Ia
do but unpack their grips and prepare
for their first workout Monday. From
that day on every day will be a work
day, when the weather permits. Gray
Lelivelt, Bussey and several others vii
go direct from their homes to Atlanta an.
are expected to be there when the mair
squad arrives. The Hot Springs contin
gent is slated to leave the Arkansas re
sort Monday and will report to Manage
McAleer Tuesday.
The Nationals training season will con
sumo nearly six weeks, nearly two ol
which will be put In on the local ground:
playing exhibition games with the Ma
tional League clubs. By the time the
players return here April ] IL is expected
tnat they will be in playing condition, sc
that they will be able TO put up sooe
article of ball in these exhibition games
There is more interest and speculatlor
as to what the Nationals Will accomplish
this year than ever before in the history
of base ball in Washington. The fac
that the team showed flashes last season
that made 1t a contender Tor nfth place
in the race until nearly the END or tht
season, which was accomplished AFTER
very poor start, has created the impress
sion that there is a great chance lor ths
team to prove a genuine surprise In Ia,
coming race.
That improvements have been made III
the lineup of the team since last spring
is not to be questioned. The addition OF
Cunningham to the intield seems to have
filled a hole which was lamentably week
last spring Then the catching staff ha;
been made one of the best in the league
with the addition of Ainsmith and Henry
while much better work is expected from
the pitchers, to whom Tom hughes,
veteran who always pitched good ball In
this company, has been added, not u
speak of a batch or young blood Wnlcn IL
to be tried out
Somerlot is to be given a thorough tra
at first base. and the chances are he VIII
prove a better man than any OF those
filling the position last season. The out
field furnishes room for much speculation
but the chances are that Manager Nc
Aleer will be able to improve this de
partment considerably by picking one o.
two men from among his youngsters tt
help out Clyde Milan, who is the only
fixture in the field.
Judged along impartial lines and with
out allowing that enthusiasm which al
ways comes with spring to interfere VIII
cool judgment. 1t must be admitted ever
by those who feel disgruntled because o.
the numerous failures the Nationals HAY,
made. that for once the team appears Il
have a chance TO make a respectable
There are no pennant hopes II
this section, but there is a feeling thai
the team will do better than it did las
season, and that would mean mucn, 10
during the greater part of the season Nc
Aleer's men played brilliant ball, nevel
being materially outclassed by any U
their rivals, though lacking most OF til,
time just enough strength TO lose ma
jority of their games by the closest KING
Of margin. Perhaps that strength which
was missing in the last campaign will bs
prevalent this year, and If IL is. look on
for the Nationals.
No player in the country is going int
training more determined to prove te
his traducers that he is still to be classed
with the top-notchers of his position
than Charley Street. Believing that he
could secure a couple of star players fol-
Street, McAleer put out feeler for u
trade last fall. No sooner had this beer
done than the rumor spread that Streets
days Of usefulness were over Street re-
sents this and he proposes to show this
season that he is as good as he ever
was. Street performed brilliantly last
season, and if he Will do as well In the
coming campaign he will more thar
have proven the stories of deterioratiop
to have been false.
The grind of real training will begis
but unlike the usual custom
but one workout will be taken daily
These will be alternated from morning
to afternoon and consist OF about from
two to three hours work Manages
McAleer will call a halt whenever he
sees the player firing, and he believe.
that by employing this system he wiz
get his players in better fettle thA1t
they were last spring, when after -
month at Norfolk. where two workouts
were the order. the team showed lack Of
form during the early part Of the sea-
son.
1t will probably be a week before any
exhibition games are played. McAlees
wants to get the rough edges of HE
pleyers before he puts them into con.
test. 1t is questionable II any Of tbs
veteran pitchers will be used in thes.
early games, that duty being assigned
to the several young pitchers who an
Most teams in the major leagues havs
a veteran catcher, whose days of useful.
ness so far as taking part in games ar
over. but who, because OF his knowledg.
Of the game is invaluable in handling tn.
young pitchers. Mike Kahoe will NJ
that position during part of the teams
stay at Atlanta. Incidentally he will b
apt to slip out to some other trainins
camp to look over the youngsters being
D thot WI
for the letting out of these players Nc
Aleer will have fairly good line or
hem and know which Of the players ht
should and should not waive on.
Though Manager McAleer did not don
uniform after the first two months OF the
asst season. guiding the team from the
bench thereafter, he expects to &c
through a course of training while in the
south and will be in uniform every day
McAleer is an expert on hitting to thu
nfield in practice, an art that very play:
7Continued on Third Pagel