The Washington herald., 1911-03-13
JOHNSON NAMED TO PITCH
AGAINST SAUSAGES TO-DAY
Manager McAleer Looks Forward to Coming Series
With Schaefer's Yannigans to Get Line
on New Men.
By WILLIAM PEET.

Special 10 The Washington Herald.
Atlanta. Ga, March R-Walter John-
son, the Nationals great twirler, VIII go
into the box for the first time this season
when The regulars and Schaefer's Sau-
saees clash for the initial contest OF the
series here tomorrow noon. Johnson
will use his speed and curves
When McBride's squad was at Hot
Springs Johnson worked a couple of in
nings against Brooklyn, but did not use
any speed Tomorrow he will put some
thing on the ball, and is down to tWlri
three chapters.
ManaSer McAleer. in speaking Of the
coming series, said:
J am counting whole lot on rhese
games. I believe they will do the boys
a world of good. There is nothing ike
real, sure enough baseball. 1t IS IN a
game that the young players faults crop
out and I feel sure that by the end or
the week will have Z good line on every
one CT MY new men. and it was for
that one purpose that consented to this
series.
According to preser.t plans. Schaeter's s
team and the regulars will play SIX IN
nings only. Each will Use two pitchers
These men will Tot work against the
batters in the early practice period. A
glance a the lineup will show that
Schaefer's Sausages have the best
twirIers. and this will more than make
I'D for their weakness in other depart
ments. so the contests are bound to
prove close and exciting. The betting
odds in camp are even money, and
number of wagers from 30 cents to Sl-5O
have been recorded This is the limit
for all hands just now. as nobody has
much money for salaries from the start
until the season opens.
A review of the work during the past
week, which. by the way, was a good
one as far as practice was concerned,
gives little to 90 by as to the qualifica-
tions of the new recruits. OF the out
felders. Corbin and Miller look the best.
though Swain, Keefe. and Conway are but
a little behind. and in another week they
may show something.
Manager McAIeer said tonight: There
is very little to choose between the new
recruits on the showing thus far l like
them all and while several will prob
ably need a little more seasoning before
they are ripe for fast company, I cannot
tell just now who they will be
McAIeer Worried Over SOmerIOtt.
SomerIOtt's absence is worrying Man
ager McAleer not a little. The big fel-
low wrote that he was bothered with an
affliction of the eyes, and the doctor
advised that he keep quiet a few days
before reporting. According to McAleer,
Somerlott was to have left his home in
Indiana last Monday, but nothing has
been heard from him as yet.
Kid EIberfeld left yesterday afternoon
for Chattanooga. and a wild rumor hit
the camp here that the Kid was scout
ing for catcher, as ii was claimed that
McAleer intended from now on to play
Henry at first base. MCAleer said:
There is nothing in that at all. Elber-
field asked if he might go to Chattanooga
on personal. business, and I told him TO
go He will be here in time tomorrow
To get into the game
There was little going on to-day. Most
of the players went to church. Mcbride,
Kahoe, COnroy. and Tom Hughes at
tended II o'clock mass, while the writer
Chaperoned John Henry, Meyer, and
others to the Cathedral, one of Atlanta's
Oldest Episcopal churches.
This afternoon Germany Schaefer led
party out to Grant Park, where a zoo
in the principal attraction. Schaefer at
tracted all sorts of attention by making
d cash offer of $50 for the elephant, the
only one in the place. Schaefer wanted
to buy the animal and send it C. o. D.
to Connie Mack, of the Athletics.
Play Southern LeaEuers Friday.
Friday. st. Patrick's Day, the Nationals
will play their first game against the At
lanta club, of the Southern League, and
as the local team is a good one, the con-
test will be we'll worth going to see.
Unless Walter Johnson or Tom Hughes
goes into the box. it would not be at all
surprising to see the Nationals come out
on the short end of the score. The South
ern League clubs are much faster than
those of the Virginia circuit, and it will
be remembered that Washington had
hard work TO win down in Norfolk last
spring. McAIeer's men have been favored
with the incest kind of weather thus
far. Not a single day of practice has
been lost. Tuesday was raw and chilly,
but at that the men were able to get up a
sweat, and the sun came out for g brief
period. According to the local p-oGnos-
ticatoT, 4 warm spell will set in to-
morrow and, unless It rains, all will be
fine ard dandy.
Eddie AirsInith was hit on the finger
during Saturdays game against the col
leSe boys and the nail ripped down to
the quick. He declares that he will be
I'LL TlSslI 10 play IO-tnOTIOW, Out IN case
the digit bothers him a decided shift will
have 10 be made in the lineup OF the
teams. Henry may have to go behind the
bat, and one of the pitchers showed over
on first base. The climate seems to agree
with all the players here, for every man
IN the squad appears TO be in fine shape
Walter Johnson developed a hard cold
last Monday, but is all right now.
Manager McAlcer's real problem nosS is
not the outfielders, but first base. John
Henry. the young coIlegian, has shown
such brilliant work during the practice
here that both Somerlott and Lelivelt
have littlo on him when it comes down
to fielding his position. Henry can throw
better than either of the two mentioned,
but Lelivelt is the hardest hitter The
veterans claim that Somerlott when in
condition is the best fielding first sacker
in the American League.
Now, for comparison: Henry has a
beautiful wing, has improved wonder
fully in fielding, and also quite little
in hitting. Lelivelt is still a triie weak
on handling low-thrown balls, but is hit
ting harder than Henry. Somerlott has
not shown up in Atlanta as yet, but II
is admitted that he has something on
both Lelivelt and Henry in fielding He
also has a fair arm, but did not give
frs1 ~ hafV, -