Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-10
uaon in johnson Case Has Not Changed Is in Good Shape
WALTER JOHNSON HAS NOT
COMMUNICATED WITH CLUB
Intentions Of Big Pitcher Are Not Known
to McAleer-Players Work Out
at Georgetown Field.

, never saw ball player come as rapidly
as has Henry. Sometimes ] can't realize
tnat IL is to be my good fortune to have
picked up so promising d man"
BIZ Cunningham weighing ia pounds,
which is just two pounds more than he
weighed last fall. looks ready to 30 the
route now. but it has taken a lot of hard
work to get him down to where ne be-
longs. The rubber shirt took off four
teen pounds. and Cunny looks trim and
1T was the hardest work 1 evef did
in my life, said he. land l shall see
to it that will never have to go through
such a siege Of training again. The
most d1sccuraglng feature of il was that
FOR ten days though / worked hard l
could not take off pound, and it did
seem as if l would never come around.
But after I got into that rubber shirt
IT just poured off me- and while l am
not as strong Yet as l should be. I will
be ready to deliver the goods in a few
more days. But don't you know that |
believe l could smile if some one would
Der shirt. Whenever look at it it brings
tears to my eyes
Walter Johnson, according to Jim Nc
Aleer, was in better form this spring
than ever before. and if he reports his
manager predicts wonderful season
for him. McAleer can't understan 4
Johnson at all. He thinks that tn
youngster has been poorly advised and
is taking long chance of putting him.
self out of base ball by his action in re-
fusing to sign at the salary offered. Nc
Aleer. however, insists that the club will
stand pat on the proposition made john
son regardless Of what the outcome may
be. The fact that the salary offered John
son is the largest any pitcher in the Ameri-
can League will secure, is a compliment
to his ability, and shows that the club
appreciates, his services: McAleer be-
hot Y0h IT.
senses within a few days and report,
though he has been notified that unless
he comes into the fold by Wednesday he
will be suspended. Once suspended, the
case will be out of the hands Of the
local club, and, johnson will then have
to deal with the national commission.
He is not apt to be upheld by the su-
preme court of base ball in his stand for
q greater salary, and may have a severe
fine inflicted for his failure to get into
line on the opening day of the season.
None Of his teammates appears to be in
sympathy with Johnson. AS a rule, when
a player makes an effort to get more
money than is offered the players stand
by him, but in this case Johnson's de-
mands are even considered exorbitant
by his teammates. OF course, all of
them want him to report. for they realize
that he will be of great help to the team,
but they are not cenSuring the club or
Manager McAleer for the stand they have
taken In not acceding to the big pitcher 8
demands. The players seem to think
that after a little sober thought at Cof-
feyville Johnson will join the team.
The game Wednesday will be called
promptly at 800.
President Taft will be on hand for the
first game. he already having notified
President Noyes that he will be present,
and it is not unlikely that Vice President
Sherman will also be there. President
Ban B. Johnson Of the American League
Is expected to arrive In the city early
Wednesday morning.
The sale Of tho box seats, of which
there will be 76S available for the open
ing game, will go on at o'clock Tues
day morning at Spalding's and Whites.
While it is certain that I.elivelt and
Gessler will start the season in left and
right field, respectively, how long they
will hold down these positions depends
entirely on their showing. 1t is. of course,
not the intention to take them out on
their showing in one or two games, but
into their stride, when. if they fail.
either Conway or Miller, or both of the
youngsters, will be given chance. Nc
Aleer believes, however. that both Leli-
welt and Gessler will make good. Both
are in excellent condition and were just
beginning to show up we'll with the bat
when the team left Atlanta.
Conway and Miller are both good hit
tiers. and it will be no easy matter to
keep them out Of the game.
In order to protect spectators sitting
on the left field pavilion, a screen eight
feet in length and twenty feet high will
be erected across the upper end of this
stand, which will also prevent many
balls from going into the seats.
Left field will be short along the foul
line under existing conditions at the
local grounds because it will be impos-
sible to switch the diamond where it be-
longs for a time at least, if at all this
season. But this could not prove a dis
advantage to the Nationals. because they
will have seventy-seven games to play
on the home grounds and should master
the art of hitting into left field.