Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-10
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Walter Johnson. have created the inn
preston that the breach between the big
| pitcher and the club is not near as wide
as was generally supposed. If johnson
was correctly quoted, it would seem that
4 he is only waiting to hear from the club
| officials to pack up and come here and
! sign up. To date, however, neither Presi-
| dent Moves nor Manager McAleer has
| heard from Johnson, nor have they
communicated with him. The club stands
now where it did at the outset 1t is
| willing to pay Johnson $500 for the COM
! ing season, or sign him to three-year
| contract at q slight increase over the
yearly figure, say $4,000. However, there
has been no negotiating since Johnson left
| Atlanta though the club officials believe
they will hear from Johnson ere long.
When Johnson gets ready to accept our
| terms he will be welcomed said Nc
Aleer 1.-The rules of base ball compel us
to suspend him if he fails to report on
opening day. and we will take this course,
which Will put his case into the hands or
| the commission. We have been fair with
Walter. and he must eventually see the
error Of his way. We want Johnson, to be
sure. He Is great pitcher. but he must
be as fair as we have been before we can
possibly get together. 1t is unfortunate
to have this matter come up just when
our chances look better than ever. but
| there is limit to all things. and Walter
has stepped over the line. / have heard
nothing from him since he left Atlanta.
hope that he will realize the mistake
he is making before IT Is too late. Re-
ports from Coffeyville lead us to believe
that Walter is not as far from our reach
as he was. but until we hear from him we
will have nothing further to say"
Jim McAleer makes the prediction that
Bob Groom will be one of the winning
pitchers Of the American League this
year. According to McAleer Groom is
much stronger this spring than he has
ever been before, and should pitch 80 per
cent better ball.
"All ask for Groom is fair chance"
said McAleer: Il hope that il he should
make wobble or two the crowd will
not get after him. Bob wants to pitch
here. He is particularly anxious to make
good. There is not a pitcher in this
league who has more natural ability
than Groom. i dn't care who the pitcher
is, he has no more stuff than Bob. and /
believe that he is going to use it to adj
vantage this season. Every fan who is
interested in the welfare Of the Nationals
should make up his mind to give Groom a
fair chance. Criticism will not help him.
crowds Will be cheering for him. be-
cause I know him to be a great pitcher"
1t is by no means decided that Warren
Miller will be shifted to some minor
league club. There has been such a re-
markable change in the youngsters work
during the past ten days that McAleer
believes he has the making of a good ball
player. He can hit with any Of them,
and. now that he Is displaying more in
terest in his work and the spirit which
makes ball players. he stands an excel
lent chance Of breaking into the Ma
tionals' lineup at the first opportunity.
Not}ANa1C I've 18th oCl>
during the next few days they will start
the season In much better condition than
they have ever enjoyed before on opening
day: Every man is down to playing
on the staff who is not ready to go the
route. Hughes. Of course, will be held
back until the hot weather sets in, but
every one Of the others is ready to take
row the players will work out at George
town Field, permission having been Sc
cured by Manager McAleer yesterday.
Not only is the infield at National Park
with the finishing touches being put on
the stands 1t Is feared that the work
would be retarded by having the players
on the field. for II Is questionable II the
workmen could Withstand the temptation
to take an occasional peep at the men in
uniform.
Supt. O'Day will have the field in good
condition by Wednesday. 1t is his in
| CcnClOu 10 put n StedIu rOllcr on the uelO
Tuesday. The clearing Of the field Of
debris and material used in the con-
struction of the stands Is now under way
and will be completed by this evening.
The putting in Of the temporary seats in
the grandstand started this morning.
Kid Elberfeld will not be allowed to
take workouts with the players today and
tomorrow. The Kid has been going at
such a hard clip that he is five or six
pounds under weight and McAleer has or
dered him to remain at home until
Wednesday at noon, when he can report
at the park for the opening game.
There is one player on the Nationals
list for whom every other player on the
team is always willing to put in a boost.
He is John Henry, the Amherst young
base. In the minds Of his teammates
| Henry is the most improved ball player
that ever stepped on a spike. He has
shown such excellent form at first and
at the bat that the prediction is freely
| made that he will class with Hal Chase
F, in another year. Manager McAleer shares
| this opinion. He is very enthusiastic
about Henry.
UNLESS there is a wonderful change in
| Henry in the championship games COM
| pared to his work in the south. he will be
| one of our most valuable men this sea-
son. said McAleer But / cant see
| how there can be any deterioration in
| his work. He has been tried and not
mighty good pitching and has hit well
| enough to warrant the prediction that he
will continue to hit in the regular ason.