Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-17

McALEER HAS WASHINGTONS
WORKING HARD ON SIGNALS
No Excuse for Stupid Plays This Year
Johnson Still Unsigned-Good Game
for Nationals Tomorrow. -.

he has reached that stage of life when
men in base ball are apt to take things
easy in the spring the Kid is one of the:
most energetic in the camp. Kid admits
being thirty -four and he would not have
any trouble getting a wager that he Is
no older Yet he can display more SIAM
ina than any of the youngsters and *
constantly on the go. IT seems TO ma sc
no difference whether ii is midsummer
or early in the spring, whether the
weather is warm or cold. Elberfeid can
play his game up to the standard. He
throws and runs as if he had never been
out of the game. and he is really a mar
vel to the other players.
Capt. George Mcbride is not going TO
be limited i'm authority on the field. Man
ager McAleer intends to give him fun
sway in more things than one. He had
already made it plain to tho players thai
McBride'S word goes in all things and the
players are not resenting this authority
in Mcbride, for he is undoubtedly one OF
the most popular men on the team
though he is a strict discipline rlan.
There are going to be few off days for
the players if 1t does not rain or snow.
for the cold is not going to stop McAIeer
from putting his charges through their
work every day. The thermometer was
down to below forty yesterday morning,
but McAleer had his players working in
the sun. and after much hard work a
few of them managed to get ZIP A sweat.
The Nationals mana ger believes making
hay when the sun shines. and he does
not propose to allow the cold to interfere
with the teams training II would he of
the greatest benefit to most Of the play
ers IL there was week of real hot
weather. This is particularly necessary
for the pitchers. who need the warm
weather to loosen them up. Up to this
time there has heen but one real warm
day. the others having all been more or
less chilly, but not day has been missed
for work.
This should be a great year for Char
ley Street. He is in better physical con
dition than he has ever been and His arm
is rounding into its best form. Street
probably never caught better ball than
i'm 1908, and he believes that his arm
will be as strong his year as it was
then. when he caught all but few of
the games. and his throwing was one of
the features of tho Nationals games
The trip to Hot Springs worked wonders
with Street. and there is n good chance
of doing the best work of his career this
year
Should it he found necessary to play
Jack Lelivelt in the outfield this season
he will have to learn to play that posi-
ton all over again. for up to date he has
not caught single fly, having put in all
his time in the field at first base. Jack
showed some Improvement in his Outfeid
work last season, and he might yet be de-
velOped into a good enough fielder to hold
his own. But just at present he Is busiy
er gagged trying to make first baseman
out Of himself, and it has been by no
means decided that he will not get the
place. for it must be said Of Lelivelt that
ho is a mighty good hitter, and hitters are
what the Nationals need most.
Bill Cunningham is beginning to show
the effects of his hard work. His cheeks,
which looked as il he had been fed with
by food, have lost their plumpness. and
he is now a more trim looking young man
than he was. There is also a lot of DIFF
ference in his movements. and there is
now no danger that he will not be in per-
feet shape by the time the season opens.
The players leave here for Washington
two weeks from today, and the following
day play their first exhibition game OF
the season at home with the Georgetown
collegians.