The evening world., 1911-04-15
McGraw Fears Change From
Polo Grounds May Affect
Teams Condition.
BY G.

TT was II sadsfaced and sorrowful lot
OF athletes that gathered In the
undiscovered clubhouse of the
Giants this morning to empty their lock-
ers, bundle up their uniforms, bats and
gloves y move :, the quarters of the
American League ii on Washington
Heights. where they Will do battle FOR
a month.
Men like Mathewson, Ames, Wiltse.
Deylin and McGraw, who nave been
at the Polo Grounds for years. looked
sorrowfully over tho fed OF their many
trlumphs and troubles and shook their
heads. they fe,. ms ~ they had been
turned from their old home. Memories
OF the turbulent lights viii Chicago. me
winning OF a world $ championship and
other event now historic Kept them
silent and the party LETT the Old spot
and its ruins with but few words o.
comment.
This afternoon they will miss the well
OF shouting people that has surrounded
them on Saturdays in the Polo Grounds
and on the Alil they will find n decidedly
chillier snap to the air which comes OF
the hudson with a clean sweep. They
VII, miss their plunge and swimming
tank. which was one OF the most pleas
ant features TO the old clubhouse. In
, other words, they miss everything con-
nected with the old spot where they all
grew into fame,
To the fnn II nay seem rather TRANCE
to read of the Giants and Brooklyn
nghting II out on the Hilltop. 1t Is hard
TO associate the names. Everybody APP
preciates the fact. however. that the
kindness OF Mr.. Farrell In rendering the
Use OF his grounds Is the only thing that
has enabled them to play In New York
at all.
Manager McGraw Alarmed.
Aside from the inconvenience OF hav-
Ing TO play on a strange ground. Nc
Grnw is somewhat alarmed over the
prospect of his athletes getting stiffea"'
I'M by transferring their activities to tn,
Hilltop. The ground Is as hard as A.,
Nint rock and this. added to the coz
lreeZes, has caused the American
League team no little amount of troubl,
for several years past. That IS one o.
the reasons why the new park Is beini
built AT Two Hundred and Twenty-trti
street and Broadway. or a section o
the diamond at the Hilton there is no
more than two Inches OF soil. IL Is lait
on solid rock. when the American
League club secured hat plot of grouaS
I. was a stretch OF boulders and bitches
u had TO be filled In and levelled OF
cor A month before n game could b.
played. In left Held there Is = bar
streak across the grass which was for
merry the top Of the fence. That Wi
give an idea as to the extent OF MIN
|, IN tia was necessary,
, Tho Polo Grounds Is OF soft an
! sprlngy sod and the sudden change {
: rround that is hard on the feet an,
. legs may have a very bad effect on III
players.
The chaos that has arisen out Of ~
destruction OF the historic old Pol
-, Grounds has thrown the players com
!, pletcly in the air. ana they have no
!. given so much as a thought to tn!
{ afternoons game. | asked one OF thet
a vino l., iiiousht would p;;oh asains
a Brooklyn. and he replied that none O
a us had ever thought OF thaA" McGra,
|, Is a very resourceful fellow. however
: and he expects to have things straight
{ ened out within u few days,
Ne says one OF the greatest Iosss