The Washington times., 1911-03-06

ATLANTA, Ga, March 6.-Jimmy
McAleer's Nationals got busy at ~
O'Clock this morning on the shifting
sands of Ponce de Leon Park with
Otto Jordans crackers making up
the scenery
And maybe those National rockies
didn't keep the old fellows going
some. Tabasco Kid Elberfeld, whose
tameness now upon the diamond
threatens to make his nick name be-
come 'angel child winged the ball
across the lot. but it took all his speed
and hardness following his training
stunts at Virginia Hot Springs to keep
up with the baseball kidlets.
Bussey came in this morning from
Wilmington, n. c., and looked to be in
good shape. He has been working hard
outdoors all winter and. If confidence
counts for anything he should have no
trouble in making either an infield po-
bition or, n least, performing in utility
roles.
Neither Bob Groom nor Dolly Gray
have been heard from. but McAIeer ex-
poets both of these pitchers TO report
either tonight or early tomorrow.
Practice games with the Atlanta
team will be begun this week as soon
as McAleer concludes that his infleld
is prepared to go through five in
nings. Next week regular nine-in-
ming games will be played every day.
Manager Jordan OF the Crackers is
willing TO have the Nationals work
out at the park each morning from
10 o'clock.
Today's work was OF the lightest
Imaginable. consisting principally of
'shagging" far-fiung wallops to the
uttermost depths of the garden. Doc.
GessIer ran off fully five pounds
while he was at work. He has taken
hold of the work with a vengeance.
Jack Lelivelt arrived last night from
Chicago and was received right roy
ally. He has some weight to take off
but says he'll have no trouble doing
that. He has been resting up all win
ter at his home in Chicago. and says
he is going to make his experience
count toward landing a regular place
with the team in the garden.
McAleer has certainly dug up a real
player in OutficIder Swain from Oak
land, Of the California League. Every
body expected to see a giant in
Swain, but when he arrived he didn't
look much bigger than Street, though
heavier in the shoulders He arrived
Saturday night from Oakland and
was right on hand to greet Manager
McAleer. Swain is six feet one half
inch in height. and today tipped the
scales at zee pounds.
'Tve been doing a lot of road work
during the winter" said Swain to
Manager McAleer. but guess I pick
ed up seven or eight pounds on my
trip from California. I never weighed
less than 1875 pounds in the last four
years during the playing season.
That's my regular playing weight. I
should be down to that in a couple of
davs here"
Swain looks like class. Heavy set in
the shoulders, he has the legs of a run
ner His speed today in chasing flies
IN the garden impressed Manager Nc
Aleer, who smiled as he saw him get up
steam. If Swain uses much of those
shoulders in hitting he should be |
valuable rookie.
Elberfeld Is Likely.
The surprise of today's workout was
the hveness of Kid Elberfeld Norman |
to go slow in todays warming !
UP process, but he forgot as soon as |
the bounders began TO be slam !
med down his way. Suddenly he COM |
menced shooting the ball around In |
fashion until Manager Nc !
Aleer cautioned him.
"Oh, I've got the pep all right"
called out the midget third-sacker.
TOdays practice was not very ac- |
Curate. Most of the men tried to get !
their wind right. Tomorrow they'll be /!
just a little faster and the next day !
faster yet. BY the end of the week !
they'll begin getting in some team !
work.
W. Y. thinner, of the New Kimball, |
where the team is staying. has invited |
all the members of the Nationals and .
those here of the Atlanta team to a
monster barbecue out a his country
estate. few miles from the city. Zim- /
Gner is one of the live wires of Atlanta
and he wanted TO show his regard for
the players. Manager McAleer, declined .
ehe invitation, believing such a feast
might work against the training rules,
which have been put in force already. |
Manager Otto Jordan, of the Atlanta
club, COncurred with the Nationals
boss.
With the exception of "Gabby'' Street
and Bill Cunningham. few of the Ma
tionals got MUCH sleep on the train
coming from Washington. They all :
turned in early, but lay awake about
all night as the train bumped over the
rocky road. However, Cunningham
and Street beat the pilloWs'' till
most of the others had gone in to
breakfast.
''Gabby." said Manager McAleer to
the popular backstOp, ''if you could hit
like you can sleep you'd be the best
batter in the American League"
Admits He's Sleeper.
''Ycs, I'm some powerful sleeper"
answered ''Gabby'' in his very best
Alabama accent
Doc Gessler caught cold in Washing
ton before leaving for this city, and he
Is working it off bundled up in sweat
ers. Gessler is very much in earnest
about his training this spring, and
means TO work his head off to hold
lcwn that right field job. l.
The Nationals will number twenty
nine when they are all here There are {
Ten outfielders in Milan, GessIer. Miller,
SN ain, Conway. Lelivelt, Ralston, Cor
bin. Schaefer. and Conroy: six infield-
ers in Somerlott. Cunningham, Nc
Bride, Elberfeld. Bunting, and Keefe;
Ihree, backstops in Street, Ainsmith, and
Henry and nine pitchers in Johnson,
Hughes, Walker Meyer, Sherry, Bus
;ey, Groom, Gray, and Otey.
I'm looking for some hitting outfield-
sI's,3, says Manager McAIeer land the
best stickers in the infeld will hold
their jobs. The pitchers will have to
sliow class in their art. Half a dozen
good working pitchers with a fairly