Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-26
WILL GO SOUTH
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Next Saturday night at 1885 Manager
McAleer and fifteen of his players will
leave Washington for Atlanta. The fol-
lowing day the eight members of the
team who have been sojourning at Hot
Springs, Ark, will depart for the same
point, and about the same time five 9TH
ers will leave their respective homes for
tine Georgia metropolis.
1t is expected that by Tuesday the en-
tire team will have reported and training
work will begin in earnest, to continue
until the last day of March, when the
team will start for Washington, where
the exhibition season will open April 1
with the Georgetown coliegians as the
Nationals opponents.
For ten days thereafter exhibition
games will be played with National
League teams, and April l. the cham
pionship season will be opened with the
boston speed boys as the attraction.
Just six weeks from next Wednesday
the curtain will be raised on the CAM
pdigp which from local standpoint
promises more than any that d ash
lngton team has. ever entered into since
It's entrance into tine American League.
Though the team finished but seventh
last season, and IL would be hazardous to
predict much higher position for 1t
this year, there is nevertheless no doubt
that the team as 1t will probably be con-
stituteo is the strongest IN the history of
the Washington American League cub
1t proved this last season by forcing the
much stronger clubs to their utmost ef-
iOrtS 10 VIII over it, and there are good
reasons tor beleving that there will be
considerable improvement in the lineup
this season. 81.
rhe element Of luck in base ball even
reaches into the training season, for ia
nj h.-T mi he n tNSh III
uents does much to help a team. McAieer
wants TO get n good start in the race.
his experience last spring, when it re-
CURED fully six weeks to get the team
10 play UP to its standard, has shown
hum that a good start will mean much.
lie VIII put forth all his energies and
knowledge to have his team mt for the
opening Of the campaign. He must of
course, be blessed with good weather dur
ing the teams stay at A-.anta TO bring
TINS a bout
McAleer will have twenty-eight players
n training. 1t VIII be quite task, even
though lie has line ON what the nlAes
jority of these can do. to look after -
great a lot of athletes. The Atlanta
players. who are said to number forty,
viii also be in training at the same time,
and while matters have been so arranged
as TO give the ground. To each team
half day, conditions are sure to be
badly crowded especially in the club
house.
1t seems as good as settled that Elber-
field, Mcbride, Cunningham and SOmer-
lot will make up the Nationals infeld.
While there has been talk of Sonerlos
having rivals for the position in Leivet
and Henry, IL stands TO reason that 1t
would take some time to break in either
of these youngsters, while SoElerio is an
experienced man III the position.
Furthermore, it Is doubtful II Lelvelt
would ever make a first baseman, for he
Is weak On ground balls. Yet place
should be found for him on the team. for
he is too good hitter 10 be allowed to
sit on the bench. when hitting is one
of the departments of the game in which
The locals are none too strong Henry is
just beginning TO learn the game. lie
has had really no eXperience, and it
would be folly to attempt to have him
play first base for major league team.
Further, Henry promises much as
catcher and he might be spoiled for that
There does not appear 10 be the
slightest doubt as 10 Cunningham He
made good last fall and should even
show Improvement this SPRING.
But there is no way 10 guess the out.
field, excepting that Milan will play one
of the fields. There is a lot of can
didates for these positions. and while
there may be star among the num-
Der. it would. however. not be at all
surprising ii GesSler again was found
in right. Left field IS not going TO be
an easy place to FL. for IfliveIt by
reason of his being ldft-handed
thrower is handicapped. and besides he
is hardly a strong enough fielder to
I'LL so important position.
In sizing up the Nationals pitching
staff il should be remembered that
much can be expected from t'Dixie"
Walker this year Last year Was vir-
tually his first in fast company. for
the few weeks he spent with the team
in the previous fall came at al time
when the race was settled and there
was little chance for him to learn Walker
should be ii much improved pitchef this
year.
Though the team lost nineteen games
more than IL won last season. Walker,
working in twenty-five games, won a.
many he lost. This is an excellent
showing considering the fact that
Walker was in ill health most of the
time. He should show so per cent
better record at the end of the coming
season IL his support is up to the
standard. With Johnson, Hughes and
Walker pitching gilt-edged ball the
Nationals stand a chance of being the
real dark horse in the race, for after
ALL much depends on the pitching. and
this Is especially true OF team like