The Washington times., 1912-01-15
LINCOLN SHORTSTOP
SIGNS CONTRACT TO
PLAY FOR GRIFFITH
Eddie Gagnier Comes to
Time With Needed
Signature.
WORCESTER TO HAVE
THREE LOCAL LADS
Impression Spreads That Red
Sox Will Make.
E Fight.
BY SENATOR"

Eddie Gagnier is the latest National
to get inside the fold
The signed contract of the shortstop,
together with that of George Mcbride,
which was heralded, but which was de-
layed by the nationwide storm, arrived
at headquarters today. with 1t came
letter, in which the recruit from Lin
coin said he was glad to get another
chance in the big league.
Gagnier's home Is in Detroit and it
was from that city that he mailed the
document He has been working out in
q gymnasium. and declares he will be
in trim when the start is made at
Charlottesville.
Griffith knows nothing of the report
\ that several of the Nationals are maxi
Ing arrangements to go to Hot Springs
Tor preliminary work, and is of the
opinion that he will be informed before
the players do anything in the matter.
Rawlings Loses Chance.
Had Reggie Rawlings, of the Ameri-
can Security and Trust Company team,
remained for another year in the anna
teur fields of Washington instead of
connecting with the Worcester club of
the New England League. the season of
1918 would probably have found him
member of the Nationals
Griffith Is one of those managers who
believe that 1t is desirable to get ball
players as young as possible, and it is
under these instructions that Mike Ka-
noe VIII scour the smaller leagues in
search for material Griffith talked with
kahoe over the matter of the local
amateurs more than a month ago, and
Rawlings was the one who was praised
the most by the scout.
kahoe's opinion Is that Rawlings is
the best hitter in the various leagues
Of this city, and If he comes up to the
expectations of the scout, he will have
no trouble in making good at Worces-
ter.
Two More Will Go.
County Morris, the clever all-round
athlete of Technical High School, who
IL a catcher, and Captain Shipley, of
the Maryland Agricultural College, a
second baseman, are two other WASH
lngton products who will enter organ
lied baseball with Rawlings in April
While it has been reported that Bill
Cunningham, the Nationals second
basemaa, will go to Charlottesville with
the vanguard of pitchers on March 4,
It Is rather difficult to imagine how the
players hitting is to be improved dur
ing the six days he will be in the col
lege town with the twirling staff.
Griffith has announced that his rea-
son for sending his pitchers down
ahead OF the rest of the crew is in
order to have them avoid the tempta-
tlon or working too hard. Unless Il.
changes his present plans no catchers
Will be taken along, which means that
the pitchers will simply lob them over
until the kinks are out of their arms.
and then will be prepared to take -,
nod ynrly -hat, tI,a OIL
squad gathers. That Cunningham will
be able to improve his batting by
hitting at such balls as the pitchers will
be instructed to toss during the first
week Is difficult to conceive.
Red Sox In Van.
The impression seems to becoming
more widespread around the America n
League day by day that 1t will be the
Boston Red Sox, headed by j. r. Nc
Aleer. who will cause the Athletics the
greatest trouble in the coming cam
paign.
Many experts have expressed this
opinion, and now comes McAleer with
the following:
comers seems to be lack of grit. They
are PREDETERMINED to make good and
are IN state of the highest nervous
excitement. College men are usually
ment; There seems to be something in
a college education that enables a man
to retain his presence of mind.
Speaking of the whole team l think
the outlook Is very favorable. With
Wood, Cicotte, O'Brien, and Pape in
their same condition, we will have a
good pitching staff. ] need not make
any comments about the catchers.
They're as good as any team might
wish. While the battery is all right,
the infleld has been somewhat weak.
However, this state of affairs will be
amply remedied.
Engle Indispensable.
81 must say a word of praise for
Engle, the former New York Highland
er. / have watched his playing. He
has played every position in the field
except in the battery. He will be in
dispensable as a utility man.
In Speaker, Hooper. Lewis, and Hen
riksen we have combination for the
outfield which cannot be surpassed In
fact, / consider the outtield one of the
most encouraging features of the Red
SoX team.
Thus, from a survey of last years
team, with the addition of Jake Stahl,
! feel confident that we will have a win
ming team in the field, BY the way,
, like to talk about Jake Stahl. / know
that all who are to come In contact with
him will like him. He is prince among
fellows, a good ballplayer. and hrst
class manager-a combination of quail
ties that are not seen every day IN men
on the ball field