The Washington times., 1912-03-11
Arrival of Veterans at
Training Camp Means
Busy Times.
JOHNSON'S CONDITION
PLEASES GRIFFITH
Milan in Trim and Ready to
Cavort in Center
E,S~ Garden.
BY "SENATOR."

Tl[Ol Eo lLlJEI, Nd't hdlCl L.
With almost the entire squad, veter-
ans and debutantes, out for some real
work, the practice of the Nationals
today took on a more businesslike APP
pearanCe than at any time since Griffith
Hall was opened. Manager Griffith was
right on the job and issued orders
as If he were a general in charge of
an army instead of a baseball leader
in charge of a forlorn hope in the
major leagues.
Now that we're about all here" said
he to his squad, Il want every minute
outdoors utilized. Some of us have
had a little advance work, but 1t has
been hardly enough to make much diff
ference in the work of the whole
bunch.
It's UP to Martin.
"You fellows who came down yester-
day." said the manager, are in pretty
much the same physical condition as
the pitchers and the difference won't
amount to much.
You must report any aches or pains
to Trainer Martin Immediately as soou
as you notice them. He will rub out all
the sore spots. l want every man in
shape to do his best from the start.
we have only two weeks down here
NYasllington thas will be able to go
the distance"
Then the bunch of Nationals climbed
into their uniforms, seized their bats
deH iieid.S S'0''S' ""o were ''r ror '"e Playing
Yesterday was day of great celebra-
ton, at Griffith Hall 1t could he felt
in the air as soon as Tommy Long. the
whirlwind outfrldcr from Gadsdru,
Ala, blew fnto town filled with shlvers
and an appetite, Tommy was the ad-
M ri nf int, ,t,.l
came all the way from Bladen Springs,
down in Alabam'. And maybe the chill
air Of charlottesville didn't fill Tommy
"Br-r-r. it's cold up here" said he
slowing away. u mouthful of oatmeal.
1T hasn't been as cold this al
winter down in my home, and tn,
change is a little too sudden. just {
wee bit too sudden"
When George Mcbride. the dandy
captain and one sweet shortfielder o
of the heat. They were sleighing a
home when I left Milwaukee," sale
George, with a smile, "and it's alto
gether too warm right here for me
without any getting used to it,"
After breakfast some of the boy
went to church, and after lunch al
but Bobby Groom and Mild BIZ Gun
ningham steered a straight course 70
ningham held a graphophonic exhibi
ton in the absence of the others, an,
were caught in the act when the buncl
arrived.
Walters Arrival An Event.
The arrival of Walter johnson, tn
great and only kansas Cyclone" an
smoke ball" hurler, was an event il
Charlottesville. A few aged fans, VIII
claimed to have seen him win from tn
Athletics at the Florida avenue audi
torium one day last summer pointe
him out to their less experienced fel
low-citizens of this little Virginia tow
and fully fifty of these bugs, all color
and shades of colors, paraded after tn
great blonde twirlcr as far as the cal
Hero-worship went mad during tn
wait for the car. johnson is getting &C
customed to this all around the Amer
can League circuit, and so he paid lii
tie attention to 1t, but it earned after
tion from all fans just to speak to tn
great pitcher. 1t is rumored that friend
of Johnson will have chances to col
money here this week, simply Collcctin
a dollar a throw for introduCtions
the Nationals crack performer on III
mound.
The players were hungry as so man
bearcats when they hoped off the ca
INTO the mud in front Of Griffith Hal
but Mrs. Saunders had a plentiful repa'
spread for them, and they made thos
NlCIualS disappear with almost as SreS
Celerity as "Massa John" Henry di
an hour or so before. There may |
an eating contest here within a da
or so, for the debutantes claim to hay
some large, man-siZed appetites anon
them. This is certain to arouse II
jealousy of some of the latest arrival
y Hughes Becker, Allen, Henry, ar
Cashion. not to mention Boiling ar
Akers, are willing to defend the hon'
of the first squad.
"Billy" Fowler Came.
.. Along with the players came Bill
Fowler, the ever-alert and enterprisir
a.. business manager OF the Nationals, ar
D. bunch of true-blue fans, includir
Joe Engel's father. The fans we
shown the spacious domains of Grff
Hall, the three little beds to a ROOF
." and all that sort of junk, and we
:, then escorted to Lambeth Field for
peek at the spot when the team is pr
pairing for the gallant battles of Il
coming campaign. One and all deCar
r. that, aside from the life of a sailor
steel magnate, there Is none to
- compared with that of baseball pla
er.
through with a box of specially a
sorted perfectos, and soon the air W
filled with smoke, as the putting ia
' and latest arrivals grouped themselv
behind the players in pitch game a
saw Joe Engel buy cigars for the bunC
Young Joe is a kind-hearted youth,
peclally when it comes to playing pitC
. Mike Martin had seen Moeller, Spe
Ger, and Jack Flynn but he was u
known to the rest of the players, a
in a moment there were enough har
~ shakings in sight to remind one of
81, arriving ocean liner.
Likes Lambeth Field.
= "Gorry, that's u great ball field" sa
'~ "Bnly" Fowler when he got his fl
glimpse of Lambeth Field, where
Rigler, National League Ump n
a. and coach of the University of "
ginias ball nine. was hard at wo
rolling the outhelG for this wPel
scrambling. eff the bows only ha