Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-08

MANAGER GRIFFITHMAYC CARRY
rs PLAYERS THIS SEASON
"Old Fox" Believes in Teaching His
Youngsters Instead of Letting Them
Start Wrong in the Minors.

, John Allen, the Berkeley Springs, W. Va,
| youngster should make good with the
/ Nationals, and it is by no means certain
that he won't. Hughey had Allen for a
| trial in Washington one day. but never
had an opportunity to work him, and
| shipped him back home without know
| ing whether he was a pitcher or not.
| Since then Allen has done some good
work in the semi-professional class, and
! If he is not a morning glory he stands
| an excellent chance OF making a great
pitcher. for he has free, easy motion
/ and plenty Of stuff
From the players standpoint this prom
| Uses to be the most inexpensive training
trip any team has ever taken. There is
no occasion for player spending a cent
foolishly. There is no place to go, and,
| aside from tobacco and laundry bills.
there are no expenditures. If the team
was training near some large city, where
the theaters always prove an attraction,
as was the case in Atlanta last year.
| absolutely no temptations here, how
ever.
Carl Cashion is putting in all his time
| getting control of the ball. He has one
| of the catchers holding his glove while
! he tries to place the ball in 1t, and there
Is already a great improvement in his
work in this respect. Cashion realizes
that without control there is not a chance
for him to become a major league pitch
| er. and he will put in most of his time
this spring in an effort to get command
OF the ball before he will attempt to
add anything else to his pitching roper
tore. There is no reason why Cashion
should not make a pitcher. He has the
size. strength and speed, and all he needs
| is to have the rough edges taken off him.
1t is divulging secret to say that ever
civ IT.
| last spring there has been doubt as to
his ability to make good. Though he
pitched several brilliant games and on his
! record made a splendid start in fast COM
pany. but few had confidence in him.
Griffith has been watching Becker. He
has noted his motion and his speed. all
he has used since going into training
here, and he believes that there is a
chance to make success out of the
Washington boy. Beckers only failing
seems to be that he lacks curve ball of
any size, and Griffith says he can teach
him to get this, in which event there
should be no trouble about his winning
ball games.
Though the players have been working
indoors since Monday, there are no real
sore arms in the squad. OF course. a few
StiH muscles have resulted from the UNI
accustomed strain of throwing, but this
works out whenever the arms get prop
erly warmed up. The result is that most
Of the players are throwing in midseason
form. This is particularly true of Henry,
Ainsmith and Williams. the three CATCH
ers. They are cutting the ball loose as il
the season had been on for several months
and do not appear to suffer any incon-
venience as a result.
The acquisition of lAlva Williams gave
the Nationals five men who have and
can play first base. To begin with. there
is Flynn and Spencer. two regular first
basemen. Schaefer played the bag the
greater part Of last season. while Knight
reputation OF the kmaing Of a real rival
to Hal Chase. Williams played first in
many games for Boston last season be-
fore he was used in his regular position
behind the bat.
The absence of Jack knight is not re-
GREETED by some Of the infielders, who
figure that, with the former Yankee away
from the training camp, they will have a
better opportunity to show they have a
II he was here. Inasmuch as Griffith
had to stand by the promise the New
York club made knight with reference
to reporting late there is, OF course.
without saying he would have been better
! pleased il Knight had reported here. He
is confident, however, that Knight Will
get himself in good condition before he
ND a good infield it may be some days be-
| fore knight will get into the game.
Though no one seems to be particularly
busy in this town, it is difficult matter
| to get laborers. Umpire Rigler wanted
to hire ten men yesterday to clear the
snow off the ball field. but the best he
could do was to get two. There are plenty
of idle folks around but clearing snow
did not appeal to them.