Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-02
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Long training trips are to be tabooed
bv the major leagues. McGraw appears
tn he the only one who has faith in these
long stays In the south. but the general
oninion is that a month Of training is
sufficient to prepare any team for its
campaign.
The Cleveland club is the latest one
to call off the long southern trip For
wears the Maps have been going south
early and coming back late, and with one
or two exceptions the team has always
made a very poor start in the race.
President Somers of the Maps is OF the
opinion that his managers have erred In
spending so much time trying to prepare
the PLAYERS, and he has already agreed
with Manager Birmingham that next
spring the training trip shall not be of
more than a months duration.
One month of practice ought to De
plenty for q ball team. Players can mt
themselves for their regular work X, IN il'at
time. The system Of training ball play,
ers is naturally different from that USED
for fighters or runners, or even IOOt pail
players, for the reason that the pan
player must be prepared for slX-montn
season, while the fighter. runner and
wrestlers are trained for one crucial effort.
entertaining in the spring usually results
in the players going stale before the sea-
son is more than half over. and lot OF
stale ball players are the most heipiess
the right idea about training his men.
He asks for but a month, and he figures
that the veteran pitchers need really only
about two weeks of proper handling to
put them on edge.
John McGraw is to handle the Giants
for life. Before John T. Brush met his
Maker he prepared everything for the III,
ture, so far as the New YORK base pan
club was concerned. and the one thing
that he made plain was that McGraW Is
to continue at the head Of his club dur
ing his lifetime; that he Is to rule with
an iron hand over the playing end OF
the club and that there must be no in
reference. This condition existed during
Brush's life. He made 1t a point never
to hamper his manager, and TO this MS
success must be attributed. II he hap
pened to have a manager who did not
deliver he would get rid Of him. but
while he was in charge he conducted
matters his own way.
IT was believed when Joe O'Brien was
engaged as secretary year ago that Mr..
Brush Inquired on eventually making him
the club president, for he must have
known that his end was not far on.
Vet a few weeks before his death, when
he arranged his business affairs. O.Brien
was let out unceremoniously. O'Brien
did not have an inkling that he was to
be let out and there is no explanation
for It. But Brush made his own plans,
and these evidently did not include
O'Brien as one who was to be retained.
The question Of whether base ball has
improved in recent years Is one which
is often disputed by some Of the veteran
ball players. Johnny Evers related an
incident the other day in answer to the
question: whether or not the game had
made any forward strides which is we'll
worth telling.
II don't know of any better illustration
of whether or not the game has advanced
than the case of John NJ. Ward, who was
one of the greatest players of the old
days, and who was president of the Bos-
ton Nationals for a few months this year.
If the game hadn't advanced Mr.. Ward
should have known as much as any one"
says Evers.
Zone day. when Hub Purdue was
pitching for Boston against tho Cubs.