The Washington herald., 1912-03-25
MOELLER CANNOT
PLAY LEFT FIELD
Rochester Recruit Unable to
Take Care of Sun
Garden.
SHIFT MAY BE MADE
Schaefer Likely to Be Switched OF
Griff May Erect Monster
Screen.
SHIFT MAY BE MADE
By WILLIAM PEET.

Charlottesville, Va, March A-That
Manager Griffith Is going to have a lot
more trouble in selecting his outneId
for the coming season is assured, when.
during a tanning bee this afternoon, II
was learned that Dan MoelIer. the Roch-
ester recruit, cannot play the sun field.
MoelIer is the authority, and declares
that he cannot judge a fly ball in the
sun. Washington fans know that the
left garden patch in the concrete COLI
scum is the finest little sun garden in
the world. so what is to he donc7
Grin wants to play MoelIer in left
field, but il he finds the speedy recruit
cannot handle balls while looking into
the sun he will either have to shift the
player to some other field or else erect
some sort OF a contrivance on the grand
stand roof to shut out Old Sors rays
While with the Rochester club last
year Manager Cancel had MoeIler play
center, as left field was the sun gar
den, and Moeller could not judge fly
balls on a bright day. in a number OF
instances when Rochester was playing
away from home and II so happened taht
the sun bothered the player in center,
CANCEL took the speedy boy out OF the
game entirely and substituted Heinie
Batch.
May Erect Screen.
1t is believed that a canvas screen
placed on top OF the grandstand at Ma
tionaI Park could be so arranged as to
shut out the sun from left field. but
whether or not Grin will want to go
10 this expense remains TO be seen. 1t
is also possible that MoeIIer will be
shifted to right field, and Schasfer
played in left, but the Nationals boss
had said all along that he intends to
play the Rochester boy in left.
In any case future Developments. II II
IS demonstrated that Moeller cannot play
the sun field, are bound TO prove inter-
esting.
On April the Nationals Yannigans
are scheduled to play the Richmond club
Of the Virginia League in Richmond. and
Manager Grifith will send Joe Boehling,
his promising southpaw twirler. In the
box against the Virginia Leaguers. The
Richmond club wanted Boehling to sign
with them last summer, but Joe stead
lastly refused, and preferred to play
amateur ball. The southpaw did not
care to play professional ball in his home
town for one reason, and. then again, he
was not particularly stuck on the Vir-
Ginia League, for which nobody could
blame him.
When Boehling signed with Washington
last winter, it will be remembered that
he made the request of Manager Grifith
that IL he failed to make good in the
American League and was sent TO the
minors he did not want to go TO some
Virginia League club and it is safe bet
ting that the southpaw will not drift
down there.
Rounding Into Form.
Boehling is just rounding into shape,
and would prove a big drawing card in
Richmond against the Virginia Leaguers
The youngster is just as anxious to beat
them as is Joe EngeI to trim Georgetown,
and Grif will give him the chance.
II was an unusually quiet Sunday in
camp to-day. There were no visitors
from Washington. The air was damp
and chilly, precluding long walks, and
most of the players lounged around the
green room Of Hotel Griffith, read the
Washington papers, worked the piano
overtime, and discussed the joyous pros
poets of pulling up stakes next Tuesday
10 go where there is something more
interesting than red Virginia clay and a
cne-horse trolley.
Although the chances for a good day
tomorrow are none too alluring, there
will be no loafing. The Nationals pilot
announced at the dinner table tonight
10 20 through both morning and after
noon practice periods. on the field II the
weather permits, IL not, in the big col
lege gymnasium.
On Tuesday morning, the final stift
workout here will be held. There will
be nothing doing in the afternoon, as
the time will be taken up with the usual
preparations for quitting camp. Grif said
tonight that II it was learned that the
7:1O express was a couple of hours late
he would hustle the men down to the
s:4S train, but did not want to take the
afternoon train, as II was a slow local.
The players during the next two weeks
stay in the Capital will be housed at half
a dozen hotels. expenses, of course, de-
frayed by the Washington baseball club.
After the American League season opens
the men can go where they wish.
The Regulars and Yannigans are due
for the fourth game Of the series to-
morrow afternoon, weather permitting,
and Boss Griff will work Walter John
son and Carl Cashion for the Yannigans
and Regulars, respectively Both twirl-
ers will be instructed to go six innings
each, inseead of three This will be the
first time any OF the pitchers has work.
ed more than three rounds.