Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-06
BY J. ED eRuLo.

-.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA. March
6-All chances of the players getting on
Lambeth Field this week was eliminated
by a heavy snowstorm. which started
about 10 O'Clock last night and is still
raging. When the players got up this
morning there was fully a half a foot OF.
snow on the ground and no indications
of let-up. Manager Griffith had hoped
to get on the field today. but gave UP all
hope this morning Of being able to do
this for at least another week. With
the present number OF players here, the
gymnasium affords splendid place to
work out, but when the other members of
the team report they will have to be
worked in shifts, for there is not room
enough to accommodate them all at one
time.
Though two days have been spent here
without any of the players even as.much
as getting a view OF the ball field, their
time has not been wasted, and their sea-
Sonlng has taken long, forward strides.
The work on the gymnasium floor seems
to be just the right thing by which to
start a period of training. for there are no
cool breezes to cool off the perspiration,
while the conditions are such that there
Is no great danger of any one throwing
his arm out or going through too strenu-
Gus stunts. Yesterday the team had two
long and hard workouts. ana at the close
of each the players were dripping with
perspiration. The pitchers work out for
full forty minutes morning and afternoon,
while Cunningham and Morgan got an
hour and a half of hard work fielding
grOunders which Griffith hit to them 1t
Is needless to say that the three catchers
were kept busy handling the pitchers, and
Grimtn. too. donned big mitt and had
some of the youngsters pitch to him. Then
there are other exercises that the players
indulge IN. Both Alnsmith and Henry
put in about naf an hour playing
basket ball, and there is no more strenu-
Gus work. Az, Pin all, this system of work.
ing the players Is most satisfactory, and
the effects OF 1t will show when they
nnaliy take the held.
Indications are that the present squad is
going to get into shape much sooner than
| one who has to take of weight, and it
is very evident that nearly all the pitch
ers now here have been doing some work
before they reported. 1t was noticeable
yesterday that several of them cut loose
at full speed without any apparent effort
| or fear Of injuring their arms, and the
| catchers had to caution them because
! OF the indoor light making it difficult to
gauge the ball as it speeded toward
| them. BY Saturday several of these
4 y "
| four innings at midseason speed, and even
the veterans, such as Huenes and Wal
ker, will be in fairly good shape.
Joe Engel that seems to assure his sue
cess. He pitches as II he had been at ii
all his life. and while it is much too
early, OF course. to make any predictions
1t Is sufficient TO say that he makes a
very good impression in the warm-ups.
l 90 Sfv nd hol
that with proper seasoning he will de-
| velop into a star. He has already made
| up. his mind that if Engel shows up well,
| he will carry him through the season,
| even though he only uses him to pitch in
| practice. He considers it mistake to
| farm out a promising young pitcher. be-
| cause in the minor leagues they are fire.
quently overworked. and this has been
| the ruination of many a promising young
| ster. Griffith thinks the best way TO de-
i velop pitcher Ike Ensel is to carry him
| along for a year or so without actually
/ using him in a game. He figures that he
would learn lot from observation and
| incidentally get chance to mature un-
| der proper conditions. Griffith figures or
| carrying eight pitchers through the sea-
1 son.. and he hopes only to work four OF
| these regularly, SO that. there willi-be a
| chance for two or three promising young.
| sters to be drawing salary while they are
developing for next season. Z
1 Griffith thinks he mas discovered one o.
Bill Cunningfsa ms weaknesses al the bat
He argues that Cunny does not choke hi.
bat enough and that this causes him t.
be badly fooled on curve balls. In, dis
cussing batting with Cunnyy this morn
ing the latter admitted that he HEX
his bat long for the purpose of reachins
the curves, to which Griff made thi.
reply: That is where you make, mis-
take. When you hold your bat long yo,
are sure to go after balls that are no
over. because you figure you can reacf
them. Take your grip well up towart
the middle and hug the plate as close a
. POSSIBLE and You won't try to hit tn
curves because You Will follow them bet
, ter. IL they insist on pitching curves
you will walk, and IL they. get them owe
, you are bound to hit. know from ex
perience as q pitcher that whenever
| ound a batter with q long pole the hes
way to fool him was to. pitch him curve
far to the outside. and he always over
estimated the length Of his stick an,