Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
GR|FF WILL HAVE
PLENTY MATERIAL
Thirty-0ne Players Will Be in
Training at CharIottes-
vile.
PROSPECTS FOR GOOD
TEAM ARE BRIGHT
Makeup of InfieId Only Source
of Worry to Manager.
Knight Will Help.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

Thirtyrone players are slated to be in
the Nationals training camp two weeks
q from today. Nearly half this number
will leave for Charlottesville next Sunday,
while the remainder will follow a week
later.
. In the party will be twelve pitchers, three
catchers, nine infielders and seven out
fielders. much larger assortment of tall
ent than the Washington club has sent
south in recent years OF course, quanti-
fy counts for but little, but the chances
are that the quality of the material that
Griffith will have in charge is far better
than that which his predecessors started
out with in previous springs. perusal
of the names on the local list should con-
vince even the pessimist that it seems
possible to select better team from this
material than the one which finished here
last fall, and yet this does not necessarily
mean that it will finish higher in the race.
Naturally enough, If these players all
come up to expectations and there are no
disappointment Griffith will have a rath-
er formidable ball team, ard 1t is not at
all impossible that this will be true even
III some of the men who are figured on
fall down, for there apparently are plenty
of others to take their places.
No one, however, can make reliable pre-
dictions as to what the team which is to
be selected from this material will ac-
comphsh. On the face of the proposition
1T must be conceded that Griffith will have
more speed than has been prevalent here
for some time, because of the dropping
out OF the veterans, but it is question
in base ball how certain combinations will
work. and time alone will solve this.
If Griffith had TO line up his team today
II would probably be found with Flynn
on first, Cunningham second, Mcbride
short, Knight third and Milan, Moeller
land Schaefer in the outfieId. This seems
a logical combination on paper, but it is
by no means assured to ever become
kreality. Much depends on Cunningham.
Sz1f he fills the bill that side of the dia
Smond viii be in good hands, for there
seems to be no doubt about Flynn, and
neither is there about Mcbride and
Knight or Foster will have to be shifted
switch, will be necessary, and either
knight or Foster will have to be shifted
to second base. If the other positions on
the infield were in good hands knight
would be placed at first from the outset,
for there, is no doubt about his ability to
play that position, but as matters now
stand with all but shortfield doubtful, he
win be used to fill one of the other
places.
Those who have a line on Fosters
ability insist that it is impossible to
keep him out of the regular lineup, so
that it is very evident there is going
to be hard fight for a majority of the
= infield positions.
The outfield will take care of itself.
Milan, of course is a certainty Crit
fifth has line on Moeller, and believes
that he will prove a sensation, while
Schaefer has but to hit as we'll as he
did last year TO hold his own. In ad-
dition, there is Walker Long, Maths
and Shank. who may show more ability
than they are being given credit for. so
that on the whole it looks as if Grif-
fifth has ample material from which to
select fairly good ball team.
There were at least two developments
in the Mig Clarke case yesterday. Early
in the afternoon Manager Griffith re-
Sceived a wire from Ban Johnson to the
effect that he would not have to accent
Mig Clarke from st. Louis, and that he
had notified the ST Louis club to this
effect Later came another message
from Johnson to the effect that the ST
Louis club claimed to have a letter on
which 1T based the DEAL and that he
johnson, would hold the case in abey-
ance until he had all the facts before
him.
At no time since Griffith has been in
charge has he been so wrought up over
a matter, and he made the assertion
yesterday that in the future all bust
ness relations would be cut off with
the st. Louis club. He thinks that an
effort is being made to make him the
victim of sharp practices, and he pro-
poses to fight the case down to the last
Griffith had made an effort for ~.
past six weeks to secure Clarke for the
waiver price. but was consistantIy
turned down by Hedges. The last time
he preached the subject to the st. Louis
cago. when. however he was turnad
down. and told that nothing less than
$4,000 would buy Clarke
When he returned here from the Chi
cago meeting he found a letter on HE
desk to the effect that Clarke couId he
had for $4,000. and he replied that he
would not give more than the waiver
price. Exactly week later, and after
mLn naa secured Williams. thus fill
ing MS Catching stan, Hedges released
Clarke to Washington Claiming fhat
the last letter received from 1,riA5th
was contract as soon as he accented
t ats proposltion made by Griffith. Crit
nth does not want Clarke and should
he be forced to accept him from ST
Louis, would sell him at once.
One reason for the ill-feelnp tho.
lists in the American League ara,ns,
Hedges is the manner in which he ha
attempted on numerous occasions TO take
snap Judgment on other club owners,
similar instances in which he has been
tangled up. and in this case like MANY
before ii. he will probably find himsei,
opposed by the other club owners in the
organization Griffith. in speaking al
Hedges yesterday. said. From this ont
there will be no further cummunica tion
with the st. Louis club so long as Hedges
Is connected with it. ANY letters that he
may send here will not be answered and
all connections with that club stand
severed. What he is trying to hand me
he has tried on almost every club in this
league. and /. like many of the others
am through with him."
From a team on which veterans pre-
dominated Griffith has In the very shor,
time changed 1t to one on which there
are hut few playerS who have Seou more
than five years service in professional
base ball. Schaefer and Hughes are. the
Oldest in point Of experience on the team
but it Is doubtful il any of the others
have vet reached the best stage Of Their
careers.
Griffith has a team which is bound tc
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