The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-19
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Lexington. Va March S.-(Speciall- The Washington and Lee baseball squad has taken every advantage of good weather this week and is now rapidly rounding into form. Coach orth puts little faith in indoor work and no matter how muddy the field, he has had | the man out every time the sun has peeped from behind the clouds. With the pretty weather of the latter part of ;he week, however, and with reasonably good ground the coach has for the last few days been putting his men through fast paces
 He is giving particular attention to the infelders working them out on the grass when the regular infield is too wet. By this work on the rough ground he Is get ting the eyes of his nfielders trained to all sorts of peculiar bounds which the pill may take the advantage of this sort of work over fielding ground balls on the smooth gymnasium floor is appar- ent and is going to tell in the future work of the nfield.
 From present indications Raftery will be the only new man in the infeld. He To b9 iai thO Iio9l iihCiA tdhuihclt IOi third base. In the present condition of the field it is impossible to tell how ne will handle bunts. but in every phase Of the play around third he is thoroughly competent, and is certainly living up to the reputation which he brought he-e with hlm. The big coach will use Erwin in the short field again this year. lie has held down the job for two years and is a big asset to Dick Smith, his run ming mate on the other side of the key stone bag. smith and Erwin have worked together for two seasons, their work has always bordered on the spectacular and they will in all likelihood be seen to- gether again this spring. Smith cer- tainly will keep his job at second. Peoples bids fair to hold his job at first; if his hitting comes up to the form of last May he is fixture He certainly has had his eye on the ball in the practice this week. Hopper and Thornton are promising can didates for the nfield positions.
 One of the catchers will probably be worked in the outfield, as both Bone and Donahue are strong with the stick. Web ster and Turbyhll of last years team are out for their old jobs and are going to be hard to beat out. Stewart seems assured of a birth in the outfield, he is a good, fast all round man and hits them every Whefe III the DIE ilnS. Lancaster, who all but made the team last year, will be after job in the outheld and is well worth watching. The outfield situation is far from settled and shifts are liable 10 be made after the season opens, but the coacn seems determined to get a perma- - nent nfield and to have it in perfect working order for the first game
 With Donahue or Bone behind the bat the catching will be well done. No choice can now be made between them and they will both be used all during the season and probably alternate in the outfeld. Rothrock, Hereford and Twyman arc catchers of no mean merit. In the box Captain Moran will have Tompkins, who certainly looks as good as the captain himself. Lle, too, Is showing up well, as he has plenty of steam and good con trol and next to the two big pitchers seems to be the best of the squad. Nal colm, the fleet footed half back has a splendid rep" behind him, but he is not yet in the best of shape. He should be heard from before the end of another week. Miles and Judson will both be ] looked to for some work in the box, as