The Washington times., 1912-01-06
HUGHES UND[RGOES
SPEEDY OPERATION
TO CURE KNUCKLE
Wants No Ether, But Is
Finally Convinced of
Necessity.
REGIONS THINK HE Is
ONE OF GAMEST EVER
Manager Griffith Will Bar Cigar.
cites Among His 1912
Nationals.
BY SENATOR"

BY SENATOR"
That procrastination is the thief OF
time and often the ruination of bal
players Is the belief Of Tom Hughes
4 That the player entertains this opinion
has been amply demonstrated within the
last twenty-four hours.
Yesterday morning Hughes told Crit
fifth that he thought his pitching could
be improved II he underwent an opera
tion for a dislocated knuckle on his
pitching hand. Griffith told him to con-
suit DIR. Hilton. the club physician, and,
IL It was deemed advisable to 60 to a
hospital and have the work done.
This mornings mail brought to the
headquarters q bill from Providence
Hospital and Griffith thought 1t was
something left over from last year.
However. a little later came word from
Hughes that he had gone straight to the
hospital yesterday, had the operation
performed and expected to have the In
few days.
Wanted No Ether.
THAT man Hughes is about the gam
est proposition have ever met" said
one of the surgeons today. He simply
that operation performed with as little
ether he put up yell and said he would
go through without 1t. However, we
finally convinced him and the operation
was, we believe, a success. Hughes
ringer should be permanently cured be-
No More Cigarettes.
II you are young ball player and
vrSt,. a dAt ~ IA, IL.
management of Clark Griffith, or II
YOU are one of the veterans and ex.
pect to maintain your position with the
Nationals. get Off the cigarette habit
II you never smoke them all is serene,
but IL you happen to be accustmode to
take a drag" now and then. give this
up and In its place take the anti-nico-
tine pledge. Cigarette users and Clark
Griffith do not get along together. -
Next to drinking heavily. there is
no more pernicious habit for ball
player than smoking cigarettes. A
drunkard cannot be depended upon at
all, and If you will gather Stats
tics. you will find that the ball players
who have the cigarette weakness, for
it Is a weakness, seldom make good and
never last long," said Griffith today.
Il do not object to a ball player TAX
ing an occasional drink, but when they
leave It alone. In regard to smoking,
cigars In moderation will not hurt, but
or the other hand are calculated to keep
PLAYER from going stale. especially
toward midseason. when the real strain
begins. I smoke a lot of cigars myself
and always have during my twenty
wears In the big show, but had thought
at any time that they were injuring me,
would have given them up.
Hurts Mans Nerves.
"Incessant cigarette smoking hurts
mans nerves. dims his batting eye,
and. In a general way. gets him into
the shape where he cannot do justice
either to himself or his club. No
cigarettes for the Nationals" is the
way the manager wound up his lat
est ruling in regard to the training
OF the Washington baseball team.
~ Wolverton on Job.
Harry Wolverton has reached New
York and taken personal charge Of the
Highlanders. Wolverton has ordered his
team to report at Atlanta on March 4.
and in regard to the affairs Of the club
he has the following to say:
II have no trade on hand at present.
OF course am willing to make any deal
. that Will stTcHhtHcH tle tcdHis Out UP "
the present have had offers only from
those who are willing to trade plugged
nickel for a good dollar. think we
have a good team and will be likely to
give the clubs In our league good fight
even II don't succeed in Strengthening
the club. There seems to be an impress
sion around that We are suffering for a
catcher. With Sweeney and Williams
to do the bulk of the work am salts.
. ned. So far as our pitching staff Is
concerned ! honestly believe there is nc
better in the league. All the men are
young and have been In the game Ions
enough to give them the seasoning q
pitcher needs. Barring accidents We
will start the season ready to give the
champion Athletics a good fight wher
we open the season with them on April
Jim McAIeer is losing no time in rid
ding his Red Sox of unnecessary talent
! He has sent the following players Il
Jersey City: Harold Janvrin, Martir
McHale, Walter Lonergan. Jack Myers
Jack Thoney, and Billy Purtell.