Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-31
FIVE PLAYERS WILL
Be MINUS TONS|[S
Stars of Griffith's Team to Un-
dergo Operations Before
Next Spring.
CATCHING STAFF HAS
BECOME DOUBTFUL
Injury to Henry and Failing
Health of AinSmith May Grip
Pile Backstop Department.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

At least five members of Grifith's team
will be minus one Of the organs with
wiich nature supplied, them when the
team takes the field next spring.
Gandil. Moeller. Ainsmith, Shanks and
johnson have either had their tonsils re-
moved since the season closed or will un-
dergo the operation before they report
in the spring. There seems to have been
an epidemic of tonsil trouble on the local
team last season. The illness of several
of the players during periods Of the last
campaign was attributed to an ailment OF
their tonSils, and. acting on medical ad-
vice Manager Griffith ordered the players
SO afflicted to have the troublesome Or
gans removed.
Shanks. Gandil and Ainsmith under.
went the operation Immediately after the
season closed. and the other two players
promised to do SO some time during the
winter Griffith figures that as a result
of these operations all his players will
enjoy good health next season. and that
as a result their work will be decidedly
improved. There were times when both
Gandil and Shanks were in the game
when they should have been under medi-
cal treatment, but the race was SO close
at those times that neither could be
spared, and they remained on duty.
This was particularly true of Gandil
who was not in good health at any time
during the season.
A year ago the Nationals catching staff
doomed up as one of the strongest in the
league. now it is one Of the uncertain de-
partments Of Griffiths team.
1t remains to be seen whether John
Henry's sprained knee will knit and be as
| strong it ever was Ainsmith's failing
health came rather Unexpectedly, and his
failing hung on longer than was expected.
The very fact that he has teen sent to
San Antonio Tex, to recuperate would
indicate that he is far from being we'll.
He is a young man. however, and with
proper care should be at his best next
spring. There is, of course. nothing wrong
with Alva Williams, who proved SO valu-
able a man behind the bat during the
closing weeks Of the season. But one
catcher is not enough to carry a team
through the season. There is no certainty
that Henry and Ainsmith will be fit to
take their turns behind the bat. in which
event Griffith would be in a poor way so
far as his catching staff is concerned.
That the American League has devel-
oped a catching department which is far
superior to that of the National League
brilliant performers behind the bat in the
old league Archer of the Cubs and Myers
of the Giants stand out. Bresnahan and
Doom are capable, but the others in the
old league do not amount to much,
though Kelley of the Pirates gives much
promise.
In the American League there is an
abundance of good catching talent. Wash
ington has three good men in Ainsmith.
Henry and Williams. New York boasts
Of two stars in Sweeney and Sterrett,
while Boston has two men who can be
depended upon in Carrigan and Cady.
The greatest catcher in the league is STAN
age of Detroit. He is undoubtedly in a
class by himself Schalk of Chicago,
though a newcomer. made a decided hit
last fall. st. Louis is weak behind the
bat and Cleveland is none too well for
titled, but the other teams have star per-
formers behind the bat.
The ST. Louis club evidentally intends
to make raid on the Coast League. Re-
ports from there are that Manager Stow
all ond Owner Hedges are omeet in San
Francisco shortly to make a lot Of deals
which involve a lot of players Of that
section. California has furnished some
major league stars. Nearly every one of
the big league teams has a player or two
who got his start out on the coast. The
Boston Red Sox have several, in fact,
their entire outfield. barring Speaker,
halls from that section. It was argued
some years ago that players who started
out on the coast were better fitted o stand
the hot weather which prevails in some
of the big league cities during the sum-
mer months, but results failed to prove
this.