Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-03
GRlFF AND SQUAD
LEAVE TOWN TODAY
Continued from First Pase.)


ton. There is no DOUBT, perhaps, that
Jack Knight would prove the most capa-
pie man for that position OF any on the
local list. but knight can play any posi-
ton on the infieid and 1t is not unlikely
that he will be more needed somewhere
besides first base. This is the theory
that Griffith is working on. He has
not picked any player for any position.
Not sliieie man On the team Is assu. ca
OF a place. though, of course, there are
several who 1t is fair to assume will not
have any trouble holding their own.
1t is up to every player to make good
for himself. Past regulations count for
nothing, and when Griffith selects his
team 1t will be as he considers 1t best
made up.
Even in their street clothes. and with
out having attempted anything In the
way of paying ball, the lot of young
sters who have reported here come
nearer to looking the part tnan those
who reported to Manager McAleer at
Atlanta last spring. They were dis
appointment from the moment they
STEPPED into the hotel to be registered
Appearance, of course, is often deceptive,
but there is no getting around the fact
that the youngsters this year look more
like ball players than dad the recruits
of last spring, every one Of whom failed
to land a regular position. 1t is doubt
full If any major league team ever went
south with so many incompetents as did
McAleer last year. and on general APP
pearance this years squad will pan out
much better.
One reason why the development of
even one good pitcher out of the several
who are to be tried out this year would
be stroke Of fortune is the fact that
three or four of them are green hands OH
OF the lots, who have not had any pro-
fessional experience. This is true of Joe
Engel and Guy johnson, as well as Boeh-
ling, and. in fact, takes in Buck Becker.
who, while he has had some little expe-
rience, could hardly be considered sea-
soned. There are, of course, many In
stances where pitchers who have never
been professionals have made good from
the outset Of their major league careers,
AS rule a pitcher, even when he has
lots of ability, has to be educated by ex-
perience. This does not mean, however,
that neither Joe Engel nor the others
won't make good. Under Grfhth's tutor
ship these youngsters will have the ben
eft of wise counsel. and If they have the
natural ability any one or all OF them
may develop into a high-class pitcher be-
fore the season opens.
While 1t would be a rather hazardous
thing to predict a higher position for the
Nationals in the coming race than they
have occupied heretofore because 1t must
never be forgotten that the other seyen
teams have not been idle and all have
trle0 10 strengthen their lOTCcS, IL uOCSs
however, look as If the team will be bet
ter fortified this year than 1t has ever
been before.
Out Of the twelve pitchers Griffith will
have he should get at least fairly
strong staff. The absence Of Conroy and
EIberfeld surely will not weaken the in
field, and Gessler and Lelive.t ought not
to be missed in the outf1eld. 1t is but
rea sonable to assume that both Henry
and Ainsmith will be better catchers
10. honrn nd a n.
counts Williams. as the third man, stands
head and shoulders over the sort OF men
who have held that position here IN for
mer campaigns.
The one Improvement which IS pouha 10
be both more Impressive and effective
will be in the teams speed. From one OF
the slowest aggregations in the league 1t
has been changed, to one which, from
speed standpoint, will compare favorabiy
with its rivals.
Assuming that the three outfield posts
will fall to Milan. MoeEer and Schaefer
the team will have rafting speedy trio
Then if Flynn, Mcbride, Cunningham ana
knight should make up the infield they,
too will have more speed in the aggre-
gate than any infie.d combination the
Nationals have been able to boast OF IN
years. Ainsmith and Henry are potn
fast a fact which is important, Tor
many game has been lost because u
the slowness of catcherS on the bases.
lust how great a figure the pitchers
cut on a ball team is evidenced Dy tne
fact that every manager gives TINS ue-
partment more attention than any other
Ord catchers who have seen their days OF
usefulness are engaged for the sole pur-
pose of developing pitchers, while they
are put in training long before players
who fill other positions. team like the
Nationals. for instance. which on the face
of it is not strong as some of the others.
must depend to a great extent On us
pitchers to make good showing. II
a manager had a pitching stan OF wafer
Iohnsons he would not need much OF a
baN team to win pennants. No one real
ICES the necessity of a good pltcning stan
more than Griffith. If he can get couple
of consistent workers to help out waiter
Johnson he will not nave 10 rear, LOT
better position in the race is sure to come
TO him. Even the strongest team or MT
ters and infielders looks like a bush league
squad when it's pitchers are not working
properly. Take the Athieucs ana give
them weak slab work. and the team
would not finish in the first division. not
understanding the fact that 1T has hard
hitters, brilliant fielders and bralny ball
players. 1t is the fellow who can keep
the opposition from scoring who does
most to win games for his team.
There is so much difference in Bill Cum
ningham's appearance this spring. COM
pared with last, that one wonders he ever
was accused of being overweight. There
was entirely too much attention given to
Cunny's avoirdupois last spring. Attention
was called to 1t the very first day he re-
ported, and it was harped on every time
he appeared i'm game. The result was
that the crowds got after Cunny, and he,
like most any other human. became dis
couraged Being handled differently,
and incidentally being in condition to give
a GOOD account Of himself right from the
outset, is going to make big difference
in this player, and nothing that coul
happen to the team would benefit it more
than to have Cunny play as he did the
fau that he Joined the local team. for ii
would place second base in most compe-
tent hands.