Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07
BOB GROOM GETS HEARTY
GREE ING FROM GRIF'S ttKIDS''
Clever Pitcher Inaugurates Checker Game.
Everybody Anxious for Main
Squad to Come.

| impossible to get on the field for four
or five days yet Griffith Is not in the
least discouraged. however.
He realizes that there Is no way to
cept whatever comes. Incidentally he is
in a place that it is possible for him to
give his players a couple Of workouts
every day. which is sure to have them fit
remembered that the season does not
open for q few weeks yet, and we will
have plenty of time to get in shape" said
Griffith. ANY ball player can get him.
is especially true when none Of them is
suffering from much overwork. When
the weather opens up here we will be in
shape to stand a lot Of work. and we will
get II"
players do during practice. and whenever
he sees a fault he loses no time to tell
the player where it is. In this way every
man is being instructed in a quiet way,
fitted. Young ball players all have their
faults. and unless they are shown them
they are apt to go through their entire
careers doing the wrong thing. The
want to be shown the proper way to do
things and Griffith's popularity does not
suffer the least bit because he insists on
having things done his way.
As was to be expected, there are lot
of sore muscles in the camp now. Every
throwing arm, barring those Of several
of the young pitchers who worked for
couple of weeks before reporting here is
stiff and tender and the work comes
harder than 1t did the first two days
But only by continuing to work can this
tin keeps them at it. Running on the
track in the gymnasium, In which all
the players indulge. has made the mus
Giles of their legs rather sore, but just
as soon as they can get outside this
trouble, too, will leave them.
Watching apitcher wor out indoors
does not by any means give a reliable
line on his ability. To begin with, he
always appears to have more speed
than he actually has and it is argued
that the air indoors does not offer the
for the reason that the wind is absent.
Then, too, pitching under a roof and be-
tween four walls makes the mitt crack
when the ball comes in contact with 1t,
credit for having marvellous speed when
such is not really the case.
OF course, q catcher when handling
pitcher can judge of his speed by the
force with which the ball strikes his
glove. and even he is often deceived in
doors.
Bob Groom arrived late last night. Sir
Robert has changed but little since the
season closed. though he says he feels
much stronger than he usually does at
this season Of the year. Groom IL one
pitcher who Is going to receive q lot of
attention from Grifiith. There is no rea-
son why he should not be q consistent
winner. Few pitchers have his ability.
and Griffith proposes to find out his fault
whatever it may be. The fact that
Groom won the last Ave games he pitch
ed last season was absolute proof that
there Is lot Of pitching in his right
arm Walter johnson, who came east
with Groom, will remain in washington
until Sunday. when he will come here
with the rest Of the second squad.
That Groom gave his own signs in
every one Of the five games he won at
the close Of the season Is confirmed by
tho players here. He gave them with
his feet. When his left pointed toward
the plate 1t was a fast one and when it
pointed toward third 1t was a curve.
Groom naturally attributed his success in
those games to the fact that he was al
lowed to use his own judgment, and SO
far as Griffith Is concerned he can con-
tinue to give his own signs this season.
All Griffith wants is to have him win
his games and he does not care how he
does II.