Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07
By J. ED aRuLo.
Special Dispatch to Tho Star.

D
Special Dispatch to The Star.
CHARLOTTESVILLE. Va, March z.
There is not apt to be scarcity OF
good pitching material in the Nationals
this year. Besides the six who held over
from last years aggregation it is more
than probable that Griffith will find 1t
an advantage to retain two or three
of the youngsters who are working here
now On what they have shown, Akers,
Allen and Engel seem to give the most
promise for the reason that they possess
q motion such as one would expect from
q major league pitcher. Johnson and
Boehling are trifle understood, but have
ability, and when the team gets out In
the open where the pitchers can work
off the rubber 1t will be decidedly easier
to get a correct line on their ability.
Griffith expects to carry about eight
pitchers through the season, providing. of
course. that he can find that many worth
while paying a salary to, and the chances
are he will not have any trouble getting
this number out of the pitchers he is
trying out. There is a wonderful differ
ence in the class of the youngsters here
this spring. compared with those who re-
ported to McAleer at Atlanta last year.
There is apparently much more ability
in the last squad, not to speak OF inteiil-
gence and spirit.
need not, of course, be dwelt upon
Every one familiar with base ball realizes
that IL a team lacks in defensive strength
it has little chance to win, regardless OF
how strong 1t may be with the bat. Al
the best the Nationals are not apt to
be a strong batting team, though there
is every reason to believe that 1t VIII
show improvement in this respect TINS
pitching be strong. Having Johnson.
Walker Groom, Hughes. Cashion ana
Becker of last years team. it should not
be difficult to get q good stan out OF
these, together with the youngsters
Alva Williams played in the Eastern
League before he Joined Boston, and ne
saw much Of Moeller and Foster. the two
Rochester recruits who are to report mere
Sunday. According to Williams, ootn
these players will get regular position
on the team, because. he CONTENDS. tmey
have the ability to hold the job. "Moesier
is fast fellow of great daring, Wno\is
here to make hit" said he. HE goes
down the first base line like streak and
has few equals when 1t comes 10 circnng
the bases Foster is mighty sweet IN
fielder and hitter far over the ordinary.
don't see why we should not nave
better ball team than we would be given
credit for having. for there is going to be
q whole lot Of good material shown Wmcn
II now not being considered
Eppa Rixey, the Virginia college star.
n to work out with the Nationals today.
Griffith is very anxious to secure the tall
youth, but, according to rumor, he Is De-
ing influenced in favor OF John McGraw
Of the New York Giants. II 1t can be
done Griffith will sign the colleg1an. VINO
made . splendid record in college base
ball last summer.
finer
team will have . great trio Of throwing
catchers. None Of them has ever suf-
fered with = lame arm and they are nat
urslly very strong peggers. Williams us Is
has free. easy motion. and naturally
gets the ball away quickly, but puts
plenty OF force behind 1t. II Henry and
Ainsmith continue to improve there is no
as strong a catching staff as any In the
league this season
1t is rather an unusual thing to SEQ Q
lot Of ball players trudging through
foot more Of snow to do their prac-
twice every day. It is about q quarter of
q mile from Hotel Griffith to the gymna-
stun, and the entire route is covered with
snow and ice. But 1t is fortunate that
the players would have to remain idle.
as do some of the teams who ran into
q norther in Texas.
John Henry. who has been handling
John Allen in most Of his warm-ups, IS
very enthusiastic about the young fell
lows ability. He contends that Allen
cannot help but make good, for the rea-
son that he has as much speed as any
pitcher ever caught, excepting. perhaps.
Walter Johnson Watch that young
ster," remarked Henry this morning. Il
never saw a fellow with more speed with
out taking an effort to pitch. / think
we have find in him. There are cou-
pie Of others here who should make good,
for they handled themselves like old
leaguers.
Griffith had a conference yesterday with
representative, Of the firm that wants
to provide the apparatus for the covering
of the diamond on rainy days, but no
definite arrangeihent was reached. 1t Is
almost certain. aowever. that the device
will be installed before the season opens.
Boxing was added to the players train
ing routine for q little while yesterday,
when Trainer Mike Martin and Dixie
Walker donned the gloves. Martin Is
quite a boxer, but Walker lowered over
him and the former found 1t quite difficult
10 land blow. The bout lasted about a
single round Of five minutes, at the end
OF which the two principals We're badly
winded.
There Is hardly a chance now for any
outdoor practice until next week. when
the entire team will be here. But for the
snow of yesterday the chances are that
the field would have been In good shape.
but the latest blizzard simply makes 1t