Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-04
PLAYERS INTEREST
PLEASES GRIFFITH
All Hands Want Time for Re-
porting to Train Hur-
ried Along.
FEELS SURE NATIONALS
WILL BE CONTENOERS
Running Track to Be. Built
Under Grandstand-Boehl-
ing Signs Contract.
BY ]. ED GRILLO.

eff interest in the team and the game
counts for anything we will have the
liveliest lot of ball players in history,
remarked Manager Griffith this morning.
Every mail brings letters from the play
ers urging me to call them together and
get down to work. They can't wait to
start training and this is always splen-
did Indication. This morning Howard
Shanks dropped me a line. He Is anxious
to know when he is TO report He is al
ready in good condition and says he
can't wait to get down to Charlottesville.
Every player on the team seems to
feel the same way about it, and If We
have the weather we will be going at top
speed when the season opens, for the
players are interested in their work and
that is half the battle
Griffith does not feel discouraged be-
cause Hughey Jennings doubts the teams
ability to be as we'll up as it was last
year. He says that he is well satisfied
with the material he has on hand and
barring accident he will get much bet
ter start this spring than he did last, In
which event he expects to be nearer the
top at the finish.
II realize. of course. that it is going
to be hard race" said he. There
are a whole lot of good ball teams in
the race, ana II Will De d great duNdH-
tage to get good start, and that is
what / am going to work for Once
we get out in front they will have us
to catch. / feel confident that we will
have a stronger team next season than
we had last. Every one Of our players
should improve. and there Is surely
good chance for us to pick UP a man
or two who will help out. 1t will not
surprise me in the least II We develop
two or more good pitchers this spring,
n will he hard catch
mark that.
One of the two left-handers on the
Nationals staff sent in his signed con-
the Richmond wonder. who had two
trials with the Nationals last year
Boehling is still a green hand and Will
have to show a lot OF Improvement
before he can hold his own In this
company, but he has lot of natural
ability, and there is always a chance
for him to develop.
Austin, a college southpaw, is the only
lefthander on Grifhths staff. and he, like
Boehling, will probably need a lot Of ex-
rerience before he can be figured on to
give the team help. The chances are.
therefore. that Griff1th will go through
the season without a left-handed pitcher.
Americans has signed his contract. Last
season Sweeney was hOldout, not join
ing the team until June. He had splen-
did year. however, leading the catchers
and hitting around the three-hundred
mark Sweeney has written Manager
Chance that he is anxious to catch every
game next season, and he will undoubt-
eddy be given the privilege to go as far
as possible Though he was with the
team only a part of last season. Sweeney
caught 40 games. which would indicate
that he could go the entire route. bar
ring accident. as he has the physique to
stand the work.
Lefty Schultz is southpaw who was
picked up by the New York Americans
last fall and of whom much was expected
Griffith had a chance to secure Schultz
last spring. but the fan who recommend
ed him was candid enough to admit that
the youngster suffered from that tired
feeling. This settled his chances SO far
as Griffith was concerned. He does not
want players who lack ambition, regard
less Of what ability they may have.
Schultz had q very good year in the
South Atlantic League. and good judges
say that he is sure to prove a winner
for Chances team.
Groundkeeper Fred Fitzgerald is pre-
pairing a tan-bark-covered running track
under the grandstand, which will be used
by the players when they return from
their training trip In the event that the
field is not in trim to play on because
Of mill no nil