Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-12
CRACKERS NOT
TRAINED DOWN
FINE ENOUGH
SAYS OLD ATHLETE
BY Percy H. Whiting.
NHD you know why the Crackers
aren't out in front by ten
,,7ilas

aren't out in front by ten
miles?"
The Old Athlete, Wen call him,
asked me the question yesterday.
Well I'll tell you my opinion he
said.
THE Crackers aren't in condition.
They're not trained down fine
enough"
Then he expounded his theory.
y know athletes" he said; I've
been one myself; I've trained
'cm. I know EN- like Pop Geers knows
trotter or like Mike Murphy knew
two blocks away and tell you whether
or not he is trained down to the min
ute.
Il know, Of course, that you can't
train ball players down as fine as you
train athletes for a track meet or
football players for a big game. You
have to keep them in training, as
best you can from April to Septem-
Der If you get them too fine they
will go stale again and again But
if you don't get them fine enough
they will not play good ball
al OOK over the Cracker players"
l. continued the Old Athlete, elab-
Grating his theory IN buy you a
diamond scarf pin for every one who
is overturned if you viii buy me a
plug Of tobacco for every one who Is
Undertrained.
In my opinion" said he, Harry
Welchonce is in the best condition
He isn't too fine. but he has got him
self down to a point Of greatest eff
cheney. His condition would be hard
to improve on
Tommy Long? Why, he's no.
where near his best condition. OF
course, he is hitting them a mile,
But any fat man could do that. He is
not covering nearly the ground he
ought to in the field. and he is way
below his form in base-running, as
the records show. He's hog fat.
81 could go through the whole list
and you would have to admit that
almost every man in the lot is too
fat
What do they need? Why, they
need just what every man needs when
he is too fat-work and lots of it.
HDO you remember when the
l. Crackers started the season
how they ate up the league?' asked
the old Athlete in closing. They COW
cred the whole lot and they ran bases
like wild men. Do you realize that
Bill Smith had just been pushing
them through a grand course of
sprouts. They were trained then. And
their training lasted for ten days or
so. They didn't lose game. Then
they began 10 soften up and they
started slumping They are still at
it
THIS theory, propounded by one of
L the Crackers most enthusiastic
rooters, is worthy of attention. OBJ
viously something is the matter with
the Crackers. We have said pitch
Crs" until we're hOarse. But are the
pitchers altogether 10 blame? Have
they had the support that tWirleTS
deserve from a team that is trained
right down to fighting weight? Maybe
so. maybe not
OF course. it may be held that this
team is getting as much work and as
vigorous training as any team Atlanta
eyer had. But then teams are differ
rnt. Just as men are different and
hor cs.
DID you ever follow the training Of
thoruuehbreds The man who has
them In charge viii work some of
them twice and three times as much
as others A naturally sluggish brute,
who takes on weight easily, VIII be
given truck horse treatment. a wiry,
nervous nag VIII get almost no work,
for ID is naturally in condition to race
any old time.
10 may be that this rule holds with
ball teams II surely does with indi-
yidual athletes Some Of them need
twice as much work as others.
Possibly Billy has one of these
teams that needs lot of work May
be they would be improved by going
al IL more seriously getting off all
superduous weight and training right
down like "a fighter
The theory is worthy Of considera-
ton. Surely it is a pity to see the
best team in Southern League his
tory trailing around in the ruCk