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

aren't out in front by ten
miles,"
The Old Athlete. wei 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 ne expounded his theory.
Il know athletes" he said; I've
been one myself; I've trained
'em. know EN- like Pop Geers knows
a trotter or like Mike Murphy knew
a track man. I can squirt at one
two blocks away and tell you whether
or not he is trained down to the min
ute
u know, of course, that you cant
train ball players down as 1ne 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
win go stale again and again. But
II 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. III buy you a
diamond scarf pin for every one who
is overturned If you will buy me
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 10 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 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
Il 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 il.
nDO you remember when the
u 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
them through grand course Of
sprouts They were trained then. And
their training lasted for ten days or
so They didn't lose a game. Then
they began to soften up and they
started slumping They are still at
IT,"
THIS theory, propounded by one of
i the Crackers most enthusiastic
rooters, is worthy Of attention. OBJ
yiously something is the matter with
the Crackers. We have said pitch
ers" until we're hoarse. But are the
pitchers altogether to blame2 Have
they had the support that twirlers
deserve from IA team that is trained
right down to fighting weight2 Maybe
so. maybe not.
OF course. il may be held that this
team is getting as much work and as
vigorous training as any team Atlanta
ever had But then teams are differ
ent just as men are different and
horses.
Did YOU ever follow the training of
thoroughbreds The man who has
them i'm charge win work some Of
them twice and three times as much
as others A naturally sluggish brute.
who takes on weight easily. will be
given truck horse treatment. \ why.
nervous nag will get almost no work.
for il is naturally In condition to race
any old time
Ii may be that this rule holds with
ball teams Il surely does with indi-
yldual athletes Some of them need
twice as much work as others.
Possibly Billy has one Of these
teams that needs a lot of work May
he they would be improved by going
at II more seriously, getting off all
superfuous weight and training right
down like a fighter
The theory is worthy NJ Considera-
ton surely it is a pity TO see the
hest team i'm Southern League his
tory trailing around in the ruCk