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

,HD you know why the Crackers
aren't out in front by ten
miles,"
The Old Athlete, Wen call him
asked me the question yesterday.
We'll, I'll tell you my opinion" he
The Crackers aren't in condition
They're not trained down fine
anough.'
Then he expounded his theory.
Il know athletes" he said I've
been one myself; I've trained
EN-. l know 'em like Pop Geers knows
n trotter or like Mike Murphy knew
n track man. I can squirt at one
TWO blocks away and tell you whether
or not he is trained down to the min
ute.
; II know. of course. that you can't
rain ball players down as fine as you
rain athletes for a track meet or
football players for a big game You
have to keep them in training, as
hest you can. from April to Septem-
har II YOU get them too fine they
viii go stale again and again. But
II YOU don't get them fine enough
hey will not play good ball
1T OOK over the Cracker players. %
l. continued the Old Athlete, elab-
Grating mis- theory. III buy you a
diamond scarf pin for every one who
Is ovartrained Il you will buy me a
Mug % tobacco Tor every one who is
undeTtrdlned.
In my opinion" said he, Harry
EValchonce is in the best condition.
He isn't too fine. but he has got him
self down to point of greatest eff
annH5ffAT raRT1HI hA Ina
10 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 i'm the field and he is way
below his form in base-running, as
the records show. He's hog fat.
81 could go through tns whole list
and YOU would have to admit that
almost every man in the lot is too
What do they need? why, they
need lust what every man needs when
he is too fat-work and lots Of it.
uDO 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
Bin Smith had just been pushing
them through a grand course of
sprouts They We're 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
viously something is the matter with
the Crackers We have said pitch
ers" until were hoarse. But are the
pitchers altogether to blame? Have
they had the support that twirlers
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
ever had But then teams are differ
ent. just as men are different and
horses.
bid YOU ever follow the training of
thoroughbreds The man who has
them in charge Will 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. A wiry,
nervous nag will get almost no work,
for it is naturally in condition To race
any old time.
II may be that this rule holds with
ball teams II surely does with lndi-
yidual 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 il more seriously, getting of all
superluous weight and training right
down like a fighter.
The theory is worthy Of consldera-
ton Surely il is a pity to see the
best team in Southern League his
tory trailing around in the ruck.