Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-10
NATIONALS READY
FOR HARD WORK
Griffith's Men in Shape to Be-
gin the Real Part of
s Their Training.
PLENTY OF CAPABLE
UTILITY MEN ASSURED
Three lnfieIders Are Showing
Form Much Above the
Average.
By ]. ED Gz1LLo.

49, BY ]. ED GRILLo.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
? CHARLOTTESVILLE Va. March To-
z One week OF outdoor training. though it
has been in weather which was none Of
sthe best, has put the members Of the
Washingto nteam in condition to fill in
the remainder of their time here at hard
work.
2 ssWeathSf conditions have considerably
improved and the chances are that there
. are many warm days in store for the
players. A rising thermometer is all
that is needed to put the finishing touches
on the athletes. The fact that it has
been dry under foot has more than Offset
the chilly breezes which have prevailed
here most every day. 1t has enabled the
players to indulge in outdoor exercise,
even. though they have had to keep on
the move to prevent being frozen. From
this out the real work will begin. The
soreness is just about leaving the play
ers' muscles and Manager Griff1th has
planned vigorous campaign for the re-
maipder. of the training period. There
is t0teia game or two played every day
from sthis out. in addition to the usual
batting and fielding practice, and by the
time The week ends the pitchers should
all be ready to let their arms out when
hsseaIunning and sliding win also be
piacticed.
3fAe sheld here is in splendid shape and
+ is possible to;worlSthe entire squad at
is4sgme time. II it be necessary to do
sosss-A$ yet none OF the older pitchers
A14sAeen asked to- extend himself.
Z GakAiCn has ETCHED Oft the. rubber once
!; ice; and Ensel taxes a daily work.
y4Ht fhere. but Johnson Groom and
nEhss have been kept away, from the
rH6oAf until they are ready to extend
themselves. All OF the youngsters, how
evsy AEe showing good. form,- though
noH&6fS4hem has been allowed to curve,
and NJ fse end OF the week. the batting
the pitchers win begin to mix them mp.
l. Cubans Ambitious.
Acosta and Calvo are the two most am
bilious players in the. camp. Not only
do they work hard. but they want to
learn the game and its finer points. Just
to show how anxious Caiyo is to- improve
himself was shown when he forced a
promise from Tom Hughes yesterday that
the old pitcher would use lot OF curve
balls when pitching against him. Hughes
10 considered to have one of the best
curves In the game. and Calvo, knowing
this, thinks he can strengthen his batting
by facing him in practice. Hughes. of
course, agreed. Acosta, on the other.
hand. has picked out Milan as his tutor.
He wants the Linden speed marvel to
teach him the finer points Of base rum
ming. The two Cubans devote their en-
ire time to the game. If they are not
practictng they are mingling with the
players and getting points from them.
!. abe In due time
- Joe Gedeon has won the admiration of
all the other players. Both the veterans
and the youngsters recosnize a coming !
watched. Though Gedeon came here In
the hope that he would be given a chance
In the outfield, he Is doomed to play the
in1eld. to which department Grimth has
saw him practice at second base he made
up his mind that Gedeon belonged there
and he proposes to keep him there all
through the training season. Gedecn 10
ing rapid Improvement. !.
Connolly and Welchonce Go Slow.
Connolly and Welchance. who. on their
last years record. must be figured as the
best hftters among the youngsters, have
not been showing well with the bat in
practice. Neither is anywhere near shape
and this probably accounts for the weak
ness-they have DISPLAYED when facing the
pitchers. But there IS no doubt about
> their ability in this respect. for their posi-
: ton at the plate indicates clearly that
when their eyes become trained they will
: be able to hit. Neither Of the youngsters
10 discouraged by reason Of their bat
ting slump. and they predict that they
: VIII make up for lost time before the
team leaves here. =,
If during the coming season it should
-happen that any one Of Grinith's infield-
ers should be fncapacitated tkere will be
no occasion for worry. for he will have
several capable men on the bench ready
to take the place of regulars Gedeon and
Williams can play either second or third,
and. n Morley is retained. he Is Just
the man-to substitute for Mcbride He
Is splendid fielder and would hold the
team intact for any period. Incidentally
either Williams or Gedeon is big enough
to move over to first base il the occasion
should arise, as they are as tall as GAN
dill, IL not as heavy.
1t wen t:sbe very long before Griffith
viii drop the ak. on that rather large
pitching staff of his. While 1t Is true
that none. of them has had fair trial
as yet, there are several who do not look
the part, and are sure to go back to the
minors---No decision viii be made as to
who should stay. and who should 20 until
Griffith has seen them all in action in
one Of the many. exhibition games which
are to be played before the season opens
So as not to discourage those players
: who may not be retained, Manager Grit
nth Yesterday had every man In the
squad measured for a road and home
uniform for next season. After the meas
urements are completed it is an easy mat
ter to eliminate those that are to go
elsewhere but I'm the meantime the play
er feels that he has reason to believe
that he viii be retained. and consequently
shows his best form I'm practice
There was no work for the players yes
ferday, though il was the best day that
the team has had since coming here. The
cool spell seems to have been broken, and
from this out mild weather OF the kind