Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-11
BY J. ED GR1LLo.
peciaI Dispatch to The Star.

/ CHARLOTTESVILLE Va. March IL
Walter johnson expects this to be the
| banner year Of his professional career.
Great as have been the achievements OF
the Nationals speed marvel. he believes
! that when the coming seasons records
are completed that they will outshine all
| his former efforts. Johnson bases his
prediction ON the fact that he finds him
self in better health this spring than ever
before. He is stronger and bigger than
ne ever was, and could get himself in
perfect condition within the next ten days
| if it was necessary. Assured that he will
| have a good team behind him, Walter
expects to be returned loser but few
| times during the coming campaign. He
believes that he is better fitted to go
through a hard season of work than ever
before, and this, together with the fact
| that his team must be figured to have a
| better chance in the flag race than it has
ever had, he figures combination which
will force him to outdo all his past per-
! formances.
Not once since l have been with Wash
| ington have l gone through a season
without being handicapped by some sort
Of Illness and usually did not feel right
when / started in the spring." said john
son this morning. This spring it is all
quite different. I never felt better in my
| life. and feel as strong as an OK.
The Improvement dates back to the
| time that I had my tonsils removed,
| and / believe that everything favors
| me to have the best season 1 have
| ever had in the American League"
Though it was impossible for the
/ Iractice yesterday, the pitchers put in
| The best day Of their stay here in
doors. The workout of the twirlers
| in the gymnasium was by far the most
strenuous they have had. 1t was warm
| in the big room and, OF course, they
had nothing to fear from the chilly
( winds, so that Griffith gave orders for
them all to cut loose at top speed.
| The youngsters were even allowed to
| do some curving. and several of them
| surprised their manager by the splen-
! did breaks they put on the BALL
Johnson, Cashion, Groom and
Hughes were shooting the ball into
| the catchers' mitts with full force.
| suited could be heard even outside of
the building. There is not kinky arm
| in the entire squad. and there is not
the slightest doubt that Grifith's
fore the bell for the opening game
sounds.
There is some promising material
i
be developed in due time. Dent and
DrOhan have had experience enough
to give them a chance to make good
right from the outset Sullivan, too.
a lot. for he has splendid motion and
good speed. But Austin is the one
youngster that Griffith has hoped for.
The young left-hander with the, free
and easy motion may make a wonderful
pitcher one of these days. He is not
ready vet because he has never played
professional ball. but he has all the ear
marks OF coming star. His strong points
lie in the fact that he has good control,
which is always scarce among left
handed pitchers. Grih had him cutting
loose and curving yesterday afternoon
and he was much improved with his work.
minor league experience to- make Austin
La factor on any pitching stan. 1t Is hg-
ured.
1t will be happy day for the players
when they can get out on the field again.
Indoor work has more than one draw
back but the most objectionable feature
is that the work is much harder In the
ieys----.z ->,it is on the field. The medicine
most of the troubles. Griffith
-.s Ten or twelve OF the athletes to
form ring and then three heavy medi-
cine balls are passed around tn: circle
as rapidly as they can be handled. They
are thrown high and low and in order to
handle them the players are forced to
bring every muscle In their bodies into
lplay and about twenty minutes Of this
sort of exercise usually brings the perS-
piration flowing in streams and makes
the players weak on their under pinning
, Then, too. there Is no enjoyable feature
in the gym work. When outdoors the
, batting practice does much to make
things worth while. but of course. aside
from a little infield hitting. there is nc
chance. to do any batting in the GYM
Not only is IL most likely that there
will not be single change made In thu
lineup of the Nationals the coming sea
J SON, but 1t Is more than. likely that idep
, ticalIy the Same batting order az las
. season will be in vogue. Griffith is In &
different position from that Of any o.