Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-19
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Heretofore the easiest team in the Ma
tional League for Mathewson to beat was
Cincinnati. 1t has been said that all that
was necessary was to place a picture Of
Matty on the slab and the Reds would go
out in order But it is not believed that
the Giants great pitcher will have things
SO much his own way this year when he
faces the yorktown aggregation. The
acquisition Of Joe Tinker is expected to
make a big difference. No player In the
old league has been so successful against
Matty as the Cubs former shortstOp.
Innumerable games have been won from
Matty by the Cubs because of Tinker's
prowess with the bat when facing big
Six" Long drives at critical stages by
Tinker have caused his rival many uneasy
moments. Out in Cincinnati they figure
that Joes presence on the team Is go
ing to make a difference so far as Ma
thewsona effectiveness is concerned,
which. Of course. would affect the Giants
showing. for in past years as many as
campaign by Mathewson from Cincin-
natl.
Every spring the major league ball
teams going south for training purposes
start earlier than the previous year.
The early start habit is becoming COM
mon. Everybody will be doing 1t this
season. However. it may have been no
ticed that the Giants were rapidly going
to pieces. at the close OF last season.
showing that the long grind. due to the
early start. was wearing the team out.
Strong competition might have broken
up the club completely. AS it was. the
wretched playing of the men during the
worlds series Is history. 1t is ascribed
by many to the unusually long period
during which the men were geared UP to
pennant condition
q phenomenal
pitchers Tesreau and Marquard. the lat
ter breaking a worlds record in his early
work. the Giants could not have won the
pennant.
From February Is to October. prac-
tically eight months. is too long for ath-
letes to be kept on edge. They grow stale,
nervous and wanting in pep" and vigor.
The teams which take 1t easy at the
start seem to have a good chance to
come with a rush at the close. Fred
Clarke is not hurrying his men. He will
be the bugbear for John McGraw this
season.
The failure of Jim Thorpe to join the
advance guard of the Giants has given
rise to the rumor that the Indian has
fallen into his old habits.
Training rules have been violated by
Thorpe on numerous occasions while he
was at Carlisle, and on one OCCASION his
conduct so angered Coach Glen Warner,
it is sad, that the latter inflicted a
thrashng,
Unless Thorpe can turn over a new leaf
his stay in Lase ball is going to be rather
shOrtlived. Regardless of what ability
he may display. a player must observe the
training rules these days If he expects to
stay in the big show. There are few
players in harness today who fail to take
the best Of care of themselves.
SOckalexis was a wonderful player q
few years back. He was to the National
League in those days what Cobb is today
But he insisted upon wandering from the
narrow path. and after a season or so
was virtually forced out OF base ball
Thorpe, once he gets under McGraw's
wing will be taught a lesson, but it re-
mains to he seen if he will take the game
seriously enough to behave himself.
Though the time for the players 10 go
south is at hand there is TO indication
that President Navin Of the Tigers is
weakening on the stand he. has taken
against his hold-outS-CObb, Crawford,
Dubuc and Stanage.
He insists that he will make no fur
Their overtures to these players, and that
they must sign for the amount offered or
remain out Of the fold. Here is his latest
announcement:
IF Cobb. ubuc, Crawford and Stanage
care to send In their signed contracts
during the spring training season they
are welcome to report to Manager Jen-
nings in the south-but II they hold Off
a rev Gays ucioto Tue OpcfIuiS OI TIE oed-
son they will have to show condition and
respectable playing at the beginning OF
the season.
although two or three major league
teams are already on the way south, and
although the remainder will be on their
way to the training camps before the
end of the week. ] am still determined
to maintain my position in regard to the
four players"
Horace Fogel intends to expose the In
side working of base ball. He has an
nounced that he will write all he knows