Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-13
GR|FF'S PLAYERS
ALREADY IN SHAPE
Regulars Show Excellent Con-
diti0n in Two Hard Work.
outs Yesterday.
JOHNSON AND HUGHES
COULD PITCH NOW
Walter Seems to Have More
Speed Than Ever and Tom
Is Very Effective.
BY ]. ED aR1LLo.

| any signs or the strain. Two ball games
and several hours general practice
proved a severe test, but found none of
| them wanting. 1t was the regulars who
| We're sent the entire route The young
| sters after practice in the morning and
/ winning six-inning game from the reg
| ulars, were allowed to rest during the
1 afternoon. Not SO with the regulars,
however. They had to play nine innings
| against the Virginia college team in the
! afternoon. besides indulging in lot OF
| practice before the game. Griffith did
| not use any of his veteran pitchers in
! either of the games. 1t was a day for
the young twirlers, and with one excep-
| ton every one of them showed to good
advantage. Bickers, Barton and GaIlia
acquitted themselves well in the morning
while Joe Engel and Joe Boehling proved
almost invincible against the coliegians
[ in the afternoon. 1t is questionable IL
| any other team in the country which has
had no more training than the Nationals
| could have put UP q better article OF ball
| There was little or no rault to find with
their playing and indeed 1t compared Ia
was of course, the most strenuous that
! the players have been asked to put
! in since they went into training, ana a
| few more like 1t will be sure TO have
/ every iHdH Ou 0uSe. mere was plenty OF
| hitting. dashes OF speed. good throwing
and. above all, effective pitching. by the
youngsters. Inability on the part Of the
| regulars to hit Galiia and Barton in the
morning game, while the youngsters
found sullivan easy, proved the undoing
! OF the former. but by good work In the
| afternoon game against Virginia they
managed to get an even break on the
| day.
| Before the. afternoon game Griffith
had both Walter Johnson and Tom
Hughes take their initial workout of
the pitchers slab, thus furnishing
| some good batting practice for the
regular team. II the season opened
I. tomorrow either Johnson or Hughes
could be used on the rubber without
the slightest fear. Both showed plain
~ yesterday that they are rounding
ways brilliant. He does not know
what sore arm is yet. Yesterday was
the first time this spring that he cut
loose for keeps. II anything, the big
fellow is faster now than he ever was
before. One could hear the ball whiz
/ through space after it left his hand
1t was the frst real speed that has
been shown here, and naturally few
| Of JOhnson'S offerings were interfered
| with by the batters.
Hughes followed him for a twenty
minute round, and the old fellow was
every bit as effective. Hughes has
I
this spring. and he expects to be one
OF the tarn's mainstays when the sea-
|. son opens. Usually q pitcher after he
+! has been in the game ten or twelve
seasons needs lot OF time in the
Hughes, however. He still rounds into
shape like a youngster, after a week
or SO of work.
Jack Egan. the young catcher.
1 handled the deliveries Of hnth TOhn.
son and Hughes, and he made a re-
markably good showing. The stocky
little fellow did not experience the
slightest trouble behind Johnson.
started in that he labored under the
! impression that he had bit of more
than he could chew. But with time he
| regained his confidence. and really
hind the plate. Egan, by the way. ls
a very promising looking young fell
| low. and batter OF much more than
ordinary ability.
| Nick Altrock has captured Charlottes-
vile. The eccentric comedian put on one
of his diamond sketches during yester-
days game. and all the local fans are
still convulsed with Laughter; Nick was
here and it made big hit. He also
broke into the game when it was won.
taking Milan's place in center. where he
made circus catch OF a liner with his
gloved hand. just after having singled
to right with a man on third.
| The attendance, of course. has been
rather weak, but now that Nick Is per-
forming, it is a good guess that the
crowds will be decidedly larger.
There seems to be no doubt about
Gallia making good this spring The
more one sees of him the better he
looks His work against the Regulars
yesterday morning was as good as any
seen here this spring. He had everything.
and while he was at an advantage In
that it was the first time the Regulars
have been asked to face curve pitching,
he nevertheless showed lot of stun.
Nick Altrock il responsible for Gallia
/ being with the Washington club. 1t
was at Altrock's recommendation that
Gallia was purchased. and Nick is con-
fident that the youngster has q bright
! future before him. I'm my many years
experience have never recommended a
baliplayer to any major league club.
until saw Gallia and told Griffith about
him." said Nick this morning. Before
did this I convinced myself that Gallia
had the stuff. and while he did not show
| it last fall. because he was not in good
health then. now that he is. right
forget it,
Ray Morgan appears to be on another
one Of his hitting sprees this spring. for
a game he gets couple or more his.
| while in practice he hardly ever, fails to
send out line drives. Ray believes that
he will be consistent performer with
the stick this year and II he makes good
| in this respect he will give Laporte q
hard fight for that second base position.
Morgan has improved wonderfully in the
| field at second and 1t is questionable II
there Is another man In the squad his
equal In this respect.
Joe Gedeon practiced with the team
yesterday morning. but, on the advice OF
Trainer Martin, was sent to the club
house when the game began because of a
bad cold which has had him in his room
| for the last few days.
Gedeon demurred when told that he
would not be allowed to play. He. like
most of the pla yers, likes to be in action.
but. the ruling of the trainer obtained
and Gedeon had to take OF his uniform.
| 1t is. of course, not to be expected
that q boy so young as Acosta can break
Into the major league the first year out
of school. but there 10 not the slightest
doubt that Griffith has picked up COM
a. -