The Washington times., 1913-01-23
GROOM ASSURES
GRIFFITH He WILL
HAVE GOOD SEASON
ForeWarns Climbers Manager
That He Is Going to Work
His Head Off.
HOPES TO ECLIPSE
LAST YEARS RECORD
Jack LeIiveIt Has Hard Battle
to Retain Regular Position
With Yankees.
By SENATOR"


Sir Robert Groom writes Manager
Griffith from Belsviile, H., that he is
In the pink of condition, whatever that
means, and, that he vii be on the job
! when the boSs report and that he
expects this to be his best year.
Groom has been passing the winter
quietly and. has taken on a few pounds
and tells his manager that he is going
to work his head off this spring. Last
year Groom had the best season he has
experienced IN the major aeagues AMI
showed that all the predictions made
two years ago could be fulfilled.
Groom ranked eighth IN the league
last year. winning twenty-four games
and losing thirteen for an average Of
.66s. johnson and Walsh were the only
American League pitchers to figure in
more games than the tai twirler and he
earned the reputation of being one of
the hard working pitchers Of the year.
Stiff Battle.
II Jack Leiiveit is unable to report
in the best of physical condition, the
former Washington hitter win stand
little chance of making a regular berth
for himself under F. Leroy Chance this
cRiAue. IlShl INV AhC ShiSdFO wy -
suffering from a torn muscle in his
thigh and will visit Doc Barrett in
Williamstown, Mass, for treatment
early next month. Barrett will give
him a daily massage in order to get him
into the best of shape before going to
Bermuda.
Leliveit is a hitter from way back,
but he is hardly speedy enough nor good
enough a retriever of fly balls to make
much Of a hit with his new boss.
Chance knows a good ball player when
he sees one, and Jack has woeful lspses
OF brain work at times that will not
make him over popular with the former
Cub chieftain.
To look at Lelivelt one would imagine
him one OF the fastest runners In sight.
He has pretty style OF lifting his
heels, but with all this form, as run
neys call IL, he fails to move faster
than man, a more awkward performer.
The New York scribes have already
doped Jack to play one Of the garden
lots, with Birdie Cree and Harry VOL
ter as companions in crime Ii he is
to succeed In this attempt, however,
he must be fit for his best work from
the Jump, or Chance will soon discard
him, despite his heavy hitting.
May Get Konetchy.
Barney Dreyfus is working heaven
and earth. and even the lower regions
10 get Ed Konetchy. the big first base
man, of the St Louis Cardinals. He
figures that Konetchy viii Just about
make the Pirates pennant winners for
ls1s
Honey is a hoIdout for $3.50, the price
walter johnson gets for his services,
and Miller Huggins just can't See this
At all. He has demanded an OUT
fielder. a good pitcher, and a second
baseman in return for Koney. The out
fielder is said to be Carey. the second
baseman TO be dots Miller and the
pitcher to be Camnitz- Barney Drey
fuss is doing the best he can TO arrange
the deal without losing men absolutely
necessary to the makeup of the team.
Chicago is also said to be seeking the
big Bohemian, figuring that he would
easily displace Vic Safer. and would do
much toward landing the flag in the
Windy City. However. Chicago hasn't
gins, and. for that feason. Pittsburgh
will be likely TO obtain the big fel-
low.
Battle for Third.
Johnny Priest, the local youth, will
put up a merry battle against Ezra
Midkiff, for that third bag In New
York. Priests light hitting alone
hsndicaps him In all other depart
ments he is the real thing the doctor
ordered. He and his friends believe
that, under the coaching OF Frank
Chance, he may learn how to improve
IN his stick work enough to land the
place.
Midkif bIoomed toward the fag end
of last season. He didn't hit so hard, |
reaching -24i, which is higher by four
points than Tyrus r. attained I'm his
first big league season, but he seemed
TO fill the vacancy at third in pretty
good style. Indeed, most New York
scribblers decided that he would be
the regular third sacker I'm 1918. Well. !
he and Priest will have to battle for
the honors.
A fitting contest is on in Chicago be-
tween Jeems Jawn Callahan on the |
one side and Charles Bazoo Murphy on
the other Callahan has certain ideas
about training youngsters and mem
TONED Il for a column or so I'm the pa
pers Of that beautiful place beside the !
lake. Then Murphy came out. not /,
wishing 10 lose any of the perfectly
good advertising, ard differed Help
help, Callahan, and his clan is now
busily engaged hurling bricks, meta !
phorfcal1y speaking, at Murphy and his |
mob. Yes. the boys do strange things |
In this glorious winter league