Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-06
CAN'T REPORT
EARLY IN SPRING
Pitcher Ayres Wants to
Finish Studies Before
Joining Team.
MILAN STILL UNSIGNED,
WANTS TO TALK TO GRIFF
Radbourne Has Greatest Rec
ord for Pitching Consec-
utive Games.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

DIR. William Yancey Ayres, the young
pitcher secured from Richmond last fall,
who is at present finishing his studies.
has notified Manager Griffith that he will
not be able to report to the Nationals
until the latter part of MAY. when his
course at college ends Ayres promises
to have himself in condition to pitch when
he reports, but Griffith is nevertheless dis
appointed at not having the yOungster
with his first squad at the training camp
1t will handicap Ayres a whole lot not
tn he with us at the outset OF the sea-
SON" said Griffith He will miss the
early training during which young
pitcher learns much and il may kill all
his chances for regular position.
shall try to convince Ayres that he is
making serious mistake in not reporting
with the rest of the players. He can
finish his studies at any time and II he
intends to spend few years in base ball
he Ought to give the game all his atten-
ton. Players who figure base ball as a
stimIher vacation never amount to much.
shall try to make Ayres change his
mind, for I have reason to believe that
he has a chance 10 make good pitcher.
Following his usual custom of not sign
ing bis contract until he reports at the
training camp, CLYDE Milan has returned
the contract submitted to him by Man
ager: Griffith. stating that he would prefer
10 take the matter up with Grifnth per-
sonaIy when he reported for training
work
Milan has done this every year of late.
lie Dies not care to carry on protracted
correspondence regarding the salary he
would like to have. preferrfng to talk 1t
over with the manager while in the
south.
Milan has always been successful in
these confabs. and Griffith has notified him
that :the plan is perfectly satisfactory to
him.:
Griffith received word from CharlOttes-
vile sthis morning that the question OF
whether the team can train there this
spring will be definitely settled tomor-
row.. 1t is likely that Griffith will go to
the Virginia town I'm a day or so ana
make definite arrangements.
Frank Bancroft. business manager Of
the Cincinnati Reds. was manager of the
Providence club in 1884. when Charles
Radbourne made his remarkable record
of pitching twenty-seven consecutive
games of which he won twenty.six. Ban
croft tells the story Of that great pitch
of the season Sweeney. one of our pitch
ers .guit us and the club was going to
disband. for pitchers were scarce and
things looked bad The directors were
abOu1 TO TOSS up tne SpOuSt j tuch
that If they would let me pay Old HOss-
that's what we always called Radbourne
-Sweeney's salary besides his own I'd
win THE pennant. They gave me the
laugh. but put it down in black and white
that Old IIoss was to get two mems sal
AIRY. 7 put the proposition up to Rad
and he said he'd pitch his arm off TO win
the flag.
''Radbourne won eighteen straight
games and all within month After he
had pitched about fifteen straight games
7 looked for him to give up the job every
day but he wouldn't. He said he wouldn
quit until cinched the flag. 1t took
Rad about half an hour to get warmed
up before each game. His arm was so
sore he couldn't throw a ball with an
overland motion when he first went on
the field. He had to toss underhand.
When Rad began to warm up he had the
catcher stand behind the plate and he
stood about ten feet in front of the plate.
He tossed the ball undetermined and grad
ually kept getting his arm higher as he
loosened up. AS his arm felt better he
began to take a step backward after each
pitch. BY the time he reached the pitch
ers box he was throwing with side-arm
motion. and by the time he got back to
second base he could get his arm over his
head During the first two weeks that
Rad worked every game he pitched four
games against Boston and they got only
one run off him. Rad pitched until we
cinched the pennant. then took good
rest