Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-23
NATIONALS PUT IN
HARD DAYS WORK
Griffith Sends His Players
Through Two Strenuous
Practice Sessions.
WALTER JOHNSON SHOWS
REMARKABLE SPEED
Grounds Expected to Be Fit for
Opening Game With George
town Wednesday.
BY J, ED GRILLO.

| The Nationals put in more thar three
hours of hard work at League Park to-
day. From 10 until after II o'clock in
the morning the entire squad INDUCED
in fielding hunts and running around the
F., park and from 30 until after 3 o'clock
batting practice, in which most of the
pitchers We're given Il chance to warm
up. was held. The playing field is still
somewhat soggy. but IS rapidly getting
into condition. and if present weather
conditions continue the first game of the
season with Georgetown will be played
Wednesday.
Walter Johnson took his daily workout
this morning. 1t was a fifteen minute
affair, during which he displayed such
remarkable speed that even CLARK Griffith
was astounded Ainsmith did the catch
ing. Having had days rest, johnson
was at his best Griffith, in speaking of
his performance said:
Never before in my experience have
seen such an exhibition of pitching as
Walter gave this morning. did not
think it was possible for any human be-
ing to put SO much speed on the pail as
he displayed. 1t was marvellous per-
torrance and proves to me that waiter
is rounding into his best form early this
season. i look fot him to have the best
season of his career. Walter has been
taking these daily workouts and his arm
is already as strong as it will ever be-
and by the time the season opens he Will
be ready to duplicate his performance or
last season, when he pitched tfty-siX III
nings without being scored on.
All the exhibition games which are
scheduled to be played here will be called
at . pm.
George Mcbride was in uniform this
morning, practicing with the squad
His injured groin is not yet mended,
but it has improved so much that he
expects it to be entirely healed before
the week Is out He does not intend
to take part in any of the games, how
ever. for fear that he will have re-
currence of the trouble should he strain
his leg in making quick start. Joe
Gedeon will in all probability be played
at short during the exhibition season
or at least until Mcbride is certain
that his troubled groin is sound again.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
air was still a bit cool this morning,
cessantly that every one of them broke
out in sweat. Griffith insists that
every man on the squad do enough
every day to bring out the .perspira-
ton. He argues that when this is ac-
complished a player cannot help but
get in good condition, even though he
cannot indulge in actual playing of the
game.
Hughey Jennings has decided to retain
his entire outfeld. Cobb and Crawford
were assured of their POSITIONS, but II
was thought that a youngster would pc
found who could replace Neach in lett
field 1t seems, however. that none of the
recruits tried out SO far has shown the
proper form, and Jennings Is said to have
announced that the outteld of last year
will remain intact. Neach did not show
himself to be much OF ball player IN
the last campaign, and unless ne has
greatly improved the chances are that the
Tigers will be bit weak in left in the
coming campaign.
The injury to Chapman of the Maps
will undoubtedly necessitate considerable
of a change on the Cleveland infeld.
Manager Birmingham has no hope OF
being able to use Chapman Tor some
months, and he has about decided to
move Terry Turner to short field and play
Olsen at third.
That this change will weaken the field
seems to be the general belief Turner
proved himself Olsens superior at third
last year, and Chapman was one OF the
most capable shortstops in the league
There was a time, of course, when
Turner was the premier shorthelder, but
that was several years ago and 1t was
because he failed to cover the necessary
amount OF ground thdt ne was siiiileu "
third baseman. where there is less terri
tory to look after.
The two St. Louis teams, browns and
Cardinals. start their spring series in st.
Louis next Saturday. The clash between
the two tail-enders will be under the aus
pieces of the national commission this
year Last year the commission was ig-
nored by the two clubs and the result
was that the series proved a fiasco and
broke up in a row. Miller IIuggins'
team, the Cardinals, has had many new
faces placed on it. the deal with Pitts
burgh for konetchey giving it several
former Pittsburgh players. Branch
Hickey has also made several changes in
the Browns, so that it will be interesting
To note the outcome of these games