Evening star., 1914-03-11
BEST |NF|ELD IN
LEAGUE, !" GRIFFITH
Nationals Manager Says No
Other Quartet Compares
With His, DefensiveIy.
TEAMS FIELD PRACTICE
AGAIN BARRED BY SNOW
Players Seem to Be Getting in Fair
Shape-Johnson Is Putting
on Weight.
BY J. ED GRILLO.

showing startling form at third base. As
for Morgan, he, has just naturally I'm
proved with time. The fielding exhib!-
tions which the iniieid is giving. even this
early in the season.. is bringing praise
from every available source. and .brouSh
from Griffith the statement that it was
the fastest lnfieid in the league.
Il, Of course, grant that Aac-is in5clo
Will outhlt mire, out 1t Is rot III the same
class when it comes 70 feeding and iasi
work. l don't be4seve that a better COM
bination OF lnfielaers was eSe.' gotten to-
gctner, and this VIII be generally con
ceded when the coming season is over
THIS is the way GI1ff put 1t.
rhe practice yesterday afternoon was
but 4 repetition OF the one OF the day be-
ior= Livery one or the infie ders Gis-
liuguished himself by brilliant worx. and
TIE lev fans who,sat in the stadium ap.
pi,.uaed. -serera.-of the plays which were
pulled off
Walter Johnson's prediction that he
would gain anywhere frcm ten to
tw elve tounds during his training here
as en- a fair way to be realized. This
mcrning the scales showed Walter to
have picked up exactly six pounds
since the day he reported, and he fig
ures that anywhere from four pounds
to si.i pounds will be added before he
leaves here. -----..---
1t Is one Of the peculiar features of
johnson that he grow's with the train
ing work. Incidentally. he hes never
been bothered with q lame arm. Most
after the first few workouts in the
spring. while some Of the arms get SO
sore that they are absolutely painful.
Not 50 with Johnson, however. He re-
marked today that his arm had never
been sore, and he gives his reason
fer it.
When ] start out to get ready in the
spring ! never strain my arm until
am satisfied that 1t has become ac-
custcmed to the strain. When ] let 1t
ruined themselves by trying to hurry
things along in the spring and l don't
take any such chances"
Harper. the Hackensack southpaw,
which had been limited at In these col
umns. was plainly demonstrated yes
terday morning when Manager Griffith
worked the youngstcr for fully half
an hour against the batters.
Griffith was elated with Harper S
showing. He had a world of speed and
perfect control and held the batters In
check during the entire time that he
was on the rubber.
Harper is hardly nineteen and is per-
haps bit young to be figured on for
the pitching staf this season. but that
he viii ultimately make a great pitcher
Is generally conceded, and Griffith is
not sure that he will not deliver the
goods the coming season.
Griffith seems to have picked up a very
likely youngster in Paul Smith. the Ad-
rian. Mich, outfielder. Dan Moeller is
Smiths sponsor and he seems to have
made splendid selection. Smith played
with Adrian last season. hitting .S35. He
10 hfey aat
seems that the condition of his contract
made him a free agent at the end of the
season. If he was not drafted. He was
overlooked i'm the draft and then the
League club. for $1.500. Smith. however,
contended that he was free agent and
was sustained by, the national commis-
sion. Griffith succeeded in securing him
gratis.
None of the. young, outtielders look as
He has a nice swing at the ball, stands
up well. and is fast on the bases. He
has a convincing way about him and
should make a player in due time.
There were two hard practice sessions
yesterday under conditions which were
by far the best since the team has been
here. While the morning air was bit
crisp, it warmed up nicely during the
afternoon and the players found it no
regulars and youngsters were worked
both morning and afternoon. Batting
practice was held after dinner and the
regulars were much benefited thereby.
Gallia, Shaw and Ayres did the pitching,
and cut loose. Gallia, who has been in
training for fully a month, was given
permission to use curves, and this fur
nished the best kind of practice for the
batters whose eyes are sadly In need of
training. The batting practice was made
quite strenuous. for every time a batter
hit the ball he was forced to circle the
bases at fair speed, and as this was kept
up for nearly an hour and a half the
players legs also got thoroughly limbered
up.
Bill Allen, the outfielder secured from
Montreal, who was to have gone to Los
Angeles shortly. will not join the coast
club. Allen lives in the east and re-
quested that some other arrangement be
made which would keep him In this sec
ton of the country during the summer
Grifhth accommodated him and secured
permission from the Los Angeles club
It Is more than likely that Allen will be
found with one Of the International
League teams again the coming season.
For the time being he will continue to
train with the Nationals.
NICK AItrOcF Is IN Charge OF the rookie
team and he is very proud of his position.
He has challenged the regulars. and vows
that II his team loses single game he
will quit base ball for all time to come.
These games will be daily affairs, starting
next week very likely.
That Grifath has no intention Of max
ing any change in. the batting order
which was in vogue last year Is indicated
hx, fbn foot that the Y1layers are ho ttS, q
in the regular order in practice. Moeller
leads OF, and then comes Foster. Milan.
Gaudil. Morgan. Shanks. Mcbride and
the battery. This undoubtedly will be
the lineup on opening day. unless al,
accident should prevent one of these
players from being in service at that time
Eddie Foster is given credit for being
one of the few scientific batters in the
league. He can successfully send the bal
In any direction he sees At. This feat
has been accomplished by constant prac'