Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22

I than last He lost that aIdermanic ap
pearance for which he was noted, and
though he still weighs in the neighbor.
hood Of $50 pounds, he is moro trim and
looks more At than he used to. In the
one game he worked in at Charlottes.
Vile, Boehling made a very good I'M
preston. and this. too, without ever re-
sorting to change Of pace.
Doc Yancy Wyatt Ayers, former Rich
mond phenom. stands good chance o.
proving q valuable man for Griffith:
pitching staff. There is nothing partic.
ularly sensational about Ayers, but HI
has perfect control. cracking fast bal
he is a student Of the game and one
| Of the most willing workers that the
game has ever producted. Ayers report
ed too well fed. but he has not beer
worked harder than has he at charlottes.
vile, and as a result he comes nearer
to being in perfect condition than any OF
| his teammates.
Griffith. who has 'been giving lot OF
attention to Ayers training, looks for him
| to develop into a valuable man. and he
| is already picked to more than fill the
| hole created by Bob Groom's leap to
the Federals.
the Nationals could boast of reliable
| left-hander. Boehling's work was by
far the best of any southpaw the local
team has had since the days Of Case
Patten. Since the days Of that veteran
| we have had Dolly Gray. Bill Otey. Jim
Vaughn and one or two others, none OF
whom made good. The demand for left
ranred Of class has long since been recog-
nized. yet none seemed to be available
until the lucky pickup Of Boehling bet
tered conditions. Now, however, there
well supplied with left-handers. 1t has
been his good fortune to corral a pair
OF youngsters who in the judgment OF
| some of the best Judges identified with
the club have the making of real stars
Harry Harper and Jack Bentley are the
two referred to. 1t Is questionable whether
there Is another instance where couple
! Of boys not yet out Of their teens have
shown such remarkable improvement. It l!
two recruits. Both Of them have worlt
of ability and 1t would not be at al
surprising to see both of them run Joe
| Boeh1ing tight race for premier honors
in which event the Nationals will have s
pitching staff that will be hard to beat.
It is not likely that after his expert
ence at Charlottesville Manager Griffltt
will consider any proposition to return
there in the future to fit his team for the
campaign. It is true. Of course, that the
siege of cold weather and snow which
be encountered there is rather unusual
but it is apt to come most any time since
1t has been proven possible this year.
To any one unbiased 1t should be plair
that the Nationals chances for the pen
nant this year are brighter than they
have ever been in the history Of the club
It would, of course, be decidedly helpful
to the teams hopes If it could get dowr
to fine fettle in time for the opening Of
the season SO that good start would
be assured The weather at Charlottes.
Vile this spring was such that it should
be avoided in the future, even If as q
rule the climate there Is of the kind de-
sired.
There are several reasons why. if 8
switch of training camps is made. the
Nationals ought to go to Cuba. To be-
gin with, the climate Is ideal for thu
purpose, and. what is more, the clut
could reap a harvest on the island BY
playing exhibition games. Clark Grifitf
is in the eyes Of the Cuban fan tbs
greatest man in American base ball
The patriotic islanders know that il
was Griffith who brought the Cuban into
the major leagues and they have beer
singing his praises ever since. Any
club that he is identified with is sure
to draw record crowds in Havana Fur.
thsrmore, Walter johnson has neveI
been seen there. But aside from the