Evening star., 1914-04-09
COLD SNAP DOES
NOT STOP PLAYERS
Manager Griffith Will Continue
Hard Practice Regardless
of Conditions.
MAY PLAY N. A. C. TEAM
IF WEATHER MODERATEs
Clubs Chances Depend on Strength
of Pitching Staff-Base
Ball Gossip.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Practice by the local squad was aban-
doned this morning. 1t was much too
chilly fo- the players to don their uni
forms. and Manager Griffith thought it
advisable to let the players spend the
morning in idleness. At half-past this
afternoon, however, he had the entire
squad out and put it through a brisk
assortment of work. If the weather
moderates. he intends to have the Reg
ulars play the Maryland Agricultural
College team this afternoon, the game
being called at ) o'clock
1t is the intention to allow Walter
Johnson and Eddie Ainsmith to act as the
battery for the collegians, providing the
weather is such that there will be no
danger of Johnson hurting his arm
Tomorrow and Saturday the Boston
National League team will be the at
traction here. George Stallings' team,
which made SO unexpected showing in
the last campaign, is looked to spring
another surprise in the coming race
Stallings has built up very useful ball
team since taking hold in Boston. and
it will require the Nationals, best efforts
to beat them in the games here
bitter disappointment to Manager Grif-
fifth and his players. The team was just
getting into it's best form as a result of
the warm weather early this week, and
Griff figured on having his charges at
their best for the opening of the season
in Boston next Tuesday. The present
cold snap. however, is sure to give the
players another setback. If ever a team
was in need of protracted spell of
warm weather it is the locals. With few
exceptions all of the players are at their
best when the weather is warm, and it
is not expected that the team will be
able to do itself justice if the cold snap
continues.
For time. at least, Henry and Ain
smith will do all the catching for the
Nationals Alva Williams will hardly be
able to perform behind the bat until the
warm weather sets in, because of his
throwing arm, which. while it has i'm
proved steadily this spring. is not yet as
| strong as it will be- later. Henry and
Ainsmith, however, are both in good con-
dition and will be able to take care of
all the catching for some time to come,
barring accidents, of course. Both of the
young catchers have been hitting we'll
tn1S SpTlUS, dlO IL tHSy Cdu hcGp up CIl6lF
present clip, they will be of much more
help to the team this year than they
have been heretofore.
While there have been few idle days
! for the Nationals this spring, the fact
! that but few real warm days have been
enjoyed has undoubtedly been a handi-
| cap Barring a few Sundays the play
ers have done some sort of training
every day since they reported to Man
ager Griffith. AT Charlottesville many
days were spent in the gymnasium when
| it was impossible to work outdoors, and
since returning to their own grounds no
| days have been missed, for when it has
been impossible to go on the field, work
| has been done under the grandstand.
| Physically the players are in splendid
condition, but there is no doubt that the
Eteam as a whole is still far from being
| in its best form, because of the lack OF
warm weather, which does more to get q
ball team in shape than anything else
It was hoped that the present weeh
would furnish the necessary weather, buI
| this seems again to be disappointment
| so that the chances are the Nationals
will go into the campaign far from be
ing in their best form. Whether any o
its rivals will have an advantage in thi:
| respect remains to be seen None of thu
teams is believed to be at its best this
spring.
Many of the major league clubs will
carry their entire squads during the com
ing season. Pittsburgh. for instance, ha,
ltwenty-seven players on its list and ac
lcording to recent announcement .,