Evening star., 1915-03-08
Playing Field at CharIottes-
vile Not in Condition
to Be Used.
FOSTER AND MORGAN DUE
FOR HARD TRAINING SIEGE
Both Infelders Have Much Surplus
Weight to Remove-Johnson
Not Heard From.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

CHARLOTTESVILLE Va, March s.
indoor work is all that is to be ex-
pected for today. The players took a
work -out in the gym this morning and
will go back there this afternoon. 1t
will be several days under the most
favorable conditions before the play
,ng field will be fit for practice pur-
poses. There is no snow on the in
field. but the outfield is covered foot
or deep. while antarctic wind
sweeps across the field from the near
by mountains. There is nothing sug-
ssestive of training place for ball
players i'll this section just now. but,
of course. Mr.. Griffith is still hopeful
that the weather will moderate and
the sun drive away the snow and cold.
lie is arranging to have 4 lot of saw
dust brought to the ball field, which
after being. spread about the infield
will be soaked with gasoline and ig-
nited. This is expected to hurry along
and drying-out process.
All the pitchers worked out for more
tnan half an hour i'll the gym this
morning. They used nothing but speed
aud had their deliveries handled by
Henry. Williams and Ainsmith There
IS to be another dose of it this after
noon. The infielders as well as the out
helders 1nduised in fielding practice.
grounders being served on the hard
gym floor.
Eddie Foster will have to undergo a
strenuous training period in order to
get himself down to playing weight
The third sacker has a very alder
manic appearance this spring and he
viii have to indulge in the kind OF
york calculated to reduce him. Some
hing like twenty pounds will have to
come off the little fellow, which is not
an easy matter to accomplish. Morgan,
% course, still is overweight, but he
'-as made progress toward rounding
ito form since he has been here He
= td roster have been put under Train
- Martin. who has Gritfith's instruc-
tons to stop at nothing to get the two
..theiders i'll real shape during their
-tay here.
Up to noon today nothing had been
card from Walter Johnson, and there
considerable speculation as to what
as become of the big pitcher. A cou-
.}te OF weeks ago johnson wrote Griffith
,at he intended to come to Washing
on early and spend a week there be-
,re going to Charlottesville Since
len nothing has been heard from him.
nd while Griffith does not admit it, it
plain that Johpson's absence is an
owing him considerably.
Griffith says Johnson will show up
18th an explanation for his delay, and
scoffs at the insinuations that the
-derai League has kidnapped his star
-Eiffef or that he has changed his
md about reporting here.
Tne Nationals are slated to leave here
nr Richmond March 26 That gives
lem just eighteen days here and it is
trd to predict how many of these will
- utilized for real practice on the ball
feld. though there may be an adyan-
.ge in the fact that the players can
eep in fairly good shape working in
ne gym every day. but it is question
Die whether ball players are benefit
in the right way by this kind of
ork. One of the most essential fea-
res of spring training is batting
,sactice. and, of course, that cannot be
Adulged in anywhere but uI, the play
~ field. II would no doubt make a
= difference III the teams hitting if
re players got a couple of hours bat
ag pr:ttCice twice q day, but under
listing conditions this is out of the
f"stiou
The most promising of the new pitch
ers seems TO be Thornahlen, the left
lander from New Jersey. Thormahlen,
srho is but eighteen years old, is q
ood sized fellow and works so
smoothly and with apparently such
sood control that he makes a better
Impression than any of the young left
'landers when they made their debut
With the team. not even barring Joe
i;oehIing.
ThorYnahlen will be a big man when