Evening star., 1915-03-09
BY J. ED GRILLo.

| That ix-thouSand-d d-dOllar advance
money, which Walter Johnson obtained
| from the Feds at the time he signed
with the independents, did not, as an
| nounced at the time, spend much or It's
| time in transit from Coffeyville to chi
cago and return In fact, Weeghman
! kept the money the first time johnson
sent it to him after signing with
/ Griffith. johnson had deposited the
! Sc, 900 in his bank at Coffeyville. After
| signing with Washington he had GER
titled check made out and sent 1t TO
Weeghman, the owner OF the chicago
Feds, who had advanced him this
| amount. In due time the check, prop
erly indorsed by Weeghman, was re-
turned to the bank in Coffeyville, show.
ing that it had been cashed.
But it will be recalled that the story
was sent out from Chicago to the ell
feet that Johnson's check had been re-
turned to him and that Weeghman
would continue to refuse it.
| II had the advance money only until
| I signed with Griffith said Walter III
i discussing the transaction. iheh 20.
"A certified check for the amount ana
sent it to Weeghman. 1t was returned
| to me in less than week, having peen
cashed by Weeghman.
| johnson does not hesitate to say that
I he is tickled to be back with the Ma
! tonals. He displayed this fact as ne
| was given Il royal welcome oS iis
| former teammates when he walked
| into the fraternity house, Just before
| just come in from lunch Some were
playing cards and others lounging
about when Johnson entered. AS they
spied him his old teammates sur
| rounded him and offered tnelr hahos.
| johnson was affected and showed II,
, bashfully smiling as he called each
| player by his given name and blush
ingly said, Glad to see you again
johnson seems to have lost consider
able weight but that is nothing to
feel concerned about. for 1t is usual
in the spring to have him report light
He picks up weight very rapidly when
he is in training. Though Griffith sug-
gested that Walter could go to the
gym and take workout IN the after
noon, Johnson explained that he had
been travelling since Saturday ana
that he would prefer to get nights $
rest before starting in He Will be-
come active this morning. He says
that aside from having tossed ball
with a friend about week ago he
has not handled q ball since October.
Three parts of Griffith's regular in
field put in about twenty minutes at
BY hard work and some wind and sun,
the infield actually dried out in few
hours. SO that Griffith decided to give
his men a workout. Foster was put
on third, Mcbride at short. Morgan at
second and Williams at first 1t was
the liveliest first day practice that one
would expect to see. 1t was emily
and the players worked as fast as
possible and all of them INDUCED in
fast throwing. which reminded one OF
: ft,1 RI fnry
Bride and Foster had retired Pick was
worked In at third and Neff at short.
Morgan staying at second. The two
youngsters also exhibited good form.
Neff is back in good health and
he is sure to show something this sea
son if given the chance.
If Ray Morgan continues his present
pace it is safe to predict that ne VIII
have the best season of his career
with the Nationals. Morgan is rapidly
rounding into form. and his work In
practice yesterday showed him to have
gained lot of speed He IS De
termined to retain his position at sec
! ond base and is working hard with
this end in view. He is rapidly getting
off the surplus weight he has been
carrying around. and within week or
SO will be much lighter than he was
when the last season closed.
What is most encouraging about
Morgan's chances is the fact that he
purposes to take good care OF himself
For one thin, he has absolutely stop
ped the use Of cigarettes, which is sure
TO mage a big digerence in him
That is = remarkable throwing arm
| which George Mcbride possesses
Though he had not handled ball since
the close of last season, Mcbride threw
in midseason form from short field
yesterday. Mac attributes the fact that
he has never had lame arm to his
method of throwing. He uses much OF
his body In throwing and takes long.
careful motion which does not strain
his arm in the least Furthermore
| Mcbride never throws his hardest un-
less he is forced to make a close play
! thus saving his arm u great deal dur
| ing a season
! If the weather here was more
favorable for training work the ball
field at Lambeth Field would be one of
the greatest in the country. Not only is
| it smooth, making balls bound truly,
! but il has the most remarkable drying
morning at 10 O'Clock. for instance. it
| did not seem possible for the infield to
| be used for several days, even II the
| sun should play on 1t during that time.
and yet by o'clock in the afternoon
| the indeld was dry enough to allow
the players to work on it. Griffith
also had all the snow taken off the
outfield and with a few clear days this,
too, will be in good condition.
Griffith watched Booth Hopper work
| out this morning and he was very
much impressed with the way the Ten
nesseean handled himself. Hopper has
| had three or four years experience in
professional base ball and has bene-
| fitted by his. While, of course. he will
no. have a chance to show his worth
| until he gets into some real games. he
gives every promise in his warm-ups
| Of being capable, which, needless to
say counts for much.
Bert Gallia took his first work out
yesterday. Like Hopper. he has been
pitching for couple of weeks and is
| almost ready to twirl full game. Cal
| liza halls from Texas and it is warm
there early in the year.
| There is no doubt that there is going
to be real contest on for at least one
Of the three outfield positions this
| spring. All of the youngsters will try
| to dislodge Howard Shanks. whose hit
| ting has not been satisfactory in the
| three years he has been playing left
| realizes that with harder hitter in
left his chances In the race would be
| improved and he proposes to find out
| If he has any material on hand that
can outhit Shanks. Milan. of course.
| is a fixture in center and ordinarily
| this could be said of Moeller, who,
| while he did not hit UP to his standard
| last season, played brilliant inside ball
| and did well In the field. Moeller,
when he is hitting around the 800
| mark. is one of the most valuable men