Evening star., 1915-02-15
HARPER REPORTS
READY TO WORK
HackensaCk SouthpaW Leaves
for Annapolis With
Jack Bentley.
BY j. ED GRILLo.

Harry Harper. the most youthful
member of the Nationals pitching
staff. arrived here this morning and
together with Jack Bentley left for
Annapolis with Coach Nick Altrock
this afternoon. The two southpaws are
to take part in all the work indulged
in by the Inidshipmens pitching staff
which Altrock is coaching.
Harper looks to be in splendid condi-
tion He is filling ou- and in time
promises to be one of the biggest men
on Griffith's pitching staff. II am glad
to get a chance to start working early
this spring." said Harper. Il of course
need lot more experience and Nick
will be able to devote a good deal of
time to Jack Bentley and myself down
at Annapolis.
He can teach us more about pitching
than any one else. and ] hope to be
of help to the team the coming sea-
son. ] am going to work hard right
from the outset, and | am confident
will have good control this year
Harper spoke words of praise for
Thormahlen. the young left -hander
per said he had never seen Thormahlen
pitch, but that he had heard of his
work around Jersey and that he is
picked to develop into a good pitcher.
not figuring on tahing off much
weight.
The Detroit club does not propose to
bring Walter Schmidt, brother of
Charley Schmidt, former Tiger catcher.
from California. Walter Schmidt has
been touted as one of the cleverest
young catchers on the coast. and as the
Detroit club had an option on him it
was enabled to get him for little or
binO
looking up the dope on the young man
the other day, found that instead of
being a youngster he is twenty eight
years old and only five feet seven inch
es tall That settled his chances, for
it is evident that he is too small to
have a chance in fast company. Incl
dentally this explains why both Cleve
land and the Athletics. who had him on
their lists did not have him report.
Clarence Walker. former National and
now of the Browns. is flirting with the
FederaIs He has been negotiating
with the Pittsburgh team. Clarence is
a telegraph operator during the winter
10 the south. He played splendid ball
for the Browns last season. but is dis
satisfied with the salary he has been
offered. and wants to go to the Feds.
who have indicated desire to be very
liberal with him
,, Joe Kelly. sporting editor of the Pitts
those who believes that the decision of
Judge Landis will have Il beneficial ef-
feet upon the game in general Kelly
writes
should Judge Landis grant the
prayer of the Federal League and en-
| join every from tamperng with
ball players. will it not work to the
detriment of the Federal League? 1t
looks that way. There wasn't much
base ball playing exhibited on local
|
! the Luckeys, the McBrides, the Lud-
wigs and other amateur and semi-pro
organizations. They will tell you that
the Pittfeds and their conferees played
| good ball. Bunk. pure bunk. The Feds
were busily engaged in spending their
easy money, and ii is a court record
| that the National leaguers spent their
time dreaming of easy money. The
Fed race was a JOY ride. The players
said so themselves.
| It's not such a bad league remark
cd a visiting National League pitcher,
as he watched the Feds at Expo Park
| one day last summer, but they sure
pull some awful stuff
well. with the Fedhop no longer Il
major league possibility the Federals
will have to stand Oh their merits and
| no longer draw curious crowds just be-
cause some oldtime favorite is in the
| lineup. Old-time favorites draw to
certain extent. but in the end it's the
game the fans spend money to watch.
The Feds will lose advertising, but
they'll play better ball. At the same
| time the National Leaguers will be
back in the game playing ball and not
dreaming of jumps Taken as a whole
| the Feds are far below the standard
of the big leagues. The National seems
! to carry the edge.
| Being in a city where he could see
| both the National League brand and
| the Federal League brand of base BALI
last season, Kelly should be a pretty
! good authority on the caliber of the
! ball furnished.