Evening star., 1915-03-14
Advance Showing of Spring Styles
Mertz & Mertz Co., Inc, 906 F St.
NATIONALS HAVE DONE MUCH
TOWARD GETTING INTO SHAPE
PROGRESS Made in Last Few Days Of Work
at Charlottesville-Team Should
Be Considerably Stronger

fact that he seems to have improved
his hitting more than a little since
he has adopted the Foster system of
practicing hitting into right field. 1t
is decidedly doubtful IL there is an
other shortstop in either major league
who has been a more consistent per-
former than Mcbride. 1t is an actual
fact that in the seven seasons he has
played with the Nationals he has NOT
missed more than five or six days in
the lineup. For several seasons he
did not miss a game. and. though he
has always had to take most OF the
chances of being injured by covering
second base on attempted steals. he has
escaped without any serious hurts. And
when it comes to efficiently covering
the bag and touching runners Mcbride
is in a class by himself. This is ad-
mitted by rival catchers and managers.
thrower with Mcbride covering the bag
must have a very weak arm, indeed.
Henry and Ainsmith. while accurate
throwers, never hesitate to cut loose
with the ball. knowing it will be deX-
terously handled if thrown within
reach Of Mcbride. a fact which has
been one of the greatest factors of
the Nationals famous defense.
While it is by no means settled that
any of the youngsters who are now
getting their trials with the Nationals
season, there is every reason for be-
lieving that two or three of these re-
cruits will eventually make their way
into big league base ball. Massey
and hitter. He ought to develop in
very short time. Neff is ready now
to go into the game on occa asions and
this also is true of Charley Pick.
For several of the young pitchers the
future promises much. Bentley and
Harper look to be ready. but that
youngster, Thormahlen, who is but
eighteen. will be heard from some day.
Acosta, of course, has had three years
of training with a major league club
and he gives every indica tion at this
very time of being able to make good
on most any team. On the whole. the
club has been fortunate in picking up
young players, none of whom has cost
much. but appear to be chuck full OF
ability of the natural kind.
There is nothing surprising about
Eddie Fosters ability to place-hit. 1t
is second nature for him to practice
this feature Of the game and because
of this he has grown expert IN the art
When Foster started out as profess
sional ball player he straight
away hitter and none too good a one at
that But he realized his own weak
ness and began to practice, and he
demonstrates one of the few instances
where a player mas improved ms stlCh
work without changing his position at
the plate from right to left handed.
There are many instances of this KIND
on record, but Foster acquired his abiI-
ity by hard practice and he has never
stopped trying to do things with the
bat when he is at the plate.
1t is really to be regretted that there
is so much cold wind in evidence on
the ball field here at Charlottesville,
for so far as the playing field is con-
cerned there rs nothing like it any
where. Its drainage facilities beat any
thing ever heard of and if warm
weather prevailed it would simply be
an ideal training place, for there are
few spring quarters where the playing
field comes up to the regulation big
league standard. They are usually or
the skinned variety and none too
smooth, but the one on Lambeth Field
is perfect.
On what Booth Hopper has shown
in the little while he has been with
the team he is very apt to prove
valuable man for Griffith. He Is
pitcher of the Tom Hughes type. not
quite so tall, perhaps, but mentally
constructed on similar lines. That IS
to say, he has lot of good base ball
sense and knows how to use that which
his arm propels, which is about all
there is to good pitching. The best