The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-05
ALTROCK LOUD
IN PRAISES OF
HARRY HARPER
Uncle Nick" Predicts Ma
tionals' Southpaw VIII Be
Real Big Noise.
SNOW MELTING AWAY
Grif's Youngsters in Charlottesville
Are Hopeful Of Getting Out
of Doors Tomorrow.
By JOHN A. DUGAN.

By JOHN A. DUGAN.
| Charlottesville, Va, March 4-"Uncle''
Z Nick AltrOck, coach Of the young pitch
ers encamped in the Nationals training
quarters. was loud in praise Of the work
! Of the rockies at a tanning bee here
! tonight After finishing of the third
days work, Nick started handing out
boosts" for the youngsters who are
lastly rounding into form, although the
4 work has been handicapped somewhat by
the bad weather which has infested this
: berg since the arrival OF the Griffmen.
! Nick declared that In another week
! Harry Harper, the big Hackenssck
sOuthpaW. will be ready as his arm Is
/ free and IL is great temptation for him
l TO hold back. In speaking OF the con-
ditiOn OF the lanky side-wheeIer. AItrock
/ said: "Harper's arm Is almost o. X
as his delivery is already better than ]
I expected for such a little amount OF
/ work. His arm is free and he looks
! finer than any Of the other boys in camp
l really think that he will be better this
/ season than ever, and that he will be a
big help to the Old Fox when We climb
on the old band wagon. I was compelled
TO give him a csll-down again this after
noon as he is feeling right and wants 10
cut loose"
In speaking further Of the kid pitcherr
! Nick said: My greatest trouble with
| these young pitchers is to keep them
| from buzziHs EN- through. We have
nearly six more weeks TO finish out this
training before the old gong sounds. and
as We are out to fool a big bunch
1 Of the baseball experts who nick ms
down in the race. We will need every Kid
Of any promise
! Two other youngsters who have made
a big hit with the veteran Is George
| Humphreys. the Tate CGa-) southpav.
and Sammy Cuttings the Washington
! youngster. That little southpaw is al
most sure TO come through although he
/ Is handicapped by being small OF stature
/ His stde-arm delivery with a little zir
on the ball is the kind Of stun that will
/ fool the best Of them. and II this kid
mas got as much stun as they tell me he
| mas, ! feel sorry for some OF those
south side sluggers next summer"
/ Humphreys is the youngster MANAGE
Griffith obtained from the Norfolk club
last season. Although short in stature.
! he is a well-built yOUnEster and gives
all the promise OF becoming a biz
! Lacquer. In the Virginia League last
season the Dixie side-vheeler won
twenty-five games and dropped nine in
the forty-four contests he worked. He
| sent 10 batters back 20 the bench BY the
strike-out route. and was second IN the
/ league in this line. Gardiner. OF the same
club, beating him out by six Humphreys
who is only a youngsterr is already IN
| shape and is confident Of making EooT
: with the Grinmen.
The more I see OF this bow Gitttnrs
the more I like him. Prom appearances
l really think he has the goods. ana I
] would like to see him come through He
/ has that old side-sWeepfnE ball and
knows how to use all OF his strength
{ with it," said Altrock
Jack Ryan and Mike Martin are also
I impressed with the work OF these young
sters and are watching them carefully
all the time. Ryan catches Cuttings and
Humphreys at every practice and has
taken a great deal OF interest in their
work.
Trainer Martin absolutely denies that
there is any trouble with Jim Shav's
arm. and is confident that the shots in
ms neck will not effect him in any way.
( When Shaw was approached on the sub
ject, he denied feeling any soreness in
his salary wing and claims he Will be
| ready TO smoke them over when the OLD
Fox calls.
Shaw admitted that he contracted a
. heavy cold in the muscles OF his arm in
! Detroit last fall, and that at that time
( his arm gave him good deal OF trouble
He is sure that the long rest which he
has had all winter has fixed him right
and claims that he has not felt the least
a.. hitch or pain since coming to camp.
/ No word was heard from Mana gor
! Griffith today The Old Fox usually
! calls Trainer Mike Martin over the Ions
] distance phone every other day. Iuf he
! failed to get in touch with his Young
| sters today. Although neither Martin.
| Ryan or AltroCk viii confirm the story.
| it is rumorcd that the Old Fox will make
! a flying trip here tomorrow 10 get a
slant at his youngsters and general CON
/ ditions
! The snow. which has covered the sur
! face here during the last couple DAYS
! has entirely disappeared. as the sun
came out good and strong this afternoon.
! This little college berg is now a sea Of
mud but prospects are bright for a work
out on Lambeth Field Monday.
] The morning practice today was con-
I fined TO Fsyerweather gym. but this aft
ernoon the squad hikcd out 20 the run
/ ming track behind the y, NC A Build
/ ing and went through a long session
! It seems that the wires were slightly
! twisted on Alfred r. Ehrman. the former
! University Of Virginia catcher. who is
I working out with the Nationals Ehr-
man has not been declared ineligible In.
/ the university authorities and claims that
I Griffmen. Ehrman talked with Manager
I Griffith two weeks ago and the Old Fox
! agreed to give him a chance
/ Uncle Nick AItrock. who seems 10 no
the whole show for the college bows
claims to be tasty rounding into form
and says he is setting a great pace for
! Ray Morgan, the Baltimore boy Morgan
showed much Improvement today. and
( is rapidly coming down TO his playing
weight. In the afternoon workout ne
did fifteen laps around the running track
and finished of with a few games Of
handball with Trainer Martin and
AltroCk
Young Milan and Turner Barbour. the
outfielders with the squad are being put
through a ston system OF training by
Trainer Martin. Mike has the youngsters
sprinting and practicing starts, and each
will be in good shape when the main
bunch hits the trail next week.
Jack Bentley shows no trouble with
his arm. He is taking things easy under
the watChful eyes OF Nick Altrock.
George Dumont, who reported in camp
ten Wounds Underweight, has gained four
pounds since he arrived here. Dumont
was manager Of a skating rink at his
home all winter and claims TO be some
artist on the rollers.