The Washington herald., 1916-03-30
Ainsmith in Practice
For First Time This Season
Peppery Catcher Works Out
with Slabmen and He Shows
to Good Advantage.
PLAY CATHOLIC u. TODAY
Georgetown Game Postponed on Ac.
count of Soft Field, but VIII Be
Played Monday.
By WILLIAM PEET.

! Eddie Ainsmith, who has been Walter
Johnson's battery partner during the
past four years, worked out with his old
team mates yesterday afternoon and de-
monstrated that he will soon be able to
take his regular place behind the bat.
Ainsmith did not accompany the Ma
tionals eto training camp for the reason
that he was under treatment for an af-
Fiction OF the eyes, but the catcher is
now on the road to recovery. for working
out underneath the grandstand with
the pitchers yesterday afternoon he had
little trouble handling all thrown balls.
I'm going good" said Ainsmith last
night. 7 can almost see.''
Seriously speaking. the catcher looks to
be on the road to recovery. and It is
just barely possible that he will be able
to pair of with Walter Johnson when
the season opens in New York Wednes-
day week.
Owing to the soft condition OF the field
the game scheduled against Georgetown
yesterday afternoon was called off and
several hundred fans who fiocked to the
ball park were disappointed.
The GriTmen have an open date next
Monday and after a short conference be-
tween the Old Fox and Graduate Man
ager Of Athletics Charley Cox. OF George
town. the Htltoppers were given the
date. and will be seen after all in COM
petition with the professionals.
Charley Morans Catholic University
baseball team will cross bats with the
Nationals at Florida Avenue Park at 5
o'clock this afternoon providing the sun
comes out bright and there is wind
enough to help dry the water soaked
turf.
Every effort will be made to play the
ball game for the reason that the Ma
tionals really need competitive practice.
and late last night indications pointed
to a game being played.
During the spring exhibition games
against the National League Clubs
GriR will try several combinations he
has in mind which he calculates will
add strength to the team.
Ray Morgan is going to be given a
trial as lead-off man in place of Clyde
Milan, then will come Foster who can
hit and run with anybody able to
get on the bases.
Griff believes that Morgan might
be developed into crack lead-ot
man, for Ray has a good eye. draws
many passes to first during a season
and is also fair hitter.
Turney Barber. the big right hand
fielder, will also be given one more
chance to show what he can do. Bar
Der is apparently out of his recent
batting slump and the Old Fox still
has abounded faith in BARRIERS ability.
Evidently Connie Mack is not finding
It quite so easy to build up a pennant
contender this season, as he predicted
last winter. Mack's pitchers are the
present source of worry. Listen to
this from the pen of william G. Weart,
writing from the Jacksonville train
ing camp. to his newspaper, the Phila-
delphia Telegraph:
Since coming here Connie has
watched the twirlers very close. He
and Ira Thomas have been drilling
the young men at every opportunity
and now he is worried about the
outlook.
1t looks" said Connie, "as though l
would not be able to get together an,
other first-class combination as soon as
had figured. The young pitchers have
not developed as I anticipated. Some of
them have forgotten for the time being
what they had been taught and others
are troubled with sore arms. We have
not made the progress that I had an
tiCipated. but we will keep on working
earnestly. The task is a big one. bigger
than most people realize, and it will not
do to get discouraged"
The time and attention which Man
ager Mack is putting on his young pitch
ers recalls the efforts made by Connie