The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-15
ICOLONElS REACH
COLUMBIA, Tenn.
FOR TRAINING SEASON
(By Harry Bloom.)

onels. Manager Bill Clymer's squad
went through the ordeal of decamping
early yesterday morning and are now
settled for three weeks seige
against soft and lazy muscles.
No formal reception marked the
Sabbath day arrival of the Night
Riders. AS their coach passed the
Columbia Military Academy students
hung out of the windows and waved
lat them. At the station about a mile
further along the road knot of Co.
lumbians watched the baseballists dis
embark, load their trappings into a
wagon and cart them to the hotel
Auditor J. w. Brigham was met at
the station by City Clerk Erwin, a
cousin of Ross Erwin, the former
Brooklyn catcher, and Col. Hulvery,
school. Mayor Joseph NJ. Deadman
Has represented the Colonies in their
negotiations for the use of the c. M.
A. grounds.
Distributing Uniforms.
The only thing baseballic to disturb
the Sabbath calm was the distribu-
ton of uniforms. The veterans took
the suits that belonged to them last
year, but shades OF bygones Colonels
were called into remembrance as the
new men dug out the "unis" that
once adorned other manly bosoms. At
$50 O'Clock this morning each player
sent his spangles to the clubhouse
and light session of labor was sche-
duled for 10 o'clock. The town hang
out seemed to be the hotel corner and
the Colonels were, for the time being,
the observed of all observers.
Floyd Farmer, the Tennessee boy,
who outfelded for Nashville last year,
was picked up, along with Ross Rey.
nolds, the spitball finger, when the
team arrived at Nashville yesterday.
The only two men who were not in
camp during the day were Luque and
Whiteman. They strolled in last
night ON Southern train.
Big Training Camp.
Columbia is the largest training
camp the Colonies have visited since
beginning their annual jaunts South.
Railway guides and hotels clerks in.
formed the invaders that $500 called
Columbia home. AS in all past
years, the team found the baseball
field some distance from their stop
ping place. The grounds of the Co.
lumbia Military Academy require a
mile and quarter walk before and
after practice.
The grounds have all of the air of
la college campus. This year the team
will do it's preliminary work unre.
stricted by fences and grandstand. A
sort of natural amphitheater sur.
rounds the field, the outfield and foul
territory sloping upward toward the
north and south. The right and
centerfield will be remindeder of this
| fact more than once, as they will be
forced to climb in order to squeeze
fardriven flies. Neither field, how
ever, possesses the precipitate slope
of right field in Sulphur Dell, Nash
willie, where all of the Southern
League sun-gardeners accumulate
driving power in the calves.
The buildings of the Columbia Mil
itary Academy surround the field OF
every side. They were original,
ereted as military post for the Uni
ted States government but later con
verified into military school. The build
ing containing the Colonels' locker
and showers rooms is but stone
throw away from the field.
The Diamond.
Since Groundkeeper Joe Frye mad
his advent in Columbia the compile,
ion of the diamond has been consit
erably changed The grass has bee
shaved off the infield and it is no.
as bare as rabbit turned inside oil
by an adept hand The outfield
grassy new turf having been laid i
right field where quantity of roc
was blasted out. 1t cropped abo,
the surface and had a players spih
slipped on this. a painful accidel
could have been expected.
, Frye has buried three brand ne
slabs and three home plates sine
, looming here. He laid one pair in Il
diamond itself. and the other tv
pairs are. as at Eclipse Park, to |
! sused for warming up of the finger
Along the edge of thefield "brea
waters" have been cut to keep a flo
of water off the hillside from foo
ing the field after a rain.
The Colonies found their first d;
in camp a balmy day There w
: enough GOODNESS in the air to Ike,
anyone from imagining that midsul
mer had arrived, but as Roxey Roa,
expressed it, anyone could ha'
worked up real sweat" The 81
shone all day and if the Colonies a
as fortunate with the elements f
the rest of their stay, they cou
hardly have done any better in Flt