The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-11
manager GRIFFITH
EXPLAINS WHYTEAM
FAILED LAST YEAR
lndispositlon Of "Zeb" Milan
and Gandil's Arm Kink Ruin
ed Outfits Chances.
LOOKS. FOR BETTER THINGS
Old Fox Believes Linden Flyer
will Have Great Season and
, Judge viii Shine.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. March IL.
TO the continued indisposltion of Clyde
Milan and the utter lmpossibility OF
Chick Gandil to work the kink out of
his arm, Clark Griffith attributes the
failure Of the Nationals to rise higher
during the season of 1915.
After n winters calm elaboration and
planning to strengthen the most vul-
nerable parts Of his machine, the WASH
ington director today unburdened him
self Of his ideas as to what caused the
situation that to many was dlsappoint-
ing.
ITS all over. of course, but n man
who does not profit by experience Is not
making the most of his job" quoth the
manager today.
AT times last year / was actually
sorry for Milan, as know that he was
working under a handicap that few
people realized. His health was 80 bad
that at times considered replacing
him. but he was so anxious to stick that
kept him In hoping against hope He
deserved nil the credit In the world for
his efforts. for a less game man would
have quit without so much provocation.
=. In every department of his work, the
handicap of i'll health dragged him
down. and the team consequently suf-
fered.
'sThis spring" continued Griffith.
MILAN has had the benefit OF his stay
at Hot Springs and, II appearances
count. he should be the Milan of 1913
and 1914 when we go to the scratch next
month
Each spring since he has been in
baseball Gandn has been troubled with
his right arm. During the winter the
elbow stiffehs and there has been no
treatment that would take out the kink.
We used all sorts of liniments and Mike
Martin rubbed II until 1t was nearly
blue. But there was no use.
81 had a letter from Chick today and
he tells me that during the winter he
last fall. and believes 1t is cured 1
hope It Is, for his sake II Gandil is
ready In April he will be a valuable man
for Cleveland. but II he has the same
trouble as last year II will be midsum-
mer before he can show real class.
Ordinarily when .. mans throwing
arm is injured 1t interferes with his
fielding alone. but with Gandil II was
his batting that suffered also. He could
not get the healthy swing that carried
\ him along so well in his first season
with us. He commenced to choke his
bat. but this strangling style was meyer
meant for a man of Gandils strength
and natural swipe.
while he closed with a good season s
batting marks for us. you will find that
his hitting was around 40 until nearly
July. Then he came fast, as the arm
improved, but It was too late.
with such an ailment the older a
man becomes the more likely is 1t to
interfere with his playing. so decided
to lean on Joe Judge. At that. hope
Gandil will have good year at Cleve-
land. as he is still far from being an
While yesterday did not prove to be
one OF the. best days for base ball
was warm, without sunshine. and two
beneficial workouts were afforded both
divisions OF the team.
On the main field the pitchers took
ten-minute turns twirling to batters
who relayed themselves, caring for the
infield and .outfeld positions. Griffith
barely let the pitchers break into a
Sweat before he ordered them to the
club house. The felders he permitted to
loosen up to a greater extent. and for
the first day here the Old Fox appear
ed to be we'll satisfied with the progress
of the men on whom he depends to
carry him through the season.
r =. Flashes of brilliant fielding and bat
ting were seen constantly, Eddie Foster
being particularly handy With the bat,
tie let his full weight go against some
too deep for the gardeners were the re-
suit. Gallia and Boehling also had little
difficulty placing the ball through the
fielcers, but the pitching they faced, OF
variety.
Naturally much attention is directed
toward the work of Walter Johnson
who was on the field a shorter length
OF time than any OF the others. Grin let
him work exactly fifteen minutes when
he had him bundled OF to civilian
clothes. Walter Is In exquisite condition
and VIII let the throttle of eXeTtion I'm
very slowly, as he needs little work to
be exactly right.
Commenting on the general condition
of his men after supper last night CLARK
Griffith said:
''In no training season have my mer
reported in generally better condition
championship game tomorrow, anC
. there Is not man on the club whit
has any really great amount of flesh L
train on, some Of the fellows have re
weight, but Shaw is a growing boy, anC
has developed wonderfully since las
season, His shoulders and body ar,
bigger and broader, but he has no ia
In the places where fat hurts"
Griffith continued. Each spring tn
men appear to be stout because OF al
invariable fnllness in the face whicl
comes from winters leisure. A littl
work on the diamond, cay two weeks
always pulls this off, and the player
take on what we call working as
pect'
mo cutting of the squad now en-
camped here will take place until afte
each player has had the fairest test o
his life" remarked Griffith in his after
dinner speech to the boys 1.-THE mel
have here have come we'll recommend
ed, and each is to have my personal In
spection, before he Is farmed. traded
or let out entirely. As soon ms Ait
rocks team and my regulars have play
ed few sSirmishes. | can begin L
form opinions and the lineup OF tn
team this year 70 entirely a matter o
the survival Of tho attest"
II am more particular at this tim
about getting some speed into the bas
running than any other one departm
OF the work. ! shall insist on speed o
bases, for many good hits are waste
by slow work on the paths. and | don
want to have any regrets In this wa
~hen next September comes. and tn