Evening star., 1917-03-02
FIRST PRACTICE AT AUGUSTA
PREVENTED BY CHILLY RAIN
Grounds Not Unfit, But Those in Charge
Refuse to Risk Players in Inclement
Weather-Other Camp Gossip.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

BY DENMAN TdOmfSON.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
AUGUSTA, Ga, March 2.-Shades Of
Charlottesville! The initial workout
of the battery candidates of the Wash
ington ball club. scheduled for this
morning. was called off by Mike Mar
tin following a conference with Nick
Altrock and John Henry, because of
bad weather. Raincoats and goloshes
are in order. due to chilly drizzle
which has fallen intermittently since
yesterday afternoon. 1t has not rained
hard enough to render the grounds un-
fit to work on, but the advisory council
deemed the weather unfit to run the
risk of the players catching cold in
their salary whips. The skies at noon
indicated no prospect Of sunshine to-
day, but the squad was ordered to re-
port at the park at ! o'clock to take
some setting-up exercises in the event
that the heavens cease to weep.
Some of the players made the trip
to the park this morning to carry out
their togs. A half dozen of them
boarded the wagon which carried their
luggage to the ball park. Harry Har-
per, who has been driving motor
truck all winter in Hackensack, N. j.,
declined to leave his easy chair in the
hotel lobby to ride in a horse-drawn
vehicle. Harper conducted a paper
saving campaign in Hackensack SIM
liar to the one carried on, by the pupils
of Washington for the benefit of the
public school Fairgrounds. with the
difference Sat the activities of the
big southpaw were for the benefit sole
ly of H. Harper.
George Dumont insisted upon dis
playing his prowess as a reinsman by
driving the luggage cart to the park.
Jim Shaw protested that he had been
with the club longer than Dumont and
should be accorded the privilege. But
the gentleman from Minnesota refused
to yield, SO Pittsburgh's prize big game
hunter became peeved and took street
car.
John T. Berry, the young Chicago
pitcher, whose work attracted the at
tention of Ban johnson last summer,
arrived late last might, leaving only
Bert Gallia's presence necessary to
complete the squad. Berry is short,
stocky blond, weighing about 155
pounds. He has done his best work
with the West Ends and Logan Squares,
semi-pro. organiza tions of Chicago.
The clouds hanging over the city
when the players arrived yesterday
morning made good their threat of rain
at noon. The sun dispelled them suffi-
GENTLY to shine in half-hearted man
ner for half an hour or so, but in the
middle of the afternoon it rained heav-
lily for a brief period, drenching two
ambitious scribes who had walked out
to the ball park to look things over
The park, by the way. is situated be-
side the city cemetery. II GrlH nnds
any dead ones" in his aggregation he
should have little trouble disposing of
Them
George Dumont and Claude Thomas
arrived with that first rain yesterday.
Dumont came here from Minneapolis
and Thomas from his home in Okla
homa. BY an odd coincidence they put
up at the same hotel in Atlanta, where
they spent Wednesday night, and
boarded the same train yesterday for
this city. They had never met before.
but saw each other on the train, fell
into conversation and discovered they
were teammates Thomas appears TO
be somewhat under weight but says he
is feeling fit and expects to have good
year. He spent the winter selling auto
mobiles in Des Moines. Thomas split
even on the season last summer with
Des Moines, winning and losing fifteen
games, which gave him the same per-
centage as the club finished with, 800
Griffith is in NEED of some left-handed
talent to help out Harper, so 1t is as
sured that Thomas. Humphries ana
Jameson will be given careful con
once with the Washington club, also
wintered in Des Moines. Musser had
good record with that team last sea-
son. He was sold to the indianapolis
club of the American Association, but
has refused to sign his contract be-
cause of dissatisfaction over the salary
offered. according to Thomas.
George Dumont looks far different
than when he reported for spring prac-
tice last year. He has filled out and his
face is weather tanned. George I'M
parted the information that he has been
cutting ice all winter. says he is as
hard as nails Poor health was all that
kept Dumont from making a record for
himself with Washington last season,
and if he can keep off the hospital list
he should take his turn regularly on
the slab every fourth day when the
season opens. 1t is well established
that his pitching wares are OF big
league caliber.
Leo Flaherty. the Washington boy
who has been assigned to the Des
Moines club as the last installment of
the price paid for Thomas. says he Is
glad of the chance to pitch in the West
ern League as he expects to be worked
regularly and get a chance to develop.
If confidence alone insured greatness in
pitching Flaherty now could be picked
to rank some day with the master
moundsmen. I'll be back with the
washington club before the season is
half over" Flaherty said, in voicing his
opinion of his prospects.
Ty Cobb. the peer of them ALL breezed
into the Albion Hotel yesterday after
noon and shook hands all around. Cobb
makes his home here. and intends to
work out with Criffith's charges before
going to Waxahachie. Tex. next week,
where the Detroit players will do their
training.
The boys all express satisfaction with
accommodations provided for them at
the hotel here. Jim Shaw set his stamp
of approval on the eats and demon
strated how valuable an asset experience
as a traveller is by inducing the waiter