Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-18
PITCHERS GO SOUTH
-. IN TEN DAYS NOW
All Except Johnson Start for
fl Augusta February % to
Start Training.
CATCHERS ALSO IN PARTY
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

Exactly ten days now remain
before the first OF the~Washing-
ton players leave for augusta.
ia, to begin conditioning for the
1917 pennant campaign. Next
Saturday or Sunday Trainer Mike
Martin is due to start south to
see that everything is in readl-
ness for the athletes, and the fol
lowing Wednesday, February Is,
the young pitchers, in charge OF
Catcher John Henry, will board
train for the spring training
camp. One week later, accord
ing to Manager Grifhth's present
plans, the main squad will depart
for Augusta, chaperoned by the
pilot himself.
OF the thirty players compris-
ing the Nationals squad this year
fourteen will journey southwark
III the first consignment. The
PLAYERS who have been instructed
TO make the early getaway are
Catchers Henry, Ainsmith and
Charity and all OF the pitchers
except Johnson, namely, Gallia,
Ayers, Dumont, Shaw. Barry.
Craft and Flaherty, righthanders,
and Harper, Thomas. Humphries
and Jameson, southpaws, the
latter OF whom is slated to re
sumo mound work after several
wears intermission as an out
fielder. In addition, Nick Altrock
will be on hand to keep the
youngsters from overexerting
themselves, and, with Mike Mar
tin also numbered among those
present, there will be sixteen all
told in the party.
Some Go Direct From Homes.
Two of the men, Ayers and Hum
= pi1ries, will be picked up en- route to.
Augusta, Ayers living at Hillsville.
Nds AohC cSiAS Co.
Tate Ga Charity, Altrock and Barry
will go direct to the camp from Chica-
go. where they are spending the winter.
Gallia. who is a native OF Woodsboro,
Tex. and Thomas. who lives at Gage,
Okla. also will proceed from their
homes to Augusta, but the others will
come to Washington before starting for
Dixieland.
Walter johnson is excused from max
ing the trip with the other pitchers. as
he is a player who always is in condi-
ton. The outdoor life he leads in
looking after his farm property at Cot
feyville. Kan. keeps his muscles hard
and he usually reports in such good
shape that he has but n few pounds to
take off to get down to playing weight
Griffith originally intended to send
the young pitchers south without any
catchers. figuring there would be little
chance of their strain ing their arms
by speeding them over too soon OF es-
saying curves before their whips We're
properly conditioned if there were not
backstops to handle their shoots. but
he has reconsidered, figuring that Alt
rock and the older heads among the
players will be able to restrain the
Lids from letting out too early.
FRIDAY, April 8, Will find the Nation
sis at Norfolk. Va, doing battle with
the Philadelphia Nationals. This game
originally was scheduled to be played
here as the first of a series of three
contests with Pat Moran's charges. but
has been transferred at the request of
the Norfolk mana cement Base ball in
the Virginia city failed to prosper in
the last two or three years under the
direction of President Walker, and
when the latter stepped out the bust
ness men of the city took charge,
raised $4,000 to rehabilitate the club,
= and the billing of the major league
teams is the first step the new owners
have taken to boom the sport.
The game scheduled to be PLAYED BIZ
SITfff1tlS rockies with the NarfnIl- M
March 80 has been Cancelled, which
means that the local youngsters will
proceed from Rocky Mount, n. c,
Where they are booked to appear March
%. direct to Richmond where they
Play two days later. I'D
game at Columbus. Ohio, Sunday,
April 8, Manager Griffith will be un-
able 20 send his first string players
over to. Clarendon. Va. FOR contest
Association team that day Griffith
yesterday explained the situation TO
manager Jones of the northern Wiz
ginia champions and agreed 10 pit his
second squad against the Old Dominion
team. 1t VIII not be such a bad-lool,-
Ing combination, either, with proba bly,
Judge. Morgan, Mcbride and Charity
y, the infeld, Ainsmith catching, Menos-
key. Horace Milan and Acosta in the
octfield and Humphries, Flaherty,
Graft, Barry and Jameson available to
pitch.
The rush on the part of major league
Players TO get under cover is well TN
der way. Harper, Jameson and Rice
OF the locals lost no time signing up
after 1t was announced that the strike
. mas off, and the Boston Americans now
announce that Outfelder Shorten, In
fielder McNally and Catcher Thomas
have come into the fold. The Chicago
Nationals yesterday received the sign
ed documents of Catcher Dilhoefer and
Pitchers label and Standridge and an
nouncemcat also was made that AL
Benton. star pitcher of the University
OF Michigan, had signed 4 contract
Vie Safer. first basernan OF the Cubs
has gone to Chicago to try and reach
6u agreement with President Weesil-
man, regarding his salary, which has
been reduced.