The Washington herald., 1917-03-28
cold WEATHER CAUSES
CANCELING OF GAME
Big Southpaw Harper Works Out for
First Time.

FIRST lime.
Nashville Tenn, March T-Because OF
the freezing blizzard winds from the
regions Of the frozen North which follow
ed a real summer thundershower. in the
stilly watches here last night, Manager
ELAN, of the Volunteers, was forced to
call of the scheduled game with the
Nationals for today. Prospects for
game looked bright before midnight last
night, but in those wee hours OF the
morning a thundershower held sway, ans
, when this frozen, sweeping wind jumped
forth the Old Fox decided 1t was too
cold for hostilities These Nashville fans
are anxious to witness Walter Johnson
the smoke-ball king, in action, and since
Wednesday was to have been an on day
in Louisville the Old Fox agreed this
morning to lay over here until tomorrow
and play the Volunteers.
Because of the cold weather which Is
the first that the Griffmen have encount-
cred while In training and on this barn
storming trip, the Nationals pilot did
not wish to take a chance on giving any
of his athletes a setback, but when this
wind had died down this afternoon he
hustled his clan out to the Dudley Field
at Vanderbilt University and put them
through a fast pace for one hour.
The water in Nashville ball park was
great deal higher today than It has been
morrow will be played on the college
field on the heights.
! Harry Harper donned a uniform for
the workout today, 1t being the first time
! that the big Hackensack southpaw has
worked out since the Augusta training
camp. Griff admits that he Is great
deal worried about Harper and the big
southpaw Is now the pet Of the outht
as Trainer Martin and Uncle Nick Alt
rock are doing the guardian angel act
toward the sidewheeler.
| Harper was allowed to cut few fast
ones loose today. He claimed after the
workout that he felt no pain in his val
liable left wing and believes that he will
/ be in shape in a few days. The loss OF
Harper to the Nationals would be a big
| setback to their chances in the coming
American League race and the Old Fox is
making every effort to have this side
wheeler in shape for the opening.
| Claude Thomas is the only other mem
Der OF the regular squad that is on the
sick list. as his case of tonsilitis was a
| great deal worse today and Trainer Mar
tin hustled him of to consult a physician.
| Thomas was not allowed to leave the
hotel yesterday. but today he was not
allowed to leave his room, as the Old
Fox believes that athletes in training can
! contract tonsilitis, and the Des Moines
southpaw is not allowed to mingle with
| the other players. DR.. c. L. Grswell.
who is attending Thomas, claims that he
will have him in shape to work in one
OF the games in Louisville Thursday or
| Friday.
Grir announced tonight that Jimmy
Shaw and Charlie Jameson would fol-
| low Johnson on the mound in the game
against the volunteers tomorrow. Shaw
! once more looks like the Pittsburgh
smoke Of 1915 and there is no chance in
the world OF him being Minneapolis
bound" unless he takes a sudden reverse
in form.
TOD Sloan who was with the Nation
ais in their Charlottesville training camp
last spring. Is a member of the Volun-
teers and WILL be worked in part Of the
game against his former teammates
Gabby Street claims that Sloan is A
greatly improved pitcher and that he
viii force the Nationals to hustle In
order to push over any counters while he
Is In the center of the diamond
Col. Ernest V. Smith. the chief Of the
Southern star, is stopping at the Hermit
tage and was the guest Of the Old Fox
at supper this afternoon. Col Smith is
here to inspect the Tennessee National
Guards and while en- route to this city he
stopped of at Macon. Ga. to watch the
New York Yankees in their military drill.
Col. Smith is a big boaster for clubs. He
made an interesting statement in favor
OF this proposition which made a great
hit with the Old Fox. You know. the
baseball had Just had its birth when the
civil war was declared and the soldiers
OF both sides played the games between
those many blood-sheds When peace
was declared 1t was the making of our
national game, as the soldiers took the
game back home with them and not
only played it but boosted 1t. 1t is Just
the reverse now AS the ball player
realizes that should our country go to
war that it would kill the minor and
major league games. and it is a great
idea to have the boys prepare for this
emergency should 1t come"
The athletes OF the Nationals were the
guest of Manager Roy ELAN this morn
ing in auto tours OF the city and sur
the State prison, which is sixteen miles
from this city.
Walter johnson and Gabby Smith are
day they were together and talked over
in battery households.
The meeting of the smoke king and
famous Gabby yesterday was the first
reunion these athletes have had since
Gabby dropped out of the big show five
years ago. Manager Ellam Of the volun-
teers claims his club established a record
last season when they won the cham
pionship of the Southern Association
ELAN claims The Volunteers had but
fourteen men during the season and not
once during that time was he forced to
purchase a new player and that only once
during