The Washington herald., 1917-03-05
Many Of the Players Are Sore
After Steady Grind for
Three Days.
By JOHN A. DUGAN.

Augusta. Ga, March L-George Nc
Bride. the dandy captain. who sent word
to John Henry yesterday that he would
arrive, had not put in an appearance at
q late hour tonight, but Trainer Martin
is confident he will be on hand before
the first workout tomorrow.
A day Of rest at Camp Albian Is Ike the
famous expression, Its a great lie II
you don't weaken" as many Of the boys
are stir and sore from the three days
grind and would have preferred to take In
the two workouts today instead OF inc
long hikes prescribed by Trainer Mike
Martin, as they are still complaining to-
night of being stiff and are anxious Tor
the gong to sound in the morning.
The day has been one Of those slow,
peaceful Southern "blue-law Sundays
with nothing to do until tomorrow except
the few added attractions, such as mixes
TO the country clubs and church services
this morning The movies are closed
tight tonight and most Of the boys nit
the hay early with hopes of better weath-
er tomorrow. The "sun" made praVe
attempt to back the clouds away this
morning, as It came out In fuli 1or aoouI
two hours, compelling each member OF the
SQUAD to shed their heavy garments, out
shortly after the MONDAY meal the hard
est rain to date started falling and II
now appears as IL Trainer Martin will De
compelled to order some sort OF INDOOR
work for the morning practice.
The field at Sally League Park Is wen
drained because OF its sandy surface ana
should be in pretty good shape Tor the
evening practice.
Nick Altrock collared John Henry
Harry Harper and Jim Shaw TINS aiter-
noon and took thsm for long walk over
the Savannah River into South Caronna.
The boys came back showing effects OF
their lengthy hike and handed out re-
ports of prospective muskrat trapping IN
the swampy Carolina rice and cotton
fields.
Shaw and Harper are attempting to or
ganIze another fur company, but since
there was no way of purchasing traps
today they have postponed their venture
until tomorrow. 1t will be remembered
that setting traps for muskrats was one
Of the pasttmes of the squad at the
Charlottesville camp last season.
After church this morning ten OF the
gang took automobile rides.
Eddie Charity was PACED in the lobby
Of the Albion yesterday afternoon. and
on answering met at native son. VINO
is his namesake, Eddie Charity" Al
though these Gharritys cannot discover
any family tie, they have become great
friends and It was Eddie Of Augusta
that piloted the boys around for three
hours today by the motor route
During a tanning bee this afternoon
Mike Martin was braced by a youngster
friend of the trainer. In the course OF
the conversation the youngster, whose
name Is Joseph O'Connor. challenged
Mike to a handball game, which Is sched-
uled to be held tomorrow afternoon, the
purse to be "set-up of DOPE" meaning
the loser must buy one round OF Coca
Cola.
The boys have been making quite
joke OF Capt. Til Illusions preparedness
stunt by clouting every welEbuilt man
that appears in the hotel, word has
been received here from the Nationals
headquarters in Washington that an army
sergeant Is on his way. Although the
War Department may have detailed
sergeant for the Augusta camp up to
date he has failed to appear and Nick
Altrock still remains corporal Of the
guard.
The Augusta ball fans were swarming
to the lobby of the hotel today when
the rain was falling by the bucketful
These fans are always willing to chat
baseball, whether 1t Is major or minor,
but the final question that is always
asked players or war correspondents Is
What do you think of "Ty' Cobb?'
Jimmy Shaw made himself appear like
a "Busher'' today when he came back
and asked who this guy Cobb was, claim
ing that he had never heard Of him.
Tyrus to these Georgians Is not only
the best ball player in the world, but
he could be governor Of the State II
he would ask.
In the course Of these tanning bees
1t was admitted by the old-time fans that
major league teams put Augusta on
the blink as far as a training camp Is
concerned. 1t appears that when both
the Pittsburgh and Brooklyn National
League clubs trained here that they met
with the same damp spell that Is now
discouraging the National campaign.
Trainer Mike Martin will not listen to
these stories, as he claims that he Is
perfectly satisfied with the workouts
the boys have had to date. but admits
that he is looking for better weather
conditions when the main string hits
this Dixie city" on Wednesday.
Along with the tales Of long rain spells
and hoods was handed out the story
OF Hal Chase catching the smallpox
while in training here, and one fan went
SO far as to let the boys know that
the pest house is within two squares
of the ball park Little things like
smallpox and floods do not worry safe
and-sane Martin and he guarantees to
have the boys ready for Grtfr when he
issues the call