The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-09
YANKEES START
 FOR THE SOUTH

New York, March 9-Just as tho bluebirds and the robins started north yesterday, Miller Huggins and a flock of Yankees began their flight tC the South. The last message of the Tank pilot to New York fans be- fore hopping onto the Pullman was that he had every confidence of fin ishing somewhere among the first eight clubs in the American League race. In the party with Higgins were Pitchers Ray Caldwell and Herb Thormahlen. Caldwell remarked that he had lost more games by one run than any other player alive, but he was optimistic and hinted that no ball club could hit forever as poorly as the Yankees during the last two seasons.
 Two new folks in Huggins' retinue were Doc Woods, the official bone. setter, and Paddy O'Connor, the new coach. The Tanks have been injured so often that they have worn out 3 couple of trainers, so Huggins had to get new one this year. Doc Woods is keen individual, and whenever a Tank is ordered to pitch, and wants to beg off because of a sore arm, the Doc will look over the wing in ques- ton and tell Hug" whether or not the pitcher is stalling. Doc Woods also has a new liniment of his own concoction, which he can rub on a glass pitching arm and make it as supple as a piece of rope. The trainer brought along an extra bag, l. T 1r;+ of tools.
 Paddy O'Connor, the new coach, will pick out a nice shady spot under an old apple tree at the training camp in Macon where he will let the young pitchers throw the ball at him for several hours per day. Paddy's task will be to hold the pitchers in re- straint, so that when they return north they will still have the pitch ing arms they brought south with them. Often young pitchers have a habit of throwing so hard that the arm is in danger of going along with | the ball.
 Huggins left with IS players signed. Marsans, the Cuban; Lefty Mogridge, | Derrill Pratt, and Eddie Plank have not signed yet. Huggins expects to whisper something in Plank's ear on the way South, and Plank is expected to be so pleased that he will whisper 1 back: ''Wel1 if you put it that way sure I'll sign"
 There is a great treat in store fol Higgins when he gets to Macon. be- cause has has never seen the Yankees play. Hug has seen an assortment
 of players in his day, but he is going to see some new styles of batting
 which will open his eyes. He is going
 to put the brakes on Ping Bodie, fol
 he wants Ping to save a few of his hits until the season opens. Bodie
 cannot do much damage to the fence!
 at the Macon park as d young tornado
 hit the park this winter and removed
 many of the barriers which might or l,dinarily obstruct Bodies drives.
 Morst of the recruits will join tht party along the route and by the tint
 the Tanks pull into Macon this even
 ing, that is, if the trains are on time
 Huggins will have the pleasure 0
 shaking hands with Hannah, Ruel
 McGraw, Monroe, Slim Love. Ward
 Camp and Wick. Joe Kelley, tn Yankee scout, will be at Macon t welcome the party. Kelley has beer
 sentenced to watch the recruits play !, as he picked most of them out. , It is always a good plan to mak the scouts watch the young player work out in the spring to get thor . oughly acquainted with them for tha r prevents the scouts from pickin 2 them out again when they go back t t the bushes. Bob Conery, the ne0 S Yankee scout, will also be at Macor 1. to sympathize with Kelley when tn e young phenoms strike out.