Evening star., 1919-03-17
INITIAL WORKOUT
Of GR|FF'S KIDS
Splendid Weather on Tap as
Pitchers Start Seasons
First Warm-Up.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

AUGUSTA, Ga. March lI.-The
clear skies and balmy zephrys that
have made Augusta a mecca for resi-
dents of the north during the winter
months were in evidence on st. Pat
rick's day in the morning when the
battery candidates of the Washington
club reported at Warren Field Tor
their initial workout of the season at
10 I'm. today. a new mark Tor south-
erD roads was set when the train ar
rived yesterday afternoon on time TO
the minute after the long but un-
eventful journey from the capital.
The boys showed up in their uni
forms full of pepper after refresh
ing nights sleep and set about their
work with vim under the direction OF
Manager Pro Tenn. Altrock and Super
visor in General Martin. The 'prac-
tice" cannot properly be dignified by
that term, however, as it consisted OF
butlightest kind of exercises. stress be-
ing laid on road work to improve the
athletes wind The opening session
was delayed somewhat by the diff
Guilty encountered in inducing the ex-
nress company to stand and deliver
shipment of twelve dozen balls ana
some bats, but by impersonatlng the
consignee and the use OF much elo-
ouence M'sieu Martin succeeded IN
gaining possession OF the parapher
MALTA. All the beavers took a turn at
warming up their wings, but Charity
and Agnew did not need catchers'
mitts to hold their offerings.
"Dissusta," as the boys jokingly
refer to this charming town: presents
far different appearance from tnat
of a year ago. Last spring on sun,
day the sidewalks were so crowded
with soldiers walking was dinlcuit.
Yesterday but handful were to De
observed At the height OF activit,es
within a few miles Of the city. there
were $1,000 troops quartered there.
Only 1900 remain. or these 500 are
machine gunners receiving lnstruc-
tion from STAFF OF 60 ofncers: Inc
others constitute working division
engaged in razing the buildings on
the camp site and assembling the
lumber, cooking utensils and other
salable material for disposal by the
government at auction.
Mike Martin has done yeoman serv-
ice in getting the ball park In shape
for use of the players. When ne ar
rived last Wednesday he found the
bedded in the ground for the erection
of hurdles and other devices employ
ed by the soldiers from the camp in
staging cavalry drills and contests
of various sorts: A gridiron also had
been laid out in the park and the
turf was badly cut up. In addition.
the boiler which supplies hot water
for the showers has been frozen and
burst, and the clubhouse was in use
as a storage room for hay. Mike had
of Reds" the clubhouse boy. cleared
the dressing quarters and scrubbed it
from top to bottom. Then he dug up
the posts in the diamond, filed the
holes and started a borrowing cam cam,
paign. which netted him an oat drill,
a narrower. rake. hose and team
of mules. After turning up the sur
face of the diamond he raked and
watered it and borrowed a hand
terry. Now the infieid is in fair shape.
but still is in need of hard rolling.
Mike has obtained permission to use
the heavy steam roller owned by the
city. but, owing to the fact that the
is on strike, there is no one available
to operate it. 1t seems the half-hun-
dred men comprising this force have
baked at the mayors order prohibit
ing driving to the ,s bans for ,hinn their
they should do their eating wherever
they happen to be when the whistle
blows, and not lose half an hour or
so day going to and from meals.
Their work at present is being done
Of yeggmen and second-story workers
better versed in cleaning out banks
and tapping tills, but rapidly becom-
ing skilled in manicuring boulevards.
Nick Altrock has volunteered his
services in operating the steam roller.
Nick bossed gang of men using
wheelbarrows at the Alexandra ship
yard this winter and claims to know
all about machinery.
All the players appear to be in good
physical condition. Ed Hovlik has
been working in a shell-making fac
tory in Cleveland and is as hard
as Maine cider. Bill Harrington, the
southpaw who halls from Wakefield.
boat patrolling the coast between
Eastport> Me-. and Boston. Ed Char
rity has been busy since last sum-
mer juggling wrenches in a shipyard
at Wilmington and Sam Agnew. the
recently acquired Red Stocking back
steel plant in Lebanon. Ed Matteson
fAdled in q theater at Dunkirk, N. Y
Harry Harper kept busy with his
truck business in Hackensack. and
Molly Craft has been enjoying his
honeymoon since being mustered out
Of Uncle Sans service. Harry
Thompson, the little fork handled
hurler. obtained from Toronto. has
been at his home in Pennsylvania
since being discharged from the Army
at Camp Meade. while Ike Davis has
been taking 1t easy at his home in
San Diego. following more than q year