New-York tribune., 1919-03-31
McCraw Working Hard to
Improve Condition of
Team; Regulars Beat
the Rockies
Bv w. 7. Macbeth

Ae0lnE1nS Oh tne emu oA lhe pteiiM~
mary training grind for the Giants
by far the most unpleasant part Of
fcparation-begins tomorrow.
Only four days remain to McGraw
IN which to prepare for the first game
Il series with the world champion
Boston Red Sox. On Friday and Sat
uYday of this week New York will en-
rsao the Red Horse at the training
grounds of the latter in Tampa, and
Il reports from that town are to be
believed it will be necessary for Nc
,Graw's team to be right on it's toes.
Tiny Maxwell, the Philadelphia
critic, was in our midst last Thursday
in his rounds OF the major league
camps. He reports tine world cham
pions quite as far advanced in train
ing as the Giants and serene in
their confidence OF what the mighty
Eabe Ruth will do TO McGraw's left
handed swatters. The series with Bos-
ton should serve McGraw twofold
purpose. First, it should prove what
his veteran array should be able to
accomplish agalnst such classy pitch
ing as may be expected all year from
the Cubs. Again it should test New
York's pitching ability against a team
Of real class.
Regulars VS.. Colts
! In the four days remaining McGraw
Intends to improve every minute of
the stay here. The games between
the Rgulars and Colts will continue
daily each afternoon and for the route,
so that tho raft of pitchers here may
have plenty of opportunities to master
their deliveries. Mac intends also,
r. N now on, to specialize on the little
intricacies of inside play. For various
reasons to date this end of the game
has demanded little attention. To be-
gih with his team is composed entirely
Of veterans who have been schooled in
Experience to every trick of the trade.
Because of the fact that his training
season was limited by league rule so
that he could devote less than Gus
tomary attention to schooling the
rockies, the leader of the Giants has
devoted almost his entire time to the
welfare of the regulars. Ground
keeper Harry J abian had so much work
to do to put the University field in
order for play in a limited time that
1t was impossible for him to construct
sliding pits and kindred appurtenances
Of the usual McGraw school.
From now on McGraw intends in
the daily practice games to perfect
that fine team work of offence and
defence on which efficiency depends in
q great measure. Standard play such
as the hit and run, double steal, de-
tlayp1 c+na1 k5trt of xrra1l
as an armor proof defence against
their use by rivals will be worked upon
In the intra-club battles. The players
arms and legs have now been condi-
tfoned to such a degree as to make
possible such practice in comparative
safety.
Once the Giants leave this base
Thursday night the team Will be kept
busy against opposition worthy of its
efforts right up to the opening OF the,
season. The Red Sox come here for
games on Monday and Tuesday April 8
and 8. Then the two teams will jour
ney northward, playing three exhibi-
tions en- route.
The Giants have no less than seven
games IN all with the world champions
and an equal number with the Wash
ington Americans, which rounds out an
exceptionally advantageous training
trip. For the Giants are assured of
pitching both from Boston and Wash
lngton that cannot possibly be ex-
celled by National League rival-not
even by the champion Cubs.
Gainesville Hospitable
The good citizens of Gainesville, who
have been lavish in their attentions to
tne Giants encourage, entertained to-
n q Welt Hx,e T..
Springs, near Ocala, some forty-five
miles away. The trip included a fish
slng expedition OF rare excitement.
Doc Pop Adolph stahl, the drug
8klng of Brooklyn, has returned to
sJacksonvllle after spending a week in
Gainesville. 1t is suspected that
Doc was here in the interests of his
friend, Charles II. Ebbetts. Swing on
McGraw. However, the eminent doctor
maintains he was forced to leave to
get new handle for his shovel.
Hughe Mcclure, one Of the b;o
Elks OF No. herd is here visiting his
lifelong friend, Sam Crane, dean of
the scribes. Hughie came south viz
the Giants as far as Jacksonville hit ,yt
proceeded to Palm Beach for III
with the briny. ''''
!. The Giant Regulars and Rockies
shooked up in practice game this
afternoon, AID as on Thursday the
Regulars again took the measure os
4the Rockies, this time by a score If
#4 to |. This game was by far the best
THAT has been played here SO far vii
bur Hubbell and George Terhune
.hurled for the Regulars and allowed
3seven scattered blows, while Howard
tlarey and Frank Noel, who did the
B Atritchinn fnr iho pnnL in. a