The Washington herald., 1921-03-06
Johnson and o'Rourke
Must Respond to Treat
ment by Bonesetter
Reese If Season Is to Be
Successful; Big Train
Thinks He Is O. X.
ByJACK NYE.

ny sAte NJ Ia
While Clark C. Grinith is dividing
his time between golf and inspect
ing his crew OF athletes down in
Florida. he probably wishes he were
twins or something. II the Old Fox
were possessed of dual PERSONAL
ity. one of them would cettainly be
camping at Hot Springs. where the
real fate Of the Mats this year Is
probably being decided.
II the good right arms of Walter
Johnson and Frank O'Rourke re-
spend to the treatment Of Bone
setter Reese. the Youngstown. (o)
Iigament wizard, the outlook for the
season might be worse. despite the
failure to land Frank Baker for the
third base job. But should the old
kinks in the whips of the pitcher
and infielder show signs Of return
ing, first division will be a very
remote goal.
News From Spa Scarce.
News from the Arkansas resort
Is conspicuous by its absence. Bill
Hanna, the veteran baseball expert
Of the New York Herald, writes that
Barney believes his wing is once
more o. X. But that was before the
pitching wonder had done anything
more than swing a golf club, as
pictured in another part of this
page,
O'Rourke was just an infielder
when he was grabbed from Toronto
last year. He had a reputation as
a hitter and fielder, but the wise
ones said watch his arm" 1t was
admittedly weak.
As long as Jimmy O'Neill figured
as q steady performer, O'Rourke
didn't look so vital to the teams
success. But with the Minooka, Pa
lad still recuperating from his at
tack of pneumnia, the 1nterna-
tional League infielder becomes a
mighty important cog.
Third base seems sure to be
weak spot. One such link IN the
chain Is dangerous, but to find an
other at short would be n hard blow
to Manager McBride's hopes.
Al Schacht AYERS that O'Rourke's
arm will be right up to snuff as a
result Of the bonesetter's treat
ment. There is something uncanny
In Reese's ability to straighten out
kinks. In AIS estimation The proof
will not come. however. until
O'Rourke reports at Tampa next
week and starts whipping them over
under the watchful eyes of Griff and
'sMaoy, His first workout will prob
ably tell the story
Iokusous- sp~~d Ns~ded
with johnson in form, the pitch
ing star should be an effective one
walter. himself. ought to be good
for twenty-five games, which Is
quite q hole card" In this diamond
game
Grif is evidently devoting a lot
of attention to the youthful in
felders in Tampa and reports have
II that Bob LaMotte is making the
best impression. 4 He appears to be
able to do everything but hit. The
chances are that the Florida prod
uct will be kept on the payroll this
year in case O'Rourke needs any
help
Next week will see the entire
bunch Of Nationals gathered In
Tampa The six delegates to Hot
OPEAn6o anu lh6 NClcEdhS w III
are now at their homes will depar,
Saturday morning, arriving in the
land OF sunshine Sunday evening
Rice. johnson. Milan, Lewis and
Charity are the ones who have
been doing their early work at the
Spa, while Shanks, Ellerbe, Harris
and ONeill have not yet indulged
in any work at all. 1t is to be
T..I = a.
ticket on the same day.
HoLDOUT CROP LARGE.
The early holdout crop was moi
injured much by the recent arctic
spell. as can be noted from train
ing camp dispatches. Griff is trou-
bled with Joe Judge and Jerry
Conway. Manager Hugh Duffy was
unable to sign Harry Hooper and
had--ts trade him, but that didn't
end his worries. -Stuffy McInnis
and Mike Menosky are now baking
at The terms offered and as they
are necessary to whatever success
is before the Boston crew, Duffy
n IN tight place. In Chicago
Dick Kerr sees the opportunity tc
prize loose more cash and is taking
8uNkuta&t L0i *
Anong the National Ieaguers the
Giahts are still waiting for Gddie
Ratp and Fred Toney to sign, while
PAT Moran is trying to coax Jake
Daphert, Ed Roush, Heinie Groh and
LarrT Kopf into the fold. Pitts.
burgh also has an obdurate per.
former In Wilbur Cooper, said to be
the hest left-hander in baseball.
Mighty few Of these men will still
be Soutside in another two weeks
however. II past performances car
be taken as q criterion.
EsCobb won't have to alibi IL hs
doesn't finish out Of the FIRST di.
vtston- In fact IL he draws bette,
thap sixth position he can boast
that be did better than was expect.
eds For that's where he picks the
unsDleers TO finish.
As@a result Of Heinie Zim's vol.
un6py testimony, q vote Of thank,
10 cue to McGraw for removing hin,
frohsmajor league baseball. As an
accp phtion, his statement was al,
motan -hcnest' confession.
Sf.JOHN'S BEATS
a. GAIVERT HATT