The New York herald., 1921-02-22
H0YT AND HARPER
TRAMP OVER HILLS
Former Takes Out $4,000
Life Insurance Before Be-
ginning Training.
OTHERS AT HOT SPRINGS
Walter Johnson Takes Hike
With Two New Workers.
Mays Praises Schan@.
OTHERS AT HOT SPRINGS
BY WILLIAM ID. HANNA.

Special Despatch to THE NEW YoRlS HERALD.
Hot SPRINGS. Ark, Feb. 21.-Three
major league baseball players who
formed q tranlping party over the hills
here this morning We're Walter Johnson,
greatest active pitcher of the day; Waite
Hoyt and Harry Harper the two latter
newcomers to the Yankees. Hot Springs
is an old story to all OF these and also
10 Carl Mays. the Yan1s' star boXman,
who is here too. All have trained here
before and therefore quickly adapted
themselves TO the regimen of walks and
golf and baths.
For them, as well as for Jeff Pfeffer.
the Brooklyn pitcher; Clyde Milan. the
Washington outfielder. and Dave Ban
croft Earl Smith and Bill Ryan of the
Giants. also at this spa. going through
preliminary conditioning. the aforemen-
toned regimen is all there is for them
until they report at their regular train
ing camps for actual baseball.
There is one exception, however to
this routine. Walter Johnson in talk
with the writer this-fnorning mentioned
having seen young Ryan Of the Giants
pitching staff workout" meaning do
ing some pitching at the ball park here.
and the veteran expressed surprise ut
pitcher making such early season use.
Nrather preseason use, of his arm. 1T
may be all right for q young fellow
said Johnson, but he shook his head
Goubtfully, but if I tried it ia find my
self going stale about the middle Of
June
Yankees May Have Edge.
The small Yankee party will be here
until about March 3. It's a small party.
hut small beginnings sometimes have
great endings-the fact that Babe
p..Nl. !.
Iioyt and Harper. all or any one of them
has just a bit of edge over previous
seasons or perhaps over player or play
ers Of some other club. IN the matter OF
condition at the start of the season
could make the difference between the
Yankees winning n pennant or not win
ming one. The additional game or games
which this edge in condition easily
could mean could settle the destination
of the flag. Anyway that's the way the
Yankee moguls see II.
Hoyt. Harper and Johnson stepped off
six miles this morning. Hoyt is at 176
pounds and wants to be at 1TO by the
time he gets down to business He can
do that easily. He Is rosy checked and
the picture Of health. Just to show what
good health he is in he took out $40 ,001
life insurance on himself the other dag
and had his policy three days after ap-
company requested q pathological report
from Boston, where Hoyt was operated
on for double hernia last year and sub
sequently treated for infected glands III
the groin. The report must have beer
satisfactory as to condition of blood and
otherwise. for the insurance was issued
promptly.
Harper is at 1875 pounds weight and
expects to enter the ring in April about
ten pounds less than that. He secs no
reason at all why he shouldn't have a
good year on the knoll. He Is strong
and hopeful
Interested in SchanE's Cane.
Three stalwart physical specimens
Hoyt, Harper and Mays md the fourth
one. Ruth, Is 10 shadow. When one
cannot do anything else here he can
take the baths and have his rub down,
and with weather such as to-day's he
can put in several hours in the life Civ
ing outdoors.
The players are all rather interested
IN the case of Wally Schang, hold out
They had hoped he would be here with
them. but they haven't a doubt that he
win be in the fold soon.
''Schang." said Mays to-day. "is
great catcher and will he a big help to
The club He can do so many things
and do them well. lie can run and
throw and hit. and every bali player
knows what n wideawake hustling catch
or, enc who has his eye on the game
III the time. means to club.
I'm sorry we lost Muddy Rucl
enough. | never had a better backstop
working with me than Ruel and want
10 tell you right now. whether you will
agree with me or not, there isn't bet
ter catcher In the American League than
Ruel | saw him In st. Louis coming
here. He was a bit disconsolate over
leaving tho Yankees. but felt he would
have more opportunity with the Red sox
Than ba did with ZIG