The New York herald., 1922-03-03
Phil Douglas Telegraphs
He Will Join Giant Camp
Hodout Pitcher Shows Signs of Yielding; Irish Meuse
in Fold-McGraw and Forty Players Plunge
Into Training Task.
BY DANIEL.

speeioI Dispatch to The NEw YonK Herald
SAN ANTONIO Tex, March AT 2
o'clock this afternoon, white movie
cameras labored feverishly uuder one
OF those high. blue Texas skies, John
McGraw walked out OF the clubhouse
at the league park, tossed few base
balls nonchalantly to his expectant and
straining athletes and in his best stem
torian commanded, well, boys, let's
CO."
Let's CO." said Mac, "and forty
players went as IL they had not seen
a ball since that memorable afternoon
when Douglas hit a home inn. In a
tricc the air was thick with flying and
catapulting leather while the ash sang
a sweet cadenza for Nortncrn ears
which had missed the music since the
world series. The Giants, world cham
pions. were Off.
It was n great workout, which Nc
Graw. Hughie Jennings and Jess Bur-
kett gave the big squad, anu II came
as q surprise after the Arctic condi-
tlons of the morning. When the play
ers reported at the park nj o'clock
they found water and gas pipe; frozen
and the field morass. The cardinals
and the katydds still chirpad noarsely
in their earmuffs and sour notes filled
the frozen ambient. while TeXaLs won
dered whether some great upheaval had
not shot their burg into Canada, ana
New Workers. sighed for the heated
comfort OF Il. II. T. elevated cars.
Work on the field was out of ques-
ton. so McGraw ordered all hands 70
hit into high and strike In the direction
of Hot Wells. The boys 20 IND some
OF the hot springs frozen. The walk
there and back meant six miles, and
how some of the lads puffed!
welcome sun Appears.
In the afternoon the Gianis's man
ager ordered the squad out to the park
again. but he really had no iGea that
ne could go through with y workout.
Much to his surprise he FOUND the
ground dried up by the moFa'ng wind
and the sun which grew warmer and
warmer. Then came the order. Let $
60" and as the boys worked and per-
splred the wind died down % a mere
caress and Texas became Texas once
more.
This evening McGraw had little con-
feesnce with some of his players who
were listed among the unsigned. Later
he announced that Irish Meusel and Ike
Boone. the big outfielder who was bought
from New Orleans. had affixed their
signatures 20 1922 contracts. II devel-
oped that both Irish and Ike had brought
the signed papers with them and wanted
20 have the honor of presenting them 10
McGraw In person. Both reported that
they stood their honors we'll Earl
Smith, Dave Bancroft. Johnny Rawlings.
Phil Douglas. Fred Toney. George Kelly
and Frank Snyder stlll remain holdouts
or whatever you prefer to call ball play
ors vino decline terms suggested by their
club.
Douglas, by the way. shows signs OF
yielding. In reply to a telegram from
McGraw asking him about his plans,
Shuffiing Phil to-day wired this reply
Cannot come yet because my mother
Is sick. Just as soon az Doc says she
IL out of danger will como down." Phil
apparently has become tractable and
open to reason and has become per-
auadcd that McGrnw really means what
he says when he rciterates that the Shuf-
fier Is on the market. A summer In st.
Louis, for example. would not 20 80
well.
Smith and Claud Jonnard. pitcher, ar
rived early this morning. reducing the
list OF absentocs TO three. Douglas. Toney
and Kelley. Jim Tlerney last night sent
another telegram TO Mrs. Toney. asking
about the nature Of the big pitchers III