Evening star., 1925-03-04


was made yesterday when every one
OF the 90 active athletes on the scene
were put through their PAGES at Plant
Field, with a couple extra for good
measure IN the persons of the clown
ing duo-Nick Altrock and Al
Schacht-but according to Manager
Harris II will seem a mere frolic in
comparison, with the toll to be exact
ed today.
Taking the initial procedure as
criterion, there will be but one drill
a day, but II will be lengthy, starting
ct about $3.50 o'clock, and lasting un-
Ill we'll after noon, with the so-called
regulars working into the proceedings
as the youngsters are finishing up.
There will be some subsequent
changes in alignment for the daily
chores, but for the time being at least
the squads will appear as they did
yesterday. Then Russell started on
the mound for batting practice, fol-
lowed by MoGridge, Brillheart and
Martina, the athletes for. whom they
Furnished targets being Matthews,
Adams, Carlyle, Tate, Shirley and
Hargrave.
Veterans Get to Work.
Harris, Ruel, Rice, Goslin, Judge,
Bluege, McNally. Peck. Leibold and
McNeely comprised the second squad,
with Kelly, Zachary, Marberry, Dud-
ley, Mcnamara and Schacht occupying
the rubber in that order. The usual
pepper games" as fielding bunts is
known, occupied the performers be-
tween turns at bat, and all the bat
terry men finished with a jog around
the haif-mile track incfosing the
Held before vanishing to the showers.
For the outfelders plenty of fly
chasing was provided, with Altrock
and Coveleskie hitting 'em out, and
Uncle Nick also batted the bail
around the diamond for the intield
practices.--1n these Bluege and Nc
Nally appeared at third, with the lat
ter subsequently moving over to
short, where Adams and Peck also
appeared. while Harris did stretch
at second, and both Judge and Shir-
ley held forth at the initial sack.
So far as is known, Brillheart is
the only member of the club not in
good health, but both Tate and Nc
Nally have many pounds to shed,
while this is true, but in a lesser
degree, of Johnson and Marberry
Ruether, Johnson, Ogden and Cove
ieskfe were excused from service on
the mound for the first days appear
ance of the full squad, but will be
called on to take their turns after
little more seasoning.
A big crowd was attracted to the
park by the initial appearance of
Harris and the star performers who
came with him from their sojourn at
Hot Springs. Trainer Miguel Martin
was kept busy trying to shoo the
spectators from the danger zones and
the athletes themselves were kept on
the jump obliging the small army of
photographers, who ranged from
movie men to kodak fiends. with
liberal besprinkling of newspaper
cam eramen. The Griffs are obtain
ing fresh evidence daily of what 1t
means to sport the title of world
champions.
Field in Poor Condition.
The diamond, located in the half
mile track where the Nationals train,
having been prepared under the
supervision of officials of the city,
which owns the layout, is in
wretched condition this Spring. The
infield Is almost totally void of grass
and the skinned portion is both loose
and rough. A shipment of red clay
has been ordered by wire and when
this is applied, with the municipal
steam roller to pack il, an improve
ment can be looked for. although 1t
will be far from a first-class surface
for the titleholders to entertain their
big league guests on.
Mojac Rhinehardt, the outfelder
who performed for the Greenville
team of the South Atlantic Associa-
tion most of last season, has tele-
graphed Harris from Buffalo that he
Is en- route to Tampa, and he will be
given an inspection. although 1t is
known that he does not figure prom
inently in the managers calculations.
What he will have to stand for in way
OF discipline for failure to arrive on
scheduled time remains to be seen.
Vean Gregg still Is expected hourly,
the veteran southpaw supposedly hav-
ing left on the long trek from Seattle
last Thursday and there also is
posi- ibility that Paul Vernon Zahniser
will rejoin the squad. Zahnnie in
dicated to some Of his former team
mates when he saw them at the sta
tion while they were passing through
Memphis Sunday that he does not
particularly care for his job In the
automobile factory there, and that he
would like to sign up at the terms
origin ally offered him and for failure
TO do which he was suspended when
here some days ago.
Grifr has heard nothing further from
Zahniser, but maintains that the
balky pitcher cannot come back un-
less he is willing to accept a cut.
Harris had no conference with
Zahniser during the hours the squad
stopped over in Memphis, although