Evening star., 1925-01-04

y IN SHNAA q NAAAAAiS ShN~'AA4~ O. ~--~
titlehoiders of the universe.
Harris has allotted himself onl
ancient Scottish pastime, for he IS 5
chaperone Goose Goslin to Hot Sp
4 the greatest team on earth will start
Griff is looking forward to nearly Il
pill in summer-like sunshine.
He already has shipped his big car
TO Tampa and accounts for this by
i asserting that Mrs. Griffith and the
two Griffith children, Thelma and
Calvin, will need it. bub the trans
portation of assorted wood and iron
clubs and the wielders thereof is the
chief use to which this automobile
will be put.
Griff faces the prospect of leaving
local headquarters with about two
thirds of his athletes unsigned, but
is evincing absolutely no concern
over that fact. He processes to be
well satisfied with the number of
players in the fold to date and opines
all will be in line in due time. He
delayed the mailing of notices to
some of his players until a few days
ago. These have been advised to
address him at Tampa, where he will
conduct the negotiations that he is
confident will find all actiTes eligi-
BILE for service by the time training
is due to begin.
Edgar c. Rice is the latest of the
Griffmen to become converted to the
Hot Springs idea He always has
maintained that couple of weeks
of training are all that he needs to
be In shape to start a base ball cam
paign, and his form at the begin
ming of each season tends to justify
his contention, but he has decided to
go in for training with all the trim
mings this year and VIII devote
more time TO preliminary maneuyres
than any member of the squad, not
excluding GosUn. According to his
present plans. Rice will hike to the
Arkansas resort the 2Oth of this
month, take the three weeks course
OF baths and then move on to Tampa
where he can put in a similar period.
of golf before the serious work of
base ball gets under way.
II is rather odd that Sam and
Goose, both assured of their jobs in
the garden, are going in for more
strenuous early conditioning than any
of their mates, while no especial pre-
liminary toll will be indulged In by
the candidates for the middle garden
job. This center-feld position really
Is the only one on the ball club that
can be regarded as vacant. The usual
battle for regular berths will be
Staged among the pitchers, of course,
Win COnSlueTdDie llleTeSl dtldCHeu "
the showings made by the trio of
veteran fingers added to the corps
Coveleskie, Ruether and Gregg-but
there is just one lone hurler who has
not been seen by local fans. He is
Harry Kelly, the youthful right
handler from Memphis, who will try
TO stick on the pay roll at the ex-
pense of some such finger as Brill
heart or Martina or Zahniser.
Five Seek Open Position.
Ruel is a regular institution back
Of the bat, with Tate and Hargrave
as his aides, while Judge. Harris,
Peck and Bluege have the infeld as
signments sewed up, but the Ques-
tion of who will be found cavorting in
the middle pasture when the title race
IS started depends on the showings
pade by a quintet OF candidates at
the training camp and In the eXhibi-
ton games against the Giants.
1 Prominent among these is Earl Nc
Neely. the Coast League recruit, who
delivered at $40 clip for the Griffs
during the fag end of the season and
ihen earned undying fame by produc-
Ing the bingle that snuffed the
Giants hopes in the world series
4 Then there is Wild Matthews, another
i California product, who is credited
with having infected the Griffmen
with the germ OF hustle that carried
i them TO the top; the veteran Memo
4 Iciboid, who proved so dependa bic
over the stretch of the season, and
j nsir Of strangers in these parts
Nojac Reinhardt, a strapping big
1 youth who made himself unpopular
with Sally League hurlers while with
1 Greenville las year, and Roy Car
lyle, who is Gne reason why various
land assorted athletes have been
transferred from Washington to
#Nemphis in recent months.
Retwcen McNeeIy and Carlyle.
q All five Of these performers are to
E he given an equal chance to win that
#centerfeld Job, just Mike McNally,
the ex-New York and Boston resi-
2dent. and Spencer Adams. a rookie
8frou the Coast League, will have an
H"opportunity" to land regular posi-
Htion on the infeld, but unless some
Hsurprlses are sprung Roy Carlyle will
Hprove McNeely's only serious rival for
q the post.
u Earl has the advantage over Car
1yle OF being a righthand hitter,
#frait in demand by the champions;
&ereat speed, and of having consider
#ably more experience. But Carlyle
has much IN his favor, including
8Youth, height, heft and the ability to
Sswat base balls to unguarded spots,
no matter where the pitcher places
81 Pom. If good judges of talent can be
#believed Carlyle will make McNeely
#extcnd himself to stay in the lineup,
Sthe Memphis graduates greatest
#handicap probably being his compar-
Ia tive SlowneSS afoot.