Evening star., 1926-03-17


There already is much viewing
with alarm at the Yankee camp at
ST. Petersburg. Some of the boys
who have visited here have remarked
Of the spirit of listlessness which pre-
walls at Huggins' camp. One chap.
who may or may not be preJudlced
against the Yankees, called it the
''deadest camp on the training belt.
AS matter of fact, the Yankees
never We're impressive in training. 1t
isn't. club which permits itself to
get unduly excited. The same spirit
prevailed at the training camps of
the Yankees when they were cham
pions. At New Orleans in 1923 the
Yankees training camp was rather a
Joke. Nowhere did | ever see The do
as YOU please" spirit SO prevalent.
Yet the Yankees won the 1873 race
by margin of l6 games and topped
their pennant victory with n world
series victory over the Giants.
Discipline Stricter Now.
Stricter discipline prevails at the
Yankee training camp of 1926 than
at any of HiugSins' former camps.
Things which were tolerated when
the Yankees were champions no long
or go on a sCcond-CiiVision team.
There is an Improvement II the lan-
kee situation: il MAY not be marked.
hut it is there. The club should fight
il out with Detroit for fourth place
Ruth famed twice in his first train
ing game. but there Is no doubt lhal
he is in fer better shape physically
than he has been in years. hethef
the old luster remains in his batting
eye remains 10 be seen. Dusan's leg
anparently rs} come back. ANA kNeri-
has looked good AT short. Tony
Liuerri the coast fence buster. mas
not set the New York training camp
ON fire. neither has Pat Collins, the
former. Brown catcher. OF the young
Yankee pitchers Bean. BraNton ana
McOuaid have shown the most. Bean
looks as though he is ready 10 h'e up
to his big promise OF i9-4'
Braves Most Improved.
The most improved ball club that
have seen in Dixie this Spring Is me
Boston Braves. training partners ol
the New York Yankees al -. ttlelS-
burg. 1t still is a little too early 10
predict whether DaNeA Ba.icroIt ciup
will be an actual contender, but 1t GER
tainly Is Il strong firSt-dlVlSlon canul-
date and may fight its way as hlSh a'
third.
The biggest change in the clup Is
mental. a y~dr ago. paying the Ne"
York Yankees, the Braves still had the
tailender complex. In their l92o tram
ing contests with the Yankees, lhen
still considered a top-notch American
League team. the Braves played IKE
under-dogs. The crowd did not con-
slider the Braves IL match for the sup
posedly powerful NV York Amerl-
cans and the Boston players appaf
emily reflected this attitude.
This year that has all been changed
Climbing out G. the cellar to hfth
place late last season has changed the
mental attitude of the entire club.
Their heads are held high and they
expect to win. | have Just seen ln2m
score impressive victories against
Washington and the Yankees.
Pitchers Merit Watching.
Watch that Boston Brave pitching
staff this year: it promises to be one
of the best in base ball. Larry Benton
Just hit his real form last season.
Cooney, with Il little more batting sup
port behind him, should be the best
lefthander in his league. Joe Gene
wich again is showing some Of the
stuff which featured his delivery when
be first came into the league. Rosy
Bill" Ryan, the former Giant, is fired
with new ambition. Kyle Graham,
Bob Smith and Al Kamp show the
benefit of their last years experience,
and old George Mogridge, former
American League southpaw, says the
old souper" is as good as ever.
One of the best-looking pitching re-
cruits that 7 have looked over in Flor
ida this Spring is Henry WertZ, a Bos-
ton newcomer from Worcester. Ban
croft predicts Wertz. a stocky right
handler. will be a regular on his staff
his year. He is giving him plenty of
training camp work and already has
pitched him against the Yankees and
Washington. More about this Boston
team later.
(CopEriCht tooc