The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-03-01
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER
Sports Editor, The Times

Whether or not those rookie
hurlers who have been working
ont on Plant Field amount to
anything will soon become known
to Manager Harris. The exhibit
tion games provide the test and
the first of the long string is
marked for next Saturday at st.
Petersburg, Fla, where the Griff-
men viii run up against Davey
Bancroft's Boston Braves. Until
Saturday the athletes viii merely
70 through the motions.
President Griffith has arranged
what promises to be a valuable
train1ng schedule. Beginning with
such weak aggregations as the
Braves. the Phillies and the Buff
falo Internationals, the work viii
gradually become harder and
harder, eliminating in the series
with the New York Giants.
The Giants make admirable
spring companions" is the way
President Griffith explains his
scheme. ..McGraw never loses a
game he can win. He keeps IN
top Of his players. all the time,
even In those exhibitions, and our
players never have a chance to
on going with the Giants. The
natural result Is that the team
spirit Ii excellent by the time the
regular season opens"
Eleven games are to be played
between the Griffs and Giants this
year as follows:
March 20-At Sarasota.
March ~, %, 30-At Tampa
April Sat Birmingham.
April s, TAT Augusta, Ga.
April Sat Atlanta.
April 9-At Norfolk.
April 10, 11-At Griffith Stadium
a year ago. when the teams
played what was called the little
world series, the Giants got
threatened to run away with the
world champions. Then, sudden
" finding themselves. the Griffs
began pfling up victories until
the series ended in q the.
This years series promises just
as much hot stuff, with the de-
throned world champions striving
to prove their superiority over their
National League rivals. Unless bad
weather prevents. one team or the
other should come out a winner,
thus providing fans with plenty of
arguments.
This weeks practice at Tampa
kaA ~ oil
younger pitchers who VIII be sent
against the batters. The regulars
can hardly be expected to force
themselves during the first week.
The lineup going against the
Braves Saturday viii consist most
" OF new players. Bucky Harris,
who is already in good shape, may
start at second base, but the rest
OF the infielders will be youngsters.
The entire outfield may be new
corners, though st. Petersburg win
probably want to look at Gosiin
and Rice, IL only for a few innings.
As for the hurlers, Bucky Harris
win probably want to get early i'm
pressions Of such lads as Thomas,
Hadley, Smith, Kelly and Hum
phreys. There Is slight chance Of
any veterans getting into that first
oAnIDlIlOn CASH
The practice sessions will as
sumo major Importance beginning
q week from today. By that time
the regulars VIII be ready TO
sling the ball around and to
Siam it around, too.
The proper training for a ball
club Is to play bali. Therefore. the
daily batting drills tend to become
monotonous to athletes desiring to
play ball. Nevertheless. until Fri.
day, March IL, the Griffs will have
but one exhibition game. Their
work will consist wholly of batting
ana brief fielding sessions.
The Buffalo Internationals will
. be played at Palmetto on March
II, q return game with the Braves
coming at Tampa on the following
day.
March II will see the Buffalo
club at Tampa. The Phillies appear
ct Tampa on March Is and the
Griffs go over to Bradenton to
play them on the following day.
A year ago the touring Griffs and
Giants hooked up at Palm Beach
and Miami. but this season they
are stunning the East Coast.
Jesse James hotel managers have
driven clubs off the East Coast,
and, IL rumors are true, are doing
their best to repeat the dose on
the West CoaS..
There was a time when Texas
hogged all the training ball clubs.
Florida has claimed most OF them
now for couple of years, but the
swing seems headed for Texas
again next spring. High prices in
Florida are getting In their deadly
work, making it impossible for the
clubs to continue calling.
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