The Washington times., 1929-03-01
SPIRIT
MUST Be
KEPT.
~ R. D. Thomas

BY r, D. THOMAS
~ TAMPA, Fla, March L.
Every member of the Wash.
inRton BALI club will be a
hustler and a clean living ath.
lete or become an ex-Griffman
aon short notice.
That big, gentle hammered fellow
named johnson, who was accounted
"a failure az manager OF the Newark
Bears In the International League
last year, has been tempered ir the
fire Of experience.
There was CLINT in his deep.set,
sea-green eyes and the muscles OF
one OF the strongest jaws in base.
bah tishtened perceptibly when the
new Grift pilot was questioned
about that skid Of Newark.
lt sounded In no sense like
,,NA Alibl when he said, after a
pause for thought;
1--WE had some bad breaks up
tNere--were just unlucky in some
reDpActs-~but those breaks were
itlkde h.ore damaging by the failure
q several players to do their duty
b. the club, They didn't take care
of themselves and trey weakened
tlaB morale of those who wanted to
a. the right thing.
You know. just few OF the
wrong sort of men can wreck a
good ball club-if allowed to go
unchecked"
Walter gazed reflectively into
space.
"rhere won't be any trouble.
makers on this club" he continued,
that Is 70 say, they won't be with
US for long. Any player who doesn t
show the right spirit, either on the.
field or OFT, may just as well pack
Me bag bstorA he starts his mis-
chief. He'll be on the way out.
Il have no thought of becoming
s. hArd.boiled manager. | mean by
that one. OF the kind who attempts
TO get results by rough riding a
fellow.
Because IFS all to the ad.
vantage Of q nnan to give his
best % his job / have no Iualnls
about absolutely demanding 1t
40 hiA manager.
II want to be one Of the boys,
in = personal way. the same az I've
always been. And | mean to be.
81, L
in any way make it impractical for
me to hold that attitude toward
him. he VIII be classed as an un.
desirable.
Y believe we're going to have
a clean. fighting bali team this
year, ana If we get some breaks
we ought to do we'll"
The Big Train is setting an ex.
ample for his men in the matter
OF work, leading some to believe
that he intends to help out with
the pitching. 1t is probable that
walter has no definite plan in that
direction.
II want to get in shape on gen.
eral principle" ne said today, and
added with grin. I'm not trying
to run anybody out of q job.'
He is grooming Bump Hadley
carefully. One gains the impress
sion from chatting with the players
that the gOOd-natIired ex4c0lIegiaf1
is expected to be the ace of the
pitching staff. He has had no IN.
sffeets from the appendicitis opera.
tion that got him off to a late start
last season and he is making rapid
headway in the business of con-
ditioning.
He reported considerably over.
weight, but the excess stuff liz melt.
ing Toticably. Bump is one of the
most active participants in the pep.
per drill and daily vollsy. ball game
and he has worn a ditch in the
half-mile track encircling the field.
Moreover. he plays at least Is holes
OF golf every afternoon and some.
times many. more.
Most Of the players here are
golfers and they are taking the
fullest advantage Of privileges
EXTENDED BY the various country
clubs.
Muddy Ruel had an edge on the
field until Sam Rice blew in unex.
pectedIy.
oNhhE battAeSA VAIN par regularly.
He had. his first workout at Plant
Field today and Immediately after
lunch hustled out to the Palma Celia
golf club, in company with Ruel,
Hadley ana Hopkins, all o. whom de.
nanded fat handicaps. !
IT is apparent that Red Barnes is |
bent upon grabbing a regular place
In the outfield. He beat Rice here by
an hour. Neither was looked for
until next week. Both appear to be
T. excellent shape
Rice has been, playing golf all win
ter and Barnes. to quote him, HAS
fooled around outdoors, mostly hunt
inE." Red has about five pounds to
shed.
President Gritflth's peremptory
telegram to Jack Hayes. young sec.
ond baseman. got quick results, it
would seem. Anyway, the lad wired
the big boss thar his contract was
In the mail. He had been holding
out so persistently that esriff sum.
moned Hthffy Stewart to report
ahead of schedule to be sure of
84vinS q second sscker in shape
Sar1y.
Only Fred Marberry, Sam Jones
and Goose Goslln remain unsigned