Evening star., 1932-10-16

means only seven months
of toll a year, but to Clark
Griffith it is a continual
grind.
Having let cut a manager,
picked up another and put out
feelers for likely trades within
the last two weeks, the Washing
ton Base Ball Clubs president
now is endeavoring to decide
which of several sites his Ma
tionalS should use for their train
ing next Spring.
Thus far, Griffith has had under con-
sideration as a possible conditioning
place for the club, Clearwater and
Orlando in Florida and Biloxi, Miss
the latter The town where the Nationals
have been whipped into trim for the
last three American League campaigns
Each has its advantageS-and diSad-
vantageS. too-Which makes the choice
something of a problem for the Wash
ingt0n club boss.
60 far as climate and general accom-
- modationS are concerned. Biloxi is
Grifhth's choice, the preXy admits.
And our new manager, Joe Cronln
also cast his vote for Biloxi before
leaving for his San Francisco home
last week. At present. though, it doesn't
seem that the Mississippi coast town
Will get the club.
The training of big league ball club
puts big cent in its treasury. so nat
urally the business heads Of the outfit
are on the lookout to get something
back The returns come solely from
exhibition games and Biloxi is poor
site for such.
No clubs of the National League
train near Biloxi. so in the past the
Washington club has done most of its
practice-game playing with Glass AA
and Glass A minors. And the games
with the minors do not pay.
CLEARWATER. on the West Coast
~ of Florida. is nicely located with
respect to the camps of National
League clubs. 1t is little more than 20
miles from Tampa where the Nationals
used to train. not much more than 30
miles from St Petersburg where the
Boston Braves hold forth every Spring
and which turns out the best exhibit
ton game crowds in the South. and not
a long ride from BradentoWn, the st.
LOUIS SdIQllldlS lIdIIlIIlS Slle.
But Clearwater has one drawback
In GriffithS estimation. Situated smack
on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico,
the town is swept almost continually
by brisk wind off that great eXpanSe
of water. And base ball folk contend
his wind is harmful to men in training.
The perspiring athletes, resting between
workouts, are chilled by the breeze
and numerous sore arms and aching
legs result.
The Brooklyn Dodgers, who trained
at Clearwater SO long, complained OF
the i'll effects Of the wind off the Gulf
and next year they will do their con-
ditioning at more favorable spot
ORLANDO is a beautiful small town
~ with an ideal climate in central
Florida on what is called the
ridge. AS a matter of fact, no portion
of the Gator State is far above sea
level. but Orlando happens to be on the
backbone of the Peninsula.
It's a fine little place. spotted with
lakes-there are more than 90 within
the town limits-and possessing high
class hotel Accommodations. Above all. 1t
has a good ball park with nicely built
stands and a well groomed playing
field.
That ball park comes to Orlando as
a heritage from the Cincinnati Reds
who trained there for years. 1t formerly
was called Radland Park but now is
known as Tinker Field. The new deslg-
nation is a tribute to Joe Tinker, once
one of the Cubs greatest infelders and
later manager of the Reds. who now
makes his home in Orlando.
Orlando though. is some distance
from the training camps of the National
League clubs in Florida and scheduling
exhibitions with them would mean a
lot of travelling for the Washington
outfit But Griffith thinks right well OF
the Florida ridge town as training
site.
CRIFFITH'S choice will be made as
" soon as he completes negotiations
with National League clubs having
to do with Spring exhibition schedule.
The prexy is working on several tenta-
tive lists right now. He is considering
the possibilities Of each Of the three
towns mentioned in outlining these
game programs. Which makes him
very busy man these days.
No addition to the Nationals coach
ing staff is contemplated, according to
the Washington Clubs front office.
Jack OnsloW. one-time coach with the
Nationals and recently released by the
Phillies. last week conferred With Pres1-
dent Griffith, but was given no assur-
ance of post here.