Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-03-04
CRON|N GIVES ROCK
POINTERS At THIRD
Corrects )CeciI's Throwing
Stance-Mar.in Opens War
on Heavy Diets.
BY TOM DOERER.

X Your Nationals are doing
IL some inaugurating them
selves these days to sort of
keep in tune with the fever and
spirit of the moment.
For instance, the Washington
Ball Clubs Board of Strategy
which this year consists of Uncle
Clark Griffith, Joe Cronin, Mike
Martin and the coaches, Nick
Altrock and AL STRAIGHTFORWARD
a good third-basing view Of their
elongated recruit inflelder, Cecil
Travis, late of Chattanooga, but
later of no other place when it
comes to tossing a pair of spindly,
sturdy legs around the place made
famous by Ossie Bluege, the peer
of them all at the corner which
Is rated as warm.
Travis obliged by working in an in
field that also included Moe Berg at
first base, the boss man himself, Joe
Cronin, at the post where he scintillates
and Johnny Kerr at second base. Earl
Whitehill, Jack Russell and AL Schacht
were on the mound to pitch to the
betters, who laid the balls down in
Cecils territory. In that way the troupe
Of trainers gave the young man-who
has to fight it out with Bob Boken from
the Kansas City club-a severe test.
And Cecil came through. A foot
fault, quickly noticed by the peer of
infield tutors, Joe Cronin, was quickly
corrected Cecil had been throwing his
weight on his left foot in getting the
leather onion down to first base. Cronin
showed him that in placing his weight
upon the other pedal he could get the
ball away more quickly and more &C
curately.
I've been throwing in the wrong way
for two years." said Cecil. land that's
the first time anybody ever has pointed
out the defect to me-" Which, Johnnie
Kerr told him, lis why Spring training
camps We're invented"
GAM RICE, whose bat sent the bat
~ terymen on rampage of hitting,
fielding and pitching the other day.
was kept out of the picture in the latest
edition Of practice. Manager Cronin
feared another outburst of energy as
displayed by the men in training when
they lamped an outfielder walking to the
platter with a war club Slung across
his shoulder. Sam limited his practice
to golf and walk around the park.
With the indication of another shot
OF rainy weather which has skirted the
Gulf Coast during the last two days.
the boys are practicing on their pinochle
the first play they have given them
since Camp Griff opened up its 1888
session.
Having had their usual first week
spree of soda water, ice cream and
candy, the rockies are getting the gaze
of Trainer Mike Martin as he plans for
his first move in telling them that the
happy days of night Jaunts into town
to soda up" are over.
When Mike gets the word that the
hitters are advancing upon the town
he usually begins to ban the eating and
drinking between meals, begins snoop-
ing into platters and generally prepares
to tighten up on the culinary restriction
that the batters will see some pitching
to make them, too, get into shape.
GO Mike becomes a parsonage in this
~ comparatively to the rocks.
They know, from having heard the
veterans talk. that Sir Miguel can spot
young man with a soda under his
belt way across the lobby.
When the vets come into camp, Mikes
troubles will not be so many along these
lines. The youngsters usually follow
the habits OF the vets. Seeing the old
timers take care Of their diet, the re-
cruits realize that the patriarch of
trainers has been giving them the real
Mccoy.
But just now, as in other training
camps, the rocks are mixing their
shrimp, oysters, pickles and ice cream
and Martin feels that the time has
come in Camp Griff to take the young
men aside, point to their platter of food
and discuss few things with them.
Despite the spirited workout the
other day, when Martin was standing in
corner of the bcse ball lot with his
fingers eros sed, there are only slight
cases of sore arms or legs in camp.
Three are down with colds. but none
bad enough to get under the blankets
A S the week comes to a close, and
"A the boys are hoping that bad
weather will not prevent them
wearing newly purchased white trous-
ers and sport shoes en- Sunday, Uncle
Griffith reports that the home folks
may be told that all is we'll at camp,
where in a little over two weeks a
pennant going club will blossom forth
to 60 Transforming.
And add for me-" says Manager
Cronin, that if spirit wins a flag for
a ball club to have nice staff busted
off up there in Washington on which
we can loft the 1888 American League
pennant, and possibly, the world flag"
Which proves that both Uncle and
his boy pilot are feeling rather sweet
about the aggregation of championship
chasers down here. who have not had
the best weather conditions in the world
under which to train.