The Washington times., 1935-03-19

Aooo q n y sa"SsA SAA2N ''Re''''S8-aN
when Albany Frank Buck" o'Neill
came over to Biloxi and tanned
the Griffmen to a delicate brown.
It isn't that Harris is particu.
larly interested in winning from
the Indians. You don't pay off
on the spring exhibition games.
In the final analysis these games
are arranged to give the man.
ayers a chance to observe their
men under fire. Harris, how
ever, has had only one chance
to look over the lads, and then
he didn't see anything. They
just weren't ready. They never
had q chance to be ready,
weather conditions being so afro.
ciouS.
The Griffs are 10 days behind
their contemporaries in condition
as matters stand today. Almost
one month interveneS from the
time that this piece is sent click
ing over the telegraph wires,
down here on the lead-toned gulf,
and the opening Of the champion.
ship season. In that time the
fielders, all veterans will have a
chance to work themselves into
condition. But you can't get away
from figures.
One Practice Drill
The Griffs have had just one
practice drill and one little get
together in a game. In the
game, Of course, there were
numerous substitutionS and there
fore little chance to perfect team
work.
There is a double indictment
read against training conditions
as this writer sees them. It
strikes me that men who have
been sending baseball teams
south year after year should have
some fairly accurate information
on what to expect. The infield-
ers were ordered to report 10
days ago. Came a week of rain
and they could do nothing but
eat and play pinochle. Those who
play golf got their legs in con-
dition trekking around the links
half a mile away from the hotel.
Heinie Manush, entering upon
his thirteenth training season,
summed up the situation this
morning.
'T'm glad we're not hitting
against those pitchers who have
had three weeks in Florida"
Heine said. "They'd knock the
bats right out Of our hands"
The infielders had a different
plant.
"We're two weeks behind the
rest of the league right now"
one of the boys said. "Of course
we have time, but I'd like to be
farther advanced toward play.
ing cor ditiOn. can't cut loose
with my arm. Its not ready, and
I'm not going to take any
chances with it. I'll do all I can
but I've got only one right arm"
Train Further South
An interesting plan was ad.
vanced by Bucky Harris, who made
it quite emphatic that he was sat-
isfied with some phases of train"
ing here.
Harris thinks it would be fine
thing to have the Griffs train
further south for at least part
Of the spring, move a bit north
and establish camp for two
weeks, then hitting the exhibition
trail with a ball club fully con-
ditioned for the demands Of the
occasion, always working toward
a peak for the opening Of the
season.
This writer thinks that from
every angle, climatic and economic,
the Griffs would be better off for
a month in Florida, then going
north bit and playing the usual
games on the road to home. Al
though st. Petersburg is the finest
training site this agent ever saw,
there's nothing wrong with Clear
water, nor a dozen other spots in
the contiguous territory.
Plenty of Games
Florida definitely is out Of the
doledrums. The greatest throng
Of tourists in the history Of the
State visited those delightful
shores this year.
There are major league clubs,
and half a dozen or more minor
league clubs, with which to
arrange exhibition games.
Not only has the work Of the
infield been retarded by the rain
which made the playing surface
soft and treacherouS but the young
pitchers have not progressed as
they might have under more
favorable environments.