Evening star., 1936-03-01
Base Ball
Continued From First Page.)

that permanent grass stand a single
whit.
Florida cities, where our leading
base ballers prepare for action. spend
approximately $4,000 annually for
new clay loan reinforcements with
which to fortify their fields of play.
This is necessary because much of
this man-provided soil washes down
into the sand during heavy semi
tropical downpours, and some also
blows away during Summer wind
storms. The imported clay is mixed
with compost and commercial fer
tilizer and then is distributed by hand
over the infields and outfields, an
overcoating from four to five inches
deep being essential to put the ball
yards in the best playing condition.
One season not so long ago 10 car
loads of imported clay loan were
shipped all the way from Central Ohio
for use in improving the Lakeland,
Fla, field where the Cleveland Ameri-
cans trained that Spring.
The groundkeepers of all the major
league outfits which train in Florida
arrive in the Peninsula State several
weeks in advance of the players in
order to spruce up the playing fields.
Florida municipalities provide the ma
terials, including the imported clay
loan, workmen and funds for the
diamond improvement campaigns.
Genial Mike Martin, expert advance
man of the Senators, supervises these
activities at Orlando, so that when
the Mats begin practice the diamond
is in as good condition as their home
hangout at Griffith Stadium.
The presence Of the Washington
Mats in Orlando for four or five weeks
in February and March assures that
National Capital visitors Wintering
in Florida in large numbers will ram
Bile to that city of enticing lakes
and handsome hibiscus for pre-
season lookover OF the newest model
National. The Orlando placeline
during the training season Is carried
daily, with thousands of yarns pub
lished in the sports pages Of news
papers throughout the United States.
Florida does not neglect Q sast@Sy
iota in capitalizing from al stich
current and potential publicity.
DREVIOUS to the first appearance
of the Boston Braves in st.
Petersburg that city entertained less
than 1000 regular Winter visitors
from Massach achusetts. The tourist influx
from Massachusetts, increased seven
fold with the coming of the knights
of base ball who play by day. CAT
Lang's notable banquets for the base
ball writers who congregate in Florida
during the training days Is the piece
de-resistant'' of the publicity pro-
gram. Once 800 diners, including
about 100 of this country's leading
sports writer's, enjoyed AIS hospi-
tality; Judge Kenesaw Lands. base
ball commissioner. was the stand
out honor guest of the feast. The
st. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce
kept tab that year on the press
notices which the city gained from
Spring" base ball in Florida ct al
and reported to this writer that 1t
would have cost over $250,000 II the
publicity had been paid for at Gus
| toynary space rates.
Here's what Clark Griffith, grizzled
owner of the Senators and one Of
the ranking deans of Americas bill
lionaire base ball business, has tc
say about conditioning the leaguers
in Florida, in general, and at Or.
ando, in particular: II have sam
pied base ball training conditions ir
virtually every propitious Winter
weather State in the country: natura
circumstances and facilities In Florida
are the best Of the lot. The mair
trouble we formerly had when w
trained at Tampa condition which
unquestionably will repeat itself a
Orlando-was to check the boy
from overexerting themselves early l,
the season. Jumping from the cold
,cicles and snow of the North to thi
land of Summer sunshine and gentl'
breezes peps the players to such al
extent that they tend to forget them
selves, overdo and so stale becaus'
/ they feel 20 At and fne."