- “Hug” Plans to Use Two Parks Widely Separated, for Morning and Afternoon Work.
- According to Huggins, negotiations are at an end with Doak, as far as the club is concerned.
March 5, 1917 Age 26
St Louis Post Dispatch
SAN ANTONIO. Tex., March 5. This somnolent city of the South, already disturbed by the presence of some 13,000 of Uncle Sam’s soldiers, was further invaded last night by the forces of Miller J. Huggins’ baseball army. Twenty-one officers and men marched into the city. “Hug” himself, with 12 enlisted men and non-coms Connery and Woods, effected a junction with a squad of six other tossers at the Hot Wells Hotel.
The battle for jobs, in which five of the 27 players now on the roster will be exterminated, began later In the day, when Huggins led his troupe into the Hot Wells diamond.
After today the double workout plan will be in effect. A session of an hour and a half at the Hot Wells park in the morning will be followed by a two-hour drill at League Park, the home of the San Antonio Bronchos. In the afternoon.
Road Work for Hug’s Men.
In planning to take the athletes into San Antonio proper for the afternoon practice, Hug has two Ideas in mind. In the first place he figures the change of scenery will prevent the work from becoming monotonous. Again, he expects to make the men hoof it from the hotel to League Park and back again. So, unless Hug changes his mind, the athletes will do about six miles of road work each afternoon. A couple of weeks of this sort of activity should put the squad in top-top shape.
Frank Snyder, who lives in San Antonio, reported this morning. If Frank’s complexion is a criterion, the sun has been on the job strong all winter. The big catcher has spent the winter hunting and fishing. He has sold his roadster and has been relying on his pedal extremities for transportation.
Stuffy Stewart a “Prospect.”
The first Cardinal to reach camp was “Stuffy” Stewart, the South Atlantic League second sacker, who joined the club last fall. “Stuffy” registered a week ago and has been puttering around with the San Antonio Bronchos. “Hug” thinks a lot of this youngster.
In the squad that accompanied Huggins from St. Louis were pitchers Leon Ames, Bob Steele, Dick Niehaus, Lou North and Roy Gardiner. Infielders Jack Miller, Fred Smith, J. Jones and Clyde Defate. Outfielders Bob Bescher and Jack Smith and Catcher Paddy Livingston.
This Livingston is quite a husky person. The veteran receiver Is built according to the original specifications of the Rock of Gibraltar and is just about as impervious to punishment. Paddy is long on experience as well as size. He served with the Athletics for something like four seasons, spent nearly twice that time In the American Association and performed last season with Sioux City in the Western League
Meadows, Watson, Williams, Bohne, Stewart, Hornsby and Snyder were on hand here when the squad arrived last night. That made an attendance of 19 of the demon athletes at the breakfast table. The remainder of the squad, nine in all, will wander in from time to time.
Doak Only Uncertainty.
Doak is the only member about whom there is an uncertainty. Bill went back to Pittsburgh from St. Louis after failing to reach a salary agreement with Huggins last Saturday. According to Huggins, negotiations are at an end, as far as the club is concerned.
It’s a question of take it or leave it, as far as Doak’s contract is concerned, as Huggins puts it. No concern is felt as to Hornsby, Pierce, Betzel and Fred Smith, who also have failed to sign contracts.