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Show EARLY TRA3MIMG II FOR BALL PLAYERS 1 Why Athletes Should Bo in Perfect Htffl Condition at the Opening of fifS tho Season. j Many baseball players neglect tholr IH spring training and arc not In tho best of IH shape whon the early games aro played. Tht3, in many Instances, Is a great detrl- IH mcnt to the team's chances of capturing the pennant, ax a good start goes a long way toward deciding the winner of tho jH race. When every player reports In excel- H lent condition and the team starts out IH from the beginning on its proper stride, lH the men get confldonco In their ability and jH manage to win a majority of tho early ll games before their opponents come to life. H Tho work of the Los Angalcs team last IH upring Is a good Illustration of this. Tho jH Loo-Looa had a firm hold on first placo H long beforo tho other teams got warmed H up to tholr work. H WORD ABOUT MERTES. Sandow Mcrtcs, tho famous Bocond-bose- nan of the Now York Giants. Is ono of tho H baseball stars who believe in being In H llrst-claos condition when tho opanlng H game of the season rolls around. Mertca H has beon taking light Indoor cxorcleo for B several wcekti and will now start In to do 1 outdoor stunts, such as running and tosn- lng tho sphere, in ordor to llmbor up his muscles. Sam mado his Initial bow to tho Gotham funs loat spring and Immediately K became popular for nls great hitting ablll- HIB tics. During tho fore part of tho season IB he lambasted tho horsehldc to nil corncr'o IHI of the lot. and rolled up a nlco batting av- orage. lie said this was mainly due to y the fact that ho was In tho pink of condl- IH tion and had his "lumps" In proper work- ins ordor. Mcrtes nlao claims that umplr- IH lng during the off season in very boncQola.1 1 to the playcr'3 batting aye, as It trains tho H cy-3 to follow the ball, and says that this 1 was the object in handling tho Indicator at H Oakland this winter. H CORBETT IN CONDITION. Joe Corbett who will twirl for St Loci I a IH CI) In summer, is also a Urn believer in HBH early spring training, and "Brother Joe" Ifl will be ready to step In tho box as Uoon as '1 tho season opens. Wl Jimmy Whaicn has begun to get his JH pitching wing In shape and will bo ready 1 to dish up shoots for the Chicago boys IIH when they visit tho coast on their annual 'IH spring training tour. jIH Players who mako California their win- M tor headquarters certainly have arj odvan- tago over their Eastern brethren, who IH have to work the eoreness out of thcJr muscles by shoveling snowbanks. There IH whero it 1? balmy tho cntlro year, tho ball , Hl tossors can condition thomsolvc3 in the J lH open air and no local player should havo any excuse for not reporting In shape to IH ploy up to his regular notch right from tho IH start tH |