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Show i FAMOUS INFIELDER TO PLAY WITH NEW YORK S BIRMINGHAM. March 25.-John Mc-Oraw Mc-Oraw aald before tho game today, tho last one arranged In this city between tho GlnntH and Conl Barons, that ho would in til likelihood become an active member 5t the to.un. Tho condition, of course, Is that tJte gamo leg which lias kept him out oo lone continues to get stronger. It hay improved so materially under constant massage and dally training that tho chances aro McGraw will be icon on tho diamond when tho Giants open up In Brooklyn. This Is tho all-absorbing themo among the boys JubI now, for, though none of tho x infield cares to llnd himself displaced, each ' one Is so keen for tho club's wolfaro that he will atep out gracefully. JIcGraw has had hls In mind ever since ho began work in Svfrannnh. It waH for this reason partly that ho brough; Gus Guerrero, tho rubber, rub-ber, along on tho trip. Last year he do- itx ponded on local mftssugc men to rub and bandage tho bad knee, but they did not n understand the Job. Guerrero, a profess-W1 profess-W1 tdonnl, has been spending several hours per dny solely on McGraw's weak muscles IrtjPJJ und has succeeded In hardening them so ilttn tnat tno J'nt ,9 'airly protected and does IrJ? not spring at a critical moment, ft l'i McGraw has not said much, but has jjt , nevor missed a practice, and tho old men flfi, I observed that ho worked hko a steam o.n-111 o.n-111 ? Cine, hitting, running and fielding. They If ifl euspecied a method In his madness, and III .' today, when the one-time famous lnflolder, fJ,V notwithstanding soreness from last night's 'l, indoor baseball game at tho Athletic club, A V 'T began to do stunts that only tho old Baltl-nW Baltl-nW more crowd ever performed, Joe McQlnnl-(Jfr. McQlnnl-(Jfr. 1 ty said: "Mae. you look pretty good to )y me. good enough to play with tho Giants. A -il Why don't you?' Kl A "Well, old boy." flashed McGraw, "I'll B! tell you straight. If this leg holds out like Mrj this I certainly will play with the Giants." Hi I Word passed In a twinkling from one B I player to the other. Some looked amazed, H others blank. They thought tho manager I was Joshing, but he assured them other- wise So It may be put down as fairly certain. Mm ( Harry Vaughan. first baseman on the MM i local team and an old National league MM' i catcher, when ho heard It, said that If McGraw plays third or second the Giants will finish first. "At present," said Vaughan, "Mac Is as lively and sure as he was In Baltimore There Is not a smarter inllelder in either league.and what he can do with tho stick will be a plenty. I like Bresnahan, but It Is not to be denied that he lacks In going go-ing for hot ones with his right hand, Hko Collins or Tommy Lynch. To cover that bag requires Inborn aptltudo and long practice. McGraw Is simply blue lightning light-ning with either hand, or with both. Needless Need-less to say. his headworl: would aid tho team 20 per cent," Mac would not go so far as to mention where he might play, but the boys seem to tako it for granted that third station would bo his home, although ho has been playing second In all the scrub games. In this event, Bresnahan would take his old place at center Held, McCormlck and Brown fighting It out for tho Dexter meadow. Thus far Brown has the best of It. Ho has made sevon runs In four games to McCormlck'B four; has handled himself moro smartly on bases, und totals up a greater number of hits. AVIth all the various talent. McGraw still excels in dumping tho bril.l and placing his Ill's, his dally work bolng a revelation. In a few days ho will probably decide just what he will do tho rest of tho season. Last night he took part In a furious gamo of indoor baseball at tho clubhouse, when the Giants beat tho Birmingham Athletic Ifam by tho scoro of 27 to 13. The In-closuro In-closuro was CO feet long and 20 fet wide; a hard iloor, big soft ball, and thin bnt. Tho spectators were mostly women the tS-karnt society of tho town und there lias not been such a hilarious time hero slnco 1M0 citizens mobbed tho county Jail. Today's games will wind up tho Birmingham Bir-mingham scries, Monday and Tuesday being be-ing set apart for hard drill at base-running und otherv.iso getting In trim to meet the dangerous team at L'.ttle Bock, where the locals have promised to take at least oni gamo from New York. In a roundabout way McGraw heard today to-day that tho Chicago management has been attempting to get a secret and accurate accu-rate lino on Just what tho Giants aro doing do-ing from persons on the local team. This comes rather HI from Frank Selee. or whoever who-ever Is responsible If worried now, his hair Is likely to turn white by the end of tho season. |