SPRING TRAINING WITH THE 1916 RED SOX

February 4, 1916 ... Manager Bill Carrigan was in Boston to finish making spring training arrangements and scheduling spring training games before leaving to go back to his home in Lewiston Maine.  He will remain there until March 9th when he comes back to town and head down south.  Joe Devine of Albany NY signed with the Red Sox for a tryout.  Carrigan has Pinch Thomas, Pat Haley, Sam Agnew and Devine booked for an early arrival at Hot Springs.  Hick Cady has not signed his contract yet.

February 5, 1916 ... Mr. Louis Page has been in negotiations with Joe Lannin about purchasing the Red Sox.  The two sides are off by $100,000  The rumored asking price is $600,000

February 16, 1916 ... Joe Lannin left for New York City to attend the American League owner's meeting to ratify the sale of the Cleveland Indians, now that Charles Somers will become vice president of the league.  Frank Baker was purchased by the New York Yankees and should prove to be a valuable addition because he is a great drawing card.  The signed contract of utility infielder Mike McNally arrived at Red Sox headquarters.

February 18, 1916 ... President James Gilmore of the Federal League has called a meeting in Chicago to formally dissolve the league and merge with the International League.  Many Federal League players are now looking for jobs including ex-Red Sox player Hugh Bradley.

February 28, 1916 ... Waivers on Joe Wood by all the American and National League teams was received by Joe Lannin.  Wood's high salary and the uncertainty about the health of his arm has made all the owners nervous about taking him.  The passing of the Federal League also eliminated an opportunity for Wood.  He now makes $7500 in salary and was offered a contract for $5000 buy the Red Sox.

March 3, 1916 ... Utility outfielder, Chick Shorten's signed contract was received by the Red Sox.  Last season with Providence, he batted .322 and finished the season with the Red Sox.

March 10, 1916 ... The first players left Boston for Hot Springs at 10AM this morning.  The party includes manager Bill Carrigan, Hal Janvrin, Olaf Henriksen, trainer Charles Green, and vice-president Paul Lannin as well as Lehigh University pitcher, Charles Anderson.  In St. Louis, the party will be joined by Babe Ruth, Herb Pennock, Pinch Thomas and Pat Haley.  After St. Louis the train will arrive at Hot Springs on Sunday morning.

Many of the regulars will be leaving directly from their homes.  The list includes, Rube Foster from Oklahoma, Dutch Leonard from California, Ernie Shore from North Carolina, Vean Gregg from Canada, Lore Bader from Kansas, Sam Agnew from North Dakota, Dick Hoblitzell from West Virginia, and Carl Mays from Oregon.

Missing from the list is Ray Collins who is not expected to make the team this year.  Also missing is Hick Cady who was offered $3500, Joe Wood who was offered $5000, and Tris Speaker who was offered $10,000  All these players were offered reduced contracts and are not satisfied with them.  Salaries for all players are down 25%-40% because of the failure of the Federal League and the effects of the War.

A second party of players will leave a week from today.  The list includes Larry Gardner, Jack Barry, secretary Ed Riley, Del Gainor, Everett Scott, Mike McNally and Chick Shorten.  Harry Hooper and Duffy Lewis will leave from their homes in California.

March 11, 1916 ... Marty McHale and Dick McCabe joined the party in Utica NY.  Bill Carrigan received a telegram that Hick Cady has signed his contract and will meet the team at Hot Springs.

March 12, 1916 ... The train arrived at Hot Springs this morning and was greeted by a fine delegation of fans and Royal Rooters.  Manager Carrigan will start practice tomorrow with 19 men at the park.  Eleven pitchers and five catchers will be joined by Dick Hoblitzell, Hal Janvrin and Olaf Henriksen.  The players went walking around town in the afternoon.  The weather was June-like with the pear and peach trees beginning to blossom.

March 13, 1916 ... Sunny and warm weather greeted the Red Sox in their first workout of the spring.  Sox players walked to the ball park which was dry and level, showing that much work had been done to it over the past year.  The pitchers and the catchers loosened up their arms with light throwing and two rounds of batting practice.  Much time was spent just chasing baseballs around the park.  Manager Carrigan threw a surprise by taking everyone on a three mile hike through the hills on the way back to the hotel.  Hick Cady was the first one back followed by Dutch Leonard and Paul Lannin.  The others arrived some 20 minutes later, having taken a different route to the summit.  In the afternoon most of the players went to the race track.  It was reported that Tris Speaker stopped by the New York Giants camp in Marlin Texas to visit with his old opponents.  When asked about his contract, all Speaker would say is that he would be at Red Sox camp as scheduled.

HIKING AT HOT SPRINGS

March 14, 1916 ... The Red Sox went through a strenuous workout today starting at 10:30AM with the thermometer reading 70 degrees.  Carl Mays returned from a hunting trip, having been here for three weeks before the teams' arrival, making him the 10th pitcher in camp.  He looked in great shape.  Rube Foster is yet to show up because he is tending to his wife who is ill.  The work consisted of batting practice and bunting drills.  The men ran out their hits making a complete circuit of the bases.  Babe Ruth, Lore Bader and Marty McHale impressed with their long drives.  There was quite o a crowd of friends and fans from Boston at the park.  A hike through the mountain paths was the route to the hotel, before the hot baths and some rest.

March 15, 1916 ... The Red Sox had their most strenuous workout of the young spring with the weather being a little cooler with no wind.  Nearly all the pitchers took their turn on the mound to pitch batting practice and all were cautioned by Bill Carrigan to take it easy and be careful.  Carl Mays showed great improvement in his fielding.  Last season he was hampered with a sore knee, but had extensive rehab over the off-season and it appears to be much better.  Carrigan would not let his pitchers play an infield position and were assigned to the outfield to shag fly balls.  Hal Janvrin and Dick Hoblitzell are the only infielders in camp and Janvrin looks especially strong at his shortstop or second base position.  Sam Agnew, the new catcher from the Browns, is a glutton for work and should be a fine addition to an already strong catching corps.

March 16, 1916 ... The Red Sox went through a full regiment of workouts as designed by Bill Carrigan on another delightful day.  Pennock, Shore, Ruth, Mays, Gregg and McHale all worked and pitched well.  Carl Mays looks like he is in mid-season form, throwing all his pitches with good speed and fine control.  Bader looked like his shoulder was bothering him.  Vean Gregg looked 100% better than he did last spring.  The best hitter of the day was Babe Ruth who knocked the ball over or against every fence in the ball park.  Henriksen is driving the ball well but has put on a great deal of weight.  When the players got back to the hotel they were happy to see Rube Foster who arrived from his farm.

March 17, 1916 ... Bill Carrigan was interviewed and informed that Tris Speaker now intends to not show up at Red Sox camp, take care of his cotton plantations and play independent ball in Texas.  Carrigan said he has good outfielders in camp and will deal with the situation should it arise.  Olaf Henriksen and Chick Shorten are outfielders on the roster and Del Gainor can play the outfield.  Carrigan is trying to arrange a game with the Pirates in a week or so.  The team had the longest workout of the spring ending with a long jog after the workout.  Hick Cady and Pinch Thomas picked up teams for a ball game after practice with the Cadys winning 5 to 2.  Paul Lannin played third base for a few innings on the Thomas team.  St. Patrick's Day was celebrated at the hotel with the hotel orchestra playing Irish music. 

March 18, 1916 ... The Hick Cadys beat the Pinch Thomas team again, 7 to 5.  Dick McCabe and Carl Mays pitched for the Cadys while Charlie Anderson and Marty McHale pitched for the Thomas'.  The players were out early as Bill Carrigan was anxious to take advantage of the good weather.  Lore Bader twisted his knee badly in the outfield and was looked after by Dr. Charles Green.  The mountain climbing was cut out today and the players will relax until Monday morning with the full team expected to be in camp.  A week from today the Sox will play the Pittsburgh Pirates.

March 19, 1916 ... The Red Sox stars arrived in camp today.  Duffy Lewis, Everett Scott, Harry Hooper, Jack Barry, Larry Gardner, Chick Shorten and Mike McNally arrived, but there was no sign of Tris Speaker or Joe Wood.  Del Gainor is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.  The pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church announced that the Red Sox will play a game to the benefit of the church. 

March 20, 1916 ... Duffy Lewis moved to centerfield without a hitch in today's practice. Without Speaker, Lewis most likely will be moved over with Henriksen or Shorten taking over in left field for now.  Henriksen is much more spirited in camp, with the possibility of seeing more playing time.  The players went to the park at 10:30 for their seventh day of working out under perfect weather conditions.  The players were crisp in their practice, especially Sam Agnew, Hobby, Barry, Scott, Janvrin and Gardner.  There was no pickup game today with all the players given a good workout instead.

March 21, 1916 ... In the first game between the Red Sox and the Yannigans the Sox won 8 to 2.  The day was extremely hot with the thermometer reaching 86 degrees.  McHale and Bader worked for the regulars while Pennock and Anderson pitched for the Yannigans.  The score was close until the last inning.  Larry Gardner had a homer while Cady and Henriksen hit triples.  Harry Hooper threw out Mike McNally at third base from right field.  Shore, Mays and Foster got some good work in and were sent back to the hotel before the game started.  All four catchers, as well as Bill Carrigan himself, appear to be in great playing shape.

March 22, 1916 ... Tris Speaker will report to camp and work with the team without a signed contract.  Bill Carrigan was chosen as the one to decide on the terms of his contract.  Speaker, in a letter to Joe Lannin, was not bitter but felt he was asked to take too much of a pay cut, but he was more than willing to talk it over.  He did not want to be considered a holdout.  On the field the Red Sox beat the Yannigans 8 to 2.  Haley caught for the regulars and Agnew caught for the Yans.  Mays and McCabe pitched for the regulars.  Mays went four shutout innings.  Duffy Lewis had a triple and four singles.  Ernie Shore gave up two hits and Vean Gregg gave up ten hits for the Yannigans.

March 23, 1916 ... The Red Sox regulars beat the Yannigans for the third straight time by a score of 6 to 0 in a seven inning game.  Foster pitched for the regulars and only gave up one hit.  Pennock pitched for the Yans and had four no-hit innings.  The regulars scored three runs off Dutch Leonard on triples by Barry, Thomas and Henriksen.

March 24, 1916 ... Tris Speaker showed up this morning and played in the game against the Yannigans, getting four hits, including a home run.  Duffy Lewis was hit on the wrist which allowed Speaker to step in, although he had not even practiced yet.  Speaker reached the hotel at 10AM, just as his team mates were boarding the bus, after being on the train for 24 hours, and went with his buddies to the ballpark.  The regulars beat the Yannigans 10-1.  Mays and McHale pitched for the Yannigans and got hit hard, while Shore pitched very well for the regulars.  Joe Lannin, speaking at Holy Cross, said he thought that Speaker, the only unsigned player, would come to terms with the team.

March 25, 1916 ... After two weeks of perfect weather, the Red Sox were forced to cut out work on the diamond today due to wet grounds following severe thunder storms.  Bill Carrigan ordered a run over the mountains for those not due to pitch tomorrow or those scheduled to play golf.  Tris Speaker was the first man off and came back well heated and retired to the baths.  A large number of players spent the afternoon at the race track.

March 26, 1916 ... Rain and cold weather cancelled the Pirates-Red Sox contest at Whittington Park.  Carrigan consented to meet the Pirates on the day before the Sox break camp next week.  This will be the last week for some of the Sox players with only four more days of real work to get in.

March 27, 1916 ... The Yannigans long losing streak to the Sox regulars came to an end with a 7 to 4 decision.  Vean Gregg and Marty McHale suffered the bombardment.  The Yans had Carrigan at third, Pat Haley in left and Babe Ruth in center field.  Shore and Mays pitched a great game for the Yans.

March 28, 1916 ... A great 15-0 victory of the regulars over the Yans showed that the Sox a quickly rounding into form, in hitting, fielding and running the bases.  The fifteen runs were made off Rube Foster and Dutch Leonard and not a rookie pitcher.  Harry Hooper and Everett Scott each had four hits, Speaker and Gardner three.  Jack Barry had a home run.  Pennock and Anderson pitched very well for the regulars.  Duffy Lewis' right thumb may be more serious than first thought because it still is bothering him a great deal.  The absence of Joe Wood and Del Gainor is the subject of much debate.

March 29, 1916 ... The Red Sox bid farewell to Majestic Park with another easy victory over the Yannigans.  The score was tied until the sixth inning when the regulars jumped all over Bader and winning 8 to 2.  It was the second game where the Red Sox big hitters showed they would not be died, even without Duffy Lewis.  The game was limited to six innings to give the players some rest before playing the Pirates tomorrow.

March 30, 1916 ... The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Sox 2 to 1 in a well played, sharply contested contest at Whittington Park.  The Red Sox hit the ball squarely but the ball seemed always to go right at a Pittsburgh fielder. Ernie Shore threw the first four innings and allowed both runs.  Carl Mays threw the last four innings and worked superbly.  There were 900 fans at the park, each club making $250.  The game was very friendly among the players and the Pirates were vocal in their support of the Sox repeating.

March 31, 1916 ... The Red Sox left Hot Springs and the residents bid them a grand farewell.  The Sox have helped support the economy of the area and it has not gone unnoticed.  There are eleven pitchers on the squad and this number will be reduced to eight.  One of the five catchers will ultimately have to leave also.  Duffy Lewis thumb is starting to make some progress, but Carrigan will probably continue to sit him out in Memphis.

April 1, 1916 ... The Red Sox scored an easy 7-2 victory over the Memphis Turtles in the first of a three game Series.  Carrigan had to hold down his men to keep the score down.  1300 fans paid to see the World Champions and they weren't disappointed although neither Rube Foster nor Vean Gregg pitched very well.  On offense, Carrigan brought in the second stringers, Haley and Shorten in early.  Jack Barry was the star of the game having a perfect day with the bat.

April 2, 1916 ... Rain and wet grounds cancelled the second game of the series with Memphis, leaving the Red Sox players to hang around the hotel for the day.  Duffy Lewis reported that his hand is almost better.

April 3, 1916 ... After a second rain-out in Memphis the team boarded the 8PM train for Baltimore  The men are all in good shape although two straight days of inactivity has interfered with their program. Del Gainor is supposed to join the team in Baltimore.  On March 20th he wired the team that he would not report to training camp because of an illness in the family.

April 4, 1916 ... The Red Sox train arrived in Baltimore an hour late.  Mrs Dick Hoblitzell got off in Cincinnati for a visit to her home.  Herb Pennock's wife will visit her family in Wilmington Delaware.

April 5, 1916 ... Ernie Shore and Babe Ruth shut out the Baltimore Orioles 5 to 0.  Baltimore got only one hit off Shore in the five innings he worked and just two off Ruth.  Tris Speaker hit two home runs.  The team left for Brooklyn after the game.

April 6, 1916 ... The Red Sox won 6-0 and scored six runs in the first three innings off the Robins, and Brooklyn could not get a man past second base against Carl Mays.  Marty McHale finished the game and only allowed two hits.  The weather was not good with cold and snow flurries in the air, but both teams need the work to get in stride before the season starts on Wednesday.  Harry Hooper and Carl Mays each had three hits.

Pitchers Charlie Anderson and Dick McCabe were sent to Buffalo of the International League.  President Lannin announced the purchase of Tilly Walker from the St. Louis Browns to strengthen the Red Sox outfield.  Duffy Lewis' thumb is still bothering him enough that he can't swing a bat.  Heinie Wagner was working out with the team today before taking over his Eastern League team.

April 7, 1916 ... Tris Speaker's eight inning home run over the right field wall, sent in Rube Foster to give the Sox a 2 to 1 lead over Brooklyn.  In Brooklyn's half of the inning they rallied and got the two runs back off Foster to take a 3 to 2 win.  The Robins got their first run off a starter Dutch Leonard's wild pitch.  Joe Lannin and Olaf Henriiksen, who has not been feeling well, took the train back to Boston.

April 8, 1916 ... Tris Speaker was sold to the Cleveland Indians for $50,000.  This was the largest amount any team has ever paid to get a ballplayer. Last year the White Sox purchased Eddie Collins from the Athletics for just under $50K.  Speaker wanted $15,000 from the Red Sox, who had offered him $10,000 (The Indians paid him $15K in 1916).   Speaker made $17,500 last year.  Two players to be named later were also a part f the deal from Cleveland.  Speaker leaves for Cleveland tomorrow.  Bill Carrigan announced that Tilly Walker, who was just purchased from the Browns, will be the regular Red Sox centerfielder.

April 9, 1916 ... A strong nor'easter cancelled the game with Bridgeport.  The team left to come back to Boston.  The party, including wives, made up about 40 people.  The train arrived at Back Bay station around 3:30PM, and all the players headed over to the Copley Square Hotel.

April 10, 1916 ... The Harvard baseball team who has not gone down South and has only been able to play baseball outdoors for only six days, beat the World Champion Boston Red Sox, 1-0 at Fenway Park.  The Harvard boys were on their toes, turning in three doubleplays.  The Sox had men on base frequently but the Harvard pitchers, Ned Mahan and Garritt, only allowed five scattered hits.  Duffy Lewis did not play but was out before the game tossing the ball around.

April 11, 1916 ... The Boston College baseball team lost to the Red Sox 9 to 1 at Fenway Park.  B.C. put up a good fight for four innings before the Red Sox batters bombarded them.  Joe Lannin announce that the $500 in gate receipts would be given to Boston College to help build their new athletic field.