Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-16
THE TEAM THAT WON.
Brief History Of PstsrsbufSs Crack
Ptnnant- Winning Ball Club.
PERSONNEL OF THE PLAYERS.
Sketches Of Their Service on the Diamond
and Points About How They Fill Posi-.
tions-A Financial Success.

and Points About How They Fill POSI-.
tions-A Financial Success.
The Petersburg Baseball Club, which
by hard work and honest playing has
twice won the pennant In Virginia, and
Is the JOY and pride Of the lovers of the
national game in the Cockade City. was
organized In August, 1892, with George
Beadle as president and Dennle Perkin-
son as manager. The first game was
played with the Virginias, of Richmond,
ana was won by the latter club by a
score OF TO 4. The season lasted until
the LIST OF November and games were
played with the Virginias. Forest Hill,
and Richmond College teams. the Bedford
City club. and mines from Lynchburg and
Norfolk. The Petersburg team won a
majority Of the games played during the
season. though all OF its members were
amateurs. The club was originally organ
lied more for the pleasure of the public
IMAM with the view OF making money.
The season OF 1888, with the same man.
agement. opened on Easter Monday with
Two games with the Forest Hill club,
both OF which were won BY the Peters
burg team. These were the days in
winch w. II. Quarles was the pitcher.
ON April 18th and 18th the Petersburg
club played games with the famous Bos-
ton champions, only losing each by
score OF to 0. In June of that year the
Ir-City League was organized. COM
prisinS the Richmond College and the
'lrglnias OF Richmond. the Forest Hills
OF Manchester, and the Petersburgs. The
Iast-named team won the championship
IN the league. Later in the season a
series OF games was played between the
Charlestown (W. Va) and stanton and
petersburg teams for the championship
OF the two States, resulting In tie be-
tween the Charestown and Petersburg
teams
THIS YEARS STRONG CLUB.
In March. 1885,, the question of organ
lzlng State league was agtated. and
Petersburg favored the scheme from the
start. y meeting was held at the court
house and II was decided to canvass the
city for the necessary funds to support
team. The money was raised with a
rush, and later the Petersburg club was
organized with Hon. William r. McKen-
ney as president; II. Z. Harrison, as Sc
cretary and treasurer, and a board of d.
rectors consisting of #. j. Underhill, f..
ii. Blakeney, Major Harrison Waite, Ed
de Eigenbrun. Morris Myers and Cap
tain nnie Parkinson. The club started
In with only eleven players, whom they
have held all the season During the
past month the team has been strength
ened until now there are fifteen PLAYERS.
embracing some OF the best men in the
held. Some of the Petersburg players
nave made such a fine reputation that II
- expected they will play next season
IN the National League. The management
mas only released two players during the
year.
THEY HAVE MADE MONEY.
Financially. the Petersburg club has
proved success. and closed the season
nearly or quite 5000 ahead. This entire
sum will be divided among the players
not one cent of it going TO the manage
ment
The prospects for next season are very
bright. and the chances are that Peters
burg will have as strong team as IL now
has. II not stronger. But the organiza-
ton Will be on Il somewhat different basis
tran at present.
The club now numbers fifteen men,
captained by Robert Pender. who IS a
short-stop OF great ability. His work on
the Petersburg team has been more than
satisfactory He Is 2i years old, and halls
from the Crescent City. There he began
his baseball career as an amateur. His
professional work dates back to 1882 when
nee signed ana played with Atlanta. From
there he went TO Galveston. Tex, and In
1851 went with n team from Seattle.
Walh., Of the North Pacific League. lie
played stellar part In the Nebraska
State League in 1892. and in 1893 he joined
the Mobile club. From there no came to
Petersburg, whore he was made captain
after only very short stay with the
club. He handles his men with great
tact, and encourages them by playing ex-
cellently his own position.
POPULAR HARRY KEEPER.
Probably the most popular man in the
State League to-day IS Harry keefer.
lie is ~ pioneer Of baseball in Peters
burg. having organized the first profess
sional team that ever hailed from that
city. lie is only % years OF age, and Is
a native of ChGmbera5urg Pa. His first
ball-playng vas in Virginia, and, having
rapidly made friends here, he has re-
NAMED In he Old Dominion ever since.
His first ENLARGEMENT was with the Roa-
roke team, in 1889. lie then caught for
the Winston N. CD club for a portion OF
the 1891 and 1892 seasons. lie captained
the Petersburg team the earlier part OF
this season. and, until the advent Of frost,
late in the summer. caught ninety
straight games. He is always gentleman
ly. courteous, and obliging. He plays
good. clean ball at all times, and no mat
ter how rank a decision against him. ne
was never known to raise his voice In
enger again Il the umpire. After THIS
SEASON he will leave the baseball arena
and proposes 10 study for the ministry.
HAVE PLENTY OF PITCHERS.
Forman. the wizard. Everybody who
IS at all interested in baseball in this
State knows OF FOrman-John Forman,
OF Baltimore He Is a wonderful pitcher,
and has played more havoc with the
heavy batters Of this league this season
than any other man in the league. lie Is
n yerltable puZzler. and his delivery IS
far above the understanding Of many OF
the State-League batters. who have stood
before him and frantically famed the at
mosphere. All of this effective Work ne
does with his left hand. For some time
he played on amateur mines in Baltimore,
and in 1883 pitched for the Young Mems
Christian Association team OF that clty'
From Baltimore he came direct 10 re-
tersburg. where his record has been an
enviable one.
Ed. Leach Is a pitcher Of no mean
ability He has done some very enectiVe
work in the State League this year. ana
holds a record that has never peeh
equalled yet--that OF pitching a twenty
one-innlng game. He is a Washinstonian'
and began his professional work on the
team of the Columbia Athletic club. or
that city. He was with the winston
On c. club in los2, but hnished the
season with New Orleans. In 1888 ne
played with New Orleans the earlier part
OF the season, and came to PETERSBURG
for the latter half. He has remained
with the team ever since.
Pitcher ]. NJ. James is new acquisi-
ton TO the Cockade City. He Is a col
lege man, and halls from Cheraw' ;. {.
His delivery IS very speedy and puzzling'
and he bids fair to become a twirier
Of some note lie has played on quasi
professional teams in Greensboro, y. ca
ana Spartansburg, s. c. From the latter
81, h.. 70 Dsafa