The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-06
BASEBALL
GOSSIP f!

Richmond people, or at least that spe-
cles Of population who delight to perch
themselves comfortably upon tho bleach
cries. and indulge in emphatic crItiques
upon brilliant plays or glaring errors. are
enjoying some very good exhibitions OF
ball this year. Heretofore the ball games
at Forest Hill Park were not at all con-
duciye to the pleasure of the pronounced
rootprs. The street-car schedule was as
exasperatiug as some Of the players err
rors. and what might have been cheers.
were groans and Kisses. ut wasn't right,
In the language OF the rooter.
But now the situation has changed.
The car schedule is satisfactory, or at
least much better than that Of the line
10 Forest Hill, and the grounds are excel
lently arranged, and well-kept. Fifteen
or twenty minutes only will be ample
time 10 reach the ball park in the West
End from the business portion or the
city. and the games usually commence
on time thereby dispensing with the
usual amount OF grumbllng.
The Virginia State League has been
organized upon business principles, and is
conducted upon a systematic plan. AS
has been heretofore stated. the players
many of them. are brought from a dis
lance. are paid regular salaries for their
services and are subject 10 fines, or eN-
pulslon from the league, by the manage
ment. The consequence Is that their JOBS
deDend largely upon the manner in which
thew pIav ball. This makes every player
do his level best, and all the players
work together for the interest Of the
club. doing away with individual effort
simply exerted for the plaudits OF the
grand-stand.
The Richmond team is playing a
Cracking good game this year There
Is some excellent material IN the club
and while the management might make
an Enforcement in one or two positions,
the club has already made quite reputa-
tion for itself Their first game was,
narbaps. the best exhibition Of ball seen
in this city for several seasons. In this
contest they shut out the Stanton cluD'
which IS one OF the strongest teams IN
th,. league The series Of three games
with stanton, resulting In two victories
for Richmond. proved concluSively that
the latter club has gone into the con-
test with a strong effort 10 win the PEN
nant. d.
Then the Roanokes made a desperate
effort to carry off the hcnors. but the
Bloody Shirts hammered the sphere
pretty generally, and captured the three
games from the Mushrooms without any
trouble at all The Roanokes worked
hard for victory; but their fielding was
greatly inferior 20 that Of the home team
and their hitters didn't cover themselves
with glory.
=
one Of the hardest workers on the
Richmond club is Foster the red-headed
catcher. lie has an eye for the general
welfare Of the team. lie is fairly good
hitter. and behind the iverpad ne Is
ouick. and plays with a snap and hnish
. that is hiehly creditable. kdin ana w est
ae sborr-stop and second base respective
~. are playing fine bali. Kain Is hard
worker. He bats well and throws sun
better West is an excellent base-fuhn-
or. and holds down the second bag with
a vengeance. Kair is the best all around
PLAYER in the CLUB. He Is safe hltter'
BABY" Phillips IS. perhaps. the SAFEST
ut-delder. and the cleverest base-runher
en- the state of Virginia. He is quick,
agile. ana works hard At the bat DIS
efforts are not so successful.
It is believed that after a few weeks
the attendance at the ball games VIII
he much larger. There is certainly
every inducement for lovers Of the sport
20 patronize the games. With an average
attendance % -four or i've hundred so
far the management ought 10 feel graft
Ged. for this record promises liberal
patronage later IN the season. The bus-
mess men. who constitute iafGe pof-
ton Of the patronage. Will ma II more
convenient 20 attend the games In June,
July. and August than ar present ana
there e. little doubt thar during the MO
die of the summer the players will be
cbeered by much larger crowds. Ladies
are admitted to the games free Of charge
and large numbers Of fair sex decorate
the grand-stand
There seems to be a great demand upon
the part Of the roOters for paid umplres
to travel from place 20 place with the
teams. II is cOntended that local UNI
Miro however honest in his Intentions,
cannot umpire game satisfactorily.
THOR, is some significance In this. the
tr,,tb is there are very few local UNI
,;r,a who thoroughly understand the
work and even ut this early stage vi
the seasons contest there has peen con-
siderable complaint about the decisions
of tbe umpires Mike o Rourke uo''
fairly well. 1t would be wise 10 So.
him pcrmanantiy. Three UaNelllB u',l-
,'i LII. could be n valuable acquisition Ia
&c Such an arrangement woulu
t,o boartiiv commended by the base-ball
n ~ and would prove highly satisfac-
tory all around. r,,,. pOoTrps
s---
>,..,,. ~, LEE GLFE CLUE.