Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-10
BUTFEW WEEKSNOW
The State League Season Will Open
April 18th.
GROUNDS TO BE MUCH IMPROVED

/ .foSBctt" Arc iof hot Scn-
tests Among the baseball Clubs
This Yenr-Many Good Players
sIgned--splders Reorgnnfxed.
| But a few weeks must now elapse be-
fore the baseball season will again have
comb, and West-End Park. the arena
wherein so many gladiators have fought
for victory, will once more be the scene
Of hotly-contested battles, wi.ged only for
the delectation Of the multi ude who will
sit by and applaud.
The park Is rapidly being placed ia
thorough order. and will be much i'm
| proved. The seating capacity will be In
creased to a considerable extent by the
| erection OF additional bleacheries in the
right feld the grandstand will be ex.
tended eastwardly to the fence line. and
will occupy the space on which the dress
ing-room formerly stood, and the bleache-
| ries on the southern and western sides
OF the grounds will be extended so as TO
| meet and cut of the carriage entrance in
after enter through the gate in the north
west corner II will be remembered that
when the football game was played here
on Thanksgiving-Day the grounds were
|. considerably enlarged by moving the
north and west fence back 80 feet on
each side. This arrangement will not be
interfered with. and II will add much In
| terest ITO the game. The fielders will have
: much more room to handle the ball in,
and this will operate TO prevent q super
I huity OF home-runs, such as prevailed
! last season.
| MUST PLAY BETTER.
1 The playing OF the Virginia League
| teams last year was, as a whole. very
| creditable, but II must be better this
year. The cranks expect IL. They were
! comparatively ignorant OF what a. bril-
liant play was when last season opened.
| but, as II progressed, good men were
! signed. and the end OF the season saw
some playing that would have done credit
to the National League: in fact, some
Of the men who did the brilliant work
VIII this season adorn the National
League. Therefore. In order to command
| the patronage so necessary for the sup
port OF the game the standard must not
only be maintained, but improved upon.
There Is every assurance that this i'm
| provement will be made-indeed has been
made The players signed by all six OF
/ the clubs are better matched than last
year. and all have good records either
In this league or elsewhere. by the adj
| mission OF Portsmouth TO the league,
| to succeed Newport News Hampton, the
competition among the clubs has been
| increased almost an hundred fold. A
strong rivalry has existed for years be-
tween the two cities-Norfolk and Ports
'mosth-and there is little doubt but that
IL will extend to the baseball games.
Mr.. Brady. manager OF the Portsmouth
club, is quoted as having said that he
would resort to almost anything fair in
order to win a place in the pennant race
ahead OF that which Norfolk will occupy.
Manager Sommers. OF Norfolk, Is equally
anxious to defeat Portsmouth, and both
| of these clubs may be counted upon for
some good ball. This being the case,
the other teams in the league Will have
| 10 double their efforts in order TO main
tain a position in the race which will
reflect any credit whatever on the cities
they represent.
WORK ON THE SCHEDULE
The schedule Of games has not yet been
| completed. although the committee ap-
| pointed from the Board OF Managers 20
! arrange II has been actively at work.
| They win probably conclude their labors
this week, and 1t Is more than likely
that the managers will meet again next
week, when the schedule will be made
snblsc. Tho sentiment OF the cornmittee
is TO equalize everything as far as possi-
Bile, and not make one club travel any
/ more than any OF tire others during the
season. The present arrangement is for
the Richmond club to start the league
season away from home. probably at Pc
tersburg.
The election OF Judge Witt as president
OF the league has given general satisfac-
tion 10 the cranks, and there can be but
little doubt that It is a wise selection.
He will make a good executive. and.
aside from lending dignity to the game,
will be a power much needed last year
| for the preservation OF order. 1t is under
stood that he will not tolerate dsorderly
| behavior on the diamond, and will take
steps looking 10 the dismissal Of any
| player who INDUCES In IL.
ABOUT OUR TEAM.
Jake Wells, our manager has signed all
! Of his men, and, with his players. will ar
rive In Richmond Oh the S0th. The team
| will at once go into practice, and on the
9th Of April Will play their first game
with one OF the northern clubs. These
exhibition games will be continued until
| the 18th, when the season opens, and IL
is expected that by that time all OF the
Crows will have limbered up and gotten
| In shape for good, hard work
The players Will line ap as follows: Glib
| son, Wells, and Foster catchers; KnOrr
| Dlnsmore, Allen, and TannehiU. pitchers;
| Berte, shorp-stop; Wells, first base; Hall,
second base; McGowen third base; kain,
| left fielder Groves, centre fielder, and
Foster. right fielder.
The roster of the Norfolk club. as given
| out by the manager. Is as follows Phil.
| Geier, OF Washington. and Roy Tenley,
| OF Cincinnati. will catch and alternate in
right held the box will be occupied by
Setley, Of Sanford. Fla; Herr. OF St
Louis; McCreery. of Washington Nc
! Donald. of Chattanooga; l.. Wood. OF
| Washington, and Palmer OF Virginia;
| O'Hagan, first base: Whaley, second base;
| Corcoran, short-stop; Hoffman, third
base; Hampton, left field; Hager. centre
field.
The signatures OF Hoffman and McDon-
aid have not been obtained as yet, al
though terms have been agreed upon.
ALL HAVE IMPROVED.
Both of these teams are stronger than
they were last year, and are conceded
TO be the best in the league. The others
have improved, and though Rlchmond ana
| Norfolk may play good ball. they will
find in the other four clubs no mean
| competitors.
Lynchburg's team will assemble on the
18th OF this month. and will devote the
| period between that and the opening OF
the season to practice and exhibition
games.
Pop" Tate. 1t is understood. has signed
| with Portsmouth. This Will be joyous
news TO the many OF the cranks in Rich
mond who wanted him 10 play In this
| city again this season. Portsmouth Will,
| undoubtedly, receive an ovation on their
| first visit here on Pops" account.
The league clubs will not have undis-
puted sway in this city this year. They
| will have to divide honors to some extent
with the Richmond College Spiders.
| The insects have reorganlzed their team
with Baby" Phillips as captain, ana
they expect to again carry on the inter-
collegiate championship.
| BABY WILL PLAY THIRD.
Phillips will play third base; "Puss'
E,lyson will occupy the box. with Lock
] EFT and Tom Duke as his substitutes
| Johnson will wear the liver-pad; Z. )
Edwards will probably cover nrst bag
MacNeil n new man from the Palmetto
State, will doubtless hold down seeonn
and Lenard and Tom Duke VIII diVid'
honors as short-stop. Those who aspire
10 positions in the field are Roy White