Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-12

for the pennant. MARI Is player OF
y,st experience. and no doubt he VIII
A, a great deal towards making the sea-
son OF 1876 q successful one both ioF
portsmouth ana the Virginia State
League. -.
WcFarlan. who will lead on to battle
the Norfolk club, although a young
player. is considered q great hustler, ana
he has created the impression that ne
will be strictly in II when the season
draws TO close in September.
The cranks In Roanoke are all )upiiaht'
and are claiming everything for their
club. They say they have the greatest
aggregation of ball-players ever gotten
together, and have already ESQ It's sa.a)
dug a hole for the pennant-pole.
II would be hard TO describe the en-
ihusiasm that exists In Lynchburg. The
rooters there are all rampant. and they
don't believe there is another CUB on
earth that can touch the one Smith mas
gotten together for them. They declare
that the team has already lead-plps
cinch on the pennant. and that all tnat
Is necessary for them TO land II is for
the umpire 10 call Play pail anu
give them a fair shake.
Petersburg has unquestionably gotten
together a much stronger organization
than II had last year. and the Farmers
will be closely I'D IN the front when the
finish Is reached. This ought 10 be great
news 10 the Richmond rooters. Certainly
sbere Is not one In Richmond who does
not wish TO see a repetition Of the race
az 1894 With Richmond and Petersburg
rsck and neck and fighting for place at
the tcp. what excitement Will character
ize me league and how the rooters WIN
tremble and quake with excitement wheh
-
tins excursions "for rooters" exclusively
viii be run once more. and crowds VIII
Iock both ways between the two cities.
BLUEBIRDS ALL RIGHT.
While all the other clubs have been
signing new material, and fixing up gaps
AND weak places In their fences. the man
sgement Of the Richmond club mas
not been idle, and the Bluebirds OF to-
cay stand out prominently fitted to do
battle FOR the pennant OF 1896.
An impartial comparison OF this years
team with that OF last year Is certainly
encouraging. At the beginning Of 1886
TIE Bueblrds we're the worst-rattled set
q ban-players who ever donned uni
forms. and large majority OF the pa
irons Of the game were dissatisfied, and
were cracking about the direfll results
81 keeping such a lot of bum players
The same Players, or many OF them, re-
NAMED however, and, somehow or
other. the troubles all rolled away; and
oil was sunshine; and those same bum
PLAYERS developed into pennant-winners'
and were lauded 20 the skies.
Every Rotor and baseball enthusiast
in Richmond knows the history OF last
season too well to need comment there
on, and everybody comedies now that
the Richmond club is stronger now, both
IN fielding and batting. than II was last
year at this time. Manager Wells has
star OF catchers OF which he may just
lY feel proud; and his pitchers, as far
as can be judged. are all that could be
asked. They have not yet had time 10
harden up. and the weather has been
entirely too cold to permit Of their using
their arms with any degree OF freedom.
and Il would be an injustice TO them to
pass judgment upon them yet. Wells
feels quite confident that they will ali
give good accounts OF themselves, and
he is certainly entitled 70 q full share or
the confidence OF the rooters
NATIONAL LEAGUE OPINION.
The National League teams. who have
been through here. together with the
nswspaper-men, who have been travelling
with them, all agree that the Richmond
team IS the strongest fielding team In
ne Virginia League, and many or them
'ay Il IS the fastest team in the south.
Manager Selee. OF Boston, speaking OF