The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-02
Manager hcFarIane Writes The vIrglnlan
About His Team Of Pennant Winners.
WILL MAKE PORTSMOUTH TREaBLE.
The Men As they Are Sized Up BY
Their Mnnager-Gosaip OF the Ola.
mond md Its yoiarIes-Thc Mat
ter of Lensue Executive-The
Players aud Their Whereabouts.

| rotsiiS EultOr NlrEinian:
Lear SHINY time has been SO taken
up recently that !, have not had the time
10 spare to write to you, and you must
| PARDON ME. However / will keep you
posted In the future.
we are going to have 4 hrst-class team
IN the held this season, and as have
.iau line on the make up of the other
e,uDS 10 not see where they have any
'ne pest or US. Thus far we have three
PHoners signed-Fanmiller Waite and
weeks. The liability of the latter is
| known In Norfolk, as he played with us
last season. The 1.-TWO others are right up
10 the topnotch, and have speed and
puIzing delivery. L am after two well
seasoned pitchers who will add mate
rally to the strength of the club. but
| i nave not gotten them yet. They are
stars.
| When 1t comes to catchers can say
now tnat we will be well fixed. Thus
1ar nave signed but one-Red Arm
strong, who played with Atlanta last
season. intend to sign another, but
| VIII have a man i'm another position
who can also go behind the bat-Hughes
| or Meredyth.
| our lniieid Will be great! Ramp. who
| pays nrst, rs a flrst-class hitter, and
never lets anything get by him. We
| nave thornton, but | do not know yet
what VIII do with him. He was signed
|
team and had received some advance
! money. Frank Redding will play sec
oha ana he Will do 1t in splendid style
predict a great future for this player
| ana think we did remarkably well In
getting him. Bob Langsford will play
| short. He has always played in the
west and Is not very well known in the
East, put he Will be a favOritc from the
very jump. Frog Eye" Meredith will
mold down third. He comes to us with
great reputation as 4 hitter and Il
coacher.
This is the outfield: Tom Turner and
| myself, whom You all know. and then
dummy" Hughes. who lisa hitter from
| far I'm the rear, n fast runner and a man
of good Judgment
You have perhaps noticed that Bat
y. Bail I'M his correspondence for the
sporting Life, roasts our team Well.
all ! can say is that after the first game
we have with Portsmouth the name of
every player In THE Norfolk team will
be indelibly stamped on his mind 1
nave given you the names OF all of the
men / have under contract will say
in this connection that | have only
heard of two of the Portsmouth players
VINO are OF note, and they are Lefty
Mari and Joe Burke, but AM sure that
| have better. men for the same positions
| have seen the work Of every man
NHoll nave SSleclcu anu L personally
know of his ability. We are thus taking
| no chances and / know what ! am doing.
| We have got n winning team. and will
| be able to cope with any minor league
| in the country. Some of my men will
| be big league candidates next season
| and Will be In demand
will probably be over there about the
middle of next month, to attend the
League meeting and oversee the inn
provemcnts to the grounds Mr.. O'NeilI
has requested me to do so. I notice that
| the Board Of Ar6itrl tom has sustained
| the claims OF Norfolk TO the services of
Gilman and Whalcy. | have no place to
put them and shall leave il to Mr..
IO'Neill 10 dispose of them in some way
| The men are 10 report at Norfolk March
| 18TH. We have arranged exhibition
games with New Haven. Philadelphia.
| New York. Boston, Yale and are ex-
pcctiIS to play Baltimore. Washington
and Brooklyn. Probably we will play a
| couple of exhibition games in major lea
que towns. Yours. etc.
/ CLAUDE McFARLAN.
The plan. which seems to have had its
origin in Richmond, to make MIR. John
| L. Watson. Of Portsmouth. the president
of the Virginia League this year. is
viewed askance by the deep thinking
and Interested enthusiasts who are Omen
| in their assertions that some deem
scheme is hidden beneath the innocent
| proposition. One gentleman ventured
| the assertion that ii was Richmond's
| desire and intention to give Ports
mouth the presidentship. and secure the
| secretaryShip. and the actual execu-
tive officers from men in that city. AS
the selection and control of umpIras
would lie practically with the Secretary
the same objections will arise which
made last years administration one of
great dissatisfaction TO the public.
The fact that the matter has never
been mentioned to Mr.. Watson, who
would naturally be one of those interest
ed, should be conclusive evidence that
the scheme has It's origination i'm Rich
1 mond.
Mr.. Watson has stated that he IA
vors adherence to the action of the
League at the October meeting. and il
is to be hoped that Manager O'Neill and
those who voted for the plan then pro-
posed will rigidly adhere to that plan.
which is looked upon by their patrons
as the. most acCepta bic and conducive To
Il proper and impartial administration
of the Virginia League affairs.
Norfolk entered a claim with the
| National Board for Gilman and Whaley
who jumped to Dallas, Tex, after being
brought by the Norfolk management
from the South at tho latter's expense
The board ordered the players to REIN
purse the Norfolk Club for the money
expended, and that they stand suspend
ed until the money be paid over.
E1l Rivers ola mn for ~,