The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-17

row. 1t DIS true that the Norfolk team
did field a little better than did the
Changers, but that Is not saying any
thing complimentary of them in that
capacity. for the Portsmouth Club Just
went literally to pieces and folded like
lot of schoolboys on the lot. This Is
especially true of Rollins. who has not
been playing the game he should play
by any means. He has had chance af-
ter chance in the last three games TO
retire the visitors. but he would squirm
around and kick up q lot of dust and
Ding the ball would go on the ground
The Portsmouth Club, to be brief,
is not as strong by any means as they
should be, Notwithstanding the great
care that was used in the selection of
the men.
The time has come, and that time Is
right now, to put I'm the pruning knife
and cut off everything that Is not first
Grass value. There are many weak
places in the Portsmouth team that
should be strengthened, and 1t should
be done at once. The Changers have
been joalted" and helped along by
KIND words, which should be an in
centive to make them do good work.
But 1t cuts no figure: 1T has had no more
erect than pouring. water on a ducks
back. The ''yaller dog" story and the
usual "hoodoo" was gotten up for
their benefit; but alas! alack! it be-
comes more plainly apparent each day
that the Gramgers are far from being
what the people OF Portsmouth would
like to see them. 1t Is not the waller
dog or the hoodoo or even hard Iuck
that has lost them the majority Of the
games they have surrendered II "a
mounting else I'm this world but poor
dumb and amateur-like ball PLAYING
This old gag" of wait until the weather
gets warm Is played out. The warm
Weather has come, and so have the
he nd
rest. Inc management should know
that there are men on the team who
take might off," not occasionally. but
oiten, TO have q good time, and when
the time comes TO earn their salaries
they are not equal to the task. This
t ives not apply to all the men,. Some of
them behave very nicely indeed, but
those who violate the club rules are. or
should be. known to Lefty" Mari
and he fails to do his duty If they are
not punished. and punished severely.
The people want ball playing. and viii
not De satisfied with an apology for II.
me Changers were not in the game
at all yesterday after the first inning
when they earned three runs on Gil,
roy py securing four doubles and q
single. After that McFarlan put in
Corbetf, and the poor Changers were
leo as lambs to the slaughter. Five
little scattering hits in eight innings
and eight great. big, costly yellow er9
rors by Marrs students. What n game
that was And Lampe. how he did
SuHer; not, however, through any FAINT
OF his, nor from the hitting of the visit
ors, but simply and solely through the
rotten work Of Rollins, Hall, Heilmnn
and others. Fourteen hits is what
Norfolk got credit for, but the fact NJ
the matter is that just six of them wore
made after chances had been given 10
retire the visitors on three or
-FOUR occasions. His work was
AL right, as was Hallman,d
ana Burke's, but all the rest of the men
with the exception of Magee. who went
an the game in the fourth. seemed to
be affected with that tired feeling"
which spring time generally places IN
on those who naturally have no energy
10 sell OF loan out. The men won't or
can't run bases; they won't or don't
know how to coach. They are In dense
ignorance OF what the word "R,nser',
means. They hit only in streaks and
those streaks run so very wide enart
that one almost forgets the last tin,a
nnt1l ne hunts up a memoranda to 70,
fresh his memory. In word eyervtbins
has been done by the press ana hS
the people to get the Changers IN n,ay
bail. and the manager Is respectf,,i,v
advised to release those who can ana
won't play ball, and get men who will
at least show some Interest in The
game. tue
This business Of Craving salary as
bali player ard not playing ball "a
played out and won't go with the neo.
Pas OF Portsmouth. The members Of the
dAortsmouth team have got to play bail