Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-21
NOW FOR BASE
BLUEnIRDs no ASSEMBLE HERE
NEXT SUNDAY SURE.
PRESIDENT BAUROWS SCHEDULE,
~ Is Finished, But Doesn't Salt
The Park WIN Certainly he Rendy
by saturday weeIS--A New Pitcher
for Richmond.

for Richmond.
Now that spring has opened, and
warmer weather is promised BY the
weather-mokers in Washington. base
ball IS beginning TO enter into the
thoughts OF tho cranks and enthusiasts.
and an. including the hundreds OF lady
rooters. are looking forward TO the day
when Weiss will assemble on the dia-
mond and begin tossing the sphere to
and FRO.
That day IS not far or; indeed. but
one more week viii elapse before Cap
tain Jake will open the cage door and
tho flock Of Bluebirds. with their wings
unclipped will fly out into the open. and
commence their work preparatory to tho
Inauguration OF the season. 1t had been
expected that the men would assemble
here to-day. but tho weather has not
been as propitious as was anticipated.
and tho date Of assembly was postponed
for ono week
Railroad tickets will be forwarded to-
morrow 20 each Of tho nineteen men
who have signed. and they viii all re-
port here next Sunday. and after rest
Ing up from their journey Will be put
into active practice on the diamond, and
kept hard at work until their limbs be-
come supple and their muscles hardened
The work in practice Will consist Of
running, batting. and catching. until
about the last OF the week. when more
rigorous training will be undergone by all.
The season OF exhibition games win
commence on Saturday, and then the
men VIII be kept actively at work until
tie schedule games commence. Tho ex-
tlbluon series win commence with Rich
mond College on Saturday. April Cd;
Monday and tuesday the Bluebirds win
rest; or, rather, work at muscle harden.
Ing, and on Wednesday the National
Leaguers will tackle them. Philadelphia
VIII lead or with a game each on the
s-h and It'll: Baltimore follows on the
s,h and eth; Boston will come on the
10Th, on the 18th and 18th Brooklyn will
bo here. and on tho 18th some college
team will engage Weiss attention.
The Blueblrds will go to Washington
to play on the 18th. 10th, and 18th, and
win return here with the Senators for
contests on the 18th easter Monday
and Goth. Between the Goth and 18th
two or three college teams will play here
and on the 25th the league season will
open. with lancaster Pa) in Richmond.
President Barrows Of the Atlantic
League has prepared n schedule, which
has been submitted to the local manage
ment Nfessrs. Bradley and Wells are
both dissatisfied with IT, and will make
a big fight at the meeting in New York
next Thursday TO have it changed. Ac-
cording TO the Barrows schedule. Rich
mond would be away from home for
twenty-ono games on one trip and fifteen
on others. and this would not suit the
cranks here at ALL Other teams. as well
as Richmond. will protest against the
schedule, and, II all have kicks coming"
as is the case. the schedule will, undoubt-
odly. be changed. and Richmond will not
get the short end Of #, either.
Work on the new park. on Broad street,
is progressing nicely, and the announce
rent is officially made that it will GER
tainly be ready by the 81 Of April, when
the exhibition games commence, The
wet weather has interfered with the con-
tractor to some extent, but great head
way has been made, and the work that
remains TO be done can be pushed much
more rapidly than is now the case, If 1t
becomes necessary. A great many cranks
seem 10 be Of the impression that Broad
street Park viii not be as large as West
End Park. There is no foundation for
any such idea The new park is really
much larger than the cid one, and, when
completed, win be the handsomest ana
most complete baseball field south Of
washington The distance from the
home-plate to left-ne.d fence will be the
same as at West-End Park. but in all
other respects the new field will be
larger From the plate along the foul
line TO rlght-feld fence win be ffty-eight
feet further, and the plate will be con-
silerably further from the grandstand
and lleacheries than ever before, thus
giving tho catcher much more latitude
90 hunting foul-nies. The grandstand
Wal be much more comfortable than
ever erected in Richmond before, and the
bleacheries viii be much more commodi-
Gus.
The team that will play on the new
grounds will be in keeping with us sur
roundings. as It viii be much stronger
and more evenly balanced than any
that has represented Richmond since the
old Association days. Certainly, the 1887
team will be the heaviest that ever dom
ned Richmond uniforms. The average
weight viii be 40 pounds, and the men
will weigh in as follows: Schabel. lSO;
Foster. l7J; Maizena,. 1l5; Stimmell, l6J;
Schmidt. 100; Chesbro. 1S5; Lever. lS5;
Smith. l75: stultz. 155; AfcCord. $50; Wells,
l75: Pender. $50; Berte. $50; Elberfeld, 100;
sholta l65; Mari. 1885, Elsey, l5; Har-
grove, $50. ana Kahn. AS.
it viii be noticed In the list OF pitchers
as given above the name Smith appears.
lie Is a new acquisition, having just
been signed TO succeed Mccain who has
been given his release. Smith Is not un-
known here. His fun name is Luce
f..-t g. Irffar known rs col