Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-14

William and John streets, New York
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1893, and closed the season tied for first
place.
Early in the fall OF 1893. with two or
three others. he organized the present
Western League. lie was at Toledo two
seasons 0S94 and 1850. On October 3.
1895, George e. Ellis (owner and man
ager Of Newark club, and he went to
New York and laid the foundation of the
Atlantic League Sam Crane was chosen
president; and Paterson. Jersey City,
Hartford, New Haven, and Wilmington
were selected as the cities to compose
the organization. On July 18th the JeIs
sey City team, which was operated by
the New York club as the Metropolitans.
was dropped from the league, on account
Of not having lived up to its obligations.
At the same time. Lancaster purchased
the New Haven franchise. This move
greatly improved the attendance and
standing of the association. At the fall
meeting. at Philadelphia, Richmond and
Norfolk were taken in, and thus the
formation Of the most compact and pros
porous eight-club union league in the
country was completed The Whining
ton team will be at Reading next season.
The teams closed the season 0&6) as
follows: Newark, Hartford. Paterson,
Wilmington, Lancaster, and Athletics.
NewariS's Strong Team.
The Newark club is said to be one OF
the strongest organizations I'm the north
ern circuit. OF it Manager Ellis writes.
My first connection with professional
baseball was i'm 1894, when the Grand
Rapids franchise was granted to me by
the Western League. This club was
under my control until It was sold. this
winter, for a good price.
The Atlantic League was formed In
the fall of 1885, upon a call issued by me.
as a six-club league. 1t is now one of
the strongest minor leagues in existence,
it's present circuit being the choice Of
three leagues-Atlantic, Pennsylvania
State, and Virginia. II is more COM
pact than either the Western or Eastern
League circuit.
Last year our attendance throughout
the league was hurt by poor umpirng
and senseless kicking. To avoid this,
the salary OF umpires has been raised.
so the president can get a competent
staff.
Our team will be about as follows:
Rothfuss and Hodge catchers; Lipp.
Wittroch, Boyd, Carrick. Setley. and
Johnston, pitchers; Rothfus, first base;
Gilman, second base; Daley, third base;
Stuart, shortstop; O'Hagan, Wright, and
Killaskey. outfielders. This is very near
" the same team that won the cham
pionshp last season, and we hope TO
repeat our success, although we are
making no pretensions or absurd claims.
We leave that 20 Paterson and Hartford
scribes, who play great game all win
ter.
Every person playing on the Newark
club will sign a regular reserve contract,
and IL would be a great advantage II
this were true with every other club
In nv opinion. the clubs are very even
ly matched. and Il would be as easy TO
pick the winner of the Futurity" as 10
name the club who VIII land the cham
pionship. Wishing your club success
against all clubs, but Newark,
GEORGE Il. ELLIS.
william sharsig, of Philadelphia.
William Sharsig, the manager Of the
Athletics, has been prominently idenu-
fed with the national game for a number
of years and ably discharged the onerous
duties Of president OF the Athletic Club,
of Philadelphia, for several years at-er
its reorganization in 1880. He was born
about forty years ago, at Philadelphia,
where. prior TO 1880. he figured in an ac-
tive and official capacity with the lead
ing local amateur organizations for ten
wears or more. being right fielder OF the
Eckford, Shibe and Defiance Clubs, be-
sides taking a prominent part In the
managemeA of each team.
His advent in the professional arena
NAV he said TO date back TO 1881. when
he helped. financially and otherwise TO
reorganize the old Athletic Club and 10
cate II at Oakdale Park, Philadelphia
sf which he at that time held the lease,
and where the then representative nine
of the Quaker City met with a very
cordial reception during its three years
soiourn. When Oakdale Park was SOLD
for building purposes, and the Athletics
were compelled TO procure new mead
quarters. President Sharsig and his asso-
ciate managers secured the grounds at
Twentv-sixth and jefferson streets,
which they made one of the finest In the
country. 1t may be said that Sharsig
earnest exertions on behalf OF baseball,
together with his genial manners, earned
him popularity, not only with the local
fraternity. but also with the many pro-
fsssionals with whom he came In contact
The Athletics, for several seasons after
their reorganization, played on an lnde-
pendent basis and slowly but surely won
their way TO the good will of the base
haIl loving public of Philadelphia, and the
result was a fiattering financial success.
In 1852 the American Association was or