The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-25
AROUND THE BASES.


owing to an unfortunate accident
Manager Smith has not been able to
take part IN any Of the practice games.
put enough is known Of his work 10 pre-
d1ct mat II he elects TO play, as he doubt
Tess VIII rs soon as he feels well enough
10 go INTO the field. he Will put up the
same steady, headN, nervy game that
has characterized him in The past. AS
20 MS ability rs a. manager that has
already been SD well proven that men
ton OF 1t Is no longer considered naces-
sarS down III this neck OF the woods
fIeld Captain and First Basanan
smarter has in every way come up to,
II not surpassed. expectations. He is
Won dcrtuiiy agile NJ first. hits like a
Death blow, coaches with both method
and madness and knows the game to
the vericst detail. If there is a more
this league he will have hard time
proving his tile.
Going on around to second, we find
steady Jack Wentz playing his field with
even more than Old time grace and ac-
cufacy some of his work in practice
mas bordered on the pnenomenonal and
he VIII be an eEe-opener to some Of
Our Northern contemporaries
For the first time in many moons we
have Il shortstop who is equal to the
occa sion. Dan Leahy is showing up II,
great form, with an arm that Duuhy
Jennings would like to buy ana a great
eye for the bal.
1t is also probable that Norfolk has
not had q better third bascman than
our slender friend. WcddiSe lie has
developed a most praiseworthy faculty
OF scooping in hot gro,lndcrs ana liners.
and bids fair to lead the team in hit
ting.
Out in left field Smith has located one
OF the fastest men in the business-Nlr.
We"h!-who can cover everything but
the hleachers. and stops there only be-
cause of the barbcd wire fence. lie is
great hitter and between bases cx-
ceeding.y swift ana daring. He will
doubtless give little Barley Kan some
points before the season closes.
Stepping over into center We find
Claude McFarlan. who, without saying
anything against his previous fine re-
cord, is undoubtedly prepared to put
up the game of his life. He has evil
dcnced this already beyond a doubt.
He is man that every pitcher in the
league is going TO have wholesome re-
Spect Tor. TOO Tor ne is a regular bat
ting machine, besides baing an unusual
~ fast man on his feet. All he needs
now is to reduce his weight a little and
this he is doing as fast ms the laws of
nature will allow.
THE CATCHERS AND PITCHERS.
or the catching staff nothing but
praise can be said. All three mcn--Nie,
Hayden and Snydcr-havc been play
ing almost faultlcas ball. and it is a
stand off between them All three men
are phenomEnonal thruwers and there
isn't q bad arm. so far as has Vet de-
veloped, in the trio. They are also good
men at the lat with the advantage, per
haEs, little in favor OF the first Two
mentioned, but thcn Snyder is q veto
ran with large experience, which cvens
up. All three, though, appear 10 be
heady and collected, and with the big
league teams that played here showed
up we'll with their star catchers
And last, but not least, the pitching
staff. This year we believe we are ex-
capt.onally strong in this department.
i the boys start out favortes, but
fame on the diamond is transient and
glory but a passing dream How many
Of them will retain their hold upon the
roofing public remains to be proven
At present there appears to be ITO doubt
as to at least three OF the men. Plan
miller WI not he worked to death and
will be given n chance to show what
stuff he is made Of Unless every one
IN this part OF the country is badly mis-
taken he is going to he one Of the stars
OF the league. He is pitching better
bali already than he did last year is n
beautiful fielder and, strange rs it may
seem. has actually gotten his eye on
the ball, and rs hitting we'll and hard,
with two-baggers for choice and an oc-
casional triple thrown in.
Jack Gilroy IS also showing great
form. and can be counted on till the last.
lie will not only do his best ali the time,
but that best will be good. lie Is also
a great fielding pitcher, a fast out
fielder and q good stcker
Newton, The Discovery, has not
been here long enough 10 establish a
reputation, but every Indication Is that