Evening star., 1897-04-03

Plan to He Adopted by the Local
Base ball League.

Plan to he Adopted by the Local
Base ball League.
The local Departmental Base Ball League
will appear In the field this year under diff
ferent arrangements from those which gov
erned it's playing season last year. The
league itself will remain intact, with prac-
tically the same officials, the same rules
ard the same governing body. but there
will be no schedule of games arranged, at
least not until the last month or SO of the
playing season. and the membership of the
league will be increased. to all practical
ends, by the admission of all the amateur
clubs of the District who care to affiliate
with the organization.
Mr.. A. A Sousa the president of the
league, will be at the head of the new or
ganization. 1t is the plan to have all the
clubs of the District who wish to play
games to decide the championship for the
season address Mr.. Sousa, forwarding to
him thsia list of players and the clubs
whom they would like to meet. Games will
be arranged for in this way for perhaps
week beforehand, and all contests will take
place at National Park.
If club fails to show UP for the rame 1t
has arranged for, 1t will be fined the rem
tai of the park. or some like amount, and
second failure will probably result in the
club being dropped from future considera-
tion in the championship series. This plan
will be somewhat on he order of that
which governs prize-ring contests. A club
will hold the championship until some
stronger aggregation comes along and
takes away the prize. the season finally
ending with the strongest club on the top
OF the heap.
At the end of the season, or perhaps a
month before, six or eight of the clubs in
the league who have made the best show
Ing will be taken and formed into a sor.
OF games will be arranged for. to settle
decisively the question Of the champion
ship. 1t is then Mr.. Sousa's intention to
submit the question to the stronger clubs
n nf incr :,,<1
q regularly organized District league to
play full schedule of games next sea-
son.
The clubs which win constitute the De-
partmental League this year will be the
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing the
Pension Office, the District Commission
ers Offices. the Army and Navy Club, the
Post Office Department, the City Post
Office and Fort Myer. The Independent
clubs who will probably enter the ar
rangement and forward their lists Of play
| ences for games. are the Canterbury. Sham
| rock. Columbia Athletic. Eastern Athletic,
Carroll Institute LIE Droits. Mile Limits
and Eastern clubs.
With the clubs named above, some of
| whom have as members the best amateur
talent there is to be found in this vicinity.
games could be arranged that would be
as interesting and as close as professional
| contests. Their being played at the regu-
lar Base Ball Park will result in draw
ing good attendance, and the good ex-
hibitions Of base ball which the park will
afford during the absence of the Wash
ington base ball team, will draw great
many of the fans. who are only too glad of
a chance to see a good contest during that
absence.
The formation of this new league of all
| the District clubs will give greater impetus
| to amateur ball than has ever been mani
Tested at the beginning of season in the
past. The season already promises to be
a most interesting one in college base ball,
and the amateur teams by the formati ton
of the new league will make the year from
| that point of view fully as successful and
interesting. There Is no doubt that the
new organization will be supported, and the
| attendance at the games is looked for to
defray most of the incidental expenses of
| the playing season. Washington Is a thor
| ough base ball town. and 1t is upon this
| fact that the hopes OF the management of
! the league are based.
1t is rather expected that the bureau of
| engraving and printing team will head the
| list Of the departmental clubs at the close
Of the season. Under the direction of Capt.
William McCauley 1t has won the cham
| pionship for two seasons, and by his wise
| leadership has been able to put up an ex-
| cellent exhibition of ball playing every time
| It has appeared on the field. McCauley is
| the popular short stop OF the bureau team,
/ and while not brilliant player-although
| at times he makes some phenomenal stops
| and throws-is steady and sure. He
played with the old Peabody club of East
| Washington, and later with the Orange
Athletic Club Of Orange. N. J. He was
| given a chance by Manager Schmelz of
gestion, and was characterized by the
former as a nervy player, the only fault
being found with his comparatively slow
throw to first from the shortfieid. He has
ingly popular. not only with his own team.
but all with whom he comes into contact
on the field and OF. In June and July he
leaves the city to play with the Orange