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

soV' pa''ers, runners. and nelders. sey-
Dv.o ls strong pitcher but Is only
put IN the box when Il Is absolu,elv
necessary, as he Is so valuable I'm tho
htrv. lie has speed that IL wonderfui
ana batters are very shy of him.
me pitchers so far signed are Josenh
ieagcr and Frank Vert. who were here
IN 1879 and 1896. Both are valuable men
ana feager Is said to be the strongest
"n-afound' man In this league. playing
any position IN the inneld. Jack Dolan.
,f w tnITa pitcher. comes from Newport.
- ana was with Lancaster last season
puouque went up. He is expected
TO make his mark this year. West was
with Boston In lS4.
Inc only catcher signed for certain L.
Anoy Roth, OF Philadelphia. who led the
~ league catchers I'm 1894 and 1885
nc mas oeen here for two seasons. and
a remarkably strong man. Both New
LIN ana boston wanted him last season.
honcrt Werttake. the other catcher. Is
claimed by Paterson. also
ne Lancaster management is not
nhahlng any cracks about beating any.
oouy' but we think we can hold our own.
an ai9lost the same team as now, we
won the State-League championship last
season against teams Just as strong as
are now in the Atlantic League. when
we got into the latter league we were
Obliged TO take New Ravens place.
Whlch was good last. but we stopped
ahead OF Wilmington and the Athletics
we realize full well that the southern
teams Will have the advantage OF us in
early practice, and that they not only
nave good men. but they will strive hard
TO down the men from up here. and try
70 make a good showing right at the
crack OF the pistol. Our people here
DO not expect US TO be at the head, and
as long as we play good ball. the town
~ satshed. We expect TO show them
that here, and we will leave nothing I'M
done TO win everything we can. The
truth is that Paterson. Hartford and
Newark have an idea that they are the
only pebbles" and they think the other
teams are side-shows: but we had no
trouble in beating them here.
To win a Sunday game in Newark or
Paterson, players must carry shotguns,
own the umpire and the ground privi-
leges, and wear rock-proof uniforms.
Strange clubs have troubles OF their
own In those cities, and Lancaster was
deliberately robbed In both places many
times last year. while the Athletics were
given dose Of everything that was
tough. II. H. HENSEL.
WHO THE PRESIDENT is.
Harry II. Hensel, president OF the
Lancaster club. is 80 years old, and was
born In Quarryvlle. but has lived in
Lancaster for twenty-five years. For
twenty years he has been connected with
the Intelligencer. a leading sporting
paper. As far back as 1888, Mr.. Hensel
became connected with the national
game, and that year assisted in organiz-
-,
city. In 1884 Hensel managed the old
Ironsdes team. which was very popular
IN Richmond i'm the days Of Dicky John
ston, Billy Nash, Glenn, Ferguson, and
others.
In 1895, Asa Bentley attempted to run
a club in Lancaster, but failed. A stock
company took it off his hands. and elect
ed Hensel president, a position that
he has held since. In addition to his
newspaper and baseball work, Hensel
is interested in other branches of sport,
and this winter is giving boxing-shows
at the Imperial Theatre, as a partner
of Tom Derben. the noted Philadelphia
lightweight. Hensel has a wide ac-
quaintance with baseball and other
sporting-men.
who the Reading Players Are.
The Reading manager writes Of his
team:
Now that the Wilmington team has
been transferred TO Reading. and all
arrangements made there for the coming
season the Atlantic League is in a perfect
state of organization, and, in my Mid
will start the coming season under the
most favorable circumstances known in
the history of the great American game.
All club owners and managers recognize
this fact and are putting forth every
energy in their power to make the entire
association one grand success.
Every team in the league will in all
probability be very strong. and the en-
thusiasts of the different cities Of the
organization will see the fastest kind of
ball ever seen in any minor league in