Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-13
BASEBALL WEATHER
APPROACH OF SPRING CAUSES
CRANKs TO PINE FOR A GAME.
MAY HAVE TWO TEAMS IN RICHMOND
Movement on Foot TO Organize n
virginia State Lengue-The Propo-
sition Meets With Favor-"here
and When weIIs's Boys Assemble.

The weather-maker In Washington
having turned the steam on down mere
and made the atmosphere more spring
like. the small boys have imbibed the
baseball spirit and the fever is spreading
to the rooters. The urchin who Is IN MS
teens responds promptly TO spring, ana
though according to the calendar some
weeks will yet have to elapse before the
milder season Is upon US, the weather Is
balmy and pleasant, and the boys nave
shouldered their bats and taken thelr
balls to the old fields, and every AFTER
noon now they may be seen playing "na'
they call instruction" games. This sisht
awakens pleasant memories in the minus
of the rooters who were wont TO SIT on
the bleacheries at Broad-Street Park and
watch the Atlantic League heroes do pat
tie with one another, and baseball topics
have become the theme for conversation
The principal topic for discussion among
the faithful is the team that Jake Wels
has gotten together to carry Richmond's
colors this year. and as far as they can
Judge from an examination of the records
OF the men selected the cranks are well
pleased with the club. Some or the men,
IL is true are unknown, put or these
great hopes are entertained, and aireauy
the more loyal rooters are prepared 10
assert that If the pennant does not come
TO this city the Bluebirds will be in at
the finish in one, two, or three order.
JAKE IN FLORIDA.
Manager Wells is still down in Florida
having gone there some weeks ago 10
visit his mother. He expects 10 return
here. however, by the LIST Of March, ana
i'm a few weeks thereafter his team Will
assemble for practice The boys VIII not
get together in Richmond, but Will as
semble in some city between here ana
Cincinnati, where they will be Kept Ior
a few days, or possibly a week, 10 warm
up and get the kinks out or their arms
| II was at one time the purpose or the
owners of the club to assemble the men
in Huntington. but whether the pro-
eramme has been changed or not cannot
| now be ascertained.
At any rate the men will come here
| about the middle of March, and they
| will then be expected to be In suitable
| condition for exhibition games. Unlike
the programme of previous years, the
| team will be called upon to play but Few
games with National League clubs, Tor
] the reason that few of these clubs VIII
take O. southern trip this season. There
will be any quantity of college teams
| here to engage the attention of the Blue
birds, though, and some not ana eN-
citing contests will no doubt be waged.
FOR A STATE LEAGUE.
The Traction Company will make some
extensive Improvements at Broad-Street
! Park before the team arrives here for
1
bIeacheries will be erected. and the field.
including the diamond, will be levelled
| off and made as smooth as billiard
| table.
The Traction Company will not have
| clear field in the baseball world this
| season, unless the plans OF the other
| street-car company, as now arranged,
miscarry. This company has built, at
considerable cost, a park at the corner
of Vine and Main streets, and proposes
to organize a team 10 play ball there with
clubs from other cities in the State. In
other words, the movement to organize
a Virginia state League has about crys-
| tallized, and some exciting games viii
probably be played on Main street. Ac-
cordng to the present plans. 1t Is likely
that there will be teams in Richmond,
| Petersburg Portsmouth, and Roanoke,
| and the schedule OF this league will be
so arranged as to provide for the Rich
mond team being at home while the
Atlantic League Club is on the road.
OF course, such an organization cannot
secure National-League protection, but
there are plenty of men to be had TO
play on such teams; indeed, there are
enough men who have been blacklisted
by the Atlantic League to form first
class club for this city The project
/ L. bafp Of nv
patrons Of the game In this city, and the
gentlemen who have the matter in hand
feel very much encouraged. They believe
they can get good attendance at their
games, and assert that they will in no
wise interfere with the team Of the At
lantic League located here. This Is I'M
questionably the best ball town in that
league, and it is believed that 1t is able
and willing to support two good teams.
THE ART OF TWIRLING.
Many baseball cranks often wonder
what is the direct cause OF batting
streaks. For instance. pitcher has
| been holding a team of heavy-hitting OPP
ponents down to two hits and no runs for
six innings, but suddenly. in the seventh
inning, he Is touched up for half a dozen
solid drives in quick succession. In the
eighth, however, he settles down" again
| duQ lllclc DlleAbSs AAO" -
it that his pitching is easy in one inning
and cannot be touched in the othersY
That's an oft-repeated question, and il
has been answered in various ways. The
| best solution of the problem comes from
| Manager Selee, of the Champion Bostons
He says that IL is simply a question OF
sizing up a pitchers delivery for a single
inning and then losing the streak, because
the pitcher is clever enough to change
his tactics. Says Selee:
II have always instructed my players
to study all opposing pitchers. Men like
Rusie, Meekin, Nicholas, Corbett, Hofrer
Breitenstein, and others OF that class use
their heads so we'll that their pitching is
far more scientific than the public has any
idea Of. For five innings or so the Bos-
tons try In vain TO hit Rusie, wen say
We watch his delivery carefully. After
| awhile We perhaps discover that he Is
using a slow ball mixed with his speed
| Or is working US with curve kept JUS
outside Of the plate. II we gauge hin
| correctly We try TO hit him accordingly
Finally. we believe that we have him
sized ND right, and one of our batsmer
nails out hit. Rusle pays no attention
to IL, but the next fellow pops out an
other one. A third drive Is made, anC
Amos begins to realize that we are set
ting onto his curves. literally speaking
He promptly shifts his style, and In thu
next inning. IL he is in good form, WI
find that II is necessary TO study him al
over again. OF course, many battin;
streaks are due to a pitcher losing hi
head and not knowing how TO keep oppo
nents in check. Batsmen also can d.
much by working up enthusiasm amonl
themselves and rallying, just as the New