Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-26
BALL-PLAYEkS HERE.
rHNr VIII ALL DE IN THE CITY
NJ NOON TOMORROW.
FIRST PRACTICE IN THE AFTERNOON.
Immediasely After DJnncr The BALI
Tossers VIII Mako Their Advent
Pnris-sInke-Up of the Team.

The bafI-playcrs who are to represent
Richmond on the diamond this year are
beginning to como In now, and tomorrow
they will so out 10 Broad-Srcct Park for
their first practice.
Several OF the men came In last night
but mono OF them have as yet reported
TO Manager Wells. His orders 20 them
DO not neoesei;ate that. They are sim-
ply REQUIRED 10 be in Richmond by noon
to-norrow. At which time they will as
semble 1T rord's Hotel and early in the
afternoon tisy will repair TO the park.
where they VIII don their uniforms and
make their advent upon the diamond.
The work OF improving the pack has not
yet been completed. but by the time the
team .s In shape for its nrst exhibition
game everything viii be IN readiness for
the reception or the patrons, and the sport
Will begin In earnest
THE TEAMS COMPOSITIONS.
The makeup % the team. as shown by
the contracts new in Manager Weiss
possession. II as follows:
Catchers--fless Nisnedx. and Stte'man.
Pitchers-Chesbro. Donovan. Goodwin,
Flaberty, ISarmAlcr, a1u Bishop.
InneiGers-chlhoun. WIigiey. Dnndon.
and Dolan.
ou;nslders--Hergrove, shannon, and
Sel'bold.
Az Of these men have achieved records
on the diamond OF which they may well
feel prond. and every one OF them VIII
probably give q good account Of himself
when the season gets under way. The
catchcrs are all old men who have de-
nonstratsd before Richmcnd rTowds what |
they are capable OF. only two or thtiD |
will 10 retained during the season, |
though. in the pitching department there |
is not single experiment this year The |
abilities OF every tOsser in tho bunch 1
Is known to Manager Wells. end. indeed. /
TO the great host OF rooters IL Richmond. |
and II will only be a question OF selecting |
from the six tho best five. All are good. /
The jnfieid is exceptionally strong. Cal /
houn is the only unknown quantity in the /
lot and no IS not altogether q riddle. Tor /
his record with Newark was such last
year as 10 make him rank high IN his |
chosen profession The outfield is too wei /
known 10 admit Of comment. 1t is the
strongest IN the Atlantic League. This
statement. however, Is applicable TO the
whole team. Manager Wells Is not given
e. boosting. but he feels confident That he
has pennant-winners. and If the results
of the season bear him out in this belief
the cranks Of Richmond VIII be well sat
isfed.
Baseball is IL rather peculiar game In
some respects. j has probably more ups
and downs than any other sport INDUCED
IN in America For several seasons prior
20 last year interest I'm the game was &t
fever heat and all over tho country the
magnates coined money almost as If
they had been possessed Of private mints.
Then there came the Spanish-American
war last year, and while interest centred !
10 l.u1l "a |
An over the country heavy losses were
sustained I'm baseball. and but few save
the old regulars who owned season tickets
and are never absent from the bleach
cries when a game IS in progress knew
or cared who won the pennant.
The war is over now; baseball interest |
has revived, and throughout the length
and breadth Of greater America there Is
much TO indicate that this will be a sue
cessful summer I'm baseball. The changes
i'm the National League have done much
10 revive interest. For the past few
years 1t has come 10 be looked upon as a
foregone conclusion that either Boston
or Baltimore would win the champion
ship. but now that Brooklyn has been
with players taken from the
Orioles there is probability that Boston
viii have the hottest fight she has ever
had for the pennant. and as the National
I.eagre is the barometer which governs
the baseball indications, it is settled
TACT that baseball is in better shape than
i has been IN some years.
AN OFFER REFUSED.
The owners of the Richmond team are
confident that they VIII not only make
money this year. but that they will re-
,over what they lost last year. This fact 4
VAS proven last week when they declined
% consider proposition looking TO the
purchase OF the team at slightly more
han was ORIGINALLY maid far n nv theto