The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-12
ORIOLES COMING CERTAIN.
WILL REACH HERE MARCH FL AND
REMAIN UNTIL ABOUT APRIL 10.

The Contract for the Use of the Ball
Grounds Has Been Signed and the
Rental Paid-The BaItimOres win
Bring Twenty-three Men to SaVan-
nah - Practice and Exhibition
Games viii Be Played DniIy-JOhn
McGraw 10 Captain and Manage
the Team-Grounds Are Now Being
Put in Good Condition for Their
COminG-BrOOklyn Team VIII
Practice in Augusta
The coming of the Baltimore base ball
team TO Savannah for its spring practice
is an assured fact. The contract for the
renting of the grounds here to the manage
ment of the Orioles has been signed and
the rental paid. The team will be here on
March q, and will remain until about the
middle of April.
The base ball people here, through whom
the arrangements for the grounds were
made, had begun to feel a triae uneasy
on account of the continued silence OF
President Hanlon, who arranged the deal
on behalf of the Baltimores. Rumors,
brought on the wires from other cities,
were also in circulation, to the effect that
the plan of bringing the team to Savan-
nah had been abandoned and that it would
practice in Macon instead The change
of plan was said to have been because of
the bad condition of the grounds here and
the fear the Baltimore people entertained
that they could not be put in good shape
in time for the coming of their team.
These rumors are discredited and the
consequent apprehensions of the local fans
quoted by the action of Mr.. Hanlon and
the signing of the contract to bring the
Orioles here. The enthusiasm for base bali
has been for some time in rather torpid
condition in Savannah, and it is hoped that
the coming of the Orioles will arouse
healthy sentiment in favor of the national
sport.
The changes and improvements In the
grounds are now being made, and they are
being put in thorough good shape. Besides
the addition of thirty feet to the field, ne
cessitated by the running of street
through the eastern side, the fences are
being repaired and new bleachers and
grand stands erected. The diamond Is be
ing moved to correspond with the addition
to the size of the field, the infield rolled and
the park drained to prevent the rapid ac-
emulation Of mud, to which in the past
ID has had too great tendency and which
has made It's use for base ball almost i'm
possible. These defects and any others
that appear are to be remedied, and the
grounds put in as good condition as cir
cumstances and limited time permit.
The Orioles will bring twenty-three men
to Savannah and with this number will be
able to put two good teams into the field
for the practice and exhibition games. OF
these there will probably be one daily. The
team will be managed and captained by
John McGraw while Hanlon looks after
the destinies of the Brooklyns. The latter
team will practice at Augusta.
| The plans for a local team and league
| formed among neighboring cities of which
it is to be member remain as they were
three weeks ago. The promoters of the
| scheme have not received the kind of en-
| enlargement that wils be likely to result
| in it's success, that which Is represented
| in dollars and cents. Without encourage
ment of this character from the lovers
of the sport in Savannah, the plan is like
| ly to die a natural death. With the sub
| scription of even a small amount of stock
its success is assured. The plan is certainly
| feasible, and the members OF the base bah
| association feel that 1t would be a pity for
| II to fan through for the lack of the as
| surances of good faith, in the shape of
subscriptions, which they consider should
| precede the outlay of the money necessary
| to put a team in Savannah.
In the meantime. the park is being
put in condition not only for the use of
the Balimores but also for the use of a
team that Is to represent Savannah
through the spring and early summer
| months. Whether this team is ever TO
materialize depends upon the interest its
formation and success that is evidenced by
the fans here. If they approve the scheme
and are wiling to back 1t financially even
to a small extent, it will be pushed to
completion, and an earnest effort made to
render it successful; If the interest Is not
manifested, 1t will be allowed to fall
through