Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-08
THE LEAGUE GOES UP
HAS nISBANDED. AND WE WILL
HAVE No MORE BALL.
CHAMPIONS 60 TO SYRACUSE.
Manager Wells Places Most of His
Players There for the Rest of the
Senson-TnIs of n state League
Being Run Next Year.

There viii DE no more professional
baseball played here this season.
The Atlantic League has disbanded as
the Dispatch predicted three weeks ago
# would do and nearly all of the Rich
moud players who had not previously
been sold have been transferred TO SYRIA
cuse. n Y. 20 strengthen the weak
places fin the Eastern League club I'm that
city
Hansger Wells and his men returned TO
n Ity yesterday morning, and left in
the evening for Syracuse. Mr.. Wells will
O.. associated with the club through the
remainder of the season.
The attention of the crauks viii now be
turned TO next season. when the state
League Will probably be revived, with
four or six clubs.
THE CLUES LOST MONEY
This has been a disastrous year with
baseball While tho attendance has gem
orally been smaller than i'm 1898, the eX-
penses have. SO far ass the Atlantic League
clubs are concerned, been greater, and
the losses consequently heavier than last
year The struggle to keep up the league
had been "a hard one since early in the
summer. The season opened with a spirit
of hopefulncss and bright prospects, but
the slim attendance soon proved that
there was Il lack Of interest all over the
circuit, and the regulars forsook the
game Scranton was the first club TO
quit. and. according 10 what has turned
out 20 be- the correct opinion, the knowing
ones declared the league would break up
before fall.
Under the management of such able
men as Jake Wells. Ed. Barrow. Frank
Rim and Billy Sharsig the wrecked ship
was put on the rough sea. and had some
of the rafters held ON the season might
have continued. but the weak support
could not stand the strain. and the whole
thing collapsed.
RICHMOND'S FINE GLIB.
There were some very good players i'm
che league. and the clubs were strong,
bat none of them were iu the class with
The team that Jake Wells signed. 10 was
one of the strongest minor-league clubs
ever organized. Baseball authorities like
Ed Hanlon. the king of managers, Jake
Morse and Tim Muruane the Boston
baseball critics; Harry Merrill the
Wilkcsbarre critic; w. u. Watkins. the
eX-chicf of the Pittsburg club, and others.
declare that the Richmond club would
not have finished last in the National
League race George Wrigley and the
men he Captained. under Manager Weiss
direction. started early In the season to
win the flag. and they never let mp until
they had such lead that they could rot
be- ovcrtakcn. At the Fourth-Of-July
meeting Manager Wells agreed TO take
the pcnnaut for the first half and start
fresh. The result was that with a weak
ened team Richmond was at the top of
the ladder when the league disbanded.
BEGUN TO SELL PLAYERS
Manager Wells indeed had strong
club Chosbro was the first member TO
10 into the big league He was sold TO
P.ttsburg, where. with Tannehill, Lever,
ana Sparks, he has been doing grand
work Wild Bill Donovan was the next
o. go. and his work for Brooklyn has
been all that was expected Of him. Joe
bolan len the club Saturday. and played
ms irs, game for Philadelphia. 10 whom
Manager Wells sold the second basemdn.
Doian was five times al bat, and made
TWO hits. His first was q drive 20 centre,
scoring TWO men. and his next was 10 left
Tor a pase. scoring a basc-runner. lie
had three put-outs and two assists. This
Kind or work made him popular AT once
Ralph Seybold was % join Cincinnati i'm
New York yesterday and probably play
ed his first game with the Reds in the ar
ternOOn.
As soon as TIE league disbanded Man
ager Wells was kept busy reading tele-
grams from managers who wanted his
players. He had number Of splcn ild Of
fers. but did not mink much Of any Of
them save the one that came personally
from the pres dent OF the Eastern
League Mr. =. r.. Powers. who wished 10
place the entire club in Syracuse 10 take
the place Of the poor team there ldessrs.
Wells and Powers came 90 am agreement.
with the result that the team was trans
ferrod 10 one Of the best bo ban towns
IN the East There was no room for Pat
Flaherty or Tommy Hess. so they were
given their release. Nrigley calhoun,
Dundon. Steelman. HatgrOye. shannon,
Pfanmiler. and Bishop become stars"
The Syracuse team Will finish The season
with the following players: Catchers,
Steelman and OMEN (who was with
Scranton: first base Calhoun; second
bYss Wugley; short-stop, Rotherm3re