The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-07

Portsmouth Team u Against Hard
Luck-Red Hot Roast for Armstrong,
the slugger-Compliment for the WILL
mfngton Team.

The Richmond Dispatch of yesterday
says:
Mr.. Edgar G.. Smith, a New York
travelling salesman. writing to the Dis
patch, in reference to the attack OF
FIRST BaSeman Armstrong on Umpire
Clarke. in a recent game in Norfolk.
says: Some seven statesmen, and some
or the best business men of Norfolk,
were a witness of the scene, and in
justice to fair play and truth, would
say. our opinion is that Armstrong is a
loafer and a disgrace to the game.
Myself and fellow drummers have
travelled from Frisco to New York,
and always ~patronize the spert, but
never saw worse dirty ball playing than
TINS man Armstrong was guilty Of"
The Norfolk Landmark of yesterday
says:
The boys from Wilmington made
their first appearance in this city and
be it said to their credit, they do not
know what it is to give UP a game.
They fight from start to finish land.
without any unnecessary kicking, they
play a hard game. They are a stocky
set and will make any team hat beats
them know that it has been playing
ball. Their captain is Stafford, the
heavy hitter of the old Petersburg
crew. penant winnerS one time, while
on their pitching staff is Brownie"
Foreman. well known here and else
where in the state. Other men are
"Davy Crockett of the old Roanoke
collection, and Thackera, who is
known here. The uniforms of the
down home boys are the neatest yet
worn by visitors. and in their efforts to
make runs, the wearers do not mine
getting them dirty"
The Norfolk Virginian-P:lot of yes
terday says:
There were. all kinds of rumors cir
culated yesterday in reference to the
Portsmouth team having been disband-
ed. and that there would be no base
ball in this city. In conversation with
MeSsrS. Smith and Bland in regard to
the rumorS. they said that on WedneS-
day night all the men were paid a half
months wages and were told that the
managers could no longer be respon-
sible for their wages, but a proposition
was made to them which the &C
copied. to keep the team going.
''Messrs. Smith and Bland claim that
hey have already sunk 81 500 and do
not care to go deeper in the hole. They
have played eight games at home, in
Guiding two exhibition games. The av-
erage attendance of these was 366. OF
that number twO-fifths were Is cent
tickets; and as their expenses were over
PoO " ooS Nh1S "oNN W
gin to pay out. Then, when they go
from home. with railroad fare, hotel
bills. &C.. added it make their ex-
penses much larger. The attendance
in all places where they have been has
been small. due to the cold and rainy
weather that they have had. Besides
this. they have a four of their team
crippled and unable to play. The
men have been played out of position;
consequently they lost more games
than they otherwise would have. This
caused the attendance at home to be
much smaller than it would have been.
They say that the team will be run by
some one else, and that those who hold
tickets will have the same privileges
| that they enjoyed under their manage
! ment. They will not be entirely out of
the league. but will have certain rights.
but no management. The scheduled
games will be played, except tomorrow.
That game is to be transferred to New
port News on account of it's being a
holiday with the dry dock company"