The Savannah morning news., 1904-04-05
JACKSONVILLE CLUB OWNERS SUFFER
MUCH FROM NUMEROUS KNOCKERS

A grand stand with seating capac-
ity of 1900 people, and bleachers with
like capacity, have been erected, and
fence twelve feet high entirely en-
closing the field. 1t was while doing
all of this work that the promoters of
the club assembled a team, employed
manager and were the first to get
in shape for the opening of the league
season.
Too Many Hammers Out.
But with all of the commendable en-
terprise that has marked the efforts of
the Jacksonville Club owners, they
have not been rewarded with the ex-
pressions of approval that are their
just deserts. Their energy, liberality
and enthusiasm has been admired by
every city in the South Atlantic Cir
cult, but when at the first appearance
of the team, which, under the rules
governing it's existence, could only cost
81, 900 per month"; failed to defeat team
costing over $4,000 per month, derisive
remarks were all that reached the ears
of the owners from their home people.
When, on the second appearance, the
team assembled by Kelly, defeated
Powell and his high-priced team, it was
believed that all JayVille fandom would
support the team through thick and
thin, but not so. When it became evil
dent on last Sunday afternoon that the
locals were defeated, Kel was kept
hurled ut him, and the lives of the club
owners were made miserable.
Sizing up the Jacksonville team and
the appearance it has made in the Sc
ries with Powell, it is but just to say
that the team as whole is good, but
with little evidence of that style OF
play that can only come to the men
after hard work together, and which is
sometimes characterized as vicious.
They do not fight enough. But that
will come. They do not play together
we'll yet, but that, too, will come. The
faults of the team We're emphasized by
the almost perfect team work of Pow
ellis men, who have now been playing
almost daily together for the last three
weeks, with the best teams in the
country. That the Jays defeated them
at all was little short of miraculous.
Some Good Material.
In the individual players on the
team there is some good material. The
weakest place, perhaps is oenlna tne
bat. Weed, who caught Sundays
game, is a hopeless failure in putting
the ball to bases. He was suffering
with sore wing, but even with plenty
of steam he is slow in recovering and
lacks coaching ability. The team was
also Handicapped by not having a regu-
lar man on first base.
Owing to the failure Of several Of
the players to report it has been neces-
sary to put pitchers on first. Second
seems to be well taken care of by
Wayne. In the short field Dingle is
lively enough, though lacking courage
in handling hot ones. He made couple
of sensational plays Sunday that
caught the crowds, but they were large
ly horseshoe plays. Dlngle is very
fast, and with little hard work to
give him courage, and confidence, will
be able to go all right in fast COM
pany.
With the chances he had Sunday,
perhaps the best showing was made
by Womble at third. He has splendid
action, handles the ball fast and ac-
curately, and goes TO the bat like a
veteran, though he was a little off in
his striking judgment. In the outfield
emergency players were placed, and the
real strength of these positions cannot
be determined.
On the Firing Line.
Butler who was on the firing line.
gave evidence of distress in the fifth
inning, and to a casual observer he
was working too hard this early in the
season. He had decidedly the hardest
side of the pitching, and was all in at
nhe finish, and before the sixth inning