The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-08
OLD DOMINION mem
BASEBALL LEAGUE
Messrs. Atkins and Donati, OF
This City. Interested i'll
Project.
HAVE FouR-cLuB CIRCUIT
contiguity Of Cities in Circuit
and Low Salary List Are
Profitable.
AVE FoUR-cLUB CIRCUIT

The establishment of the Old Do
the growing interest in the great ma
tIonai pastime in Virginia.
Charles e. (Tommy1 Atkins. former
iy sporting editor of the local after
noon papers of this city. is at the
head of the new enterprise. which is
burg, Newport News. Phoebus and suf-
folk, all being good baseball towns.
Mr.. Atkins yesterday received his
charter. protection papers. ETC.. from
j. II. Farrell. secretary and treasurer
OF the National Association of Pro-
fessional Baseball Leagues.
Mr.. V. (Charley) Donati, one of the
oldest baseball men in the State, is
one of the financial hackers of the
enterprise, and is enthusiastic over the
come Interested IN professional base
| ball In this State.
He had the first salarlcd ball team In
Richmond. That was many years ago,
and ever since then he has maintained
keen interest In tn. gene. For, sew
erai years h. was owner of Rich
| mona baseball club. and since he
severed his connection as IN owner of
| franchises has had interest In the
Broad Street Park lease. During the
Il.ast two years, since the new Virginia
State League has been running, he has
made some $4,000 out OF his park.
This goes to show that there is money
| in baseball.
1t is said that NIessrs. DonatI and
Atkins will own controlling interests
t in the Petersburg and Phoebus clubs,
/ while Mr.. G. e. A. Booker and DIR.
II.ouis Loeb will have the Shipbuilders
and r. ID. Wright will be interested in
1.-The Suffolk franchise
Good Bail Towns.
Both Petersburg and Newport News
4 have been i'll professional baseball.
i Dob Pender who managed and won
4 the pennant for Norfolk last season,
once played with the Cockade City.
Ed. Ashenback, who was with st. Paul
4 Hast year, was at one time at the helm
sIof the Newport News Hampton club, In
1.-THE old Virginia State League. How
lever that league went by the board.
4 land ii failed for the reason that the
owners and managers of the clubs
I went too far beyond the salary limit
in buying and paying players salaries
lit will be different with the Old Dos
4 ninion League people. 1t is their In.
/ tention to play all home players and to
i, pay them only moderate salary. This
II will enable those who put up money tc
i get the league started to make some
tlrloncy. and will assure the success OF
J, THE association. Those Interested n
lthe organization of the new league
, ,f,,1I wi n In
| the event the salary limit is exceeded.
y. The fact that Petersburg, Newport
u News, Phoebus and Suffolk are al
!, c,ose together will make IL possible
J for the clubs to travel from one place
. to another atsn very small cost.
This point alone has cost the fran
! chises holders in the Virginia State
a League many thousands of. dollars.
Il Richmnpd, Norfolk, Portsmouth an(
\ 900 n year If Petersburg We're substi.
u tuted for Danville or Roanoke Rail-
road fare eats UP the gate receipts.
Small Towns Good.
1T has been demonstrated more thar
. once that small towns and cities drt
y better from financial point OF view
U than large ones for, baseball. In tn,
Y small places every man. oman nnf
2 child in tho city IS interested IN TIL
4 < success of the bal club. People, clost
s'Sup their business houses to go I,
4 I, the ball game Such stunts are neve
:. known IN the la ger cities, whore base
t ball is known to be Il BUSINESS. In TIL
. email place ~ is u sport. and every on
Nils Interested sl n 4
I BE tn Charley ponati and Tommy AT
4 kins are we'll known and experience,
~ baseball men.w and there is no rensn,
|, why the venture shout no ts be Si
B how HIM g. sue cess. Il III. IL. \.