Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
TO BE HELD THIS WEEK
MEETING TO REORGANIZE DE-
PARTMENT LEAGUE.

The reorganization of the Departmental
Base Ball League for 1907 will in ali prob
ability take place this week, as President
Merritt Q. Chance Is anxious that the ma
chinery be set in motion before or by the
LIST of March.
1t was expected that six-club schedule
would be adopted. as it was given out re-
peatedly that there would be no representa-
ton from either the Department of Justice
or Interior. But Chief Clerk Dawson, man
ager of the Interior contingent, has lately
said that the Interior nine will be on hand
when time is called and will again be an
important factor in the pennant race.
This to a certain extent complexities mat
tiers, as 1t will necessitate the addition of
another team to I'LL the quota of eight clubs.
1t Is very difficult. and usually unsatisfac-
tory to arrange a schedule for seven
team circuit or any league with an uneve
number of clubs. This was shown two
years ago, when the Departmental had
nine branches represented. The schedule in
itself was perforce imperfect, and consider
able difficulty was always had in playing off
the postponed games.
Where the eighth team will come from Is
an open question. The Bureau of Engray-
ing and Printing would like to place a team
in the race but by so doing 1t is thought
1t would cripple too much the regular Treas
ury nine 1t is argued that the money
making department has the largest force To
draw from, it could easily make up thu
loss; that it would tend to draw out many
of the young civil service appointees who
before entering the government service
PLAYED on their college or high school mines.
This Is all well enough for an argument,
but the final month of last season showed
that this Is not the case. What would the
Treasury nine be without Charlie Lord.
without Vic. Bielaski and the rest of the
Bureau men? Without them 1t is safe To
say that the TreasuryiteS would sooner or
later give up base ball This is not said
a encouragement. but merely as a warning
to those who did not follow closely the
Treasury team of last year and who argue
merely from departmental figures.
There is likewise a rumor af1oat that the
team from the Library of Congress would
not object to coming back into the fold II IT
We're given concessions similar to those ac-
corded to the other clubs of drawing from
sub-branches not directly under the service.
The Government Printing Office would
jump at the chance to get into the Depart
mental arena, and IL awaits but the rec
ognizance of the better league. Employees
of the District of Columbia would also will
ingly take any vacant place, as they would
like to be represented with nine from the
bona fide employees Of the District govern
ment. The meeting to settle these ques-
lions promises to be full of interest to
all who have interest in departmental or
local amateur base ball.
The published story that Billy Rapp,
the catcher who helped the Nationals out
last season in their early spring work,
would play with Post Office is erroneous.
Rapp is under contract with the Southern
League and will play in either Memphis
or New Orleans.
Col. Bromwell has not yet given the
authorities any direct information in re-
gard to the 'skinning of the diamonds
on the White Lot, but 1t is generally be-
lieyed that no such permission will be
sranted. as it would. it is claimed, destroy
the beauty of the ellipse.