The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-01
Scout of the Pirates Has a Long
List Of Virginia League
Players.
PRIEST BIG FIND
OF THIS SEASON
Great Infelder of Danville
Club is Being
Sought by the
Scout.

Several big league scouts are now
making the rounds of the Virginia
League looking for material. and while
the league this year will not offer a
rich harvest of players, there are sew
eral at least who will be given a trial
In big league company next year.
The scouts are doing their work
quietly and avoid publicity as much as
possible, but once in a while they
meet someone who knows them and
then they are willing to do little
talking
During the last trip or the loc&
club, the first three days of last week.
Billy Murray, scout of the Pirates.
was camping out there looking over
the men of both teams and compar-
ing their work with the reports no
had of them.
A Richmond fan who happened to
be in Roanoke at the time ran across
/ Murray at the park and had long
talk with him about his business there
at that time Murray displayed a
long list of players whom he is look
ing over, and said that he hoped to
pick up one or two good youngsters
, in the Virginia League.
ON Murrav's list were most of the
PLAYERS who have been making a hit
this year and quite number Of
them We're on the Roanoke club and
some were with the Colts. or the
Roanoke players who were being OBJ
served by the scout were Doyle. Pow
ell, Spratt and Schmidt. Murray did
not have much to say about Doyle and
Powell, but he said that while Schmidt
was capable catcher, he would not
make the -hig league on account OF his
light hitting. He said that Schmidt
I unnI &C sannn1 catcher
! for the Eastern League or another
( league OF that class.
Spratt was the man upon whom
Murray was counting. but he acknowl-
edged that he was isappointsd In this
! player "Spratt liz fiat-footed and Will
never make good in the big league"
said Murray, another fault Is that
/ he sloughs at the ball and has only
| one way OF hitting at it. AS soon ~
those big league twirlers found out
about Spratt's way of hitting" he con-
! tinued he would never be able "a
connect safely"
Among those of the Colts who wera
on Murray's list were Baker and Wax
lace and Shaw. Murray spoke very
highly of both Shaw and Baker, say
ing that the little shortstop was -
phenomenal fielder and could get =
! job on any big league team If he wero
/ stronger with Tic SLIM
| He said that Wallace looked good
| to him, but that he had been in the
/ game too long. and that he wanted
| only youngsters who could be held
and developed.
| Priest Seasons Find.
! From present indications Priest.
| Danville's shortstop, LIS the seasons
one best find in the Virginia League.
Murray had the youngsters name on
| his list. and from the way he talked
| ii was judged that he was trying TO
get Il string on him.
4 Priest has proven wonderful play
err, and this will doubtless be his iaSt
year in a minor league. unless he -
farmed out next season for Develop
ment.
The scout of the St Louis club was
in Richmond last week and talked
about Priest. 1t seemed that he also
was after the player. and it may ~
/ that several Of the clubs want him.
The DanviIle management will douht-
less be careful in dealing with the
scouts. and will sell the player TO the
highest bidder.
The one great regret of the Rich~
mond management In that they did
no take Priest this spring. The play
err was to come here, but 1t WAS de-
cided that the Colts had ample iniieid
material and he was told not to Re-
port II he were here now the RICH
mond club could get big price for
him.
| In fielding. hitting and base running
Priest stands high in the league ana
outclasses most of the other players -
the circuits. He clouts the ball hard
and drives 1t far. He fields eaaily.
and has great arm, and there y
hardly another man in the league who
Is q faster sprinter