The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-28
Especial, to The Richmond virginian.) }

Especial to The Richmond Virginiano
NORFOLK, VA, December Is
AN eight club league looks to me
like the solution of the situation as
far as baseball in Virginia is concern
: cd" said Jake Wells. former presi-
dent OF the Virginia League. here
to-day, when asked how he regarded
such proposition.
1T Will not only make 1t possible
to take in Portsmouth, which is one
Of the hest base paii towns i'll the eoun-
Try with Portsmouth owned team.
but 1t will bring about an eauanie
schedule tllat should make the league
Q success. 1t was to equallze the
schedule that the National League re-
solved itself into an eight club league
and II was for the same reason that
the Southern and other we'll estab-
lished leagues became eight club or
PLANTATIONS.
Would BE Catastrophe.
In my opinion, continued MIR
Wells. who IS spending the holidays
here with his family. 1T would he II
catastrophe not to have Portsmouth
In the Virginia League. 1t is a good
baseball town and II have a team
over there would hold the interest In
Norfolk. To have both cities in the
circuit would certainly strengthen 1t
and l don't see how the league can
be a success without Norfolk and
Portsmouth.
las the situation now presents it,
self. Danvile. Lynchhurg and Koa-
nokc appear determined To stick and
unless an eight-ciub league IL formed
Portsmouth rs out OF H. Without
pnY fuvvN x,s,th l. ha =
Ter 10 place club in Norfolk and
even II such thing would be ac-
romplished the interest would not be
half SO great | have known Ports
mouth as baseball town for fifteen
years and nobody can tell me any
Thing about II. Even with tail end
team year after year the people have
given the club splendid patronage
until last season. when interest Jagged
because the franchise was owned by
Richmond people md the club IVES
disappointment $he situation in
Portsmouth was blow to the league,
but now that a strong stock COM
pany has been formed To operate n
club In Truckertown the game should
draw better than II ever has and the
next season. should be most sue
cegsfni one. Jay taking in Portsmouth
and Newport News | am certainty Of
tftt ob3atRI ildt the BFHt juttItSt VI
the league would he served and |
can't see why there should he any
obteetonto II.
When asked II he thought an eight
club league would reduce the trans
portation expenses materially, Mr.
Wells replied that he did not. cor
course such a circuit would make
some difference in tie transparta
ton he said. but not as much as
y. IL Il. AZ -
cult would enable thu Eastern teams
To PLAY the Western teams st the
same time the Western teams could
play the Eastern teams at the same
time and thu Eastern and Western
teams could play among themselves,
Just as they do In the big leagues. II
would give the clubs an equal show IN
the schedule and each club would
play the other an equal number OF
games
Reduce Running Expenses.
Where do you think the greatest
saving would come in with an eight
club league" Mr. Wells was asked,
In the running expenses Of the
clubs was the reply There is abb
sotuteiy no use OF bringing twenty
hve or thirty players To any city in
the Virginva League at the beginning
Of the practice season and the salary
limit should not be- oyerstepped. Each
club owner should bring an infieid
and outfeld with. say. half dozen
pitchers and two good catchers. When
the wedding time comes. keep the best
pitchers aand. IL you happen TO pick
mp any ambitious youngsters that
show ability stick them In the place
81 any of tho older players who may
not come up to the mark. With n
seasons experience the youngster may
- ~ fA.xk tt,tt,