The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-09
Ne w port News and
Portsmouth antFran-
chises Next Season
BASEBALL NEAR
ITS CRISIS NOW
Roanoke and Danville Likely to
Be Dropped-League Meeting
Tomorrow May Elect Han
non President-Public De-
rnands Better Sport and
Faster Company.
THE TINES FOUNDED 1sss.
THE DISPATCH FOUNDED 1850.

Baseball In Virginia is in a mighty
hope that the muddle will clear up and
that those who have the interest OF the
game at heart will cease TO agree to
disagree and begin to consider the pub
lies point OF view. Much OF this will
be determined at the meeting to be
held by the magnates at Murphy's
Hotel Tomorrow afternoon. Present
at this meeting will be representatives
OF the six clubs now composing the
organization and In addition Newport
News. Hampton and Portsmouth Will
have men here seeking franchise rights
md protection when the season OF 1911
begins.
Numberless questions are to be con-
sidered at this meeting. ranging from
the selection of president axe
Wells will positively not be a candidate
for the ofice-to deciding whether 1t
will be advisable to drop certain cities
and allow other franchises in their
stead Roanoke and Danville will be
the cities under discussion. Roanoke
wants to remain In the league and has
q candidate for the presidency insthe
person of Robert l.. Williams while II
Is understood that President w. w.
snead Is willing to let the Danyille
franchise go under certain conditions
Inst season Disastrous.
Last year was disastrous season for
the Virginia State League. Richmond
was the only city to make any money,
and this sum dwtndles to almost moth
ing when compared with the profits OF
former years. Norfolk. usually pay
ing town, showed a deficit of nearly
$4,000, while every follower of the
game knows the fate of Portsmouth
Up in Danville things are not quite so
bad, for, as a stockholder in the club
explained, there are SO many citizens
subscribing to the stock vino are Will
ing to pay $50 or $50 year TO see
good baseball that the matter OF prof
It's rarely enters into consideration.
But Danville Is only one city. and
there are four other places in which
the balance was on the wrong side OF
the ledger. 1t is by no meats strange
that the crisis came last season. Any
body at all familiar with baseball in
minor league circles is aware that the
game. SO far as Its prosperity is con-
cerned. moves in cycles of about FIVE
years. There will be four years OF
plenty. and then come the lean days.
Discussing the question from a
psychological standpoint. II there is q
psychology Of baseball, ii would seem
the Eeme-those who make their living
from the money paid by the public
allow themselves to forget that this
came public has sense and has some
little knowledge of the workings be-
hind the scenes. Prosperity for three
or four years seemingly blinds the
prosperous magnate to the fact that he
must keep up his standard II he de-
pires TO keep the support of the pub
l. al
ways abreast of the demands of the
people who pay the price. these worth
les begin to figure the possibilities of
making the profits larger out of the
came amount of money received.
Seeking Profits Lowers Standard.
The result is obvious The only way
70 accomplish this feat Is to cut down
the character of the game by cutting
down the cost OF the players. There
fore. when the lean years come. the
quality of ball dished out to the public.
Is at Its very lowest level, and the
public. realizing this. begins to stop
going to see the game. Then the mag,
mates below forth their complaints.
overlooking the fact that they have
none to blame but themselves.
Take, for instance. the Richmond
team last year. The season began with
as much enthusiasm as any previous
season. The team started out we'll
enough. winning and losing games at
about an equal ratio, Then the bot.
tom dropped out. AT glance 1t could
be seen that there was something
wrong with the management AT least,
this was easily seen by every one ex-
.cept the man who should have seen it.
Instead of taking action at once and
strengthe ning the team at its weakest
point--the managerial Department.
wild scramble was made for ball play
ers. The scramble resulted in getting
together the very poorest excuse Of
ball club this city has even seen. And
when this statement is made 1t is no
reflection on the individual players, for
there We're some good ball players on
the Richmond team. The reflection Is
on the management, and. through the
management, on the owner, No ship
can sail a true course unless there is a
master hand al the helm. and no ball
club can win games unless there is
some one at the head who knows how
to direct. This was lacking, sorely
Il lacking.
What wassthe result? Aftert the en-
4 tire country had been secured for men,,
and after men had been brought here
ontno other recommendation than that
( they had been let go by otAar clubs,
lin many Instances clubs sof lower
class than the Virginia League, the
capital citysof the State, paying mora
money into the Golfers of the league
than all the rest Of the clubs combined.
finished the season With a baseball
team SO far outclassed by the other
teams In the league that the most con-
sistent supporters sof tho game ceased
going to the park, Nofone asked who
I Won but how badly Richmond was
beaten,
People Want Good baseball.
& SO far as can be ascertained the,
people in Richmond who love base
remain In the league This to base
Z hall fans Is only an Incident. People
IN Richmond want fast, clean snappy
hall playing, by team of hall players
capable OF representing the laetropo-3