The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-20

With several vital questions facing
them and many matters of minor i'm
portance to dispose Of. the Virginia
League magnates met in Murphy's ho-
tel Tuesday afternoon at . O'Clock.
President Jake Wells will preside at
the meeting, and do his last service
for the league. He Will have no fur
Their connection with the organiza ton
after his resignation takes effect this
fall
The magnates who will represent
the various teams and who arrived in
Richmond Tuesday morning are
Messrs. McFaH, Ellis and President
{. II. Williams. for Roanoke; Il. II.
Wilkerson, for Lynchburg: President
A. c. Omohundro, for Norfolk; w. M.
snead for Danville: Jones, for Peters
burg MIR. w. Il. bradley VIII rep
resent the Richmond club.
Others who will be at the meet
Ing are Vice President Consolvo. who
arrived Tuesday morning. Manager
Winn Clarke. of the Norfolk club. Of
to- Wells, brother OF President Wells.
and Barney Freeman, who is connect
ed with the Norfolk club. President
Mclaughlin, OF the Lynchburg club,
did not come. as ne has resigned his
position.
President Wells Talks.
Before the meeting President Wells
gave a representative of The Virgin
ian a lengthy interview. rehearsing
the more important issues before the
league and pointing out the weak
nesses that are hurting the organiza-
ton. In answer 10 q question CON
corning his retaining the position Of
president, Mr.. Wells said. No, shall
not ofrer for reelection. / have had
enough OF baseball, In fact. one year
too much. l wished TO get out last
year. but remained as president AT
the earnest insistence Of the maguatex.
/ have not resigned because | don I
see that IL Is necessary TO do so. They
all understand that / shall not offer
for reelection. and will not accept
the position. They have understood
this FER some time" The president
stated that several Of the CLUBS had
asked him about this some months
ago. and he advised them of hts inten-
tons.
Who liz the Man.
Going into some detail concerning
the work that ia TO he done by the
next president. MIR. Wells said, who
- this great man who IN going TO DO
go much as president Of the league
and where Is he coming from. what
are they going ~ pay MIN 10 do all
thtsg II Was suggested that one of
the umpires would be left OF and that
his salary would 60 TO pay part of the
presidents salary. Where would the
league have been with three umpires
this season" asked the president
Several times there were men sick
and this matter OF allowing players to
umpire games viii soon break up any
league. An extra umpire is essential
to the welfare Of the organize ton.
/ would like to see the president going
around the circuit and mixing up with
things. why. he would be chased out
within the first thirty days
President Wells said that he did not
know who the candidates were. that
he has heard no talk about them. He
would not discuss Mr. Williams or
MIR. Gregory In connection with their
candidacy and said that he did not
know Lucas, the other aspirant.
Sustains the Umpires.
President Wells spoke in strong
terms on the umpire question and
made his position enrrcly plain on the
subject. The clubs in the Virginia
League have no kick coming to them
in connection with the umpires,- ne
said. 1T does not look as II there
had been any favoritism SHOWN IN the
league since Ave different clubs have
won the pernant in the past nve
years"
The Richmond Club did not lose
this year on account or the umpires.
/ don't know the trouble. il was prob
ably the fault of the manager who did
not pick out the weak points In his
team and strengthen the CLUB UP. If
the clubs would get to work and let
the umpires alone they would do much
better
The Virginia League has the best
stan OF umpires in any minor league
In the country" continued the presi-
dent, mot event excepting tho class
A leagues. Take Mace first. he gave
satisfaction in this ieague for four
years and he is q good umpire, as
good as any in the minor leagues.
Pender Is a great unpire and there
is none better than him even in the
majors. he Is not fancy. but he can
handle the indicator and is beyond
reproach. Davis did not behave very
well this year but he would be the
greatest umpire In the country II he
kept straight. Westeryelt is young
and ambitious and q good umpire.
he knows his business and will doubt
fess stay In the league on his merits."
I want to say right here" said the
PRESIDENT. that ] arm personally re-
sponslble for the umpires in tho league
that 10, was this season. I appoint
ed all who were appointed, sustained
those who were sustained, approved
those who were approved, and person
ally arranged the umpire schedules for
every month In the season.
TT 10 q significant fact that I did
not& have q single formal complaint
against any Of the umpires this sea-
son. either written of verbal Only
ono magnate wrote TO me, and that
was personal letter and not formal
complaint.
Gregory Wronesd.
II wish to say that Mr.. Gregory, my
secretary. has been very badly treated,
and the papers have eeven published
things about him. He IL no way re-
sponsfbie for anything that has gone
wrong this season and has been very
unjustiy criticized bv some Of the
n1agnates and by Others Gregorw has
had nothing to do with league affairs
except under my direction; he had
nothing to do with the nmpires. and
his only duties were In his clerical ca
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