The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-08
PRESIDENT WELLS
CENsURES COLTS
Says They Need Nurse More
Than They Do Manager st
This, Time.
DAVIS "HoME" UMPIRE
Seems to be Handing Things to
Crew in Return for Decision
Here Last Week.
BY II, d. BONNEVILLE.

umpire DAVIS seems I'D DC MANU-
ing II to the Colts with a vengeance.
His FORGETTING of two games to the
Crew has put the Colts very near the
bottom, and besides this they must be
In no frame of mind to put up their
best article of baseball.
Ii is useless to blame players for
endeavoFing to retard the game, and
II would seem that the great aInonnt
OF talk about the Colts being cutters,
babies, etc, In not In keeping with the
facts. Baseball players AS a rule work
In accordance with the orders of the
manager and the locals are no excep-
ton. If they used tactics calculate0
to delay Tuesdays game 1t may be
taken that they did so under the
direction OF Manager Messitt. 1t Is
for him to explain the cause of the
conduct of the players and not for the
players themselves to do so. The
Colts are not given TO ignoring the
orders of the manager, and had they
started the tactics spoken of with
out the orders of the manager, they
could have been quickly stopped.
Messitt claims that the Crew were
guilty of exactly similar tactics, that
neither team desired to play the game
out and that Davis doggedly insisted
that 1t continue until the fifth In
ming.
Whether Davis is distinctly
home" umpire. or whether he is
handing something to Norfolk on &C
count of his trouble here with the
Crew, are questions that cannot be
answered Just at this time. IL would
seem, however. that ne is home
umpire, afraid TO give decisions that
would anger the local fans. or else
desiring to keep them pleased from
other motives.
The fact that the Colts have for
teited two games In succession to Nor
folk has caused no little stir In Rich
mond among the local fans Both
were forfeited under circumstances
that might well have been avoided.
and the Richmond people are at a
loss where to place the blame. Many
think that Davis is to blame for the
entire matter, while others think that
Messitt should have handled the
games In different manner.
President Jake Wells. Of the league.
IL In Richmond. and expressed him
self In strong terms on Wednesday,
when he heard of the trouble in Nor
folk. THE Richmond club does not
need a manager said President
Wells. What they need Is n nurse.
President Wells seemed to blame the
Colts entirely for the forfeit OF the
games, and while he did not say
SO. he evidently endorses the work
IF Umpire Davis in beth games.
President Wells evidently takes as
true the first newspaper reports OF
the trouble and does not wait to get
g official reports. In expressing him
self so strongly at this early date he
carries out his policy of falling to
keep In close touch with league af-
fairs. He undertakes to censure the
Colts without taking the trouble TO
and out the true status of the case.
and he puts himself on record by
making u public statement OF his
opinions.
IL is to be hoped that Messitt will
be able 10 explain why he permitted
he Colts to delay the game purpose
ly. He evidently has some explana-
ton TO make, and Ii Will be well TO
suspend the expression of opinions
until the whole truth Is known. In
any event the players themselves
should not be blamed. since they
were evidently playing In accordance
with orders from the manager.
Manager Jack Lawlor. of the Colts.
is expected to return soon. and VIII
begin the work of getting the locals
in the best possible shape for the fight
that is before them. Although they
are now next to the bottom. they are
not out Of the race: in fact, II has
lust started with the best pitching
staff In the league and the fastest
infield. the locals may be expected
to put up good fght for the pen
nant, and with Lawior to direct the
play they will no doubt take a squirt
soon after his return.