Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-01
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Magnate Bradley Decides to
Retain the Richmond Club.
WON'T QUIT UNDER FIRE
League Will Continue With Either
Williams or Whitaker as
President.

er bradley Will not quit under fire, and he
mas withdrawn the Richmond team from
the market. Money will not buy the fran
chlse now, 1t Is said. Bradley is not a
gutter. and the last man to think Of Quiz
ting when he is being criticised and for
that reason he has authorized the state
ment that he will own and operate the
Capital City team in the Virginia League
again next season, and with three OF the
-FOUR papers Of that city behind him and
Steve Griffin to pilot the Colts. Rich
mond ought to enjoy good season in
1912
Incidentally. time is shaping things up
in the Virginia League. and early during
the new year conditions will be in good
shape. despite predictions in the Richmond
Times-Dispatch that the league either
cannot get together for next season. or
has the statement that il has already
gone to the bowwows. The magnates
are realizing in their sane moments. no
doubt, that the circuit can exist II f. w.
whitaker OF this city heads IL next sea-
son instead of c. r. Williams of Roanoke.
One of these will be president, and with
either the league will so on.
Just who will be president has not and
VIII not be settled until President Will
Hams term comes to close with the be-
ginning of January. Then the test will
come. If he does not surrender the adj
mlnlstration petition for mandamus
VIII be filed with the supreme court of the
state, asking that he be required TO turn
over to Mr.. Whitaker the office. This
will be the lever to get before the highest
court of the state the question as to
whether, under the constitution of the
league or the state laws, the proxy OF
Norfolk could be voted, as it was at
tempted to be voted. at the Petersburg
meeting. The Whitaker following Gains
there is no provision in the constitution
providing for the voting of a proxy at an
election. In absence of such a provi-
sion, 1t is claimed a majority of the clubs
present could say then and there what
should be done with the proxy. If this
be true. then Mr.. Whitaker is certainly
president-elect Of the league. If the state
laws require that proxy of a director of
an incorporated concern. such as the Nor
folk club is. must be by formal resolu
ton and certified under the seal of the
club. then the proxy was not in legal
FORM for such was not the case.
inns is the contention i'm nutshell.
1t is not a question involving the fu-
ture OF the league Richmond. Lynch
burg and Danville supported Mr. Whit
aker, and they will not withdraw re-
gardless Of who is president. Peters
burg will get over its pet and Nor
folk and Roanoke have no idea Of
quitting when it might take years to
get another franchise.
Petersburg has only been in the cir
cult a season and half. and the club
there will hardly kick out OF the
traces after having tried for more than
four years to get on the spheroid map.
If Petersburg wants to quit, Newport
News is rapping hard for recognition.
Just what will be done or when it
will be pulled off is not known to the
date. but the fans throughout the
country can watch for the Virginia
League to get together for the best
season next year in its history.
The season hereabouts next year,
with anything like a sort OF luck,
ought to be good one. Steve Griffin
machine, or he will not live up to his
reputation. The other teams are on
the hop for material, and with a drift
to an honest compliance with a sane
salary limit, the teams will do better
financially than heretofore, for in the
Virginia League, like many other
minors, it is not a question OF how
much a team can make, but how much
can it keep from losing. Just as soon
as the directors in this league get this
idea rammed hard into their tops. that
soon base bah will be fixture here
This team Will make little money
this year and lose 1t next, and this
condition prevails with five Of the six
clubs of the circuit, Richmond being
the exception. None of the other
clubs can be dubbed money maker
1t is true that Petersburg did we'll
last season, but that was the first
full season of organized ball for that
town since back about 1896, and, as
luck would have it, the season proved
to be one for the pennant for the new
town. Next season the fans will turn
out nearly as big as they did last sea-
son, provided they get a one. two
three team. If not they will quit
like lot Of crabs quitting lie bait
at the surface of the water. 1t has been
true everywhere else. and why should
not the rule work out in Petersburg?
For this reason IT behooves the
team than they had last season, or the
COLLINS IL git 'em.
Bart woolums. who covered the initial
sack for the Shoemakers during the
past two seasons, is TO repent OF his
former aspirations, and next spring
he will don a mitt with a pad in front
of him. for it is Col. Stocksdale's hope
to make a great catcher out Of Bart
The big fellow caught few games last
season when the teams catching de-
partment was on the hospital list. CIV
ing good account Of himself. Stocks
dale was impressed, and he thinks
Woolums will make a good catcher with
experience Woolums has a strong arm
and splendid judgment, and ought To
shine in the receiving department. The
Dig fellow Is WlnIeT1flg mere, HdNliiH
picked up berth as manager Of one
of the motion picture-vaudeville houses.
where he is making hit
That Eastern League bubble down I'm
Richmond exploded much quicker this
fall than 1T usually does. Last winter
they had it bobbing up and down and
filling valuable space for several months.
1t didn't last that many weeks this
trip.
Manager Stocksdale has put Pitcher
John Sexton on the market, and "
Sexton desires to get into harness again
he will find a good berth for him. Sex
ton was sold last spring to Birming-
ham of the Southern Association, but
was turned back. He refused TO come
here because of the salary limit. and
went to the suspended list. Sexton is
rs good q pitcher as worked in the Vir-
ginia League last season. and he ought
to be q success in fast company next
season. The boy has everything a
pitcher needs, and year or two OF ex-
oerience ought to make him hum in
any Of the class A circuits.
Uses for Skunks.