The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-15
WILL BE LEAGUES
SMALLEST PLAYER
Brownie" If W in, Of
Woodstock, Signs With
Lynchburg.
FIVEMEN RETAINED
AS TEAM NUCLEUS
Shocmakers' Club Will Be Made
Up Almost Entirely OF New
Material-Many Young Play
crs in League Expected
to Furnish Faster
Sport.
Especial to Tho Times. dispatch. !

Especial to Tho Times Dspatch.]
Lynchburg, Va, Januafy l4.--If
Brownie" Irwin, who has been signed
by Manager Laughlin. Of the Danville
team, for try-out. makes the team
the Red Sox will have TIE smallest
player who has ever graced q team In
the present Virginia League. for the
midget IL hardly over Ave ieet, and lac
VIII hardly weigh NOR. than $50
pounds. King. the dlminutlve outneid-
or, who has played with four or nvc
teams on the circuit, and now with
winston Salem, In the Carolina Asso-
ciation; Kid Lawrence, who managed
both Portsmouth and LynChburE in
portions OF two seasons and Kid OAR
ringer. the India rubber siinrt fielder
OF the ShocmnkeES In 1905 are big men
beside this prospect who nails from
Woodstock. the capital OF the far-fam-
ed county OF Shenandoah. Irwin was
hecn member of tho Massanutten
Academy team. at Woodstock. for sew
cral years, and he has the reputation
of being a run-gotter. He is n fast
and sure outncIdcr and IL he can hit
the pill up to about ESQ for Manager
IauShlin, lie is sure OF berth. despite
his size. The lad is a grandson Of the
late Or. j. s. Irwin. wiio for many
Years was a practicinS physician and
DRUGGIST in Woodstock. AMI his father.
49, II. II - now 2 DrbrtlclnE
physician in the place. Mana ger Laugh
lin has seen the hog figure III many n
amateur game. and he would not have
signed him ii he did not look upon him
as TT for this company
!, looks very much as II Pitchers
Brooks and Griffin. First Bascman Bart
Woolums, Shortncider Howcdcll ana
Catcher L.u5Aa will he the only nem-
bcrs of the 1910 Shoemakers TO he re-
tanned for the coming season, and this
Will give the clubs % strong nucleus
10 build good team from Griffin. al
though he had "A fourth position team
behind him last year, managed to
break even in his Victories, and Brooks.
who was farmed 10 Wilmington early
In the spring, proved to nc the star
pitcher OF the Eastern Carolina cir
cult. lie has q pair OF hitlesa games to
bis credit. 10th OF these :arn are al
ways greedy for work, and they can
he relied upon TO always take their
turn In the box, and not complain
when nm extra game week is forced
upon them. Howedell is ,gardcd hero
rs one OF the best shor- nelders OF
last years teams. He IS a sure fielder
and good hitter. and nc mas an arm
that sends them over to tic sack like
shot out of cannon. Woolums. who
Is wintering at his home In Denver,
year. lie was woefully weak during
the first four months of the season
with the stick, but In August and
September. whom the pitchers were go
Ing al their best, Bart got the hang OF
hitter. and he hit up around 200.
despite the fact that his hitting up
to that time was not over 100 AS a
first bascman there was none better
In the league. and If he develops n
batting eye for the season. he is bound
TO go hibhcr Lucia. one of the best
catchers on the circuit. will be re-
tanned. and he will probably do the
major portion OF the catching,
II is already. evident that Washing
ton and Baltimore are going to be
drawn upon heavily by the Virginia
teams this year for material The cut
In the salary limit will mean that more
than half OF the men on the teams last
season will have to be disposed Of
All OF the teams Will retain some OF
the old material for nucleus for 1911,
hut four or five Will be the limit gen.
orally. This will mean that young
ambitious players. even if they are
, swell headed. will have better chance
for work here than ever before in the
history of The organiza ton. and It is
this condition that Is expected to make
the games next season more interest
two or three seasons. For n long time
tho teams generally have boon made IN
OF men who are Slipping back from
faster company--mcn who do not play
with a dash and vim that is calculated
to excite tho admiration of tan on
minor league circuit. Close students
OF the game expect this condition to
result in even faster ball next season,
as we'll os more interesting games
t.-|...- i
Some surprise is being expressed in
this part Of tho circuit over the man
ner in which the interests behind the
proposed entrance of Newport News
and Portsmouth into the league have
acted. IT is claimed that 1t does not
como with good grace for them to
critisizc tic action of President VIII
iams in cffecting the sale of the Nor
folk teams holdings to interests favor
able to his administration OF the
Leagues affairs. OF course. the sale of
the Norfolk team by the Consolvo In
forests meant that the circuit was to
remain intact for the coming season.
and that 1t would mean further that
there Is little or no chance for the new
towns to come into the league. 1t Is
true that any criticism offered by these
interests cannot hurt President will
liams. for he has handled the troubles
surrounding the Norfolk end OF the
circuit in way that has already
brought much commentator to him
from, sources that were disposed to
criticize him before he succeeded in
pulling tho deal off.
The belief is expressed that IL WI.
liams had been at the head OF tho
league last year. when Portsmouth de-
saulted, that tho team would never
have been taken away from that city.
Ri (Contlnued on Second Fage)