Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-17
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Magnates a Little Sore, But
Circuit Will Be All Right.
PRESIDENT WILLIAMS SAFE
Judgment of National Commission
Will Not Bring About
Peace.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
IYNCHBURG, Va, December 49,
The finding of the national board in the
tight over the Virginia League presi-
dency in New York Wednesday night did
not come as a great surprise to fans
who had followed the fight from it's
start There is little doubt that the
verdict came in measure as COM
promise, yet at the same time 1t must
be regarded as a victory for President
Williams and the faction backing him for
reelection, viz, Roanoke, Norfolk and
Petersburg. The. compromise means, I'M
less there is a change of front On the
part of one of the teams before the
meeting, which has been ordered to be
held in January, that Mr.. Williams will
merely hold over by reason of failure
to elect a successor for next year.
Richmond. Lynchburg and Danville will
hardly vote for Mr. Williams and tie
election can be held. Despite the fact
that Mr.. Williams stated at meeting
held early in the fall that he would not
serve the league unless elected unani-
mously. in the light of developments
since the November meeting there seems
to be no doubt that he will serve another
year.
The Judgment Of the national board will
not serve as peacemaker in the league,
excepting on the surface, for the three
clubs opposing Mr. Williams Will have
no more love for him now than they had
before, yet at the same time these
teams will cooperate with him in an
honest endeavor to make the coming sea-
which have been .waging the fight against
him will line up with the organization
and, while there will be bad feeling, the
directors will get together sufficiently to
,raCtr fl1,. ft,t1
1t is, not known yet when and where
the meeting ordered by the board will be
held, but the executive may be expected
to act in the near future, In order to
give ali of the clubs ample time to ar
range TO have a director present, for at
that meeting a proxy will not even be
looked at much less be permitted to be
voted.
1t is very probable that the directors
at that meeting will arrange for the open
ing and closing of the season next year.
and it has been indicated already that
the season will start the third Thursday
in April, to be closed Wednesday after
Labor day The fans who pay the freight
do not coincide in this opinion. for a
majority of them in this city believe the
game should not start before May l, and
should not close before September %.
There has not been a spring since 1906 In
which the games could be patronized
much before May, on account of cold
d
teams in shape early in April it is almost
out of the question. The magnateS would
do well to consider this question and not
make the mistake they have been making
for five years.
Although Col. Stocksdale has not been
officially chosen manager for the Lynch
burg team for next year. he is buSying
himself about the signing OF the 1917
Shoemakers. Stocksdale will get his berth
for another season as soon as the direc-
tors can get together after the Christmas
rush, for nearly all of the directors are
men who are busy up to that time. He
has not given line on his men yet but
these will include an entirely new string
of pitchers and catchers and one out
fielder, with several infielders, more or
less as will be determined by the dispo-
sition of Woolums, who will either catch
or go to the first sack.
George Cowan, er-manager-utility
player with the Richmond Colts last year,
has been turned adrift by Manager Griffin
and If he cannot hook on to some other
club for the coming season this wi |
mean the passing of the only man who
has played continuously in the circuit
since its first season, six years ago. In
that time Cowan played about five and
a half seasons with Richmond, and the
other half of season with Portsmouth.
In his six years with the Richmond and
Portsmouth clubs Cowan figured in 494
games, playing in every position at diff
ferent times excepting, possibly, the box.
Last year he had part in 100 contests,
cepting on the knoll. though his record
appears only as catcher.
Cowan has always been nicknamed
Scrap Iron," but it is not known how
this came about. unless it was either be-
cause Of his grit or because Of his scrappy
nature. In either case the nickname
would be appropriate.
Never a batter. Cowan has at times been
a valuable man for Richmond as second
catcher. for he is handy to have sticking
around in case of accidents.
L His record for six years in the field is
as follows: Put-outs, 2,218; assists, 400
errors. 20; average, 1913. At the bat he
figured as follows: Games, 494; at bat,
1888; runs. 142; hits. 1928: average, PA.
1t is more than probable that Cowan
will land with another team In the cir
cult, but if he fails it will be to the d
class circuits for him, for his hitting
would keep him from going higher. since
the best season he ever had was last
year, when he hit at .24O.
F. D. Helms, president of the Roanoke
team, admits he wrote the much-talked- OF
letter to Frank Dobson, the Richmond
player who is under suspension, asking
for an affidavit, as a basis for fine for
the Richmond club for violation of the
salary limit. Helms claims DobSon told
him last summer that he was getting SOC
a month, $50 a month more than the In
dividuaI limit, and he wrote to get the
statement in writing, promising Dobson' 8
liberty in turn. Instead, Dobson sent
President Bradley of Richmond copy OF
the letter, and it was Immediately tele-
graphed out over the state, getting the
widest possible publicity in Virginia
The report comes that Dick Smith, who
managed the local team in 1910 and
Greenville- Carolina Association last
year, has hooked up with the Springfield
team Of the I. J.. l. as manager for next
season