The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-11
BY GUS MALnERT.

THE Richmond franchise in the Vir-
sinia Lague is not for sale; we ure
perfectly satisfied"
That Is the statement w. Is. Bradley
MADE yesterday to at least two separate
individuals. 1t ma have been made
to moro than two. but at least that
number have come to tho front and
declared that they heard the remark.
1t must not be construed that $4,000
Will not purchase the franchise. The
original price set on the franchise.
carrying, as 1t does, protection for
the city OF Richmond and other goods
and chattels OF the local club. stands.
w. Is. Bradley has not said that ne
will not sell at that price. He mudo
his bargain. and. since the bargain Is
now public property, he will be COM
i PEELED to stand by II.
However. the price set on the Rich
! mond franchise was thought to he
prohibitivc. 1t was reasoned that there
were no men in this city who would be
willing to pay such a high price for
Just franchise and nothing more.
Now that tho blum has been called.
there Is wild skirmishinS and many
chickering's and many remarks made to
lead to the conclusion that the Rich
mond franchise in the Virginia League
Is drug on the market.
Good BusincEn Inyestment.
Estimating the profits made by the
Richmond team last season, 1t has been
found that Il minimum Of $1,000 was
posted on the right side of the ledger.
Indeed, the figures showed a consider
ably greater sum than this, but being
convinced that II Is better TO err Oh
the side Of conservatism. the earnings
arc placed at that figure. On an in.
vestment of 100000. the profits accruing
represent an investment paying moie
than IL per cent. Not business man
| in Richmond but would jump at such
an Investment.
Carrying this line OF argument u
! little further, II is known that the
| attendance In Richmond fell OF last
year some thing more than 20 per cent,
and this despite the fact that there wero
less games. or rather less playing dates
lost because of weather conditions,
| than ever before in the history OF the
organization. Thus 1t will be seen that
| the actual falling off In Attendance
| was far greater than the figures iudi-
cate, for, with just normal attendance.
or with the attendance dropping just
a triile below the normal, there would
! have been an appreciable increase.
| This falling of In attendance was
! due to two reasons. First, that the
/ article of baseball was below the stand
ard. and second, because there was lack
OF confidence in the local manag ement
! TO improve conditions. Normally,
7 iNiNtHIciiu 10 u 6'GdI ioN IL
/ The people will pay for good baseball.
They Will even pay FOR poor baseball
| when they believe that they are get
| ting the best that can be furnished at
the price. They were disappointed last
/ year and the year before that. Ttey
were led to believe that "a bad condl-
Gon would improve. and yet saw no
f! effort to improve the condition.
Fears Richmond Cnn't Pay.
| W. B. Bradley says that he does not
want to get into the Eastern League
! because he doesn't believe that Rich
mond can support an Eastern League
| franchise. He probably feels that way
! about IL. But Is 1t unreasonable to a SIX
/ whether his feeling Is not created
because OF the fact that with Rich
mond IN the Virginia League nc Is sure
of an income ranging between $1,000
| to 5000. without risk, wi,hou; taking
any chances but simply furnishing a
form of amusement which he feels sure
the people will come to see. IN spite or
/ it's mediocrity?
/ nifty than now for Richmond to get
in the Eastern League. Ed Barrow.
the present head OF that organization.
is in bad. He has had disastrous
administration. He succeeded Pat
rowers. who actually made the league
and carried 1t ont OF his own private
resources in times of trouble Barrows
is endcavoring to bolster UP his poor
season by declaring that ali is well.
and that there is harmony in the
camp. Those who have followed the
fortunes OF the Eastern League know
fun we'll that both Jersey City and
Montreal are being carried by the
organization. Newark is little box
ter. but has managed to exc out an
existence.
No Effort Made.
II w. r. Bradley were in earnest
to give Richmond better baseball. he
could easily Investigate the Situa on
in the Eastern League and determine
f, whether a franchise We're possible for
Richmond But he is not making suah
an effort. Instead, when Richmond
makes move to get into faster com
pany every obstacle is placed in the
way. from prohihitive price set an
Tho b,,y., n,ho L,,, ~. a,e