The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-13

OF tho clubs he represented in OPP
posing the reelection OF tho present
chief executive of the league. Ho
stated emphatically that Richmond
was ready to support any man for the
presidency who was honest and fair,
excepting Williams He asked the
board itself to name a president for
! tho league. This In brief is Just what
| happened at the hearing. II. b. Prich-
! ard. secretary of the Petersburg Club,
/ spoke briefly of Petersburg's position
Judge kavanaugh. OF the board. re-
marked that the only questions to be
considered was the legality of the Nor
folk proxy. and added that If charges
were to be brought against Williams.
that was another matter.
Judge King replied briefly, defend
ing Williams. both as an official OF
| the league and as a man of integrity
and 'as clean a sportsman as can be
found in the length and breadth OF
the land"
While the meeting of the board was
In executive session and while what
actually happened In tho conference
chamber is not supposed to be public
property. stu the fact that tho SEES
sion was stormy, that the insinuations
were broad, ana that to put 1t mildly
the two factions did not regard each
other with that fraternal spirit which
is supposed to exist in an organiza-
ton at peace with itself and the world,
was soon talked around tho corridors
of the hotel.
There was no m'ncinG matters nor
was there choice OF words OF course,
all OF this information came via the
grapevine route. But even If II could
not have been obtained the squally
countenances OF the opponents clearly
nod IN gtn SIfh i,h
entity to break in the conference cham
br upstairs Every member OF til,
board was in his place when the sum
mons came for the Virginia Leaguers
10 come forward. There were Chairman
j. II. Farrell, n. l.. O'Neill. NJ 4. JUS
ticc. L. Fl. humane, J. y. O'Rourkc.
w. y. kavanaugh, ]. Cal Ewing, L. r.
Carson and c. r. Williams
The last named naturally had no
say in the question at issue, and re-
tired after all OF the evidence had been
submitted.
Fines and other amounts claimed
by the league to be due from w. 3.
Bradley, and which were to have been
considered by the board. were not con
sidered. but upon request from the
Richmond owner and upon acquics-
cence Of Preslden, Williams and
Prichard, of Petersburg, were turned
back to the league to be settled at
the next meeting of the organization.
The whole hearing was fruught with
the petty aninositics of the two fac
tons.
The fact that no objection was Of
fercd to tho Norfolk proxy except af-
ter vote had been taken on the can
didates for the presidency was another
sledge hammer blow against those op-
posing Williams.
In fact. even before the hearing, and
as predicted in Yesterdays story. one
might easily have foreseen the con-
clusion. There is no denying the fact
that Williams is well liked by the
members of the board. They have q
high personal regard for him. and, in
addition. regard him as one of the best
posted men in baseball AFFAIRS In the
country.
This isn't hot air. It is simply the
composite expressions of opinion which
the writer has heard. One OF the mem
oers OF the board in an unguarded mo-
Ment went so far as to say that he
would consider ii a calamity should
The Virginia League lose the services
OF Williams.
the board, or rather what will be it's
findings. some indiscreet member let 1t
so forth that the board did consult
Williams 8 to whether he would in
sist upon having the December meet
ing, at which his adherents clain,
shat he was elected president, declared
legal. This is pointed out simply to
show how strong Williams is with that
body. He did not insist because OF
The fact that the board preferred 10
take the action which 1t Will. feeling
that In declaring the December meet
ing legal. 1t would be establishing
bad precedent. But 1t would have
taken this action had Williams in
sisted.
Summing it all up, Williams is the
victor in the fight. Whitaker has lost
his opportunity TO head the Virginia
Lea que. The highest appellate body
in baseball has spoken, and none. Ger
tainly not in the Virginia League. will
dare dispute the decision of that body.
Indeed both sides were vehement IL
their declarations that they would
abide by the action of the board, and
had never entertained any idea OF TAX
ing the matter into the courts.
In nutshell. the league Is still
hopclessly divided. Those familiar with
the constitution of the league Will see
that Williams succeeds himself, Tor
with tie vote he holds over, ii being
impossible to name his successor. The
question then arises. Can the Virginia
League exist with the split now OBJ
tanning? Three clubs against three
clubs. Lack of confidence. lack of har-
mony. lack of respect each for the
other, each seeking the downfall of the
other--this is surely gloomy pros
pect.
President Williams has not decided
when he will call another meeting.
but IL will be soon. probably before
tho first of the year The meeting.
however. will be purely pcrfunctory,
! The clubs will assemble, and Norfolk,
Roanoke and Petersburg will support
Williams. while Richmond. Danville
and Lynchburg will vote against him.
Just one ray OF hope exists. There
will he a aggression, and maybe on.
of the clubs will sidestep and vote for
Williams. Nothing can be accom-
nj IN, a deoblock aycept 70 snoa sb