The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-07
BY JAY LEWIS.

PETERSBURG. VA. Nov. amy
way you wish to look at It the vir-
ginia State League OF baseball clubs
mas prestdent-no doubt about It,
To be sure there IL difference Of
opinion concerning just who II presi-
dent. and to many baseball fans there
may be two presidents Of the league.
But whether you take the opinion
OF Mr.. Robert G. Williams. who de-
clares that he Is the only genuine
blown-in- the bottle president. or the
opinion of Mr.. w. Fl. Sands, OF Rich
mond, who states positively that VIII
l1ams has been ousted and Mr.. F. w.
Whitaker, Of Lynchburg. elected in
his place. you can be sure OF at least
one thing: The Virginia State League
Of baseball clubs. or whatever the
official name OF the association may
be--has president.
Pausing TO take breath after that
lengthy statement 1t now can be stated
that all the league magnaes met here
to-day in the Hotel .Stratford--that liz,
all with the exception OF Mr.. Wood
ward Allen, OF Norfolk. Many of
the newspaper men who attended the
session had looked for a new face from
the way OF Hampton Roads. for rumor
hands. This rumor proved about as
reliable as Malta, late Chefoo, war
dispatch. Anyway Mr.. Allen, OF Nor
folk. failed to show up, but he sent
his proxy to President Elmer Helms.
of Roanoke, to vote just as Mr.. Helms
would like TO vote 1t. Mr.. Helms and
Mr.. Allen are excellent business
! friends and are said to he related
To AIR. Williams. by baseball ties.
anyway.
Now. as on a former memorable
occasion. II WAS the proxy that caused
all the trouble. Mr.. Helms voted II
for Mr.. Williams for president when
tho time came to vote and forthwith
three clubs protested that proxy may
not be voted in the matter of elect
Of the League, with an impartiality
that would do him credit under any
circumstances, ruled that the proxy
could be voted. Perhaps he knew
that Mr.. Sands. of the Richmond
Club, would protest tho ruling of the
chair and that Mr.. Sands and his two
associates would vote TO sustain the
protest and that the chair in spite
OF his impartiaity would be over
ruled and that the action OF the meet
ing would be additionally effective.
Perhaps the chair knew all this but
his impartiality was none the less
comm endahle.
The protest OF Mr.. Sands was on
the order of the man with a party
measure, who rises to move recon-
sideration OF deal that has been
rushed through. hoping the same Will
not prevail" IL had all the earmarks
Of sueh legislation and no doubt Will
prnya lust as satisfactory,
This action on the question OF vot-
Ing the proxy gave the control OF the
meeting into the hands OK the men
opposed TO Mr.. Williams, just as the
failure OF the Danyille proxy to be
recorded in his favor at the last
meeting defeated his ambition TO be
elected president again at that time.
Proxies have been gross failures In
the cause OF Mr.. WILLIAMS.
Williams Quits Chair.
Perhaps II President Williams had
not been so courteous, polite. chivai-
rous or impoiitic all this might have
been avoided. When the time came
for the business OF eiecting a presl-
dent for the league came up, Mr.. Will
iiams most calamity quilted the chair
and called upon Vice-President Brad
ley to preside over tho deliberations.
In the chair Mr.. Williams might
have ruled the right OF Mr.. Helms to
vote the Norfolk proxy as perfectly
proper--even as Mr.. Bradley did
but he could have also ruled that the
point raised by Mr., Sands was not
well taken and refuse to entertain
IL. He might have avoided a vote
sustaining protest against the ruling
of the chair and at least caused a
deadlock and held over. When he
gave up the chair he gave up all the
advantages ne might have held. which
while most admirable and courteous
was poor politics.
Consequently. with Mr.. Bradley In
the chair and Mr.. Sands voting for
Richmond, the opponents OF Mr.. viii
iiams had an advantage OF which
they were not slow to await them
selves. Mr.. Wilkerson. of LynchbGFg,
nominated Mr.. F.. w Whitaker, OF