The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-06
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from the Tidewater, which, howeve,
slight, caused an inroad on the receipts
or the organized league. These things
nave hurt. and Williams deserves cred
It that he has weathered hhe storm.
The way matters look, now, Rich
mond. Lynchburg and Petersburg will
s.ahd Tor q change in executives.
foanoke and Norfolk Will be for tho
present head. while tho fate of Danville
appears problematical. Already the
talk is heard that DanviIIe viii not bs
on tho baseball map nextiycar. lynch
burg. which underwent rather harsh
treatment at tho hands iof some when
inc lell season was being born. "a
ono OF the flrst to voice tho sentiment
that Danville in baseball is about to
be obliteratcd. All that can be lcarred
Is that Billy Snead says that his club
has Gone through the most disastrous
season OF Its career. and that he win
nave Danville team in tho league
next season. They can't throw us
out. and we arc not ready to Quit"
was MS way of expressing 1t. And
,nose VINO Know the folks OF Danville
Know that they will stick. That's
their chief quality
How. then Is Danville to be oustedo
Talking will not do 1t. and n prico u,iI,
be named for the franchise. or course
TINS opinion may be changed before
next season. Newport News in its
oriet Iidewater experience, convinced
some that It is good baseball town
by drawing fair crowds. Portsmouth,
was a loser in tho Underwater. os ~
was In tho Virginia. yet there be tboeo
VINO claim that tho reason Portsmouth
lost money was because the toam y,..
owned BY an individual, and not hv
the people at large. The question may
wen be asked here. why did the town
lose when the club was owned bv thoso
individuals Suffolk is also knook,ng
at the door of the Virginia League
Here we have nine oitieg wanting "a
get into six-club league IL doesn't
quite IT. and the magnateB will do
we'll to discuss this question WHOM
meeting In held Just after the close of
mo season, rather than TO defer II nm.
III iater. 1t should be friendly dis
CUSHION with give and take is the sio.
gan.
lf Danville is really burden TO tbs
League. and IL much money Is los, he
cause OF Danville. then the same peo
pie who have shown their gameness by
sticking In the face OF loss should he
game enough to step down and out.
Father than hinder the growth of tina
league. fair compensation should he
theirs for the work done and for Tho
value of the plant in the tobacco CITY.
Ihen II Will be A case or elimination win
the remaining towns as to wbother
Portsmouth. Newport News or suWolk
Is most desirable. The present clubs
do not favor the eight-ciub idea. which.
on the face OF 1T. seems The solution
OF what promises TO be a mighty vex-
atious question.
The $1,000 salary limit has been tried
and found wanting. especially in thar
feature which holds the teams 10 tyyeiya
men, exclusive OF playing manager.
The individual limit of $3.50 A man +,
all right. but the teams should he
allowed to carry at least ffteen PLAY
ers Less men than this reduces tho
quality Of the game and Is responsible
for much OF the poor bali witnessed
this season Under the present rseu-
iation. should orc of the players be
hurt. the absence of substitute or
extra man requires either pitcher OF
catcher TO III the vacancy. Naturally
the game loses in attract!voness be-
cause OF this
Tho season locally has been nny
thing but pleasant. Starting off like
a whiriwind. the Colts remained sta
tionary AS far as Strengthening tina
team was concerned while the other
clubs secured the country and got
material from which TO build team.
Woefully weak in the pitching de-
partment from the arst tap 81 the hell.
nothing was done toward improving
conditions until so late that all pen
Hant chances had gone a-glimmering
Bad luck came along when the
changes were made. so that we flew
from bad 10 worse. The slabmen i'm
ported showed less than those deport-
ed. To make matters worse Jinm!e
Sullivan quit dead cold. leaving tho
team in the lurch. George Cowan
was made manager OF a sadly disor-
ganized bunch and considering every
thing, has done as well as could have
been expected. even though games
have been lost with frightful regular
ity.
However. after all has been said,
the Virginia League has produced
some good ball players and as many
sales have been effected as in prev
ious years despite the low salary lin
It, Fingers have not been particu-
larry brilliant performers tand with
the exception of Brooks. Rruck. Bruck-
miller and Poole, there have been few
fingers of real class Morgan was un-
doubtedly the class of the shortstops,
with Martin. of Richmond, n close
second, Morgan has been bought. and
Martin will probably go to faster COM
pany. MATHS looks best among tha
outilelders. for The reason that he Ia
young. hits hard fields well and Is
fast. He lacks in base running knowl-
edge and Is wild as hare once he Is
on. But this can be remedied by a
manager who Will take the patience
to talk to the boy. as he is willing to
learn Guy Titman seems TO have
come back into his own after a short
absence from the league. and is hit
ting like ficnd mindful of the 190s-9
days. The fans have had fair ar.
ticle of ball That's the best that cesS