The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-19
M 6 rs Working
Hard for Success Of
Virginia Baseball.
SA A r Y LIN 1T
CUTSL FIGURE
Give Men q Chance Before Form
ing Opinions-Reasons Adj
vanccd Why Youngsters Will
Give Better Article Of Ma
tional Game Than Will
the Veterans.
ny GUS

RY GUS MtLBERT.
With tho league season Just about
Two months of. and with just one
month ahead OF us before we actually
see the men who viii try 10 MAKE
good In Richmond this season, thoughts
Of the fan naturally turn TO something
more tangible and real than the mere
reports which have been received up to
the present time as to the merits O:
tho young men who will have n rail-
road ticket sent them by the local
mana cement.
Looking at tho baseball situation in
Virginia with an impartial eye and In
a spirit of fairness-fairncss both to
the fan and to tho management
things have, at least to me, Il most
1%oseatc hue. This should be the ban
Hcr season OF the league from every
standpoint. We arc infusins n lot
or new blood, few old faces will be
on hand TO pail With the samcness OF
ally or the anxious bench. guessing
what this PLAYER VIII do. or what
that pitcher has got.
Remember that there has been lit
tie chance for tho management OF
any OF the teams TO get official rec
crds OF the boys WHO have been
signed. OF course. the gers OF
the Virginia League teams have in
v~cstisatcd the players as far as they
We're able. but II is u mighty hard
job TO get a line on tho boys who
have been playing amateur or semi
professional ball. Therefore the I'M
certainty.
Know About Old Ones.
When It comes to a discussion OF
Baker, who Will play short. or Dobson.
VIII VIII bc.at the initial sack. or YER
bout. who will be on the mound. most
OF us arc at home and can Judge by
past performances. But what Is to be.
done In the case or Pearce. the prom
Using ~youngster rom the Goidsboro
team, or Hammerly. or Boyce. or
stanIn. or Lodge, or Dawson, or
AiaXey, or any oen OF the moro than
twenty men signed UP 10 date:
Everett. It is understood. is known
by Manager sullivan. but he. like the
rest OF us. must take the team as 4
whole largely on faith until after IN
actual demonstration.
The mistaken idea prevails in some
quarters that $1,000 baseball means
amateur baseball. Why such an err
ronccus opinion has been obtained 1t
Is impossible TO conceive, unless it
has been fostered in the minds Of some
who, unfortunately, have been a lit
tie too close to the local management,
and have, in many instances, simply
voiced. without deviation. the seuti-
ments expressed In certain quarters.
burke and Wallace Out.
The local management insists that
neither Burke nor Wallace Will be with
the local team this season. All well
and good, But neither of these men
has been given his release. Evidently
there is some reason for the fact, IL
an advantageous trade can be effected
twill doubtless be taken advantage of
by Manager Sullivan.
MiIl Bunting lie Back,
Likc the swan song OF tho nncients
comes the bclated informatio that
Eoyes. OF Washington, has practically
agreed to allow Bunting to come back
to Richmond In the event that Wash
ington canrot use him. 1t may be
true. out IT, hardly seems reasonable, in
view Of the fact that Bunting is so
highly regarded by Jimmie McAleer, Of
the Nationals.
But to get back to the $1,2OG base
ball. II those who are p~rating that
the salary limit Is far too low 70 give
g good article OF ball would allow
themselves to do a little thinking in
stead OF spouting Understanding IMAM
tiles, they would soon be convinced.
Not a. single team in the Virginia
League but has corraled a lot OF boys
who are seeking a reputation. True,
some Of them may not have the polish,
from a baseball standpoint, which Is
possessed by the o~ldtiners.
Error Column Mny Thrive.
1t may be that the error column this
eeasoE Will show a greater number Of
misplayS than heretofore. 1t may be
that some of tho combinations with
which we have been edited during past
seasons will be conspicuous by their
absence. But ali Of this will be due TO
the fact that the youngsters arc willing
to take more chances than the ld-time
ball player.
You and I nave heard on numerous
occasions the cry Of the veteran against
the error column on the score card.
You have heard these men say tI1atft to
print the errors works a hardship on
there. because 1f they go after a. difficult
chance and fail to make n perfect play,
the scoring rules arbitrarily charge
them With an error.
Largely$this :satrue. and because it
Is true you will also note thar the older
ball players, as q general proposition.
are a trine chary OF going after the
doubtful ones. They are on to every
anglo Of tho game, and they are work.
ing all the time, not to make the game
more interesting. but to keep from hav-
ing any %chalkmarl5s against their Rec
ord. lit is a case OF keeping n Job with
them.
Must Work to Maize Good.
Tho difference VIII beSeyidcnt when
the newcomers get on the diamond.
Each boy will lie working for a job.
He will think little about the error
(Continued on Second TPage.)