Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-05
Empires Are Insisting Upon
Games Being Played Faster.
ALREADY SAVE Fl MINUTES
Newsy Notes About the Different
Clubs and the
Players.
pecial Disnatch 10 The star.

structed how to enforce the rules OF the
national game. gave them instructions to
hurry the games he has certainly sue
ceeded, for during the first nine days OF
the present season the men with the in
dicator have clipped an average OF twen-
ty-one minutes off the gamer as they
compare with the games played during
the first nine days year ago. Last
year there was a general complaint
about the slow manner In which all of the
teams worked on the field. During the
first nine days there were nine nine
inning games that went two hours or
more. Then there were three games a
day. Now there are four games a day
and only one game of regular length has
gone over two hours and there have been
only four others TO so as long as two
hours. Last year there was one game
under an hour and half. being played
in an hour and eighteen minutes. This
spring in the same length OF time there
have been five played in less than an
hour and half. the shortest being in an
hour and fifteen minutes. Last spring
during the first week and half Roanoke
and Norfolk engaged in a fourteen-inning
game, which took just five minutes less
than three hours. Last Saturday Rich
mond and Danville played q similar game
in two hours and twenty-five minutes.
| In both games the score was to 2. and
this affords another proof that the games
are being hurried this spring. The UNI
pires are after the players at all times
and the change is proving mighty popular
over the circuit. Last spring the aver
age time for the games during the period
indicated was two hours and nine min
nj he
they have been played in an average
time of twelve minutes less than an
hour.
Thompson, who was let out by Peters,
| burg, has been signed by Manager
| Stocksdale. Thompson had trial last
spring with Newark, N. J.. after which
| he drifted to the T1dewater outlaws.
where he Is said to have pitched good
ball. Buck Hooker. the Shoemaker CEN
| terfielder, played with Norfolk in that
! league until the circuit blew. and 1t was
| upon his recommendation that Thomp-
son was picked up for trial.
John Sexton. who made such a brilliant
| record prior to 1910 with the A. and NJ.
of North Carolina team, and who did fine
| work for Lynchburg that season In the
| box, and who did not join the team last
| season, after a conference with Presi-
dent Wilkinson early this weeF signed.
| and he is now training hard to get into
| condition. During the spring OF 1911
Sexton could not be induced to return to
| the Shoemakers, and he Is said to have
played Independent ball around Birming-
ham, Ala, where he was employed as
mining engineer. Sexton is much heavier
| now than when he was seen over the cir
| cult two years ago. and 1t Is believed he
| will prove to be one of the stars of the
circuit this year, and that he will go
higher with another years experience In
| this circuit Sexton Is unusually popular
here. and he will prove a big drawing
| card IL he shows anything like his 1910
form.
| Except from q few discordant notes
| from the Capital City, where some Of the
scribes are engaged In the unusual stunt
orally admitted that the present teams in
| the Virginia League are faster now than
| they have ever been before. and II the
fans do not get better article of ball
this year than during the previous six
years OF the league then all signs fall I'm
dry weather. The teams look. too. to be
pretty well balanced and when couple
| OF them get few weak places plugged
the race will be on for keeps.
Danville has released Catcher Gabriel,
| Outfielder Stump, Infelders Bury and
| Rely and Pitchers Huffman and White
and First Baseman Gus Boyne has been
| turned over to the Charlotte team OF
the Carolina Association. The Red Sox
have also secured Pitcher Gordon from
| Chattanooga and the management has
| was expected from the Lookouts, will
not be available for the Danville team.
Andy Bowen. who trained with New
port News to be claimed by Danville
| under reservation from last season. has
| been sold to the Shipbuilders. Thus.
Bowen returned to Grim. who dug him
up here in 1905. when he played q won
| derful game at second.
When Prof Harry Griffin reports to
the Danville team in a few weeks the
Red Sox pitching staff will be materially
| strengthened. Last season Griffin played
| twenty eight games In the box without
| an error.
Emory s. Bagwell. the Georgia giant.
who had been with the locals since the
LIST OF April. has been released, and he is
making an effort to land with the Green's
6oro team OF the Carolina Association.
Bagwell was given chance in the box
one game against Roanoke after which
he tried for first base, but he was let
go because of light hitting.
Richmond has secured Pitcher Bruck-
miller from Buffalo Of the International
League, who was with Petersburg last
season: He has reported and ought to
strengthen the Colts not a little, for the
team has been weak in the pitching staff
Bert Gardin. the clever side-wheeler Of
the Roanoke team. has duplicated his per-
Torrance Of last season by jumping the
team again and returning to his home in
South Carolina. The first intimation
Manager Pressly had of the absence OF
the pitcher was Monday, when the club
started for it's trip to Danyille. Later
the association in Roanoke received a
letter from Gardin, in which he stated
that he wanted to play ball nearer home
and for that reason he had quit.
1t is reported that Gardin attempted to
sign with Spartanburg, in the Carolina
Association, but the MANAGEMENT there
refused to deal with him. knowing him
to be an asset Of the Roanoke club.
The report from Roanoke is that Gardin
will probably be suspended for the re-
mainder Of the season. despite the fact
that his absence will materially weaken
the team and hinder 1t In maintaining a
good standing in the race. Last year
games, and this spring he started out
even better. for he won two OF the three
games pitched, his only defeat being q
1-to-O lose to Richmond.
George Cowan has been released by
Norfolk, Georges trouble evidently being
light stick work. He has been In the
league since its formation. and will prob
ably catch on with some other team, or
history will fail In this instance to re-
peat itself.
DOUBLE-HEADER
BASE BALL TODAY.
UNION l. e A G e PARK,
18th and ii Sts. NE.
WASHINGTON GIANTS