Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-21
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Everything Is Lovely in the
Old Dominion Organization.
WARNING FACTIONS MEET
Circuit Will Have the Same
Clubs as Last
Year.

Special Dispatch to The STAR
LYNCHBURG. Va, February 19.-The
circuit of the new Virginia base ball
league will be composed Of exactly the
same teams that made up the circuit last
season, viz, Lynchburg, Richmond, Dam
Vile, Roanoke, Petersburg and Norfolk,
though President Williams, who was the
bone Of bitter contention covering a
period Of five months, will not be at its
head.
This was the result Of the meeting held
Thursday at the Monticello Hotel in
Norfolk, the gathering being under a
call sent out by President Boatwright OF
Danville, the head Of the new organiza-
ton.
The action Of the league in re-estab-
fishing the old circuit has had the effect of
wiping Newport News from the map
again. although the fans Of that city had
been led to believe that they would be
given an opportunity this year to show
what there is in them when it comes to
supporting organized ball.
The franchise for Newport News, which
was granted when the new league was
formed here three weeks ago, was in
the name Of w. w. Snead of Danville,
necessity that came about at the time
by reason Of the fact that no Newport
News man was on the ground. Today,
after Petersburg and Norfolk had been
readmitted to the organization, Mr. Snead
surrendered the franchise to the league,
and upon vote as to which team should
have the remaining berth, the vote was
four to one against Newport News. Rich
mond only voting for the retention of
Newport News.
The fight for Roanoke was led by
Lynchburg and Danville. the other west
ern or upstate clubs. 1t was a case of
self-defense. If these teams had con-
sented to four of the six teams being
located in tidewater they would have
been completely at the mercy of those
teams being compelled to take what was
given them in schedule arrangements and
other regulations for the playing season.
While such thing might not have been
attempted, Lynchburg and Danville could
have been handed the short end of
everything and used merely for the pur-
pose of helping the other towns to the
good end of the schedule. Such a. thing
ginia league, for it has long been a
league that plays politics seven and a
half months in the year and base ball
the other four and half.
President Wilkinson of Lynchburg and
President Gwynn of Danville felt that
this was taking too big risk and they
preferred to vote for the return of Roa-
noke, despite the rows that have been
started in that city rather than to run
the risk of furnishing amusement for
four tidewater towns.
President Williams has been eliminat ted
and the league now appears to be in
fair way to getting together again. The
directors have learned many bitter and
costly lessons during the past five months,
and these ought to serve them to the
purpose of seeking harmony rather than
trying to pull away from each other, as
has been the case a long time. :.
The fans are demanding base ball.
They care nothing for the political end
of the game and the quicker the mag
mates can eliminate these tactics the bet
ter it will be for the game If the di-