Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-14
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
New President Will Likely
Be Elected Tomorrow.
NORFOLK CLUB A FACTOR
Will Probably Line Up With Fac
ton Opposed to
Williams.

Special Dlspatcn 10 ne sthr
LYNCHBURG, Va. January 49,
President Williams has issued call for
the much discussed meeting Of the Viz
ginia League, to be held at Petersburg
next Monday for the purpose of electins
a president and for attention to other
business pertaining to the life of the
circuit.
Coupled with this comes the announce
ment from Norfolk that the team there
has passed out of the hands of the men
who owned ii last season and that IL has
been bought by DIR. j. Il. McCreary and
his associates, who are residents of Nor
folk Among the stockholders are Man
ager Charles Shaffer, but the names or
the other purchasers are not made pub
lie.
That announcement naturally leads To
much discussion as to what the attitude
of the new owners of the Tars VIII ne
toward President Williams. VIII Nor
folk support Mr.. Williams now? Is
burning question over the circuit. While
the new owners have made no announce
ment of their stand in the matter. it
would not be a surprise III the new back
ers of the Tars desert Mr. Will
liams. This would mean a new president
of the league. for then Norfolk. Rich
mond Lynchburg and Danville would De
lined up against Petersburg and Roanoke
If Charlie Shaffer has his idea about
with Richmond. He is a great admirer OF
Owner Bradley for whom he worked
during the early days of the league
Should this condition prevail IL woulh.
of course. mean the END OF me ugly sh
that promised to result in tle-up oil the
election which would mean that Presi-
dent Williams would hold over until the
teams could elect his successor.
DR.. McCreary Is to be presldent OF w
new syndicate backing Norfolk, AM
Shaffer in addition to being manager VII!
fiji the position of secretary and treas
urer. The park question mas not peel
settled, but if ii becomes necessary LOT
the club to vacate its present propcrt.
several new sites are available. and
grounds will be ready for the spring
season.
The recommendation of the tax COM
mission, which has been considering for
several years some changes IN the iaA
system of Virginia. threw something ot
bomb into the professional base hah
camp short time ago when II recon-
mended that specific license tax r.
levied upon future professional base bar
games. II is not known yet what IN"
outcome of this will be. 1t is needless I"
say that i'm not a few instances this
would work a hardship on the men hack
ing professional or semi-professional
teams which do not make playing OK
penses. 1t would be a real hardship to
impose such a tax OH the Lynchbur4
franchise. for instance. Here "A lot or
pubic-spirited citizens
have backed the team for several years
without making a dollar out or II. ana
yet it is proro sed TO tax them for tho
privilege of running losing game. These
men have backed the team to have base
ball, and as an advertising proposition.
but now. behold, they are to pay tribute
to Caesar
1t looks as though il would not he out
of the way for the Legislature to take
steps to levy tax on the proflts accru-
ing from the game, but in the name or
fairness don't increase the burden or
towns already paying ont money TO nave
a little summer diversion.
II is to be expected that the magnates
Of the league viii make known their po-
sition with reference to the recommenda-
ton, and when this IL done the solons
will hardly do anything to make base
ball burdensome to the smaller towns i'm
the Virginia League.
The Danyille team has never mado
money, and IL the hackers Of the asso-
citation there had to pay taxes to the
state the injustice would be manifest on
the face of such proposition.
kid, Zannelf, the Washington lad
who led the-local team with the stick
last season, barring Buck" Hooke-. wilt
probably be given chance next spring
TO show his ability at second instead of
short field. Last year Zannelli playel
4 fine game for the Shoemakers at short.
,ut Manager Stocksdale saw that nearly
every error he made was on a throw
from deep short, either throwing under
Or to the side OF the initial sack. The
shift to second, it is thought, would
benefit the boy, for IL would give him
he short throw to first Zannelli made
friends around the circuit until he had
o quit on account of sickness, and local
ANS arr expecting big things from him
lext season.