Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-01
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Salary Limit for Coming Sea-
son Will Stand at $1,4O0.
iGOOO BALL AT THAT PRICE
May Confne Teams to Four Men
Who Have Played in
Higher Circuits.
Special Dispatch to Tie Star.

Special Dispatch to Tie Star.
LfNCHBCRG. Va, January Al.
though some of the best c class leagues
In the country far better and stronger
than the Virginia League. have been lop-
ping off expenses for next year by the
reduction of the salary limit there are
still a few scribes on this circuit who are
clamoring for an increase in the limit.
These maintain that it is impossible for
the Virginia League to give the fans the
class or bail they want to see on a ST. iCu
limit. but careful study of the results
In the Virginia League last year DO not
bear these out in their contention.
Facts are facts. and there are few fans
VINO Witnessed major portion OF the
games last season who will not admit
that they had seen better ball generally
in 1911 on a Sl,tco limit than they had
in 1910 on Sl.7CO limit. The game had
more snap and fight about il and. strange
as II may appear at TrSt thought, bone
headed work was less III evidence. Nor,
young players were brought into the
game by the lower limit and if this WI
not put more life into q class league
there is nothing that can bring about this
result.
The fans Of Lynciburg almost to a man
! think the game WAS better last year from
, poor umpiring. and Eere they would be
reluctant to see a return to old condi-
tons.
Indeed, not a few thinking fans here
believe the thing for the magnates to do
at their next meeting is To follow the
lead of the Sally circuit in making il
impossible for a team to play more than
four players who have played in circuits
higher than G class. They believe this
Is bound to have line effect in that cir
cult and many of them would like to see
the experiment tried here next season.
One of the most promising hold-overs In
J the league for the coming season is Mike
Shields. the Stanton infielder who played
second base for Roanoke last year. Al
though Shields had played some fast ball
| at Stanton, Winchester and other points
in the Virginia valley, his work al first
acter. Frank Shaughnessy. however. saw
a future to the inficlder and he kept ham,
mering at Shields. Shields responded by
hammering away. and before the season
was over he was regarded as one of the
best second basemen in the circuit He
is a Washington and Lee man, and lives
at Staunton.
Several months ago Il was reported
from Norfolk that James Barry Of that
city had secured an option on the Norfolk
franchise and about the same time there
az peared story that Barry would not
pIS tIlt dIS out IL arrangements were
not made for Portsmouth to be let In and
Danville be let out of the league As
time has gone. 1t has TRANSFERRED that no
attention was ever paid to the suggestion
and nothing more has been heard about
Barry's option.
The directors would make a sorry move
if they let Portsmouth back into the fold
for 1t was Portsmouth that came near
putting the circuit on the bum In 1910
and it was Portsmouth that killed the
Tidewater outlaws last July by quitting
the game. The fans in that city got tired
after Two or three years Of mediocre ball
and it cost the league couple thousand
dollars to handle the franchise in 1910
until it could be transferred to Peters
burg. Portsmouth will wait out IN the
cold long time before she gets organized
ball again.
President Bradley Of the Richmond
team is not losing any sleep these days
over the reported ra'ding of his territory
by the United States League While the
organization has i big sounding name
Mr. Bradley and his friends do not be-
lieve the proposed organization Will como
TO much.
Should this outlaw League Set in Rich
League tho fans hcreabout viii have one
consolation over thc fact that some three
ar four other leagues will bc allied witt
the virginia Organization IN lighting ths
opposition Last "ear thc Virginia League