Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15
USED MANY PLAYERS
Virginia League Clubs Tried
Out Many Men.
BATES WAS STABLEPLAYER
-
Held Down Job at Third for New
port News During En-
tire Season.
BATES WAS STABLE PLAYER
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
RICHMOND, Va. December 14-Dur-
ing the season Of 1912 the six teams
of the Virginia League finishing the
season utilized nearly two players for
each place, some Of whom came today
played game and departed tomorrow.
There were only a few positions that
were held down from beginning to end
by the same player. Notable among
these was Third Baseman Bates of New
port News, who was the only man on
the job continuously for the Shipbuild-
ers. Bates saw ten men tried out On
the outfield, five at first base, six be-
hind the bat and eleven on the slab. but
he stayed until the end of the season,
when he went to ST Louis by draft. Bar
nett and Howedell Of Petersburg. at
first and third. respectively. were the
only men for those positions. while seven
men We're tried for the Outfield and nine
on the slab. Castro and Garvin, at
second and behind the bat, respectively,
for Portsmouth, performed In all but
few games. while Douglass did nearly all
OF the work at the initial sack. Ports
mouths roster would have been small
but for the fact that Manager Castro
had to call on seventeen men for slab
work and then about the only star he
picked up was ErSkine Mayer, who was
sod to the Pittsburgh team.
AT Roanoke, Newton and Shields did
all of the work at short and second. CHM
and Holland played out the season in the
outtield, but Manager Pressiy had to try
two men for the third position before he
tired in the box before well rounded
pitching staff was secured for the rush
that brought the pennant Roanokeward.
! Manager Griffin used thlrty-tive men
| a nTld Of hnpT hnin %I,.a
Quilted and thirteen in the box, while
seven more Were tried behind the bat.
| Including himself, and he only played in
two or three sames in the outrieid, Man
ager Shaffer mad thirty-three men on his
score card during the season. Bigoie did
all the first base stunts, while Dodge
held down short continuously. but there
were catchers, outtielders and pitchers
galore for the Tars, there being Just
SIX men behind the bat. nine in the out
ield and eleven for the knoll.
During the season there were seventeen
| men VINO played on more than one club.
| Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond out
| fields. Norfolk and Portsmouth had
Pitcher Sidna Woods. Norfolk and New
port News had Catcher Lusky and Pitch
er Dutch Revelle. sold last year by Rich
mond to the New York Highlanders
trained at Atlanta for tryouts with Ports
| mouth, Norfolk and Newport News, be-
ing. hammered consistently all summer.
Garman OF Roanoke was let out, being
picked up by Richmond for the out
feld until John Raley went down with
appendicitis, and he finished the season
at the Colts first corner. Fred Lucia
| was real circuit chaser. Starting out
with Richmond, he was traded to Dan
| ville where he was when the Red SOx
fiunked. After that he was with Rich
mond and Petersburg, making four teams
in a season. Tenant worked in the
Newport News and Richmond outfields,
n G<yl,I
burg and then with Newport News Mar
tin Walsh, who trained with Atlanta in
the spring, pitched first for Portsmouth
and then for Newport News. while a
number Of others were with two clubs.
| Richmond used seven men let out by
other teams; Petersburg, four; Norfolk
two; Portsmouth eight: Newport News,
eight, while Roanoke did not pick up a
single Virginia League cast off, the Tiger
| management going out with the money
| for players when they were needed.
While nothing has been heard recently
| about the appeal, 1t Is not believed Jack
| Grim will be able to accomplish anything
this year in his effort to land Virginia
League franchise for Lynchburg. 1t Is
| generally admitted that to grant Lynch.
burg a franchise would stir up another
such a row that the powers that be in
! base ball do not care to have, and fol
that reason. IL for no other, it looks as
though Lynchburg has no opportunit,
for organized ball next season, unless II
be in league other than the Old Domin.
| ion circuit.
The six teams are busy with Their
preparations for next season, and 1t ap-
pears that all Of the managers will be
back on the job again next spring. with
the exception Of the change to be made
at Newport News. Paul Davis will be
in charge of the Shipbuilders. and there
Is no reason to think all OF the othe,
men will not be back again next year, as
follows: Steve Griffin at Richmond
Count Castor at Portsmouth, Charley
Shaffer at Norfolk, Heine Busch al
Petersburg and Buck Pressly at Roanoke
Nothing Is known here Of Davis abilit,
or experience, but the rest Of them are
! about the best the Virginia League hal
! ever had.