The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-15
BY JAY LEWIS.

have the honor OF playing the first
game with the Richmond team Of
the Virginia state league. season or
1913. The Spiders and Colts will meet
March 2sth in Hermitage Park, the
new million dollar stadium, more or
less Of the ieaguers. Which witt be
some eventful date.
The opening Of new baseball park
Is of special interest and no doubt
one of the great events in the ira
ditions Of Richmond college will be
the day their team was defeated by
the State ieaguers In honor of the
christening of Hermitage field. II will
be a day to be marked with a white
stone--a cairn of them.
OF course the statement that tho
new stadium Of the Richmond club is
going to cost a million dollars. moro
or less. should not be taken too liter
ally. The chances are 1t will be less
and that the stadium will consist at
first OF just a granastand. with the
usual extensions. or wings and the
ever popular bIeachers where the real
fans sit and root.
1t Is quite likely that the new
pavilion viii bear a marked resem-
blance to the old one that has rested
for 10 these many days. In Broad
Street Park. The pavilion has many
sound timbers IN it still and it's sup
ports have neither become bow
legged nor knockkneed. They ara
stauneh and upright. Therefore. It
would be foolish to LET 1t go to waste.
At least that appears to be the pop.
nlar opptnion.
Some Time Stadium.
Some time or other a stadium win
be built in Hermitage field. and II IL
does not cost a million dollars IL win
cost enough to make the men who pay
the bills purse up their lips and open
their eyes wider. than 1t Is customary
for them TO open them.
When all Ia said and done Rich.
n,ond will do very well to have good
substantial, comfortable pavilion this
year. To be sure a steel and concrete
structure would meet with the univer-
sal approval Of the fans, but whether
1t would meet with the unanimous ap-
prevail of the stockholders OF the club
Is another matter.
1t IL all very well to do lot Of fg-
nring when the other fellow has an
unlimited bank roll. and il willing to
go broke to oblige his advisers. but
when the bank roll Is limited, and tho
man who Is doing the spending IL held
responsible for the loss OF IS note.
he Is going to take few chances. The
Richmond State league club with =
| costly steel or concrete stadium would
apt to be somewhat in the position -
| the Broadway sport.
The Broadway sport stood on the
corner OF the great White Way and
Forty-second street. He had on
patent leather. shoes and spats. His
trousers were carefully creased. Hin
beautifully tailored coat displayed just
enough OF 4 magnificent waistcoat to
| show a splendid charm. The waist-
coat also revealed his snowy shirt.
fancy cravat. collar OF latest design,
and a lump Of ice, otherwise large
diamond. A cane and glossy silk hat
completed the picture.
What He Lacked.
But alas. he had.no underclothes.
| All the good were in the show easel
Everything was sacrificed to put up
| front.
| It Is likely that the stockholders q
the Richmond baseball club win not
go down heavily for a new grand
stand until baseball looks up iittIs
better in the capital city. The club
| is undertaking to pu< a crack team
| In the field next year. q team that Win
be q worthy successor to Griffins band
| last season. And believe uss gentlo-
men, that was some team, even II &
ibid finish somewhere around third
place.
Griffin had the luck 60 against HIN
twice when he had winning CONF
bination. and toward the close Of tho
season two OF his best men were seized
with appendicitis. Griffin had . first
\ felding team. and some heady players
last year. but even then the old scout
grcwled over his honehead followerst
and chased one or two OF them to tn
| tall uncut.
4 This season Grimm WIN have real
infield and Is planning to have : 3aat
/ hard hitting outfleld. He would -
foics TO land Charles and Tennant f.
| the pasture lands, along with BNrkA
/ tho sluggerI and Ne may be able " ~
20. In any event he II going TO haS~
e. .ed there this year. and with tl
addition OF Burlescn 70 his pftchin
star Grim viii start the aaaeo
strong.
The preliminary gaInes win alos
what stuff the Colts arr made X tn
\ the team tackles NOT only ~ NI416
mond college boys but thu -
4