Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Magnates in Deadlock and
Hopeless Division Prevails.
ORGANIZATION MAY BREAK
Another Meeting May Be Called by
Outsiders Before End
of Month,
Special Dispatch to The Star.

OF Month.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
LYNCHBURG, Va. January 2O.-The
deadlock In the Virginia League has
reached the stage that hopeless division
seems now to prevail. Unless the ma
tional board can come and do something
to bring about peace the league must go
to pieces. The anti Williams clubs will
not go into the next season under his
administration, and that Is all there is
20 it, The league cannot get together
on Mr.. Williams, and il he persists in
holding on to the job it will not be long
before he will be president Of defunct
organization.
The meeting Monday in Petersburg, al
which Petersburg, Roanoke and Norfolk
were represented, elected MIR. Williams
the executive for another season. al
though the matter was referred back to
the league by the national board for
action at full meeting. The other
teams We're not there Monday. because
Mr. Williams refused TO postpone the
session at the request Of Secretary Far
rell. who was to come to try to bring
about peace.
The meeting raised the guarantee from
$l25 TO $50 for three games, and de-
clded to require a bond of &l.OOO to be
posted by January Is to insure team
staying the season out or vacate the
franchise. Both Of these are amendments
10 the constitution, and could not posi-
bly, have been enacted by three teams.
because the constitution requires two
thirds vote. For that reason the fnsur
gents will not put up the one-thousand-
dollar bond
Indeed. the whole matter has been re-
ferred back to the national board. and
the rep. esentatives OF Richmond, Lynch
burg and Danrille will make no move
until they have been advised what to do.
1t is probable that a meeting Will be held
here before the close of the month. Rich
mond, Danville and Lynchburg Will unite
| in Il cali for such a session. and President
Williams will have to issue the call. Ine
constitution leaves him no alternative.
To forecast the outcome is Impossible.
but disintegration seems more likely now
than peace.
Buck Hooker. who figured in thirty
three games with the Lynchburg team at
the end Of last season, led all stickers IN
the minor leagues which have published
their averages for the year, when players
are included who figured In twenty-five UT
more games During the season HOOKER
hit at .43l, There were only two other
players in these thirty leagues who
p.ayed in as many as twenty-five games
who hit as high as 400 These were e.
Smith of the Hattlesburg Cotton States)
team, who. slammed the pill for .AO1 In
102 games and Dresser Of the Salt Lake
IUnion Association) team, who hut 40 In
thirty-one games
These figures indicate that Smith, the
Hattiesburg man. was really the leading
sticker in the minors, and he must be
some willow wielder or the Cotton States,
pitchers were of the hittable sort.
Here In the Virginia League Hooker
started to clout the ball as soon as he
he never quit until the seasons end stop
ped him. Not only did he hit the ball
hard but his hits were timely. for he fell
down in only few critical stages In
those thirty-three games. Next season
he will play the center garden for the
locals, and the fans are expecting great
things from his bat.
The averages Of the minor leagues. and
only about thirty have been printed IN
the general sporting papers. make
mighty interesting Study. They show
that two men, who played III fifty o.:
more games. went through the sea sol,
without an error and that two catchers,
who played in more than Twenty-Five con-
tests, accomplished the same feat. The
fielding averages of the pitchers have not
been gone into. because in most Of the
leagues pitchers do much utility work
and their fielding averages are not sep
arated, thus robbing them Of credit in
their box work. An instance of this IS
noted here in the Virginia League, of
Danville. who played in twenty-eiEht
games in the box without an error tac-
Official averages show him in three times
as many with numerous errors. all OF
which were made in utility work.
Cockill Of the Reading CTri-State) team
was the premier first baseman, though
Putnam OF Galveston tTexas League) led
him by TIM e points in forty-nine less
games Cook of Galveston (rexas
League led the second basemen, with an
average OF .9S2 in sixty-four games, but
Siner O: Danville Il |. - gave him a
close run in 1872 games At third base
Herold Of Piqua (Ohio State) was the un-
| disputed leader. for he fielded at .974 in
Ill games, a record hard to excel. Frick
of Troy New York State) leads the short
Gagnier, with Lincoln (Western League).
was the real leader with an average of
.05I in 156 games, record that will prob
ably stand for years In the ontfield the
Ottumwa team lSouth Michigan) has
the best outfielder, as far as averages go,
for he fielded perfectly in III, another
record that will be hard to eclipse. In
the receiving end. the averages are taken
Bufka OF the Manistee (Michigan State)
led, having a perfect average in thirty
three games.
Here are the three leading fieftlers in
all of the positions, excepting pitchers. IN
thirty leagues, which include all of the A
class and practically OF the e and Z, for
the, past season:
FIRST BASE.
G. 20. A. +. Pet
Putnam, Galveston. Tex. 81 JO7 A. . cps
Cockill. Reading. ni-State. ITO 1O32 "a 80,
Fox. Columbus. 8. Atlantic. 100 1920 $50 10 .3JY
ssss e g. Joseph western s 's 81
SECOND BASE.
Cook, Galveston, Tex. O. 1877 1854 .9S2
Siper, Danvilie, I. I. L.. 1872 $40 374 16 .9T8
Gray, r. Liverpool. Ohio. ;. l01 $50 2SS IL 1913
SHORTSTOPS.
Flick, Troy, n Y... 96 1913 2s9 p 95e
GaRnier Lincoln Neb. 49,. . 1866 $50 sol 20 1867
C. Henderson. Adrian, Mich. 123 go $50 80 1852
OUTFIELDERS
B. johnson, Ottumwa, Kan III 1876 .16 . LOCO
Dobbs, Memphis, Tenn. 6S 100 j 100
ThebO Dallas Galveston, Tex. IS IJ9 II 1914