The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-18
Decapitation of Williams.
Has Not Proved Pana-
cea at All.
PLAY POLITICS
WITH VENGEANCE
Danville, Once Despised. and for
Whose Scalp All Were Hunt
ing, Now Holds Whip Hand.
Eight-Club Circuit Looks
Like Move to Displace
Western Clubs.
ny GUS aI.ALbrsR,r.

by GUS hIALBERV.
It would make most interesting read
Ing to ind out just what !. fl. Farroll.
secretary of the National Association,
privately thinks of the Virginia League
at the present time. Farrell was inn
portuned 10 come to the AID of the or
Sanization. There was cam
cerous growth connected .Stth tho vir-
ginia League which was l;nawing into
the very vitals of the organizations.
sapping it's vitality, and threatening it's
curly dissolution. That particular
growth was G. Il, Williams, president
of the Virginia League.
Farrell being just man and a sort
OF father to all OF the minor leagues
In the country, agreed that something
should be done. So, together with sew
eral Of the powers in tie league, a
scheme was hatchcd whereby said WIZ
liams was TO be decapitaled at the
earliest possible moment. True. GER
tain obstacles appeared in the way OF
decapitatiol the greatest OF which
was Wiiliams's many friends. They
naturally objected to the slaughter.
But nothing could stem the tiuc, AMI
Williams was offered as 4 sacrifice for,
the benefit of the league.
Now quoth the magnltea. "all is
well. VIC are rid of the restiferous
Williams. He can no longer destroy
the peacefulness OF our family councils.
He Is dead, as dead rs Hectors pup.
We Will hold a pow-wow over the re-
mains, smoke tho pipe OF peace, shake
hands gladly. drink from tho Same cup
and indulge In all OF those ancient and
solemn rites denoting that peace anil
good will reigns." Then j meeting was
held In Norfolk, just three days ago.
Reports from the front havu firmly i'm
pressed the fan with just how nucn
peace there Is in the Virginia League,
or with how much love each OF tho
magnates regards the other fellow.
DanyiiIc Has Whip-Hand.
Poor little. downtrodden Danviile now
holds the whlp-ha Not only docathe
little sporting centre hold the wnip4
hand. but the president OF the league
halls from that same city Danyille-
folks are being wideawake and having
in mind certain transaction whereby
that city was to havo been voted out;
of the league, lock, stock and barrel,
and being perfectly convcrsant with.
the man who started the move. began
to smell n mouse. Therefore, Danville
was featherng its own mes. when 10
refused to turn over q. franchise to,
Newport News.
AS Il matter of fact. just q few short
months ago. to DO specific, at the tlrsU.
meeting held by the Virginia League
after the close OF the season, when an
attempt was made TO elect a president
one maGnate madc the deliberate stnte-
ment that the reason he did not desire
to enter into an election was .cause
he was arranging for the transfer or
the Danville franchise to Newporc
News. DanVille knew all this. and
Danville has been used and abused
many times. Therefore Danville decid-
ed to stand with those who had been
tried and not found wanting.
Lynchbnrg. another city whose fran
chise has been threatened on moro than
one occasion. likewise baked at every
proposition. except the ono to get rid
OF Williams. With Roanoke back In
tho fold tho old coalition was formed,
Lynchburg, Danvllle and Roanoke
standing together for the mutual pro-
lection OF all. a lot of gun Is going
around about this man or that man
being thrown down. It Is the old, old
question of self-preservatton. I'll get
you before you get NO., Is the cry IN
baseball just as 1t Is In other walks
of life. No man is going to wilfully
jepordize his property.
Eigbs Clubs Can't Live.
AS for the eigh-club league. 1t is
the veriest foolishness. though there
appears to he every reason that It will
be adopted. If II Is, mark th'g predic-
ton, Roanoke, Danville and Lynchburs
Will have no franchise next year. a
precedent has been established by the
National Board. and this precedent must
stand If the Virginia lea quo becomes
an eight-club affair. with Suffolk and
Newport News taken In, next season IL
Will be six-club league with Ports
mouth being the sixth club. while the
three called Western clubs Will be
out in the cold.
They are playing politics In the Vir-
ginia League such as the most dyed-in-
the wool lobbyist never dreamed Of,
They are jocReying ball clubs and PLAY
ing for position. Even those who ad-5
vocate the eight-club circuit know full
well that 1t cannot be a success in
Virginia, Long before the season is
over some one OF the clubs Ia going 10
drop out. On the surfac. It appears
that Suffolk is the weakest link. A town
or zoos people cannot support a@team
In the Virginia League. Newport News.
despite the glowing reports from dowa
there, is an unknown quantity. II has
never made money.
But the mos. serious partHos 1t all
Is that instead OF the receipts being
split six ways. as heretofore, they Will
be split eight ways. No one knowing
conditions in tho Virginia League viii
deny that Richmond for all practical y
PURPOSES runs Tao league Il certain