The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-05

Ask MAAdker NeWhhains VI %'Ae
l1e wlii leii you, au rAkAI II so1
are elni IN douDt ASK fiestueh1 a. ~
Ianuxlat, Oh tne cluo. rae VIII pro-
duco the contract hISneo ia Inc o. oAs.
bo,u characters peuttinK kniSat VI
the swalsl.ck. wortny of ''Socks Sey-
boi0 himself.
Tnere IL no doubt about II. Socks
SelDoi0 has s:gneo with the hichmonu
clue. OF the United states League, ana
has wrillen that he VIII report tor
duty as soon ~ he IL wanted. Fresi-
dent Lanusraf refuses TO make puo-
lie the inquire that socks" signed Tor,
but he ADMITS It cost him soine real
money to GET the old scouts auto
graph to . contract. Hc was plainly
deiixhted last night. and Manager
Newman scarcely less SO.
Manager Newman 10 one OF those
quiet boys. not exactly aggressive. but
who looks az II he might be whole
lot In earnest II It ever comes TO
show down. He IL no boaSter. either.
Speaking about conflicting games that
might happen In Richmond the Ques-
ton was raised whether the Peters,
burg team would draw more people
70 Broad Street park than the CHI
cago club to Lee park--Lee park. It
being understood. being the name OF
the United states League park.
Fans Are Uncertain.
ITS hard 10 teii," observed Man.
agsr Newman. baseball and baseball
fans are mighty uncertain. The crowd
might want to 20 TO see the Chicago
team play. and then again they might
prefer to see a contest between teams
Of nelghboring cities. You never can
tell"
1t 10 quite plain that Manager
Newman has no desire to pose as q
prophet or son OF prophet. Prob
ably he will be content with q little
of the prophet idea, spelled differ
entity.
Manager Newman also has signed
new first haseman named Frank
Smith.
Where did he play last year ?" the
manager was asked
His name observed Manager
Newman, looking at the ceiling as Ii
fascinated by something he saw there,
''is Smith,"
Well. It certainly was plain that his
name II Smith and not Dobson or
Egan. anyway.
But to get back to Ralph O.. who
IL also Socks Seybold.
Don't you think he will be .
card," asked President Landgraf.
That was granted unanimously.
That Right Field Fence.
That right field fence ought to
Just suit the old boy" said an OBJ
servant fan.
Socks used to Ike the right field
fence" declared an oid-time fan.
ANY fence at all 30 long as he
hits em.'' put in the enthusiastic fan.
Even so. IL he only can hit them
with his oid-time vigor. Socks is no
longer the gay young player who
used to cavort in the outfield when
Jake Wells held down the first bag.
Kid Eiherfeld winged EN- over from
short and Deacon Philippe and Sam
Lever posed on the mound.
Socks went into the big league
from the Richmond team and starred
with the Athletics: a mighty hitter,
Q sure fielder. and II not the swiftest
man that ever ran around the bases.
yet with speed enough to make every
catcher cautious.
Grew . Little Slow.
As the seasons whified by Socks
stiu kept up his hard hitting. but he
grew q little slow In the pasture. lie
couldn't chase flies with his former
grace and abandon. Connie Mack
watched him sorrowfully for while.
sAw q chance TO get him = berth
minors. Last year he was manager OF
the Toledo, American Association.
team. Toledo finished In sixth place.
No doubt this was Notifying to
Socks. and he decided to throw up
his job. Anyway he has signed with
the Richmond club OF the United
States League.
Manager Newman says he will
uend transportation to the eighteen or
twenty athletes he has aligned for his
team Saturday. They will report
April 10th, and take up their preiim-
inary work IN the hustiing little city
OF Suffolk. On May LIST the season
will open here.
The schedule Of the United States
League will be- made public Mcndsys
The Richmond team win have about
sixty games at home, and It may DO
dates.
Hsms Team Leeks Coed.
Meanwhile the Richmond team, Of
the Virginia League. u going ahead
and plsying ball OF the sort that will
make Broad Street park popular. The
stand made BY the local club against
the Boston team. Of the National
Lea9ne, has simply delighted the fans.
some bAll team. steve," IL tho cry
they huri 1t the shrewd little mama
ser Of the Colts.
And there b no mistake about the
truth Of that observation. Manager
Grimm certainly has some bail team.
! Tho infieid and outfield Ii composed
Of fast. gingery players who 90 after
everything and ret It. They can slam
the ball. too. Maths. Fiournoy. Gran,
and Naley are all dependable hitters.
The showing OF Maths being particu.
loray pleading. And don't forget that
Manager Steve Griflin 10 somewhat Of
! hitter himself. With two on and
= couple Of runs needed, and with Z
Nit that will bring them home neces-
aary. the fans undoubtedly would
rather - Grimm than any other man
at the plate.
The pftchA1n ara b41epnlns Ae
round into shape and Grimm thinks
Ae has Z winner IN young Charley
Strain. the amateur star.
Strain ConaidcElne TessHla.
mat boy has the confidence that
IaAds : younester Into the biz
{ leagues" y the. way 0rifnn puts the
ease. Strain certainly made good Ia
\ M 0rst tryout this year. and II now
conSddering whether the terms Of
t4foA him arc IN keeping with what q
tar. Glass G hurler should draw
down each month.
Tho Colts pfA ythe Toronto team
u the International League today,
80 SnSs..- tS...~.. L,