Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-30
TO BUILD CIRCUITS
National Commission Could
Help Minor Leagues.
WOULD BETTER BASE BALL
If Salary Limit Were Fixed and
Teams Chosen for Ger
-, tain Leagues.
49, tf,s -. -
Dispatch to The Star.

league of the lower classes-bush If you
please-for a period of Ave years or
more will agree, no doubt, with the
statement that the National Association
will hardly make a mistake If. when it
decides to supervise salary limits and
their enforcement in the future. 1t will
extend its authority to the making up of
circuits of these leagues. If the national
board wants to perpetuate many Of the
c and D class circuits, prevent numerous
wrecks after midseaSon-and every one
of them hurts the game-nothing will
help quite so much as to take local
scraps and sentiment out of the forma-
ton of leagues and organize them after
business methods.
>. If the National Association adopts the
suggestion of President Sexton for the
regulation of salary limits in many or
its different phases, why not go step
farther and take over circuit building:
To decide to do so this winter would
only be a season or two ahead OF the
times for If this is not done at the
coming annual meeting 1t will be done
before the national game is five years
older.
Take the South Atlantic states. for in
stance, with such a system in vogue and
behold what could be done! Here In V1r-
GINA is a league with five towns well
punched, and one of them, Roanoke, near
ly $50 miles from the nearest town on
the circuit. board composed OF men
having the best interests of the game at
heart, as the national board has, would
put it's foot down on such a condltion
quick. Roanoke would be taken out OF
the circuit and in it's stead would De
found Elizabeth City or Wilmington. N
c. Thus the eastern towns would nave
compact c class circuit.
With Roanoke out of the virginia
League, the board would cast ABOUT 10
see what could be done for the Magic
city. There is Lynchburg, hfty-four
miles away: Danville. near nelghbor.
with Salem. Raleigh and Green's
boro almost in hailing distance in the Old
North state. These SIX TOW, towns % usath
salary limit of $1,000. or even $l,5O II
necessary, would give little trouble after
using the Fourth of July receipts to pay
back salaries.
slider towns farther down the Piedmont
section, and the first town they would
strike would be Charlotte, wnlcn 1or nVe
rocky seasons has been the backbone OF
the Carolina Association ana WIN mus
busting little city could be associated
Greenville, Spartanburg. ROCK Hill, CO.
lumbia and Camden. or some other South
Carolina town, under the Old name OF
Carolina Association This league could
flourish on a $3.50 salary limit. properly
enforced by the national board, and 1t
wonid mean a circuit filled with young
sters fitting themselves for company high
up. =.
sence from the South Atlantic circuit.
staid old Charleston could be restored to
the map. and there you nave the orlglna!
Sally circuit. excepting the absence OF
Augusta. BY this time Augusta might be
induced to get another ball team so that
that town could be given its old fran
chise. and this would leave game little
Albany out in the cold.
To keep the Albany fans from freezing
the board could then cast about for
Georgia League and Albany could be the
big brother to this. Here good u class
circuit could be constructed that would
go through many a season on something
like $500 or $500 a month for players.
ANY we'll posted Georgia bug would adj
NIT this could be had by getting fans in
terested at Albany. Brunswick, Cordele,
Fitzgerald, Va.dosta and Waycross'
would make a cracker-jack bush circuit.
These circuits are mercy suggested to
show what possibilities there are for the
national game in the states of Virginia,
sallie League club in Florida. 1t just
means the life Of the smaller circuits and
the idea is suggested to the national
board for its careful consideration. How
could it fail to work?
The magnates of the Virginia League |
met in Roanoke Monday afternoon |
awarded the 1912 pennant to Roanoke, re- |
which was referred to committee for
and adjourned for the an |
nual meeting. which is scheduled for Ports |
mouth some time in November. The re- !!
port from the meeting Is that 1t was har- |
and good feeling prevailed.
According to the forecast made last |
week the question of circuit and the cleo i
ton of officers for next year were not |
done under the constitution until the |
November meeting. Therefore, these |
questions bob up at the Portsmouth ses- |
sion. after which it will hardly be report
ed that the meeting was harmonious.
That there is going to be a fight over |
the circuit question there seems to be |
hardly a doubt. Norfolk and Portsmouth |
have long and openly advocated a COM |
pact circuit in the eastern part Of the |
state. Newport News will join them in |
this and there is half of the voting |
strength of the circuit The fight will |
then be directed against Roanoke, and il |
Richmond does not cast its vote against |
Roanoke STAYING in the circuit longer. |
for seven years will have another guess.
1t may be that the eastern teams will |
not muster sufficient strength to GUST |
Roanoke. but that they will make the eff |
will save Roanoke's scalp will be the re-
admission of Lynchburg. for those 200
mile jumps for three games and back
home for 1925 0he series euarantee) is not |
at all inviting to Norfolk. Portsmouth |
and Newport News Roanoke is up |
against stiff proposition to hold on, but |
this can be done If the Richmond vote is |
favorable for Petersburg can be expected
to stick Even if Lynchburg waited a |
there is hardly chance for
such turn around. unless Newport News
decides the worst showing a team ever |
made in the league was enough for that
town last season.
Although it was reported that Charley
Shaffer was to give up base ball in the
future. Pop" attended the meeting this
week of the Virginia League for the Nor
folk franchise. Report from Norfolk has
It that George kircher has already been
selected as pilot for the crew Of the Il
Mary Jane for next season. Shaffer was
year because of an indisposition l.
The Richmond hackers have secured a il
long lease on plot of ground $50 feet |,
square on the Hermitage Golf Club
on which they will erect a new
park in time for the 1913 season. this be-
ing necessary because the railway which
owned the Broad street grounds desired
to make use OF that property for railway |
purposes. The new grounds promise to Z,
be much better equipped for modern base
ball than was the case with the Broad
street grounds. Though slightly farther
rom the center of the city. the arrange
De handled better than at the old resort. I
1t Is understood that much OF the new 1
at the old grounds will be util- (
zed in the construction Of the new In
and 1t is not at all improbable
hat the lumber used in the construction {
a. II