Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-25
VIRGINIA LEAGUERS
Little Common Sense Will
Make Organization Success.
INTEREST IN new CIRCUIT
Cosby News From All the Clubs
in Tight Little
League.
INTEREST IN NEW CIRCUIT
Special Dispatch to The Star.

LYNCHBURG. Va. March 25.-Jake
Wells, the well known theatrical mag
nate. who was at the head of the Rich
mond club in the old Virginia League
and the Atlantic League back in the COS.
while here on a business mission this
week freely predicted that if the man.
ayers of the present Virginia League
teams put little common sense in their
affairs the circuit this year will be a
great big success. Mr.. Wells is an adj
vocate of an eight-team circuit, and the
admission Of Portsmouth and Newport
News into the league meets with his
hearty appreciation. He knows those
towns well and believes they will be as
good this year as any Of the other smaller
towns Of the enlarged circuit.
While president of the Virginia League
during the first five years Of its exist
ence Mr.. Wells was always at the va
rious teams to keep within the salary
limit He told them long before they
saw it that they were slowly commit
ting suicide and that it was impossible
for the executive to stop such practices
If the magnates could not see that the
future Of the league depended upon a
sane salary limit and it being strictly
lived up to.
Mr. Wells thinks the enlarged circuit
will add to the interest of the game and
If the season is not a successful one
this year he will be very much sur
pr1sed man.
Reporting days for the teams Of the
Virginia circuit are about here, for some
Of the teams will have their advance
guard on hand next week. Most or the
players will come about April 1, but
Danville has ordered the recruits for
that team to report April 8, this being
about the latest club has ever reported
for practice hereabouts. Manager Stocks
dale has sent transportation for the
men on his roster. who look the best on
paper. They will get brief look-over,
and If any one does not look something
like base ball player quickly he will be
shipped and another recruit will be
called in to fill the gap. In this way he
hopes to keep the number of men report
ing down to about twenty. Certainly, he
will not have over that number here at
any one time.
More young players will be brought into
the league this year than ever before. for
the indications are that nearly all Of the
clubs will have more than majority OF
youngsters, some of whom had previous
whom have played only semi-professional
or college ball. Three or four old ones
come back to the locals, but they will
have to fight for their positions. Dan
Vile will have a bunch of old ones VINO
will be up against the same condition.
Richmond will have a few old men to
draw to and so will Petersburg and Nor
folk. while Roanoke will be practically
made up all of the players of last year
Tigers, with few spots filled In with
new material Portsmouth and Newport
News, the baby members OF the circuit,
will, Of course. present all new faces to
the circuit.
1t is reported that Jap Ef1rd. the
Washington and Lee pitcher. who did
such good work last season for Roanoke,
has not signed for this season, though 1t
is believed Manager Pressly Will be able
to get him in the fold before the season
opens.
Roanoke is UP against the proposition of
bolstering up its catching department.. es-
pecially If It is determined not to bring
George Cooper back for another season.
A couple Of amateurs have been signed
for trials. but these are said not to be
unusually promising.
The Lynchburg Association. on account
of the burning Of the clubhouse late last
season, is up against the proposition or
not only fitting out the team out ana out
this spring, but it must fit out another
clubhouse. The equipment Will be entirely
new this spring. the association peing re-
Quired to lay out considerable sum IN
addition to transportation and board
money.
Recently President Landgraf Of the
Richmond outlaw team. while In Wash
ington. gave out line Of i'd dope 60. on the the
the season, which is promised to begin in
May. OF all Of the men included in IL, the
list who can be traced. they played last
season in D and c class circuits. Many
Of them were reserved and are probably
jumping their reservation, provided they
get transportation to report in Richmond.
Here's the list. the. quotations being
from the report indicated:
EBERT Blue, catcher; champion batsman
of the Ohio League last season" He
was for he hit at .347 in 1876 games and
fielded at 1856.
william Prout. second baseman of
National League experience He was
with Great Falls in the Union Associa-
ton last year."
He played short there with an average
of .g11 in a games and hit at .2S8.
/ Mark Hoffman, third basenan OF the
Rochester eastern League) club last
year"
But this name does not appear in the
Eastern League averages.
ssThomaa 0'HarA center fielder. last