The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24
WELLS APPROVES
OF NEW CIRCUIT
Former Head of Richmond Club
Predicts Success of
Larger League.
REPORTING DAYS ARE NEAR
Transportation Sent to~Men Who
Are to Make Up Vari-
Gus Teams.
REPORTING DAYS ARE NEAR
tspeelal to The Tlmes.pispatch.l

Especial to The Times Dispatchl
Iynchbury. Va, EIarch 23.--Jake
Wells, the well known theatrical mag
hate, who was at the head of the Rich
mond club In tho old Virginia League
and the Atlantic League back In the
sos. while here ON business mis-
sion this week, freely predicted that IL
; tho managers of the pre- sent Virginia
League teams put a little common sense
In their affairs the circuit this year
VIII be great big success. Mr.. Wells
is an advocate of an cight-teatn circuit,
and the admission of Portsmouth and
Newport News into tho league meu,s
! with his hearty appreciation. He knows
those towns Well and believes they will
DC as good this year as any OF the 9th
or smaller towns in the enlarged cir
cult
While president OF the Virginia
League during the first five years Of
its existence, Mr.. Wells was always at
the various teams to keep within the
| salary limit. lie told Them long be-
lore they saw it that they were slow
~ committing suicide. ana that it was
impossible for the executive to stop
such practices " the masnates could
not see that the future Of the lea que
depended upon a sane salary limit, and
1T being strictly lived UP TO.
Mr.. Wells thinks the enlarged circuit
u,
and If the season is not Il successful
one this year he will be very much
surprised man.
reporting days for the teams of the
Virginia League circuit are about here,
FOR some OF the teams VIII have their
advance guard ON hand next week
! Most of the players will come
about April !. but Danvillc has ord err
cd the recruits for that team to re-
port on April S. this being about the
, latest 4 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 a brief look over. and
If they do not look something like u
baseball player quickly they Will be
shipped and another recruit will be
called in TO I'LL the gap. In this way
he hopes to keep the number of men
reporting down to about twenty. Ger
tainly. he will not have over that mum
Der here ut any one time
More young players viii be brought
into the league this year than ever be-
fore. for the indications are that near
" all Of the clubs will nave more than
majority of youngsters, some of
whom had previous professional eN-
perience. but many of whom have play
ed only semi professional or college
ball. Three or four OLD ones come back
/ TO the locals. but they will have 10
fight for their positions Danville will
| have bunch OF old ones who will be
up against the same condition. Rich
mond will have n few old men to draw
to ana so will Petersburg and Norfolk
while Roanoke Will be practically
made up of all the players of last
years Tigers, with fcw spots filed
in with new material, Portsmouth
and Newport News, the baby members
of the circuit WILL of Course, present
all new faces TO the circuit.
It is reported that Jap Efrd. the
Washington and Les pitcher, who do
such good work last season for Roa-
noke, has not signed for this season.
though 1t Is believed Manager Pressly