The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-25
BETTER CLUB TAKES 1T AWAx
FROM THEM ONE
CAUSE.
LACK OF HARMONIC
FANS DO NOT MAINTAIN CoNsIS>
TENT DEFENSE OF THE LOCAL
PLAYERS AND KNOCK UN~
NECESSARILY.
BY C. VI. MONTGOMERY. {

And now that the Coolers are well
fixed in first place many of the fans
are casting about for reasons as TO
why they are there. You hear on All
sides the opinions of the various men,
comparisons of them with members
of the locals team, and reasons why
Il seems impossible to stop their go-
ing.
Probably the greater number of tho
fans lay the blame at the feet OF
either Heinie Busch or the corps Of
pitchers which he has gathered to-
gether for his CLUB, Others are
equally certain that II Is because OF
Luck, while still others are mora
lenient, and grant that there are
some exceedingly clever batters with
the club, and that their ability TO
poke out a safety al the proper time
is why the Buschmen lead the other
clubs of the league
But when II is all said and done
there yet remains one great reason
why they caught Richmond after the
local aggregation had won what was
thought to be a safe lead. That rea-
son Ia amply that they had life In
their work and under the leadership
OF a fighter, a man WHO Is never
beaten. they have trained rigidly and
have become fighters also. There -
not a loafer on the club, every player
! is going at top rate. and each one -
straining every nerve to deliver the
| class of ball which will Increase the
teams lead.
Then there Is another reason. ana
| that is the fans OF Gcoberviile are
backing the club to the last ditch,
! and never lose an opportunity 10
boost 1t and the men individuality.
Few fans are willing to grant that
roofing helps the players, they gem
orally think that the yelling and the
/ cat calls are meant to be used only
as means of rafting opponents
Yet the player likes to hear the fans.
to know that they are with him. ana
that his efforts will meet with en-
couragement
How the Petersburg people do feel
toward their team, and how they are
pulling for 1t to win the gonfalcon
was clearly demonstrated during the
series just closed. Hundreds made
| the trip to witness the games. ana
| there has not been as much enfnu-
/ siasm here this season as was mans
| tested in any one OF those contests.
They rooted when the team was be-
hind, and encouraged them to get
busy, and they cheered when they
! came to the front. The men are Idols
over in the city in the other county,
, and the men are even willing to fight
| for the players. one or them got
into a heated argument just outside
of the grounds after the game yes
terday and wanted to resort to the
manly art to settle the question OF
Spencers boneheadedness
In my opinion. he did not have
much to argue on. but nevertheless,
he was Goober supporter and he
was backing the team to win. That
! Is the spirit which has been sadly
wanting at the local park all season,
! and II Is one of the reasons why the
| Colts are now somewhat at odds with
| the fans They know that they are
not getting the support which should
be accorded them and they feel 1t.
But returning to Petersburg. II
must be admitted that Heinie Busch
! has gathered together a wonderfully
we'll balanced ball club, and that Il
would require some searching to dis
cover a great weakness In any OF th0
( departments. They did not show
much during the early portion OF the
year. but when they hit their stride
| things came their way rapidly. and
once having taken the lead they have
never been headed. These things. but
chiefly the ginger and the snap and
| fight. which has been put into their
play by their great little manager.
are responsible for their standinG.s
Heinie Is hard loser and a game
| fighter. and Ia a good ball player. and
| ! admire him for each,