The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-15
In the Wake of the Game
BY GUS MALBERT

For the hrst time this season we are called
nivoroas Tisers champions og the the Virginia
League In 1912 and leaders In the race up
mo.nob ps sse ,me h hese sers s, , ,r
varying fate. though OF tho elk games thus
far waited into the discard. four, have been
won. Petersburg lost the entire three games
10 Pressy without scoring once In twenty
seven innings of play. Lee oaryin furnish
grabbing two out of three for himself.
He has added several new names. and in
lrmscher and Blausser has two ball players
been comparatively easy. or the games cred
tied to him seven have come from Peters
out OF ELK scheduled. one game being post
poned because OF rain. Norfolk has given
each. Newport News and Petersburg to-
gether have furnished twelve out OF the six
,ssn y,c,orss. In the case OF Newport News
had a ball club. Tho Magic CITY club seems
TO have the Goobers' goat. much in the man
In tho face of the Colts. Norfolk is appar-
emily In rut. and sharer must talk to his
men to get them out.
But that isn't the point The real gist OF
al! this figuring Is that Roanoke must show
moro class before being hailed az "a two-tine
pennant winner. since the Colts took TWO
In Roanoke. II Is reasonable to suppose that
they Will do the same here. provided Grin
Is able to send out his strongest front. With
beaten no club which has right to expect
10 land IN the Nrst division on pitching
knows IT. Jap tnrd Der, Gar,iin and brown
VIII not win him pcnnant in spite Of the
@s or his SiuP h But ne Is up hee ana the
which means almoo, "a much as ability.
get buck to-day. the team viii again
look natural. Steve is not fit. and his thumb
with that degree OF confidence he shows
when he is right, Bu, he will he in there
Tuv nj ..fgl - at ,t..lxt -
VIII appear on the mound is much Of a mys-
terry. Strain VIII hardly Ice asked TO start.
Petersburg. This brings It down to Small
wood and; Kenncy. In neither OF which steve
young and while they have the ability
tho pschyoiogic effect OF knowing that they
cause their undoing. Doc Ayers and Burie-
son are out OF consideration. Harvey Bussey
hnai selection. with The two youngsters for
relief work should tho veteran 70 bad.
may contemplate. Busch has not n better
club than Griffin. though he won three ina
produced Will win more often than lose The
colts simply didn't hit. ana the crippled con
dition OF the team told. jay Rogers hasn't
the rcmotest conception of playin. the out
toid He Is SLOW. hcsitates Oh returning the
bali II he gets his hands ON Il. and looks n
good on ny balls Ayers does ON ground
balls. which IS not looking any too good.
Bi! Laval Is energetic and as hustIing
NJ any young ball player. hut at fr-t h.
can't be expected 10 take tthley's place. And
Grin was out OF the games. too. That's the
real explanation OF the string OF defeats. A
los OF hitting orhs plus Tho absence OF reg
MARS II combination hard Ia overcome.
and the remarkable part of IL H. that they
looked as good as they did.
There /. one essential point that mos, OF
the local hurlcrs have overlooked In the
record UP 10 date Richmond's pitchers have
passed the nrsi man up In the first inning
In nearly 'our-nfthr OF the games II con-
troll is ever worth anything II H. worth most
when the hrst man ~ the opposition comes
20 the bat the first time. That's when most
nall games ar" won lost Given a pass
The club behind him puts not only the de-
fcnsiEe pitcher hut the whole club In the
hole. II gives an advantage. a handicap that
mutt tc overcome then and there. and II Is
handicap that the opposition hasn't earn
cd. Getting something for nothing always
inspires confidence and with confidence even