The Washington herald., 1913-01-21
Elmer Smith To
Play PRO. BALL
Star Finger Of Ninth Street
Team May Join Virginia
League Club.
BECKER SIGNS CONTRACT
Former Local Sand-lotters Agree to
Terms with Atlanta, Of South
ern Association.
BECKER SIGNS CONTRACT
BY c. w. SWAN.

Elmer Smith. star finger of the Ninth
Street Christian Church team. and the
G. p. o. aggregation last season, will
more than likely sign a contract with a
club In the Virginia League, as 1t is un-
derstood that both the Richmond and
Newport News managers have rendered
him contracts.
Smith is one of the most promising
huriers of Washington. Two years ago,
while pitching for the Ingram team, in
the Sunday School League he made a
great record. and last year was signed
with the pennant winners in the East
Washington League. "Smitty'' pitched
gilt-edged bail for the Christians, but
toward the close of the season Joined
the G.. p. o. club. of the Government
League, as he Is employed at the Print
ing Office. In the post-season series, FL
mer pitched several good games. errors
behind him losing some of them for him.
Should he decide to accept the offer of
either club, his many friends in this
city will watch his work with the pro-
fessional aggregation with the best OF
wishes for his success.
Buck Becker's signed contract with the
Atlanta club. of the Southern League.
reached Manager Billy Smith Saturday
morning, the local boy losing no time
In aff1xing his signature to the paper
Buck is well satisfied with the terms Of
fered by the Cracker leader and says he
will show the fans OF the Georgia city
that he Is one Of the best southpaws
playing the national game
When he is right, Buck is as good as
the next. and his showing with the
Crackers last season stamps him as a
lad who can, and will. pitch good ball
Last year, with Atlanta, Buck won seven
and lost the same number Of games.
working the closing chapter of the league
with sore arm. having caught cold in
Mobile, when he worked in a rainstorm.
The G. P. o. Athletic Association will
hold another one of its famous smokers
next Friday night at the clubrooms and
a most enjoyable evening is promised the
members Of the club and their friends
These smokers are becoming a weekly
event at the club. and last Friday night
fully 500 members of the association wit
messed the exhibitions. President Metz
is confident that the entire club member
ship will be present at the next smoker.
II is reported that Toison, the sensa-
tional finger Of the St. Johns (Annap-
olis) team last year. will be a candidate
for the hurting job at Georgetown this
spring. Tolson pitched great ball for the
Johnnies last season, and should have
little trouble making good at the Hilltop,
II he goes out for the team.
Catholic University's basketball team
tackles the ST. Johns five, OF Brooklyn,
y. Y, tonight. and a good basketball
game should result Last night the Red
and White quint met defeat at the hands
Of the Georgetown five by % to is score,
bCt the lads from the City of Churches
appeared to be a little out OF condition,
0r n wha -FNElrr Las 1Hrrt.~
about put them ready for the BROOKLYN
ers. The game will start promptly at
O'Clock. and a record-breaking crowd is
expected.
The Richmond CVa-) Amateur Athletic
Federation has been fairly launched, and
with every prospect of success since
it will become an affiliated body of the
Amateur Athletic Union. Dr. William
Burdick, secretary of the Public Ath-
leticsLeague, of Baltimore, and chair
man OF the registration committee OF the
South Atlantic Association, was sent to
Richmond at the instigation of James Z.
Sullivan, secretary of the A A. U, of
New York. and his interesting talk on
the results to be attained by such a
juncture with the governing body of ath-
letics in America, was productive of
good.
With Richmond a stronghold for gen.
eral amateur athletics means that
greater interest in Southern track and
field work will be enjoyed and WASH
ingtonians, Of course. are interested, as
annually the local athletes go to the city
on the James to enjoy the games that
are held there by the Richmond college
With the newly organized federation In
the running. II is to be expected that
more games will be held.
There is a scheduled joint indoor meet
to be promoted by the athletic authori-
ties of the Richmond Light Infantry
Blues and the Richmond College, in
Richmond, at a date yet to be deter
mined. Sheppard. Crump, of the Blues
organization. has been intrusted with the
details and he is planning to hold the
meet in a big hall in the Southern city.
Local runners have been invited, and
when the games are held a good number
of Washington men will be in the going,
as in the past.
A urvnv1