Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-17
BASEBALL PARK SITE
UNDETERMINED AS YET
w. Il. Bradley and Richmond Club
Officers Searching for Pos
Sibie Locations.
WILL TRAIN AT BYRD PARK
Probable That New Grounds VIII
Not BE Completed Before Players
Arrive. and They May Work Out
on Public Field.

to Keep their fires of enthusiasm going
thus far during tho winter. And the
prediction is ii will be some time VET
before anything of sufficient moment
is developed in the situation here TO
kind!e anew the sparks in the Stove.
pipe League
When local scribes seek information
from the various officials connected
with the situation, it is like lifting
Gnat with a ten-ton derrick. All the
levers and hosting apparatus at the
command of the professional question
ers may be strained through overuse in
seeking the information. and thar
which is obtained equals in weight
something like the avoirdupois of the
Snat.
And the simple reason is. that about
amounts to all that the local officials
have in stock. They have been at
tending league meetings and official
confabs during the last few weeks,
they have been wearing out many auto
shoes seeking sites for the base
bah grounds, and what they have OBJ
tanned certainly has not required any
tre-ton truck to move il. Absolutely
nothing definite has been accomplished.
However, efforts have not been re-
Taxed and. according TO the several
officers connected with the supplying
Of Richmond baseball next summer.
they will not be. Several meetings OF
Importance arc scheduled for this week.
and ii is possibie tentative plans will
be made at them. But the chances are
against anything Of a conclusive nature
being arranged soon.
One thing is certain. Richmond will
have new ball park and the Internal
tional League club will remain here to
play in it. Where the park will be
located what kind of park it will
be or what manner OF team will repre-
sent this town next season. remains to
be seen. There is still another thing
that is certain. The new park will
not be located on railroad property.
Those connected with baseball here
have had about enough of enforced re-
movalS during the last few years and
they will take no chances on another.
When they determine upon n location,
that site will be purchased outright,
and will be retained as tho permanent
home of outdoor sports here.
Ownership of Park Uncertain.
Who will be the owners OF the
! ground is another question not yet set
tied. Both w. Il. Bradley, who has
| controlled the grounds for number
/ of years. and representatives OF the.
| Richmond international League Club,
are seeking sites. They are working
separately and either may be in direct
charge of the property. However. the
| chances are that Mr.. Bradley will again
handle the grounds end. while the club
! owners will confine themselves entire
ly to the Richmond club and it's bust
ness
One OF the locations now under con-
sidcration is the old United States
! League park on the Boulevard. This
site has number of diSadvanta Ges.
One Of them is it's inacccssibility and
tho other the size of the grounds 1t
will he necessary to secure consider
able more ground IL that location is
! decided upon. for the plans OF both
! park seekers carry with them large
home for outdoor sports. Both are
1-,t. ,ft,.,I
a permanent one and to erect perma-
nent structures. in concrete. on the
grounds.
Another possible site is that at the
corner of Broad Street and the Bou-
lcvard, now generally used for circus
purposes. There is Il location just east
OF the present park that is under con-
sidcration. but here several buildings
would have To be purchased and then
RACED to make room for the park
stands. and that plan has not met with
general favor.
Officials Of the Richmond Club are
said to doubt tho possibility of Sc
curing another park on Broad Street
and ii was learned last week that a
site near Byrd Park was under con-
sidcration However, on such a To-
cation the park builders would be
forced to close at least one street In
order to secure the necessary ground
for Enclosure. y procedure OF this kind
would require considerable time, as
the matter would have to go through
the Council 1t is possible. though
that steps of this kind may be neces-
sary before the search for a site is
successful
May Train Players at byrd Park.
Viewed from the recent develop
ments. or more properly. the recent
absence OF developments. there is con-
siderable doubt il the park can be
secured and got in shape for tho train
ing season. Not only will il take 81
large force OF men considerable time
To inclosc the new grounds and to
erect the clubhouse. bleachers. and
grand stand, but it will ncccssitate the
work Of at least three weeks by ex-
pcrts on the building of the field and
diamond.
Even after the ground has been lev
clcd. all OF the dirt on the diamond
must be removed ard deep under
layer of cinders and rich earth sub
I Stitutcd That must be allowed to pack
naturally and cannot be packed by
artificial means. IT, the diamond is to
he substantial and Il good one. This
process will require considerable time,
and the fact that the grounds viii! bs
torn up repeatedly will prevent play
ers. here for the spring training. work
ing out on it. In addition. it would
he exceedingly dangerous for them TO
make the attempt.
vi Of these things are realized by
those interested. IL is regarded "a
probable that members OF the squad
who report here for the preseason
workouts will use the field at William
Byrd Park for their practice. and that
they will no; get into the new grounds
but a snort time before the opening
Of the training contests II ia not
thought that great difficulty will be cx-
pertcnced in securing the use OF Iyrd
FORK. II this is necessary, but the
chief difficulty viii be iIl/ clubhouse
provisions for the players, There Is a
possibility of a temporary nous. being
erected near IT," park for this purpose.
Local fans arc not the only onss
worried over the present situation.
These who have the matter IN charge
probably are doing considerably more
tanning on the matter than all OF the
Richmond portiSans OF outdoor sports
combined. Not only they tanning,
hut they are working. And they have
promised that the fans shall he given
the information the moment definite ar