The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-18

Shortly another sport Is to be retired
into oblivion. Basketball, which has
been the center of attraction for the
past few weeks. Is soon to be ostra-
eized. marking the ascension of base
ball, the king of all sport. to the exalt-
ed throne. This fellow has the dis
tinction OF ruling in sportdom longer
than any of the others. for he holds
full sway from the first of April until
after the champions have been crowned
in October.
AT the present time Miss Public Fa-
vor has her optics focused on the fell
low with the rubber bottom shoes,
short khaki trousers and sleeveless
shirts. But she Is fickle thing. this
Miss Public Favor. don't you know.
Shortly this chap who cavorts around
the floor is to be placed In discard,
and her eyes will be turned on the fell
low in the knickerbockers and spiked
shoes.
/ In spite the severance OF diplomatic
I relations with Germany. and all this
talk about our Uncle Sam. sending his
uniformed warriors against Kaiser
Wilhelm's Teutonic cohorts. the powers
that be in the baseball world are GO
ing ahead with their plans to make the
coming campaign the most successful
one in the history OF the national pas
time.
The ball players and moguls, who
have been sharpening their weapons
for little combat. have taken some
whiffs from the pipe OF peace and the
Ratchet is buried for the time, at least
That old. Ratchet is easily exhumet
though, but 1t is sure to rest beneath
the peaceful sod for Il while.
Last year many of the minor organ
izations came near tossing up the
sponge as early as midseason and some
of them did. but from present indica-
tions this year Is going to be a gooc
one for both the small and major
leagues.
1t took baseball a year TO recover
from the Federal league invasion. and
now II looks as II the grand old ma
tienal pas,irne Is to be restored to It's
former prestige and popularity.
In few days now the FASTENERS
will be gathering and turning theiI
eyes in the direction OF the Sunny
South. The rockies will be the nrst
to pack their personal belongings and
get away. for the managers and train
ers always like to get a peep at these
fellows first In order to see whether
they have piucked from the bushes
young pheD oms or pieces OF ivory
A magnate takes a gamblers chance
when he buys a youngster, and the fiirt
with Dame Fortune is as reckless RS
the next one. But everybody takes a
chance for that matter for there are
many things that carry no guarantee
When one walks into beanery and
lays down ten cents. or whatever the
price may be, for a bowl of soup he
takes a chance. He NAV ind that a
bean has been merely Dr. through
LAT. You may purchase a y of clothes
land be placed In most embarrassing
position when you get caught in the
rain. And when one buys stocks he
has got just about as much chance as
a soldier In the trenches You take
Billy Smith. who has been basking
In the Southern sunshine for the past
faw months..h has left Atlanta and La now
at his home in Sprin gheld. o. When
last heard from billy was shoveling
snow from In front Of his mothers res
idence. 1t isn't often that Billy i'm
aulges in such arduous labor. but he
Is doing II just the same.
But II will not be long before the
) local pilot Will be shaking the snow
of Springfield from his shoescles and
turning his eptfcs towards nichMOnd,
Billy viii be here shortly nn4 Nieh