Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-18
BILLY SMITH is wi TO
ARRIVE HERE TO-DAY
Pilot Of Local International League Club Scheduled to
Start Things Moving at Once-Many Players on
Try-Out Roster-Practice Wednesday.
ny "MONTY."

''@'di Iollo"tTS ~ 81 Icul tlup
on which their exuberanccs Of cnthut
s'asn may find outlet during the sum
'n.r here. is due to nmble into town
"Duut noon to-day.
OF course. he has been due to play
mat stellar role in the curtain-ra!sing
oct for some time nov, and the most
conspicuous part of the act has been
, US delay. His press agent even has
Teen some what off the job. for pruc-
tcaiiy nothing has been heard from
the pilot since he passed through Rich
in"nd some months ago. after paatim-
'hS at Eastern racing tracks for sew
crai weeks. However. members of his
'1iniiy have been i'll recently. hackers
. ~ the show now have announced def
nlt"ly, though, that Uncle Billy will be
produced for inspection to-day and
nat he will begin at once to provide
entertainment.
The local manager confirmed this an
h"u~iiccrncnt in a telegram To the writer
last night. He said that he positively
would reach here to-day, and that his
work. already we'll begun. would be
rushed. Furthermore. he minated he
might have some interesting announce
1nents 70 make within the next fcw
. oaya.
Billy will have Il erca, deal of work
10 do before Wednesday, when the
grand ensemble OF tho entire COM
nany" Is scheduled to take place for
tho initial practice. None but one
who has gon" through the task of
preparing details for the spring train
inE OF a baseball club can realize the
amount OF labor that must he per
formed before everything is ready for
IN" actual start in training.
Business Manager Happy" Jones
has done much this season to relieve
Incie Billy OF numerous Items that
ordinarily would fall TO his consid-
tails that can be attended to only by
me manager, and practically all OF
Them Will have TO be completed during
Monday and Tuesday.
Yes, things are l~iven.ns up in local
baseball circles these days, and il Is
probable that with the arrival here OF
Billy. proceedings viii he started that
Viii not end until the last man Of
the American Association club that
closes the season in Richmond is call
I'd out.
Large SOUND by Wednesday.
Billy. as well as the members Of the
squad that Will report here for try
outs. viii report at Business Manager
Jones office immediately upon arrival
In Richmond. Practically all O.: the
youngsters are expected 10 reach Rich
mona bE Tuesday night. Several prob
ably VIII arrive to-day, while the Others
Viii drift In by twos and threcs until
the entire squad is here.
While only one signed contract has
bccn received from pla yers who were
"ith the team last season. they have
until March 81 In which TO return their
contracts. and most OF them are ex-
pected to he in this city long before
that time. Wyatt Lee has been order
ed TO report on March %. but Harry
iiartzcll VIII not arrive until Apr!l
10 Luther Barnes is due in by Sat
urday. and others Of the old guard
probably wil! drif; In about the same
time.
There Will be. according TO the be-
iei OF local magnatcs. 81 sufficient
"a number OF men here by T.esu,y nigh,
80 begin hard work "Wednesday morn
ing. The team Will practice at Clarkc's
Springs and probably viii he taken to
ana from the park by street car.
Practice Will be held twice a day,
morning and afternoon. and fans have
been invited TO visit the park at every
opportunity and TO watch the work
outs.
y serious difficulty experienced by The
local club in training ut Clarke's
springs is the imposs;bility of secur-
ing dressing quarters and showers
there. Efforts are being made 10 nave
the players use tn" showers at the
Young Mems Christian Association,
and II is possible they may be sue
cess.ul. Physical Director Allison is
known to favor the plan. following his
IDEAS OF having the association serve"
the city and the citizens here as far
rs possible. However. this detail of
he arrangements has not been com
pleted as yet.
New uniforms have been ordered for
the team, but these Will not be donned
until opening day. There is 4 sutii-
cient number of old uniforms TO At out
the training squad. Monday morning
orkm will begin the work of touch
Ing up the diamond At Clarke'S Springs.
The little ridges formed by rains dur
ing the winter will be leveled and a
steam roller sent over the field to iron
out the creases.
billy IIn. Several Teams.
The local club has signed thirty
seven men for tryouts up to this time.
among them being four catchers. nine
inheldcrs, nine outfelders and fifteen
pitchers.
The catchers are "Bill" Reynolds.
who played in almost every contest
:, during the last season; "Cheesy'' Lbs.
q local semipro; Talbot, who was
obtained from the Rocky Mount
club. while the other is Furtrelle. who
halls from Greensboro. The Caro-
linian is n star catcher. and should
prove Of great service to the local
club.
In tho inhcld, the local club is
strengthened considerably. compared
with the club OF last season. D
mott. who played the hot corner pc
sition last season. is expected to re-
turn. and great things are predicted
for him the coming season.
Steinbrenner probably Will be seen
covering the shortstop position. He
will have a real rival for this place
in Curry. Jimmy Curry. who was
signed III several weeks ago. has play
cd professional ball for seven years.
lie began with the Reading club. OF
the old Tri-State League, and played
with the Blnghamton club, of the
New York State League. last season.
Hack" Eibel Will return to his old
position at first base. having no rival
so far for this position.
For the middle station there are sew
cral good players, among them being
Nuts" Mooers. the local schoolboy in
fielder, who was given a tryout last
season and who made an impressive
showing; ]. Breeder and j. ID. Monroe,
local semipros, who expect to show
some real form when tho season opens.
Among the group already named,
Harry Hartzell probably will land a
position. although he will have somo