The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-16
l1IIEURS LlYOFF
WREN RAIN APPEARS
mcaememt Weather Conditions Cause
Practice to Be Delayed One Week,
But Interest In Amateur Ball
'1"~ Running High

Indictment weather conditions yes
terday cast ad ampe rupon the spirits
OF local amateur baseballists, and In
stead OF being Mecca OF ball tossers.
william Byrd park presented q dismal
me hvr. md md s41rs..-v.. " shud
where the diamonds usually are &l
contributed to make the outlook for
baseball practice anything but prom
ising., Ye scribe CHANGED to pass that
way. and after giving the grounds the
once over, returned to his typewriter
to Grind out something in the way Of
aTiixreur baseball
-First OF all. Richmond will have
baseball every Saturday afternoon
by tho amateurs and three days out
OF the week by . club Of tho Virginia
league. That announcement in itself
Is sufficient to keep the baseball spir-
its OF the fans pitched UP to the high
est degree, and. with apologies to the
author. we will say, BE still. sad
player and cease repining. for behind
the clouds Is the sun still shining. Thy
tate is the common fate OF all. and
into the life Of each ball player some
rain must fall Some days must be
dark and dreary.'
Yesterday had promised to witness
the first real practice Of the season
for the amateurs. and while the ele-
ments prevented the boys from start
Ing. they are not discouraged. The
baseball fever once It enters the body
Of an amateur, II as hard to down as
Bolshevisn, and the spirit OF optimism
predominates in amateur circles here.
All amateur managers ana players
were disappointed. but Lee Whitfield.
manager OF the champion Battle Axe
aggregation last year. blessed the rain
and mud for all 1t was worth, and
then some. Realizing that an early
start Is about SO per cent of sue
cessful season, Whitfield had issued
call for his players to report for prac-
tice yesterday afternoon. OF course.
n waS mentioned before. no practice
was held. and thereby hangs the tale
Of whitheld's disgust.
According to advance information.
the Battle Axe aggregation II In fair
way 10 repeat it's performance Of last
year and cop the title OF city cham
pions. To make. such a statement this
early In the season likely Will cause a
great deal Of discussion in amateur
circles. but there's q reason" Whit
field has signed ten men OF last years
aggregation and will have the advan-
tage OF teamwork At the outset
One of tho main instruments Of the
u. ha
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