Evening journal., 1921-07-09
BASEBALL BOOM
down PENINSULA
Old Timer Says Present
Teams Not as Fast as
Some Years Ago
RECALLS DAYS
OF QUICKSTEPS
special to The Evenine Ionrnal

Special to The Evening Journal
SEAFORD, July s.-Baseball is
enjoying a boom in the lower end of
the peninsula. At present there are
at least a dozen towns in the lower
section Of the peninsula represented
by fast teams, most hired players.
The fastest all-home aggregation is
located at Newark, Nd, a small viii
lage between Berlin and Snow Hill.
Md. This team is making a big
name for itself in baseball. They
have already trimmed several of
the hired teams. many Of whom
have tried to get some of the New
ark players, but they are sticking to
the old home team The pay may
not be big, but the glory and honor
more than offset the pay.
The "old-timer1 was at Federals-
burg. Nd, yesterday, and saw Man
ager Hanson Horsey's Centrevilie
team trim the Caroline boys, to
3. Notwithstanding fredericksburg
had secured the services Of Jess
Legar, of Milford, and Hoch, of
Bridgeville- In conversation with
]
he was given a line on some of the
teams down the peninsula Record
breaking crowds are attending the
games, especially at Princess Anne,
Crisheld Pocomoke City, Parksley,
and Cape Charles, Va, Snow Hill,
Newark and Salisbury, the latter
town having played their first game
on July Fourth when they split a
doubleheader with the Soldiers
team from Hampton Roads.
Snow Hill has secured a coach
from Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore. Several members of this
team are former members of the
Blue Ridge League Hummer and
! Jones, the crack battery with Fed
eralsburg last season, are with Prin-
cess Anne. Johnny Clayton. college
star, also with fredericksburg last
year is with Salisbury, as is also
Sunny" Truitt, formerly with Mar
della Crisfield. Parksley and the
balance of the clubs down that way
have secured the best semi-profes-
sional and college players they could
find. There was talk Of organizing
a league, but this fell through, and
all the teams are playing indepen-
dent ball
The "old-timerT was asked how he
thought the teams of today down
the peninsula compared with the
teams of some years ago and his re-
ply was that he did not consider
them as fast by far. OF the teams
he has seen play this season. he
says he fails to discover any Home
=, Run" Bakers, Jack Townsends, Her
zogs, Dykes, Floyd Clunns or Rom
mells on them All these, and many
more, got their start down the Pc
J ninsula- Speaking of the old timers
recalled the great series of those
days between Seaford and Laurel
Jack Townsend. undoubtedly the
speediest pitcher ever down the
peninsula was doing mound duty
for Seaford and Vic Clark, Of Dover,
one of the best twirlers in the State
in his day was pitching for Laurel.
Carr, who afterwards became man
ager of the Indianapolis, Ind, Amer
lean Association team, was covering
first base for Laurel, and cub"
Stricken, at one time one of the
greatest second sacbers in the Ma
tional League. was covering second
base for Seaford. All the other
members of these two teams were in
J a class with these players. That
was some series, and the "old-timer'
, does not think that any team in any
section of the peninsula today would
stand a ghost Of a show with those
4 teams.
: Then there was the great series
p between Seaford and Cambridge
, when Home Run" Baker first came
! into prominence, and when such
, stars as three-fingered Brown, OF
Cambridge; Joe Sudham, Ratcliffe
5 Manners, Brooks. all of Cambridge
4 and Jack Townsend was pitching
and "Dick" Weand catching foi
Seaford. At that time Seaford haC
!. also Matt Kilroy covering first base
e Bruce. the Indian, at second, and the
- two Schoenut boys of the University
! of Pennsylvania playing short anC
,. third base. These two teams were
e the equal Of any that ever played il
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