Norfolk had one of the best teams in the league during the 1922 season. The league voted for a split season. Norfolk bought three Fords in June allowing the team to travel by automobile instead of by train to their away games. This saved the club over $1,000 in costs.
Their home diamond was Municipal Athletic Park, which was a new facility in 1922. It was located on North 4th St and Prospect Avenue. The wooden grandstands were covered behind home plate. Bleachers went down both lines and right field also had a strong set of bleachers. The park was used for the Harvest Festival and fairs in addition to baseball.
They won the second half of the season putting them into the playoffs against Fairbury.
The playoffs with Fairbury went to seven games. Admission to playoff games was set at 55 cents and the team enjoyed large crowds for the games. The losers share for the playoff was estimated to be $24.00 per player. Overall, the club broke even for the year with reported expenses of about $20,000 for the four month season.
Although Norfolk did not win the playoffs the town held a special dinner for the team at the Merchants Cafe. After the league ended, many of them stayed together and barnstormed the area. They played against the town team in Snyder for $500.00. Their last stop was at Arlington for the fair.
Ernest Adam and Cliff Marr managed the team.
Roster:
First base for the Elkhorns was held down by J. V. Hegerty . The newspaper also spelled his name Hegertty, Heggerty, Haggerdy and Hagertie during the season. He played in 114 games and averaged .228.
Runt Marr held down the third base position for the 1922 season. He led the league in batting with a .364 average in 116 games.
Claude Mitchell, played in the dirt at second base and averaged .333 in 58 games.
Short stop was held down by H. V. "Van" Atherton. The leadoff man in the lineup, he averaged .251 in over 100 games for the team. He played for Beatrice in 1914. After playing for Norfolk from 1922-1924 he played for Blackwell in the Southwestern League in 1926.
Keith Clark (Clarke) put on the mask behind the plate on a regular basis for Norfolk. He averaged .240 in 96 games.
Lyle Casey also played catcher for the Elkhorns in 1922. He averaged .278 in 12 games.
Ed Spellman was from Omaha. He played in 26 games and averaged .182. He also played for Pawhuska where he averaged .310. He started his professional career with Superior in the Nebraska State League in 1910. He also played for Oshkosh, Cleveland, St. Boniface, Milwaukee, Marshaltown, Alton, Omaha, Sioux City, Oakland, Tulsa, Greenville and Norfolk in the Virginia League.
Outfield:
Walter Rouse was originally from Battle Creek Nebraska. He came from Memphis Tenn to tend the outfield garden for the Elkhorns. He led the Elkhorns and the league with 19 home runs. He also managed a .340 average in 117 games.
L. J. Knapp played in 98 games and averaged .289.
Earl Graves 68, .237 average.
Pitchers:
By Speece was 14-9 for Norfolk in 1922. He also averaged .296 at the plate. He played for Omaha in the Western League in 1923. The right handed pitcher from West Baden Indiana made his major league debut with Washington in the American League in 1924. He had a four year major league career with three different teams.
Anton Federle managed a 6-8 record.
Didier was originally from California. He was purchased by St. Paul at the end of the season.
Coffindaffer was 2-0 for Norfolk in 1922.
Wilkinson was 2-0 in 1922
Earl Hilton was 10-4 in 18 games.
Barnett was 9-9 in 23 games.