The age-herald., 1898-03-25
ADVANCE GUARD
 OF BALL TOSSERS Haller and Three Of His Players Arrived
 Yesterday. WASH0UTS DELAYED OTHERS From All Appearances They Will Hold
 Up Their End. LONG SWITZER, THE PITCHER Six Feet Eight Inches High and Looks Like Misplaced Telephone Pole Cavortng
 About in Cutaway Coat and
 Derby Hat.

Four of the Birmingham ball players ar rived in the city yesterday Manager r. $. Iialler, Catcher Frank Laporte and Second Baseman Milt Montgomery came in on the Louisville and Nashville at 743 a. m. and A. P. Switzer, pitcher, arrived at 4:95 in the afternoon.
 More of the men were expected but owing to the washout between Columbus and Cincinnati, they failed to get here. How ever, if the advance guard is fair sample of the rest of the team, as far as apepar- ances are concerned, Birmingham will be well represented on the diamond
 Manager Frank Haler expresses the greatest confidence in his men and says that all are exceptionally hard hitters. Not since the days of Jimmy Manning has Bir mingham had a manager that combines playing qualities and business ability as does Haller, if his record is a criterian. He is good looking young fellow, dresses well, and talks in a straight forward busi- ness-like manner. He Is not given to boasting and when he says that his team should play fast ball and stand well in the league, his prophecy is governed by the mems records.
 Montgomery and Laporte both look able to stop anything in the shape of sphere that may happen to come towards their re- spective positions on the diamond.
 Stray Telephone Pole
 And then there's Switzer. The first inn pression one has of Swtzer is a stray tele- phone pole dressed in a spike-tailed coat and a derby hat ambling down the street. His meek blue eyes are in strong contrast to his arm which would put to shame Longfellow's Village Blacksmith. There are few doors in Birmingham which Swift ger could enter without ducking his head, and it is rumored that he was compelled to mt hiG fnnt fn Io tn tt1t-r d corner. But then he can pitch, and that is the main thing desired. He halls from Leavenworth, Kan.
 The other players will arrive today if the trains move schedule time. Follow ing are their names and positions.
 Their Records
 Frank Redlley, right field of New Albany Ind, with whom he played last year. He is reputed to be a good man and will most likely hold his job with the locals.
 John Shehan, center field, was with All bany, N. r., last year and is tolited as a top notcher.
 Dick Knox, right field, played with New Orleans and Norfolk in 1896, and every one who witnessed his work in the Southern beague knows he is a good man.
 Tom Gilligan, short stop, halls from Wheeling, w. Vas, and is said to be one of the hardest hftters who ever came south.
 
 Brooklyn last year and made a batting average of 362. .z.s.5s.a44s Ga.
 George Vallendorff, substitute, in- fieldsr, played with Mantowah, Wis, last year and made an enviable record.
 Morris Pouser, pitcher of Scranton, Pa, played fin the Pennsylvania Central league last season and is said to have pitched winning ball.
 Jim H. Callifiower is another pitcher whom Manager Haller hopes to secure. Some contention over hdm has arisen, and the matter has been referred to President Nick Young for adjustmentt He played with Dennison-Paris in the Texas league last season and is snid to be crackajack. If signed he will be the flower of the lot.
 The games which were booked for today and tomorrow have been declared off on account of the non-arrivel of the men. There are still some open dates and the picked nine which was to meet the locals will be given an opportunity.
 The games with Chicago April 12 and 13 will be undoubtedly played unless rain prevents