The age-herald., 1901-07-16
MANAGER MILLS
 JUMPS THE TOWN The Players Are Unpaid and Without Uniforms TOOK ALL OF HIS PROPERTY He Is In Chattanooga Under Arrest for Fraudulent Breach of Trust.
 President Kent Arrived In the City, fhIs Morning.
TOOK ALL OF HIS PROPERTY

without word or warning or IOnu adieu, Sam Mills, serstwhile manager of the Birmingham baseball team, left town yesterday morning, leaving his team un- paid for two weeks and owing about $400 to the Southern Baseball Association.
 With Mills went Billy Niles, all the teams uniforms and the rubber slabs used in the pitchers box and at the home plate. these things. with the exception of Billy Niles, were the personal property of Mills, and none of the outfit was left be- hind.
 The sudden departure of Manager Mills created a good-sized sensation among the baseball enthusiasts of the city, and this was famed to double proportions when word came from Chattanooga that Mills had been arrested there on a warrant sworn out by President Kent of the Southern Baseball Association, charging the Birmingham manager with fraudulent breach of trust. It Is claimed by President Kent that Mills Is indebted to the associa- ton for the 10 per cent sinking fund for eight games. including those of July {. which amounts to 800 Mills also owes the two fines of s10O each for failure to play the two games In Nashville.
 President Kent arrived in Birmingham at o'clock this morning and Managers Fisher of Nashville and Frank of Mem- phis and Mir. Shannon of Nashville will join him this morning. They will hold a conference and decide to whom the local franchise will be awarded. Several local men are after 1t and there will be plenty of money to back the team.
 There will be no Interruption of the games and until the franchise is awarded the team will be under the temporary management of Umpire Cline. The play CTS have been assurd of their salary being paid and are willing to continue in the game. They appeared yesterday in all kinds of uniforms borrowed from local amateurs.
 Beginning of the Trouble.
 The trouble which brought about Mills sensational departure began two weeks ago in Nashville when the Birmingham manager refused to play two games if Umpire York officiated. After losing one game Mills notified Fisher of the Nash vile team and President Kent that he would not play the other games unless another umpire was provided. His threats were not needed but he carried them out and refused to play after | large crowd, of spectators had gathered l at the grounds. Mills brought his team home the next day and rested until the Fourth of July when his games with I Memphis on that day drew immense l crowds.
 With this 1t seems that Mills was not satisfied. The idea of having to pay $2O0 in fines besides forfeiting the two games at Nashville still rangled within him, and when the last day for action came he bundled up his traps and left the town and his players in the lurch.
 Those who know Mills we'll say the main reason he left Birmingham was on ac- coknt of his unpopularity with the people He seemed to think he was badly treated and had no desire to remain. This prob ably grew out of his treatment at the park one day when he took Pitcher Sparger from the box and substituted Brandt Just before this action he had made a bad error at second base and the crowd was very much incensed at the change of pitchers, thinking that Mills took Spar ger out to cover his own error. In justice to Mills all good base ball players and some of the we'll informed fans say that he did the right thing in taking Sparger out and that his object was to save the game. Be that as 1t may. the crowd didn't think so, and every time Mills ap- peared at the bat he was loudly hissed. They finally started to roofing for Nash vile. and the visitors won the game. Mills never got over this treatment. and many of his friends believe that was the pri- mary cause of his leaving town.