The age-herald., 1901-01-07
FANS" HAVE GOOD REASON TO REJOIC E A Successful Baseball Season is
 Promised THE MANAGERS ARE BUSY Atlanta Comes Into the Southern Asso. citation, Making the Eighth Club.
 The Players Are Being
 Signed.
THE MANAGERS ARE BUSY

The Southern Baseball Association is shaping itself into condition for the most successful season of ball the south has ever known. With eight of the best cities in the south having teams in the association, with strictly business principles governing the conduct of the association and compe- tent men in charge of the players of each team, there is no reason why the associa- tion should not live through the season, and each club has nice balance on the right side of the ledger when the last game is played.
 A telegram from Cha,ttanooga states that Atlanta has finally decided to come into the association, and that plenty of money and good players under a good manager will give that town the best ball it has ever known. The other seven cities have posted their guarantee money to stay in the as- sociation until the season closes and all have signed managers.
 bittle Rock has signed M. J. Finn of Youngstown, Ohio, to manage the team in that city. Finn is one of the best ball men dn the country, and has the reputation of being straightforward and honest man. ager. He has owned the Youngstown club dn the Interstate League for two or three years but recently surrendered his fran chise there because of the lack of patron- age last season. He will not play on his team, but win manage from the seat.
 Getting in Shape.
 The managers of the Birmingham Chat tanooga, Nashville, Memphis, Shreveport and New Orleans teams are making splen- did progress signing their players They claim that they will have all of their play CTS under contract by the first of February, if not earlier.
 Manager George Reed of Shreveport it is stated, has signed his entire team for the seson. The players he has under contract are: Tom Fisher, E. J. McGreevey and Guy Sample, pitchers, who were in the Central League last season; Walter Kenlock Will liam Alexander, George w. Keefe and Rob- ert Love, outfelders; Roy Montgomery, Timothy O'Rourke and John Bammert are also under contract. The names of the other players who have returned signed contracts to Manager Reed have not been made pub lis
 Newt Fisher manager of the Nashville team, has leased the Nashville park for a period of five years, and has mortgaged his lease to well known citizens of that place for the capital to back his team. Fisher is an old Southern League player, and one of the best catchers that ever came to the south. He has signed fer the season George Reitz, S. Kennedy, Ed Abbitichio, Andy OConnel Josh Riley, Howard Holland and Tom Parrot.
 The Umpires.
 President Kent of the Southern Associa- tion is negotiating with several umpires, and it is stated has about agreed upon those he will engage for the season. The umpires will receive $15O a month and travelling ex- penses during the playing season.
 The Chattanooga Baseball Association has been organized, and the $500 guarantee mon- ey paid to President Kent of the Southern Association.
 Jack Dolan of Springfield, Ohio has been signed by Manager Whistler of the Chat tanooga team. Dolan is a pitcher, and was with the Schenectady, (N. Y.) team last year, standing at the head of the list of pitchers in the New York State League Manager Whistler has asked Billy Niles, who held down the third base for Birming- hams champion team in 1892, for his terms. He has also signed Barry and Morrison, pitchers; Andy Roth, catcher; Jack Wentz, second base and Durrett and Barrett, out felders.