The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-12
EVENTS OF THE WEEK
THINGS TALKED ABOUT IN THE
 CENTRAL CITY. .a.
Baseball Has Been the Principal Topic of Conversation Among
 All Glasses of Citizens.
Advertiser Bureau,


 Things have been lively, however,, in baseball circles. This town Is base bail mad. and if the team had not won in Nashville yesterday one would have seen the most dejected lot of fans in this city. imaginable. Their spirite would have been as limp and lifeless as the finery on the fair women who were so thoroughly drenched at the Park last Monaay afternoon. But that storm was a. blessing to Selma in more ways shan one. The growing crops needed the rain badly. and 1t is the general opinion that if it had not pour ed down Birmingham would have won the game. As it was, under the rules the game could not be scored against Selma until after the fifth inning, and as they were playing the fourth when the storm broke. that pitiless hall and pelting rain was a blessing to baseball loving Selma as well as to the suffer- ing planters.
 Yesterday when the news came in that Selma had won over Nashville by a score if ' to 6. this was the happiess little city ever seen. The sedate, thoughtful, wholesale merchants of Water Street clapped their hands and threw up their hats ana yelled the good news across the street to the fel- lows on the other side. The spirits Of
 the younger crowd gave vent in a more
 exhuberant manner, and some yelled hurrah! at the top of their voices while
 the smiles that played around their faces showed plainer than words the feelings of delight that stirred their
 souls. When the club left for Nash- vile there were a great many Who were apprehensive that the senators
 had not practiced enough to hold their own and they held their breath in ex- pectatiop to hear of the game being wrested from the Senators.
 Lovers of bail here were delighted at the game being won on many ac- counts. but the chief delight to great many was the fact that King Bailey pitched and won the game. For sew eraI years past he has been the idol or the Selma baseball arena, and when he went to the box fast Tuesday even- ing and took his position to pitch the game, a great shout went up from the thousand people who had assembled to
 see the sport. They cheered him for two reasons: first. because they loved him; and second, they wanted to en- courage him to pitch great game. But Bailey was not in good form and the heavy batters from Birmingham pounded him all over the field, and the look of despair on spectators faces was pitiable to behold. King Bailey's fame was suffering right in the Home where he had ruled 50 long. and some even went so far as to say that hke an old Roman gladiator, who had fought and won an hundred battles. at last his prowess had left him. and that he was no longer able to cope with the up-to- date sluggers of the ball. Yes terday when he pitched and won in Nashville. close and exciting as it vas, the sceptre was replaced in ktng Bal ley's hands and he was recrowned by the Selma public as the finest that ever threw a ball across a diamond. The base ball public. is only human after all. and 1t worships the rising and not the setting sun. King Baileys star is in the ascendant right now and those who know him best hope that 1t will remain there for many gears to come
 To show the reader to what extent this baseball craze has taken hold Of Selma, 1t Is only necessary to relate a few instances. As an Advertiser rep was going home late yes- terday afternoon he met we'll known young man of the town driving his best girl behind a splendid horse. This particular young man is little daft on the subject of pretty girls and base ball. and when he saw the reporter he raised his hat with all of the grace of a Chesterfield, smiled sweetly and sung out that Selma was all 0. k. in Nash. vile. Sedate ministers of the gospel go out to the games and clap their hands in delight W hen one of the Sen ators'' makes a particularly brilliant play, and even the ladies in West Sell ma sit on their piazzas late in the af- ternoons and will ask the pedestrian as he passes by what the news is from the club when 1t Is away from home. The small boy and even the little girls know the baseball players by name and can tell Who a certain player Is. the instant he takes his place in the field.
 Reports that come in from certain sections of the territory contiguous to Selma say that the farms are suffer- ing for raln; that there is not enough moisture to bring up the cotton, and that unless they get rain soon. the cot ton crop will be materially cut down. Others who planted as soon as they saw that they were not going to get a stand, report that tAey have fine stands and the work of chopping 1t out Is pro- gressing. But from the conflicting re-
 
 cannot be expected in this section next season.
 Speculation is rife among the mem bers of the First Baptist Church as to Dr. Dickinson will accept the call to the pastorate of the First Church of Birmingham, which has been rendered him. He is now in New Or leans in attendance on the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Con- vention. and when he was asked about it Friday, just before he left. he said that he had nothing to say for publi- cation; that he would be absent from the city for about two weeks and that not until after his church here held meeting and he went to and looked over the field there, could he tell the public what his intions were. even if he knew him self. He said he would be guided by what he thought was his duty and would remain here or go to Birmingham as he thought the Master might direct. It is believed that he will accept the call, as he is in the prime of vigorous young manhood. and is capable of do- ing the very best work of his entire